Niles Audio Speaker AT5 User Manual

I N S T A L L A T I O N & O P E R A T I O N G U I D E  
M O D E L S  
®
B L E N D I N G H I G H F I D E L I T Y  
®
A N D A R C H I T E C T U R E  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
Limited Warranty  
Niles Audio Corporation ("NILES") warrants its loudspeaker products to the original purchaser  
to be free of manufacturing defects in material and workmanship for a period of five years  
from date of purchase.  
This Warranty is subject to the following additional conditions and limitations. The Warranty  
is void and inapplicable if NILES deems that the product has been used or handled other than  
in accordance with the instructions provided by the manufacturer, including but not limited to  
damage caused by accident, mishandling, improper installation, abuse, negligence, or normal  
wear and tear, or any defect caused by repair to the product by anyone other than NILES or an  
authorized NILES dealer.  
To obtain warranty service, take the unit to the nearest authorized NILES dealer, who will test  
the product and if necessary, forward it to NILES for service. If there are no authorized NILES  
dealers in your area, you must write to NILES and include your name, address, model and  
serial number of your unit, along with a brief description of the problem. A factory Return  
Authorization Number will be sent to you. DO NOT RETURN ANY UNIT WITHOUT FIRST  
RECEIVING WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION AND SHIPPING INSTRUCTIONS FROM NILES.  
If the above conditions are met, the purchaser's sole remedy shall be to return the product to  
NILES, in which case NILES will repair or replace, at its sole option, the defective product  
without charge for parts or labor. NILES will return a unit repaired or replaced under warranty  
by shipping same by its usual shipping method from the factory (only) at its expense within the  
United States of America. THERE ARE NO OTHER WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT  
LIMITATION, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FIT-  
NESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE PRODUCT.  
REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT AS PROVIDED UNDER THIS WARRANTY IS THE EXCLUSIVE  
REMEDY OF THE CONSUMER/PURCHASER. NILES SHALL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR  
ANY INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT PROVIDED  
(OR PROHIBITED) BY APPLICABLE LAW.  
Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages,  
so the above limitation may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights,  
and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.  
For the name of your nearest authorized NILES dealer contact:  
NILES AUDIO CORPORATION  
P.O. BOX 160818, Miami, Florida 33116-0818.  
Please fill in your product information and retain for your records.  
Model____________________________________________________________________________________  
Serial No._________________________________________________________________________________  
Purchase Date_____________________________________________________________________________  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
26  
WARRANTY REGISTRATION CARD  
Model Purchased__________________________________________________________________________________  
Serial Number___________________________________________________________________________________  
Date Purchased (month/day/year)_________________________________________________________________  
Dealer Name and Location________________________________________________________________________  
__________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Dr.  
Miss  
Mr.  
Mrs.  
Ms.  
Name____________________________________________________________________________________________  
Address_________________________________________________________________________________________  
_________________________________________________________________________________________________  
City_________________________________________________________State______________Zip______________  
Telephone (___________)___________________________________________________________________________  
Please take a moment to fill out our warranty registration card. The information helps us to  
get to know you better and develop the products you want  
Age:  
Musical tastes:  
What magazines do  
you read?  
Do you. . .?  
Under 25  
25-34  
35-44  
45-54  
55 & over  
(Please check all that  
apply)  
Own a House. If yes,  
how many square feet?  
__________________  
1._____________________  
2. ___________________  
3. ___________________  
Alternative  
Classical  
Country  
Jazz  
New Age  
Popular  
R&B  
Rock  
Other______________  
Own a Town House/  
Condominium/Co-op  
Rent an Apartment  
Rent a House  
Income:  
Who will install the  
product?  
Under $24,999  
$25,000-$34,999  
$35,000-$44,999  
$45,000-$59,999  
$60,000-$74,999  
$75,000-$99,999  
Over $99,999  
Are you interested in  
receiving literature on  
other Niles products?  
Custom Installer  
Electrician  
Friend  
Myself  
Yes  
No  
How did you hear  
about Niles?  
Which factor(s) influ-  
enced the purchase of  
your Niles product?  
Are there products/  
capabilities that you  
would like to see  
introduced?  
____________________  
____________________  
____________________  
____________________  
____________________  
____________________  
Architect/Developer  
Custom Installer  
Direct Mail  
Occupation:  
Arts/Entertainment  
Business Owner  
Engineer  
Finance/Accounting  
General Office  
Management  
Professional  
Sales/Marketing  
Student  
Tradesperson  
(Please check all that  
apply)  
Friend/Family  
In-Store Display  
Interior Designer  
Magazine Ad  
Mail-Order Catalog  
Newspaper Ad  
Product Brochure  
Product Review  
Retail Salesperson  
Ease of Use  
Price/Value  
Product Features  
Quality/Durability  
Reputation  
Style/Appearance  
Warranty  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
speakers capable of reproducing both  
music and movie soundtracks with incred-  
ible realism and sonic impact. They are  
perfect anywhere that ultimate sound  
quality is required.  
Introduction  
The AT or Advanced Technology group of  
In-Wall Loudspeakers is designed to deliv-  
er truly stunning performance with opti-  
mum installation flexibility. All models in  
the AT series are constructed using the  
highest quality components and utilize  
advanced materials technology to create  
An AT5/AT6/AT8 Speaker Kit; and the  
corresponding Bracket Kit (5, 6 or 8) is  
required to install one pair of  
AT5/AT6/AT8 In-Wall loudspeakers in  
either new or existing construction.  
tweeter to be accurately positioned after  
installation for optimum performance and  
without the diffraction distortion typical of  
traditional pivoting tweeters.  
