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
Income:
❏
❏
Who will install the
product?
Rent an Apartment
Rent a House
❏
❏
❏
❏
❏
❏
❏
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
❏
❏
❏
❏
Custom Installer
Electrician
Friend
Are you interested in
receiving literature on
other Niles products?
Myself
How did you hear
about Niles?
❏
❏
Yes
No
Which factor(s) influ-
enced the purchase
of your Niles product?
❏
❏
❏
❏
❏
❏
❏
❏
❏
❏
❏
❏
Architect/Developer
Custom Installer
Direct Mail
Are there products/
capabilities that you
would like to see
introduced?
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
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.
dens or living rooms; as main or surround
speakers in home theaters.
Introduction
The PR or Performance group of
in-wall loudspeakers offers speakers
expressly designed for an optimum bal-
ance of performance and value. They
employ high performance components
and materials that make them perfectly
suited as primary speakers in bedrooms,
A PR5/PR6 Speaker Kit; and the cor-
responding Bracket Kit (5 or 6) is
required to install one pair of PR5/PR6
in-wall loudspeakers in either new or
existing construction.
Antiresonant Wave Bracing
Features and Benefits
The PR 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.
Talc-Filled Polypropylene Woofer with
Butyl Rubber Surround and Custom
Debris Screens
The Niles PR Performance series loud-
speakers employ a high performance
woofer made of vacuum formed
polypropylene with talc added for stiffen-
ing. The resulting cone offers low mass,
good damping and superb musicality.
Additionally, the woofer employs a Butyl
Rubber Surround for improved midrange
clarity as well as moisture resistance.
Custom debris screens prevent insulation
from coming in contact with the woofer.
Front-Mounted Bass & Treble Controls
Niles Performance speaker models
feature baffle-mounted tone controls for
Bass and Treble that enable instant fine
tuning after the speakers are installed. This
feature helps to lessen the effects of less
than perfect placement or other room
acoustics anomalies.
3/4" Kaladex® Tweeter housed in a
Precision Adjustment Mechanism
The PR Performance series Kaladex®
Tweeter employs DuPont’s latest material
technology to produce a dome tweeter
with exceptional frequency response and
low distortion. Highs are crystal clear and
extended without the harshness often
associated with polycarbonate designs.
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 baffles
easier and faster than other in-wall brands.
The Kaladex® tweeter is housed in a preci-
sion adjustment mechanism which permits
the tweeter to be accurately positioned after
installation for optimum performance with-
out the diffraction distortion endemic to
other speaker brands utilizing traditional
pivoting tweeters.
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.
2
No-Strip Speaker Terminal
tions simple and fast. A supplied template
assures fast and accurate hole cutting. The
bracket slips behind the drywall and the
screws secure the frame to the bracket,
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 don’t have to mask or prep
the speaker for painting, and worries about
theft during the final phases of construction
are never an issue!
BumpBack™ Woofer Magnet
Niles engineers have utilized a unique
motor construction enabling far greater
“throw” or voice coil excursion. This
allows a high level of bass performance to
be achieved.
Moisture Resistant Construction
The PR 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
PR 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 PR
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-
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
Figure 1
Model HD8 Shown
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 convenience—a
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 PR5; and
ten to one hundred twenty-five watts for
the PR6. Curiously, most speakers 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 “clipping”
distortion. A large amplifier will play at the
same volume without distorting. See the
section on operating the speakers for more
information 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 PR 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 PR speakers However, when you place a Niles MS-1
will accommodate 12 to 18 gauge wire.
