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
DS8.3
DIRECTED SOUNDFIELD
DS8.5
DIRECTED SOUNDFIELD
®
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
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Introduction
Niles DS Directed Soundfield loudspeak- regardless of where they are located in
ers feature a fully patented, adjustable, the ceiling — preserving interior design
independently pivoting, woofer and integrity and delivering life-like sonic
tweeter that enables the loudspeakers to quality that is not available from conven-
accurately recreate high fidelity sound tional ceiling loudspeakers.
Features and Benefits
Fully pivoting woofer and tweeter
A pivoting woofer assembly can adjust up
to 15° focusing bass and midrange tones
directly at the listening area for superb
imaging and unparalleled clarity. Within
the woofer assembly, the tweeter is housed
in its own low-diffraction pivoting assembly
that can adjust up to 17° in any direction to
create direct or diffused sound fields. The
independently pivoting woofer’s and tweet-
er’s superior design is patented, (U.S. patent
number 6,683,963).
usually is not where the listening area is.
DS Directed Soundfield Loudspeakers
patented, independent pivoting woofer
and tweeter overcome this challenge and
allow sound to be directed into the listen-
ing area regardless of ceiling angle.
Installer Selectable Acoustic
Fine Tuning
Installers can select to fine tune the bass or
treble to accommodate reflective surfaces
and corner loading. This selection is
accomplished via the baffle-mounted
treble control (-1.5dB, flat and +1.5dB)
and PC board mounted bass jumper
(flat, -1dB, and -2dB).
12 AWG Push Terminal
The DS8.3 and DS8.5 loudspeakers
are manufactured with high quality gold
plated push terminals that insure that the
connection to the speaker cable is of the
highest quality available.
4 or 8 ohm Selectable Impedance
The DS8.3 and DS8.5 give the installer
flexibility to select the speaker’s imped-
ance — 4 ohms for systems where
maximum current transfer and output
level is desired; 8 ohms for systems
utilizing multiple speaker pairs where
amplifier loading is a consideration.
Moisture and UV Resistant
Construction
The DS8.3 and DS8.5 loudspeakers are
suitable for use in high moisture environ-
ments. The drivers are resistant to moisture
and UV exposure; the grille is made of
powder-coated aluminum. However, the
speakers are not waterproof and direct
contact with water should be avoided.
™
MicroPerf Grilles
The DS8.3 and DS8.5 employ Niles
exclusive MicroPerf grille construction.
The exceptionally tight hole pattern
provides acoustic transparency at all audio
frequencies and enables the speaker
elements to remain invisible. MicroPerf
grilles can also be painted to blend
seemlessly with the surrounding decor.
Engineered for Ceiling Placement
The increased popularity of cathedral
and vaulted ceilings pose a distinct sonic
challenge for conventional ceiling loud-
speakers. That is because conventional
ceilingloudspeakers radiate sound perpen-
dicular to their mounting surface, which
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2
Easy Installation
The DS8.3 and DS8.5 employ a bracket- Hole Saving Bracket
less mounting system in existing ceilings. Available as an optional accessory, DS8
Simply cut a hole in the mounting surface, Series New Construction Brackets can be
install the frame by tightening the four installed as a “hole-saver” before the dry-
mounting “dogs” via the front panel wall goes up. The drywall contractor cuts
screws. The dogs first swivel 90°, then the holes as the drywall is installed, reduc-
clamp the loudspeakers frame to the dry- ing installation time and minimizing the
wall as you tighten the screws.
chance for lost wires.
TM
Twist & Lock Baffle
Patented, (U.S. patent number 6,683,963).
two-piece twist and lock baffle frame
mechanism facilitates quick installations.
Moreover, it allows trouble-free upgrades
or repairs.
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3
Installation Considerations
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 loudspeakers for more
information about clipping distortion.
Recommended Amplifier Power
For satisfactory performance, we recom-
mend an amplifier with a power rating of
10 to 150 watts for the DS8.3; 10 to 175
watts for the DS8.5. Curiously, most
speakers are not damaged by large
amplifiers but by small amplifiers. If your
Figure 1
The illustration shows how a
typical DS loudspeaker mounts
into a ceiling.
New Construction Bracket serves as a
“hole saver” when drywall has not
been applied. It is not necessary when
retrofitting to existing ceilings.
Knockout wire tie allows the wire to be
secured to the bracket throughout the
new construction process. It knocks
out cleanly when the loudspeaker is
installed.