Features and Benefits  
Woven Carbon/Fiber Glass Woofer  
with Butyl Rubber Surround,  
Dispersion Stabilizer, Vented Pole  
Piece and Custom Debris Screen  
The Niles AT Advanced Technology series  
loudspeakers employ an advanced cone  
material that combines carbon and fiber glass  
in a special weave that maximizes stiffness  
and minimizes cone break up. The result is a  
cone that delivers deep, powerful bass and  
unrivaled dynamic response. The woofer also  
features a vented pole piece for increased  
bass linearity and a Butyl Rubber Surround  
for improved midrange damping and clarity  
as well as moisture resistance. A hyperbolic  
dispersion stabilizer helps to maintain  
smooth frequency response off-axis. Custom  
debris screens keep insulation from coming  
in contact with the woofer.  
Antiresonant Wave Bracing  
The AT speaker’s baffle design employs  
specially molded ribs that increase the  
rigidity of the baffle and raise the resonant  
frequency so that less “out-of-phase” can-  
cellation takes place. Equally important,  
the ribs are curved and crossed to further  
shift vibration modes away from low-bass  
canceling frequencies. This keeps bass  
tones rich and dynamic.  
Front-Mounted Bass & Treble Controls  
Niles Advanced Technology speaker  
models feature four position baffle-  
mounted tone controls for Bass and  
Treble that enable instant fine tuning  
after the speakers are installed. This fea-  
ture helps to lessen the effects of less than  
perfect placement or other room  
acoustics anomalies.  
1” Teteron Tri-laminate Tweeter  
Housed in a Precision Adjustment  
Mechanism  
The AT series Teteron Tweeter employs a  
tri-laminate design consisting of an inner  
textile layer which forms the dome, a high  
damping layer to kill unwanted resonances  
and an outside layer of urethane to add  
stiffness and prevent breakup modes. The  
result is a transparently clear, sweet, natur-  
al sounding tweeter which still maintains  
extended frequency response. This  
advanced tweeter is housed in a precision  
adjustment mechanism which permits the  
Snap-in Baffle Assembly  
This proprietary Niles design enables  
installers to attach Niles loudspeaker  
assemblies to installed frames without addi-  
tional hardware or tools. Niles' Snap-in  
design makes it easy to upgrade Niles'  
speakers after installation without the has-  
sles associated with removal and re-instal-  
lation of traditional designs. Snap-in baffles  
make installation of Niles speaker baffle  
easier and faster than other in-wall brands.  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
2
No-Strip Speaker Terminal  
assures fast and accurate hole cutting. The  
bracket slips behind the drywall and the  
screws secure the bracket to the frame,  
sandwiching the drywall between them.  
The speaker baffle attaches to the frame,  
and the grille mounts over the speaker.  
Niles patented No-Strip terminal enables  
speakers to be connected without strip-  
ping the speaker wire. No-Strip terminals  
eliminate fumbling with wire strippers and  
input terminals. They are color coded and  
simply plug into the crossover circuit  
boards on the back of Niles speakers,  
resulting in positive in-phase connections  
every time.  
Three Stage Installation System for  
Remodels or New Construction  
You install only the parts you need for a  
particular stage of construction. When the  
framing and wiring are finished, you install  
the bracket. After the drywall is up, but  
before the painter begins to paint, you  
install the frame and provide the rustproof  
aluminum grilles to the painter so that they  
can be painted to match the surroundings.  
Only when construction is completely fin-  
ished do you put the valuable speaker in  
the wall. You dont have to mask or prep  
the speaker for painting, and worries about  
theft during the final phases of construction  
are never an issue!  
BumpBackWoofer Magnet  
Niles engineers have utilized a unique  
motor construction enabling far greater  
throwor voice coil excursion. This  
allows a high level of bass performance to  
be achieved.  
Moisture Resistant Construction  
The AT loudspeakers are suitable for use  
in high moisture environments. The dri-  
vers are impervious to moisture; the grille  
is made of powder-coated aluminum, and  
all exposed hardware is made of stainless  
steel. However, the speakers are not  
waterproof and direct contact with water  
should be avoided.  
Low Diffraction, MicroPerf™  
Aluminum Grilles  
AT speakers include aluminum grilles. The  
painted aluminum grille has hundreds of  
precisely sized perforations, creating an  
acoustically transparent grille.  
Absolutely Flush to the Wall  
Appearance  
The unique mounting system of the AT  
loudspeakers powerfully clamps the frame  
to the bracket, sandwiching the wall mate-  
rial between them. Because the clamping  
action is totally uniform around the frame,  
there are no shadows or gaps between the  
wall and the frame. Additionally, the Niles  
mounting system is carefully optimized to  
stiffen the surrounding drywall and pre-  
vent it from resonating. You hear only the  
music, not the drywall.  
Infrared Sensor Mount  
The speaker baffle has a locator designed  
for the Niles MS-1 MicroSensor, a  
miniature infrared sensor. The MS-1  
installs discreetly behind the aluminum  
grille and therefore minimizes wall clut-  
ter in your home. When you want to  
control your equipment, you simply  
point your remote control at the speaker  
from up to 15 feet away.  
Easy Retrofit Installation in your  
Existing Home  
Designed for ease of installation, the Niles  
mounting system makes retrofit installa-  
tions simple and fast. A supplied template  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
3
PLEASE FILL OUT THE  
WARRANTY REGISTRATION  
CARD ON THE REVERSE SIDE,  
DETACH, AND MAIL TO:  
Niles Audio Corporation  
Warranty Registration Dept.  
P.O. Box 160818  
Miami, Florida 33116-0818  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
23  
New Construction Wings  
Bracket  
Frame  
Speaker Baffle  
IR Knockout  
Grille  
Installation Considerations  
Recommended Amplifier Power  
Incorporating a Local Volume Control  
In a multiroom system there is one indis-  
pensible device for true conveniencea  
local volume control. It allows you to  
adjust the volume of the speakers without  
leaving the room.  