MicroSensor™ behind 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 MP 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 PR6
Driver Compliment
6-1/2” Talc-Filled Polypropylene Woofer
with Custom Debris Screen and Butyl
Rubber Surround
3/4” Kaladex® 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 Twenty Five Watts
per Channel
Nominal Impedance
8 Ohms
Frequency Response
60 Hz to 20,000 Hz, plus or minus 3dB
(on axis)
Dispersion Pattern
90 degrees Horizontally or Vertically
(plus or minus 5dB)
Sensitivity
89 decibels for 2.83 volts of Pink Noise,
measured at 1 meter on axis
Overall Exterior Frame Dimensions
8-3/4” x 11-11/16”
Depth Behind Wall
3-1/8” Deep (assumes 1/2” drywall)
Wall Cut-Out Dimensions
7-5/8” x 10-5/8”
Wiring Requirements
We recommend 16 to 18 gauge stranded
for up to 80 feet, 14 gauge stranded for up
to two hundred feet. Connectors accom-
modate 12 to 18 gauge stranded wire.
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.
22
Specifications
Model PR5
Driver Compliment
5-1/4” Talc-Filled Polypropylene Woofer
with Custom Debris Screen and Butyl
Rubber Surround
3/4” Kaladex® 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 Watts per Channel
Nominal Impedance
8 Ohms
Frequency Response
70 Hz to 20,000 Hz, plus or minus 3dB
(on axis)
Dispersion Pattern
90 degrees Horizontally or Vertically
(plus or minus 5dB)
Sensitivity
88 decibels for 2.83 volts of Pink Noise,
measured at 1 meter on axis
Overall Exterior Frame Dimensions
7-1/8” x 9-7/8”
Depth Behind Wall
3-1/8” Deep (assumes 1/2” drywall)
Wall Cut-Out Dimensions
6-1/4” x 9”
Wiring Requirements
We recommend 16 to 18 gauge stranded
for up to 80 feet, 14 gauge stranded for up
to two hundred feet. Connectors accom-
modate 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 “listening” dis-
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
life” sound with Dolby® encoded movies
and TV shows. However, for combined
music and movie usage stay within the
good placement zone for music. For exam-
ple; 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, you’ll
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 can’t 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 you” effect). 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 at low vol-
umes. You should use moderation, how-
ever, otherwise the compromise becomes
too one sided and at high volumes, 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 stage” facing 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 spots” of loud
sound and you will create more sonic
ambiance while maintaining clarity and a
rich sound everywhere.
Placement for Rear Home Theater
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.
Film makers try to use the “surround”
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 “clipping” distortion.
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
0
s
0
8
ile
1-800
-
-BUY
1
.n
w
w
w
4
-HIF
3
I
m
o
4
4
.c
io
-
9
8
d
u
a
-2
0
s
0
ile
1-800-8-BUY
1
.n
w
Cleaning
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 “clicks” as the first tweet-
er is adjusted. Repeat the process for the
second speaker, rotating the tweeter the
same number of “clicks” in 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
soundtrack to envelope you in the envi- the rear speakers, stay within five to eight
ronment on screen. They will place back-
ground music, rain sounds, traffic noise,
etc. on the “surround” soundtrack. 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 head” just
like headphones!
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
A single pair of PR 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 concert hall acoustics, more than two sur-
round speakers will prove extraordinarily
effective. With Niles PR 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.
like several. Create as many reflections as
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
has a small five or ten watt amplifier for
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 PR loudspeak-
er 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-hogs” and 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 “gluelam” or 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 PR Performance loudspeakers fea-
ture separate baffle-mounted bass and
treble controls for fine tuning after instal-
lation. Each control provides for approxi-
mately 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-phase” with 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 “phasey” sounding.
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 “click” is 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 Phase” located 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
KN
T
U
O
O
C
K
Figure 14
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 reinsert (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
“studs” running vertically from the floor
to the ceiling in walls and two-by-six or
larger “joists” running 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
blocking” makes it very difficult 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
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
obstructions (See Figure 5).
When you don’t 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
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
cover plate and switch or receptacle, and
between two finished floors, look for base-
boards 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).
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
plenum rated wire (check your local
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 1/4” bit 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 1/8” pilot hole just barely
through the wallboard or dry wall (1/2” to
5/8” deep 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-
shaped” wire 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
1/4” drill 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
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).
PR 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 DS00279ATW
Download from Www.Somanuals.com. All Manuals Search And Download.
|