New construction wings
instantly snap into the
bracket without screws.
Dogs swivel 90°, then
clamp the loudspeaker
frame to the drywall.
Frames are molded with a
slight texture to assure
good paint adhesion.
Wings are scored for
easy size trimming.
Mounting screws tighten the
“dogs”, clamping the loud-
speaker to the drywall.
Brackets and wings
attach to the ceiling joists
with nails or screws.
Rust-proof aluminum grilles make the DS
series perfect for moist environments.
Figure 2 Connect the wires and place the loudspeaker in the frame, twist and lock.
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4
Incorporating a Local Volume Control
jacket or type of conduit to use, consult a
In a multiroom system there is one indis- professional audio/video installer, your
pensible device for true convenience—a building contractor, or the local building
local volume control. It enables you to and inspection department.
adjust the volume of the loudspeakers
Incorporating Remote Control
without leaving the room.
If your stereo system operates with a wire-
Plan to wire the system so that each pair less Infrared (IR) remote control, consider
of loudspeakers has its own volume con- the advantages of installing a Niles Infrared
trol built into the wall (think of a volume Extender System. Niles manufactures a
control as a dimmer switch for sound).
number of concealable IR sensors and wall
mounted keypads which send a copy of
your hand-held remote command via a
wire to your main equipment location,
where it is repeated to your stereo system.
The wire is typically installed with the
speaker wire, since the speaker signal and
the IR signal will not interfere with each
other. This makes almost no difference to
the installation time, and the cost of the
recommended IR control cable is reason-
able.
Niles makes a wide range of high perfor-
mance indoor and outdoor volume
controls. 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 loud-
speaker, so you must connect the wire
from the amplifier to the volume control
and then from the volume control to the
loudspeaker.
Speaker Wire
The correct routing for IR control cable is to
home run an IR control cable from the
main equipment location beside the
speaker wire to the planned volume control
location; and then on to the proposed
sensor location. The combination of IR
control cable and speaker wire enables a
Use 2-conductor speaker wire when
connecting DS8.3 and DS8.5 speakers to
your receiver or amplifier. For most appli-
cations, we recommend you use 16 or 18
gauge stranded wire. For wiring runs
longer than 80 feet we recommend 14
gauge stranded wire. The terminals of the
DS speakers will accommodate 12 to 18
gauge wire.
®
programmable Niles IntelliPad to be
installed at a later date (the IntelliPad has a
convenient speaker mute feature in addi-
tion to automating and controlling your
stereo system). An IR sensor is best placed
where it is convenient for you to point the
hand-held remote. Both an IntelliPad and
an IR sensor can be connected in one room
with one home run IR control cable.
When you run wire inside walls, special
jacketing (CL-2 or CL-3) is required to
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
Insulation Behind The Speaker
For best performance from your speakers
lay a batten of fiberglass insulation
(example: R-19 un-batted insulation) on
top of the speaker. Try to keep the same
amount of insulation for each speaker,
particularly in the same room, for consis-
tent bass response.
TECH TIP
Wire size is expressed by
its AWG (American Wire
Gauge) number. The lower
the number, the larger the
wire, i.e. 12 AWG is physi-
cally larger than 14 AWG.
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5
more “surround sound” effect. However, Niles makes a number of Systems
Integration Amplifiers with proprietary fea-
tures that make them uniquely suited to
as you move the loudspeaker farther away
from the listener, both the reflected and
the direct sound will dissipate, requiring
more power from your surround sound
amplifier channels. If the surround sound
system you are using has a small five or
ten watt amplifier for the rear loudspeak-
ers, stay within five to eight feet of the lis-
tening location. If you are using a 25 to 50
watt amplifier you can mount the loud-
speakers 10 to 15 feet away from the lis-
tening location and still achieve reason-
ably high volume levels.
enhance
a
good
surround sound system. Consult your local
Niles dealer for more information.
The Boundary Effect
Corners can affect the bass response of the
loudspeaker powerfully! This is called the
boundary effect. You will emphasize
particular bass frequencies and cancel out
other bass frequencies when you place
loudspeakers close to the wall/ceiling
boundary or a corner wall boundary. This
can make the loudspeaker sound exces-
sively boomy and inaccurate to some lis-
teners, 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
loudspeakers with the bass turned up,
you’ll enjoy corner placement. If you keep
your tone controls at neutral, try to keep
the loudspeakers at least two or three feet
from the boundaries of the room.