For satisfactory performance, we recom-  
mend an amplifier with a power rating of  
ten to one hundred watts for the AT5; and  
ten to one hundred twenty-five watts for  
the AT6, and ten to one hundred fifty  
watts for the AT8. Curiously, most speak-  
ers are not damaged by large amplifiers  
but by small amplifiers. If your system is  
playing loudly, a small amplifier will run  
out of power very quickly. When an  
amplifier runs out of power it creates  
damaging clippingdistortion. A large  
amplifier will play at the same volume  
without distorting. See the section on  
operating the speakers for more informa-  
tion about clipping distortion.  
Plan to wire the system so that each pair  
of speakers has its own volume control  
built into the wall (think of a volume con-  
trol as a dimmer switch for sound).  
Niles makes a wide range of high perfor-  
mance indoor and outdoor volume con-  
trols. They are available in Standard or  
Decora® style cover plates (just like your  
light switches and dimmers). Volume con-  
trols are connected in line with the speak-  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
4
er, so you must connect the wire from the An IR sensor requires that a 2-conductor  
amplifier to the volume control and then shielded wire (West Penn D291 or equiva-  
from the volume control to the speaker.  
lent) be home run from each sensor loca-  
tion to the main equipment location. This  
wire is normally run beside the speaker  
Speaker Wire  
Use 2-conductor speaker wire when con- wire at the same time. Typically, the sen-  
necting AT speakers to your receiver or sor is placed in a location that faces your  
amplifier. For most applications, we rec- listening position. Most remote controls  
ommend you use 16 or 18 gauge stranded will have an effective line of sight range of  
wire. For wiring runs longer than 80 feet 18 to 30 feet with any Niles sensor placed  
we recommend 14 gauge stranded wire. in a wall, ceiling, on a cabinet or tabletop.  
The no-strip terminals of the AT speakers However, when you place a Niles MS-1  
will accommodate 12 to 18 gauge wire.  
MicroSensorbehind the perforated alu-  
When you run wire inside walls, special minum grille of a speaker the effective  
jacketing (CL-2 or CL-3) is required to range is reduced to 9 to 15 feet.  
both protect the wire and for fire preven-  
tion. In some areas conduit is required.  
For a trouble-free installation, low voltage  
wire such as speaker wire must be run in  
accordance with the National Electrical  
Code and any applicable provisions of the  
local building code. If you are unsure of  
the correct installation techniques, wire  
jacket or type of conduit to use, consult a  
professional audio/video installer, your  
building contractor, or the local building  
and inspection department.  
Insulating the Wall Cavity  
For best performance from your speakers fill  
the wall cavity behind the speaker with  
fiberglass insulation (e.g. R-19 unbated insu-  
lation). Try to keep the same amount of  
insulation for each speaker, particularly in  
the same room, for consistent bass response.  
Incorporating a Remote Control  
If you are planning to use a stereo system  
with a hand held IR remote control, con-  
sider the advantages of installing a Niles  
IR Repeater system. You are able to con-  
trol all of the functions of your system  
from the room via the remote pair of  
speakers. Niles makes a number of IR sen-  
sors which install in the wall, in the ceiling,  
in cabinetry, on tabletops, or even behind  
the grille of your Niles AT speakers.  
TECH TIP  
Wire size is expressed by its AWG (American Wire  
Gauge) number. The lower the number, the larger  
the wire, i.e. twelve AWG is physically larger than  
fourteen AWG.  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
5
Specifications  
Model AT8  
Driver Compliment  
8Carbon/Glass Fiber Woofer with  
Dispersion Stabilizer, Custom Debris  
Screen, High BL Magnet Structure with  
Vented Pole Piece  
1Teteron Tweeter Housed in a Low  
Diffraction Precision Adjustment  
Mechanism  
Design Principle  
Infinite baffle for large and varying air  
volumes  
Recommended Amplifier Power  
Ten to One Hundred Fifty Watts per  
Channel  
Nominal Impedance  
6 Ohms  
Frequency Response  
40 Hz to 21,000 Hz, plus or minus 3dB  
(on axis)  
Dispersion Pattern  
90 degrees Horizontally or Vertically  
(plus or minus 5dB)  
Sensitivity  
90 decibels for 2.83 volts of Pink Noise,  
measured at 1 meter on axis  
Overall Exterior Frame Dimensions  
10-3/16x 14-1/4”  
Depth Behind Wall  
3-1/8Deep (assumes 1/2drywall)  
Wall Cut-Out Dimensions  
9-1/8x 13-1/8”  
Wiring Requirements  
We recommend 16 to 18 gauge stranded  
wire for up to 80 feet, 14 gauge stranded  
wire for up to two hundred feet.  
Connectors accommodate 12 to 18 gauge  
stranded wire.  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
22  
Specifications  
Model AT5  
Model AT6  
Driver Compliment  
Driver Compliment  
5-1/4Carbon/Glass Fiber Woofer with  
Dispersion Stabilizer, Custom Debris  
Screen, High BL Magnet Structure with  
Vented Pole Piece  
6-1/2Carbon/Glass Fiber Woofer with  
Dispersion Stabilizer, Custom Debris  
Screen, High BL Magnet Structure with  
Vented Pole Piece  
1Teteron Tweeter Housed in a Low  
Diffraction Precision Adjustment  
Mechanism  
1Teteron Tweeter Housed in a Low  
Diffraction Precision Adjustment  
Mechanism  
Design Principle  
Infinite baffle for large and varying air  
volumes  
Design Principle  
Infinite baffle for large and varying air  
volumes  
Recommended Amplifier Power  
Ten to One Hundred Twenty Five Watts  
per Channel  
Recommended Amplifier Power  
Ten to One Hundred Watts per Channel  
Nominal Impedance  
6 Ohms  
Nominal Impedance  
6 Ohms  
Frequency Response  
60 Hz to 21,000 Hz, plus or minus 3dB  
(on axis)  
Frequency Response  
50 Hz to 21,000 Hz, plus or minus 3dB  
(on axis)  
Dispersion Pattern  
90 degrees Horizontally or Vertically  
(plus or minus 5dB)  
Dispersion Pattern  
90 degrees Horizontally or Vertically  
(plus or minus 5dB)  
Sensitivity  
Sensitivity  
88 decibels for 2.83 volts of Pink Noise,  
measured at 1 meter on axis  
89 decibels for 2.83 volts of Pink Noise,  
measured at 1 meter on axis  
Overall Exterior Frame Dimensions  
7-1/8x 9-7/8”  
Overall Exterior Frame Dimensions  
8-3/4x 11-11/16”  
Depth Behind Wall  
3-1/8Deep (assumes 1/2drywall)  
Depth Behind Wall  
3-1/8Deep (assumes 1/2drywall)  
Wall Cut-Out Dimensions  
6-1/4x 9”  
Wall Cut-Out Dimensions  
7-5/8x 10-5/8”  
Wiring Requirements  
Wiring Requirements  
We recommend 16 to 18 gauge stranded  
wire for up to 80 feet, 14 gauge stranded  
wire for up to two hundred feet.  
Connectors accommodate 12 to 18 gauge  
stranded wire.  
We recommend 16 to 18 gauge stranded  
wire for up to 80 feet, 14 gauge stranded  
wire for up to two hundred feet.  
Connectors accommodate 12 to 18 gauge  
stranded wire.  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
21  
the front of the speaker. To determine the  
best position, measure the listeningdis-  
tance between the ideal listening position  
(your favorite chair or couch) and the wall  
in which you plan to install the speakers.  
Try to place the speakers so that they are  
equally distant from your listening spot and  
at least one half of the listening distance  
apart (this maintains a large pleasant stereo  
image). In home theater applications  
where there is a center channel you may  
choose to space the left and right main  
speakers farther apart for a bigger than  
lifesound with Dolby® encoded movies  
and TV shows. However, for combined  
music and movie usage stay within the  
speaker placement zone for music. For  
example; if you are ten feet back from the  
wall, the speakers should be between five  
and ten feet apart (See Figure 2).  
Speaker Placement  
Placement for Critical Listening  
If you like to imagine that the band or  
orchestra is playing in front of you as you  
listen to music, or you are very conscious of  
clarity, detail and the textures of the individ-  
ual instruments, you are a critical listener.  
In a home theater, the intelligibility of dia-  
log and action reproduced by the front  
speakers is paramount! The position of the  
speakers plays a very important role in  
how clear the sound is and how a stereo  
image is created. Here are some guide-  
lines to make the process of placement  
quick and easy.  
Make sure the sound will not be blocked  
or reflected off of furniture or other objects.  
You should have a direct line of sight with  
Speaker  
Placement  
Zone  
10’  
5’  
10’  
Speaker  
Placement  
Zone  
Figure 2  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
6
The Boundary Effect  
You can make listener position still less  
critical by using mono rather than stereo.  
This can be difficult to achieve with nor-  
mal stereo amplifiers. However, Niles  
manufactures Systems Integration  
Amplifiers which enable one room to be  
wired in stereo while other rooms are  
wired in mono! Consult your local Niles  
dealer for more information.  
Corners can affect the bass response of  
the speaker powerfully! This is called the  
boundary effect. You will emphasize par-  
ticular bass frequencies and cancel out  
other bass frequencies when you place  
speakers close to the wall/ceiling bound-  
ary or a corner wall boundary. This can  
make the speaker sound excessively  
boomy and inaccurate to some listeners,  
while to others it just seems like more  
bass sound. A good rule of thumb is if  
you always listen to your current pair of  
speakers with the bass turned up, youll  
enjoy corner placement. If you keep your  
tone controls at neutral, try to keep the  
speakers at least two or three feet from  
the boundaries of the room.  
In smaller rooms or rooms that are infre-  
quently used, you typically cant justify  
the expense of more than two speakers.  
Try to bracket the room with the two  
speakers. Diagonal placement is a very  
effective way to stretch the coverage pat-  
tern of two speakers. You can also com-  
promise between direct sound (for detail  
and clarity) and reflected sound (the  
ambient or all around youeffect). By  
trying to place the speakers so that they  
create as much reflected sound as possi-  
ble you emphasize the ambient effect.  
They can be up high in the wall or even  
down low at power outlet height , in the  
ceiling, near corners, or directed at  
reflective objects and walls. The more  
reflected sound there is in the room the  
stronger the ambient effect will be at low  
volumes. You should use moderation,  
however, otherwise the compromise  
becomes too one sided and at high vol-  
umes, the sound will be blurred and less  
distinct.  
Placement for Varying Listening  
Positions  
If you want the freedom to sit anywhere  
in a room facing any direction, and/or  
find that you prefer the all around you”  
sound of some car stereos to a conven-  
tional sound stagefacing you, consider  
the speaker placement techniques profes-  
sional installers use in restaurants and  
bars. They place speakers in an array  
around the listening area, so that the  
music is always surrounding you, regard-  
less of the direction you face.  
The rule of thumb is to add one pair of  
speakers for every 100 to 200 square feet  
of listening area. Curiously, this is not so  
that you can play the music louder, but  
so that you can play it softer! When you  
have only one pair of speakers in a large  
room you will notice that when the  
sound is perfect in one part of the room,  
it is too loud near the speakers. By plac-  
ing more than one pair in the room you  
will avoid these hot spotsof loud  
sound and you will create more sonic  
ambiance while maintaining clarity and a  
rich sound everywhere.  
Placement for Home Theater Rear  
Applications  
In a home theater, the goal is to repro-  
duce the experience of a great movie the-  
ater in our homes. The biggest difference  
between the two is the rear or surround  
speaker array in a commercial theater.  
Here, it is not uncommon to see twenty  
or thirty speakers around the audience.  