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 surround
loudspeakers will prove extraordinarily
effective (See Figure 6). With Niles
DS8.3 and DS8.5 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.
Figure 5
Varying Listening Position
Figure 6
Surround Sound
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8
Placement for Varying
Listening Positions
ent or “all around you” effect). The loud-
speakers can be placed near corners to
create more reflected sound. By directing
the tweeters to point away from the listen-
er, so they create as much reflected sound
as possible, you emphasize the ambient
effect. The more reflected sound there is in
the room the stronger the ambient effect 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.
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 conventional
“sound stage” facing you, consider the
speaker placement techniques professional
installers use in restaurants and bars. They
place speakers in an array around the
listening area, so that the music is always
surrounding you, regardless of the direc-
tion you face.
The rule of thumb is to add one pair of
loudspeakers 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 loudspeakers 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 placing
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 (See Figure 5).
Placement for Home Theater
Rear Applications
In a home theater, the goal is to reproduce
the experience of a great movie theater in
our homes. The biggest difference between
the two is the rear or surround loudspeaker
array in a commercial theater. Here, it is
not uncommon to see twenty or thirty
loudspeakers 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” soundtrack to enve-
lope you in the environment on screen.
They will place background music, rain
sounds, traffic noise, etc. on the “surround”
soundtrack. In a home with a single pair of
loudspeakers it is easy for the jungle
sounds to sound like they are “in the mid-
dle of your head” just like headphones!
You can make the listener position less
critical by using mono rather than stereo.
This can be difficult to achieve with
normal stereo amplifiers. However, Niles
manufactures Systems Integration
®
Amplifiers which enable one room to be
wired in stereo while other rooms are A single pair of DS8.3 and DS8.5
wired in mono! Consult your local Niles
dealer for more information.
Loudspeakers, properly placed, can create
a very convincing simulation of an array
of loudspeakers. If you place them near a
hard reflecting surface you can make one
pair of loudspeakers sound like several.
Create as many reflections as possible by
placing the loudspeakers near a corner so
that the adjoining walls will act as a pow-
erful reflector. Direct the tweeters so that
sound is pointed away form the listener
creating still more reflections and thus
In smaller rooms or rooms that are infre-
quently used, you typically can’t justify the
expense of more than two loudspeakers.
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 ambi-
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7
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 the front of the loudspeaker. To
determine the best position, measure the
“listening” distance between the ideal
listening position (your favorite chair or
couch) and the location in which you plan
to install the speakers. Try to place the
loudspeakers so that they are equally dis-
tant 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 loudspeakers
farther apart for a “bigger than life” sound
Loudspeaker Placement
Introduction
Although the DS8.3 and DS8.5 have
extensive ability to compensate for unusual
placements with their unique pivoting
woofers, tweeters and acoustic fine-tuning
switches, placement is still the primary
tool for satisfying your particular listening
needs. In this section, we discuss how
loudspeakers should be placed and how
woofers and tweeters should be directed
and how the acoustic fine-tuning switches
should be set for different purposes.
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
individual instruments, or you listen criti-
cally to movie soundtracks or music
videos in your home theater, you will
need your loudspeakers placed so that
they are optimized for critical listening.
Here are some guidelines to make the
process of placement quick and easy.
®
with Dolby encoded movies and TV
shows. However, for combined music and
movie usage stay within the good place-
ment zone for music. For example; if you
are ten feet back from the loudspeakers,
the loudspeakers should be between five
and ten feet apart (See Figure 4).
Woofers and tweeters should be directed
at the listening position.
Figure 4
In this example,
the loudspeakers
could be placed
from five to 10
feet apart, since
the listener is 10
feet back from
the loudspeakers
Direct woofer and
tweeter towards
listener
Critical
Listening
Position
10'
5'
10'
Direct woofer and
tweeter towards
listener
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6
Side-by-side wiring is unavoidable in
particular spots in every house, just move
the speaker wire route away as soon as
possible. 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 Loudspeaker Wire in New
Construction
If you have doubts about whether you are
capable of installing a Niles ceiling mount
loudspeakers, 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
loudspeaker brackets in the desired speak-
er 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 loudspeaker 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
protection when drilling. Avoid nails, they
ruin bits and they can create injury. Pay
particular 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 loudspeaker wire through the
same hole as an electrical cable.
• Never run loudspeaker wire into the
same J-box as electrical cable.
Drilling
• Avoid running the loudspeaker 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
preferred bit for rough-in wiring. It will
actually 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 7
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 7).