This huge array of speakers assures that  
you will feel completely surrounded by  
the ambient soundtrack of the movie.  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
7
Removal of Speaker Operation  
and Grille  
Listening at Higher Volumes  
It requires more power to achieve a reason-  
able volume of sound in a large room than  
Removing The Speaker  
If the grille is already installed, remove it by it does in a small room. It is possible (even if  
using a bent paper clip or the tip of a you are not a teenager) to turn the volume  
corkscrew and pulling it away from the frame.  
so high that the amplifier runs out of power.  
This creates clippingdistortion.  
Utilizing two small screwdrivers or two  
needle nose pliers, release the snaps that  
hold the speaker to the frame. Insert the  
screwdrivers into the holes in the snaps  
and exert force straight down (towards the  
woofer) until the snaps release. Once the  
snaps release, the speaker can be tilted  
away from the frame to be removed. Do  
not attempt to use the frame for leverage,  
as this may damage the surface of the  
frame (See Figure 21).  
Clipping distortion makes treble sound  
very harsh and unmusical. When you hear  
harsh sounding treble from any good  
speaker, turn the volume down immedi-  
ately! Those harsh sounds are masking  
some much more powerful ultra-high-fre-  
quency sound spikes which will quickly  
damage any fine loudspeaker. You are  
much less likely to damage a speaker with  
a large amplifier because it will be very  
loud indeed before it produces any clip-  
ping distortion.  
4
-HIF  
3
I
m
o
4
4
.c  
io  
-
9
8
d
u
2
-
a
s
0
0
8
ile  
1-800  
-
-BUY  
1
.n  
w
w
w
4
-HIF  
3
I
m
o
Cleaning  
4
.c  
io  
-4  
9
8
d
u
2
-
a
0
s
0
8
ile  
1-800  
-
-BUY  
1
.n  
w
w
w
You can clean the speaker with a damp-  
ened soft cloth or paper towel. If the  
speaker is mounted high up on a wall or  
ceiling, use a broom to gently brush it off.  
SE  
D
NS  
E
O
R
R
A
R
N
I
T
U
K
O
N
K
C
O
Figure 21  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
20  
Adjusting the Tweeter  
The tweeter is housed in a precision adjust-  
ment mechanism which enables precise  
aiming of the directional high frequencies to  
provide optimum performance. To adjust  
the tweeter:  
1. Carefully grasp the tweeter housing by  
placing your thumb and forefinger in the  
indentations provided.  
2. Rotate the tweeter housing either clock-  
wise or counter clockwise as required.  
The mechanism is indexed at equal  
intervals so that both speakers in a pair  
can be adjusted equally. Simply count  
the number of clicksas the first tweet-  
er is adjusted. Repeat the process for the  
second speaker, rotating the tweeter the  
same number of clicksin the opposite  
direction (See Figure 19).  
Figure 19  
3. Pivot the tweeter on both speakers  
equally by depressing the housing at the  
arrows until the desired angle is  
achieved (See Figure 20).  
Installing the Grille  
Carefully fit the grille into its recess so that it  
is barely in place. Starting with one corner,  
go around the speaker, pushing the grille in  
a little bit each time. You should be gentle,  
the aluminum grille can be easily bent out  
of shape. The speaker will have an absolute-  
ly flush appearance when it is properly  
installed.  
Figure 20  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
19  
Film makers try to use the surroundhas a small five or ten watt amplifier for  
soundtrack to envelope you in the envi-  
ronment on screen. They will place back-  
ground music, rain sounds, traffic noise,  
etc. on the surroundsoundtrack. In a  
home with a single pair of speakers it is  
easy for the jungle sounds to sound like  
they are in the middle of your headjust  
like headphones!  
the rear speakers, stay within five to eight  
feet of the listening location. If you are  
using a 25 to 50 watt amplifier you can  
mount the speakers 10 to 15 feet away  
from the listening location and still  
achieve reasonably high volume levels.  
Of course, the best way to emulate the  
sound of multiple speakers is to use multi-  
ple speakers. In large or unusually shaped  
rooms this might be the only way to  
achieve a good effect. If you like to listen  
to music surround modes which emulate  
concert hall acoustics, more than two sur-  
A single pair of AT Loudspeakers, properly  
placed, can create a very convincing sim-  
ulation of an array of speakers. If you  
place them near a hard reflecting surface  
you can make one pair of speakers sound  
like several. Create as many reflections as round speakers will prove extraordinarily  
effective. With Niles AT loudspeakers it is  
easy to add another pair without affecting  
the decor of the room. However, you will  
need to use a much more powerful ampli-  
fier than that which is built into a typical  
surround sound receiver or amplifier. Niles  
makes a number of Systems Integration  
Amplifiers® with proprietary features that  
make them uniquely suited to enhance a  
good surround sound system. Consult your  
local Niles dealer for more information.  
possible by mounting the speaker up high  
in the wall so that the ceiling will act as a  
powerful reflector. If you place the speak-  
ers near a corner, wash the sound down a  
wall from a ceiling location, or mount the  
speakers as far away as you can from the  
listening area, more reflections will occur.  
However, all of these placement tech-  
niques require that you work your sur-  
round sound amplifier channels harder. If  
the surround sound system you are using  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
8
Side-by-side wiring is unavoidable in par-  
ticular spots in every house, just move the  
speaker wire route away as soon as possi-  
ble. If construction forces a side by side  
run for more than ten feet, install metal  
conduit or shielded speaker wire. Low-  
voltage wires such as doorbells, inter-  
coms, telephone, security, or television  
cannot cause interference or hum on your  
speaker wires, so you can safely run all of  
them at the same time, through the same  
holes, side-by-side.  
Installation  
Fundamentals  
Running the Speaker Wire in New  
Construction  
If you have doubts about whether you are  
capable of installing a Niles AT Series  
speaker in your walls, consult a Niles  
dealer or professional installer. They have  
special tools, techniques, and experience  
to make the impossible possible. The  
installer can provide you with an estimate  
before any work is done.  
Before you drill any holes, mount the  
speaker brackets in the desired speaker  
locations and mount p-rings or open  
backed J-boxes where the in-wall volume  
controls and stereo equipment will be.  
Scheduling and Preparation  
Plan to schedule the speaker wiring after  
the electrical wiring is finished. That way  
you can avoid wire routes which could  
potentially induce hum over the speaker  
wire. The basic rules are:  
Safety First!  
Wear gloves, safety goggles and head pro-  
tection when drilling. Avoid nails, they ruin  
bits and they can create injury. Pay particu-  
lar care when using hole-hogsand other  
powerful electric drills; the torque of the  
drill when suddenly stopped by a nail can  
break the wrist of a strong man.  
Never run speaker wire through the  
same hole as an electrical cable.  
Never run speaker wire into the same  
J-box as electrical cable.  
Drilling  
Avoid running the speaker wire beside  
the electrical cable. Keep your speaker  
cable at a distance of at least 18"-22" from  
any electrical power cable.  
Use a bit that is large enough for the wires  
you plan to run. An auger bit is the pre-  
ferred bit for rough-in wiring. It will actu-  
ally pull itself through the wood, so that  
the drill motor, not you, does most of the  
work. You may be drilling a lot of holes,  
so this is an important consideration.  
Figure 3  
Always drill the holes in the center of the  
stud. If you have to notch the stud or drill  
the hole closer than one inch from the  
edge of the stud, protect the wire with a  
nail plate (See Figure 3).  
When drilling holes in ceiling joists drill  
in the center of the joists and try to locate  
the hole near the end of the joist. DO  
NOT drill through a gluelamor any  
load bearing beam without the direction  
of your contractor.  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
9
1. Stand half way between the two speakers.  
2. Play some music with the amplifier or  
radio set to Mono.  
3. Listen to the richness of the bass and the  
loudness of the sound.  
4. Turn off the amplifier and reverse the con-  
nections on one amplifier channel only.  
5. Repeat the listening test with the same  
setting of the volume control. When the  
sound has a richer bass and is slightly  
louder the speakers are working together  
or in-phase.  
Adjusting the Bass and Treble Controls  
The AT Advanced Technology loud-  
speakers feature separate baffle-mounted  
bass and treble controls for fine tuning  
after installation. Each control provides  
for approximately 3dB in steps of 1dB of  
Bass or Treble reduction. This is useful if  
the speakers are placed near boundaries  
(Bass Cut) or in a room with highly  
reflective surfaces like glass or tile.  
(Treble Cut). (See Figure 18).  
Figure 17  
Speaker Phase  
Speaker wire has two conductors. One  
conductor is attached to the negative (-)  
terminals and one conductor is attached to  
the positive (+) terminals of both your  
speaker and your amplifier. Usually, the  
wire is marked for your convenience.  
There are different ways wires are marked:  
a stripe on one wire, a ribbed area of one  
conductor you can only feel, different col-  
ors of metal wire on each conductor, or  
there might be a fabric strand or string  
wound into one of the conductors. Of  
course, there are some wires which appear  
completely identical. Be careful, or you  
might make a mistake.  
If you make a mistake, one speaker will be  
playing out-of-phasewith the other  
speaker. An out-of-phase pair of speakers  
work against each other and the sound of  
the two speakers playing together will be  
lacking in bass and be phaseysounding.  
If you suspect the sound is not right and  
you cannot see any markings on the wire,  
try this simple test:  
Figure 18  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
18  
Installing the Speaker  
5. Place the speaker baffle  
in the frame by inserting  
the tabs at the base of the  
speaker baffle into the  
corresponding holes in  
the frame and pushing  
the speaker forward until  
the snaps engage (See  
Figure 16).  
If the grille is already  
installed, remove it by  
using a bent paper clip or  
the tip of a corkscrew and  
pulling it away from the  
frame (See Figure 13).  
Figure 13  
1. Separate the speaker wire so  
that at least two inches of each  
conductor are free.  
2. Open the no-strip terminal by applying  
pressure to the red and black levers until  
an audible clickis heard.  
3. Insert one unstripped wire fully into the  
black and one into the red terminal. Pay  
attention to the markings on the wire.  
Each speaker must be connected to the  
amplifier in the same way. If unsure,  
see section Speaker Phaselocated on  
the following page. Squeeze the red  
and black levers until they click signify-  
ing that they have locked into the wire.  
Check to make sure that the knife  
assembly inside the no strip connector  
has properly pierced the wire (See  
Figure 14).  
Figure 15  
6. IMPORTANT: When installing the  
speakers in the ceiling, or if the instal-  
lation is in an earthquake zone, it is  
recommended that you utilize the  
enclosed sheet metal screws to secure  
the baffle to the frame.  
a. Locate the dimples on the front baffle.  
b. Place the self-tapping sheet metal  
screw in the dimple and turn it with a  
screw driver until it cuts through the  
baffle and anchors securely in the  
frame (See Figure 17).  
E
D
S
EN  
S
R
R
F
O
R
N
Figure 14  
KN  
U
T
O
O
C
K
4. Insert the no strip terminal into the cor-  
responding socket on the rear of the  
speaker. Push it down until it locks in  
place. The terminal will only fit in the  
socket in one direction. If the terminal  
does not properly seat, reverse the termi-  
nal 180˚ and re insert (See Figure 15).  
Figure 16  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
17  
Try to line the holes up perfectly, because when you look at the painted wall  
it makes pulling the wire much easier. A  
good technique is to snap a chalk line  
across the face of the studs or against the  
bottom of the ceiling joists. Then work  
backward so that you can always see the  
holes you have already drilled. Paying  
careful attention to this will save you a lot  
of time later on!  
board, plaster, or paneling is only the  
skin of the wall. Behind the skin is the  
skeleton; two-by-four wood or metal  
studsrunning vertically from the floor  
to the ceiling in walls and two-by-six or  
larger joistsrunning horizontally in the  
ceilings and floors. In between the studs  
and the joists is the space for the wiring  
and plumbing of your home.  
Pulling the Cable  
Pull the cable in sections (from the stereo  
to the volume control, from the volume  
control to the speaker). Start with the  
longest sections and use left over wire to  
complete the short sections. If you plan to  
pull many rooms at the same time  
through a central route, walk off the dis-  
tance to each destination, add a generous  
fudge factor for turns and other obstacles,  
then cut off each section so that you have  
a bundle of wires you can pull at once.  
Exterior walls are different. They must  
insulate the house from the heat and  
cold outside, so they are stuffed with  
insulation. The national building code  
requires that the hollow wall space in  
exterior walls be broken by a horizontal  
stud placed between the vertical studs.  
This fire blockingmakes it very diffi-  
cult to retrofit long lengths of wire. In  
some areas of the country the exterior  
walls are constructed of solid masonry,  
and have no hollow space for speakers  
or wires.  
Whenever you run the wire further than  
four and one half feet from a hole in a stud  
or joist (open attic space, going up walls,  
etc.), fasten the wire to the joists or studs  
using cable clamps or appropriately sized  
wire staples. The wire should not have  
large sags in it, nor should it be too tight.  
Try to protect the wire from being stepped  
on in attics or other unfinished crawl  
spaces. There are guard strips, raceways  
and conduits which can be used to protect  
the cable. Consult the local building code  
for special requirements in your area.  
Start by examining all the possible routes  
you might take to run the speaker wire  
from the speaker to the volume control  
and back to the stereo. Use a stud sensor  
or other device to locate the internal  
structure of the wall. You want to avoid  
all studs or joists. A typical route would  
be: from the speaker location up the  
inside of the wall to a new hole drilled  
into the top plate(horizontal two-by-  
four at the top of the inside of the wall),  
into the attic crawl space, then down to  
the volume control location through  
another top plate, back up to the attic,  
across the attic, and finally down anoth-  
er plate to the wall behind the stereo sys-  
tem itself (See Figure 4). The other very  
common route is through the bottom  
plate of the wall into an unfinished base-  
ment or crawl space.  
Concealing Speaker Wire  
in Existing Walls  
This is actually a fairly simple task if you  
restrict your choice of speaker locations  
and wire routes to the interior walls or  
ceilings of your home. Interior walls in  
almost all North American residences are  
hollow, so that it is easy to flush mount  
speakers into them and route new speaker  
cable around the house. What you see  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
10  
cover plate and switch or  
receptacle, and shining a  
penlight into the wall. If you  
have access to an attic or  
basement space you can  
quickly see which part of the  
wall space is free of obstruc-  
tions (See Figure 5).  
When you dont have access  
above or below the wall, try  
to estimate the existing wire  
and pipe locations from the  
positions of electrical outlets  
and plumbed fixtures on both  
sides of the wall. Take a look  
at the outside of your house  
too, sometimes conduit, vents  
or drain pipe will be visible  
that give useful information.  
Choose the route with the  
fewest potential obstacles.  
Speaker  
Location  
Volume  
Control  
Location  
Stereo  
Location  
Figure 4  
If your house is built on a slab or you are  
wiring between two finished floors, look  
for baseboards which could be removed  
and replaced with the wire behind them.  
Doorjambs can be removed and often  
have enough space for speaker wire all  
the way around the door (See Figure 6).  
Identify where all of your electrical,  
phone, and TV wiring is likely to be and  
plan to route around it all. You can acci-  
dentally induce 60 Hz hum on your  
speakers if you run your speaker wire right  
beside electrical wire for more than a few  
feet. Try to keep speaker wire running par-  
allel to power cables at least 3 feet away.  
To find exactly where an electrical cable is  
routed, try inspecting the inside of the wall  
by turning off the breaker for a particular  
power outlet or switch, removing the  
Sometimes, an under-the-carpet run is  
possible (there are special flat speaker  
wires made for under-the-rug wire runs).  
As a last resort, heating and air condition-  
ing vents can be used as wire raceways for  
Unobstructed space  
for speaker wiring  
Figure 5  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
11  
the drywall section can be replaced clean-  
ly if there is an unseen obstruction behind  
the wall. BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO  
SAW THROUGH EXISTING WIRES, PIPES,  
OR STRUCTURE. IF YOU FEEL ANY  
EXTRA RESISTANCE AS YOU ARE CUT-  
TING, STOP.  
Installation of the  
Speaker, Sensor and  
Grille in New or  
Existing Construction  
4. If you are cutting into lath and plaster  
walls, use masking tape to outline your  
penciled marks, drill the four corners with  
a 1/4bit and use a razor to score the  
plaster down to the lath beneath. Then use  
a chisel to remove all of the plaster within  
the taped outline. Finally, insert a metal  
cutting blade into a sabre saw and very  
slowly and carefully saw the lath. Sawing  
the lath can easily vibrate plaster off the  
wall. If you have the patience, use a pair  
of tin snips to slowly nip away at the lath  
instead. There is no risk with this method,  
it is just time consuming.  
Installing a Niles MS-1 MicroSensor™  
There is a 1/2" round molded "IR Sensor  
Knockout" on the face of the speaker baf-  
fle. To prevent damage to the crossover  
network you must remove the knockout  
from the rear of the speaker. Do not  
attempt to remove the knockout with the  
speaker face up. Lay the speaker face  
down on a clean carpet or rug. Put the tip  
of a screwdriver into the center of the  
round "knockout" and sharply tap the  
screwdriver handle as necessary. Install  
the MS-1 using its mounting hex nut and  
washer so that it is tightly secured to the  
speaker. Connect all wires and continue  
your installation.  
5. Fill the wall cavity with insulation at  
this point. Remember to use equal  
amounts of insulation for each speaker.  
6. Slip the mounting bracket through the  
hole and pull it toward you so that its front  
edge slides into the hole and stops in place.  
7. Attach the frame to the bracket by  
screwing the frame to the bracket using  
the supplied screws. Do not overtighten  
the screws, this will distort the frame and  
the grilles will not fit (this is not perma-  
nent, just loosen the screws and the grille  
will pop in). The screws should pull the  
frame and bracket together (sandwiching  
the drywall) so that the frame is absolutely  
flush with the wall surface. There should  
be no gaps between the wall and the  
frame (See Figure 12).  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
16  
Figure 11  
Installation of  
Brackets, Frames  
and Grilles in  
Existing Walls  
IMPORTANT: Before you cut into any  
wall, review the sections on running  
wire and speaker placement.  
1. Drill a 1/8pilot hole just barely  
through the wallboard or dry wall (1/2to  
5/8deep in most homes) about an inch  
below the center of your proposed speak-  
er location (an inch to the side if you are  
mounting the speaker horizontally). BE  
VERY CAREFUL NOT TO DRILL  
THROUGH EXISTING WIRES, PIPES, OR  
STRUCTURE. IF YOU FEEL ANY EXTRA  
RESISTANCE AS YOU ARE DRILLING,  
STOP. Cut a piece of coat hanger equal to  
the width of the bracket. Bend the wire in  
half creating a right angle. Poke the L-  
shapedwire into the pilot hole and turn it  
in a complete circle. If it turns freely,  
repeat the procedure from a hole about an  
inch above the center of your proposed  
speaker location (See Figure 11).  
If the wires movement is obstructed by a  
pipe or cable, fill the hole (s) with spackle  
or other patching compound and try  
another location.  
2. When determining the final location of  
the cutout keep in mind that the frame  
and bracket will extend beyond the  
cutout. Make sure that you do not place  
the edge of the cutout directly next to a  
stud. Locate the studs using a stud sensor  
or hand-knocking. Once you have deter-  
mined the correct position for the cutout,  
hold the supplied template up to the wall  
surface. Level the template in either the  
horizontal or the vertical position and  
mark the wall with a pencil.  
Drill the four corners with a  
1/4drill bit.  
3. If you are cutting a painted  
or wall papered drywall use  
a sheetrock or keyhole saw.  
Cut the hole with the saw at  
a 45 degree angle. That way,  
Figure 12  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
15  
Figure 6  
plenum rated wire (check your local  
building codes, some municipalities  
require conduit).  
In traditional wood stud/drywall construc-  
tion you can cut the hole for the speaker  
and utilize the large hole to auger holes  
across, up or down the wall for as far as  
your drill bit will take you. If you have  
matching paint and take reasonable care in  
patching you can cut a hatch in the dry-  
wall at each stud, run your wire, and patch  
and touch-up the wall (See Figure7).  
When you are dealing with the unknown  
because of the structure of your home, or  
with difficult to patch wall materials like  
plaster, lath and plaster, faux finishes,  
wallpaper etc., be patient. A careful study  
of the potential problems before you start  
the job will pay off.  
Figure 7  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
12  
Screw one side of the assembled bracket  
with wings to the stud using one of the  
supplied screws. Level the bracket. Screw  
the other side of the bracket to the stud.  
Two or three screws (depending upon the  
size of the model) on each side makes for  
a very secure installation. Attach the wire  
to the bracket at the indicated wire tie  
points (See Figure 9).  
Installation of  
Brackets, Frames  
and Grilles in New  
Construction  
Stage One: Before Drywall is Hung.  
Insulating the Wall Cavity.  
Stage Two: Before Paint  
If feasible, fill the wall cavity with insula- Screw the frame to the installed bracket  
tion at this point.  
using the supplied screws. Do not over-  
tighten the screws. This will distort the  
frame and the grilles will not fit (this is not  
permanent, just loosen the screws and the  
grille will pop in) (See Figure 10).  
Attach the wings to the bracket by snap-  
ping them into the sides of the bracket.  
The wings can be shortened by breaking  
them along the scored lines if their length  
will interfere with a corner or eaves. You Painting the Aluminum Grilles  
can mount the bracket horizontally or ver- The grille is important to the sound of the  
tically (See Figure 8).  
AT loudspeakers. Do not fill the holes of  
Figure 8  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
13  
the grille with paint. The grille is construct-  
ed of aluminum with a perfectly even  
powder coat overall. This powder coat is  
an ideal primer.  
Remove the grilles before painting. If you are  
using spray paint, use two thin coats without  
any primer. If you are using a compressor and  
a spray gun, use the finest, most diffuse  
setting. Practice first on some paper if you  
have no experience painting with spray paint.  
If you are using an applicator or brush, and  
a can of paint, thin the paint first. You do  
not want to have to poke hundreds of  
holes in your beautifully painted grilles.  
Figure 9  
Figure 10  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  
14  
Niles Audio Corporation  
12331 S.W. 130 Street  
Miami, Florida 33186  
Tel: (305) 238-4373  
Fax: (305) 238-0185  
©2000 Niles Audio Corporation. Patents applied for and pending.  
Printed in Taiwan DS00280ATW  
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.  

Minolta Scanner Scanner Mode User Manual
MTD Automobile Parts AC3 User Manual
MTD Tiller 216 410 000 User Manual
MURO Power Screwdriver CH7241U User Manual
NEC Computer Monitor PV32 User Manual
NHT Speaker System 9993 User Manual
NordicTrack Home Gym NTBE06901 User Manual
Nortel Networks Network Card P0908546 User Manual
Panasonic CD Player CQDP33EW User Manual
Panasonic MP3 Player CQ C1301W User Manual