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.
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9
Try to line the holes up perfectly, because What you see when you look at the paint-
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!
ed wall 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 loudspeaker). 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 distance 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 loudspeakers 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 loudspeaker
wire from the loudspeaker to the volume
control and back to the stereo. Use a stud
sensor or other device to locate the inter-
nal structure of the wall. You want to
avoid all studs or joists. A typical route
would be: from the loudspeaker location
in the ceiling, across the attic, then down
through a top plate (the horizontal 2x4 or
2x6 laid across the vertical studs) to the
volume control location, back up to the
attic, across the attic, and finally down
another wall plate to a J-Box in the wall
behind the stereo system itself (See
Figure 8).
Concealing Loudspeaker Wire
in Existing Walls
This is actually a fairly simple task if you
restrict your choice of loudspeaker loca-
tions 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
loudspeakers into them and route new
loudspeaker cable around the house.
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 60Hz hum on your loud-
speakers if you run your speaker wire right
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10
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
Loudspeaker
Location
or
drain
pipe
will
be visible that give useful
information. Choose the route
with the fewest potential
obstacles.
Volume
Control
Location
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 loudspeaker wire all the way around
the door (See Figure10).
Stereo
Location
Figure 8
beside electrical wire for more than a few
feet. Try to keep speaker wire running
parallel to power cables at least three 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, remov-
ing the cover plate and switch or recepta-
cle, 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 obstructions
(See Figure 9).
Sometimes, an under-the-carpet run is
possible (there are special flat loudspeaker
wires made for under-the-rug wire runs).
As a last resort, heating and air conditioning
vents can be used as wire raceways for
plenum rated wire (check your local
building codes, some municipalities
require conduit).
Unobstructed space
for loudspeaker
wiring
Figure 9
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11
Figure 10
In traditional wood stud/drywall construc-
tion you should first cut the hole for the
loudspeaker and utilize the large hole to
auger across the (through the ceiling joists)
for as far as your drill bit will take you.
Sometimes, you will need to use the
“notching” technique to reach areas your
drill bit won’t reach or to turn corners (e.g.
to go down the wall when there is not an
accessible attic). Don’t make an irregular
hole in the drywall. If you carefully cut a
rectangular hatch in the drywall you will
make your patch at the same time you cut
your hole. Notch the bottom of the joists
and run the wire through the notches.
Protect the wire with nail plates. Once
you’ve run your wire replace the hatch you
cut using standard drywall “joint tape” and
“joint compound” to hold the patch in
place, let dry, sand surface and touch-up
the wall with paint. (See Figure 11).
The door jamb has been removed and the
loudspeaker wire concealed between the wall
and the jamb. Nail plates are installed to pro-
tect the wire and the door jamb is replaced
Figure 11 Diagram of ceiling loudspeaker cut-out with ceiling joists notched for wire run.
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12
The wings and brackets have centering
lines to simplify placement of the loud-
speakers.
Installation in New
Construction
Screw one side of the assembled bracket
with wings to the joist using one of the
supplied screws. Level the bracket. Screw
the other side of the bracket/wing assembly
to the joist. Two screws on each side
make for a very secure installation. Secure
the wire to the bracket using bracket’s
wire tie. The drywall installers will cut the
drywall to the exact size of the bracket.
(See Figure 12)
Insulating the Ceiling Cavity
If feasible, fill the ceiling cavity with insu-
lation at this point.
Mounting the
New Construction Bracket
The hole saving bracket enables a faster
and cleaner final installation of the loud-
speaker. It forces the drywall installer to
cut out the loudspeaker hole for you and
provides wire ties for the loudspeaker
wire, reducing the risks of accidental loss
or movement of the wire. In addition, it
enables you to align your loudspeakers
with other ceiling fixtures with great accu-
racy since you can really see exactly
where the loudspeaker will be.
Concealing Speaker Wire for a
Future Installation
Attach the speaker wire in a loop between
the ceiling joists and carefully mark
the exact location of the wire on a set
of plans. Ask the general contractor to
inform the drywall installers that the loud-
speaker wire loops are concealed for
future installations. (See Figure13)
To install the bracket, first attach the
™
QuickSnap new construction wings to
the bracket by snapping them into the
sides of the bracket. The wings can be
shortened by breaking them along the
scored lines if the length will interfere with
corner or eaves.
Figure 12
Figure 13
The optional hole saving brackets are installed
and the loudspeaker wire is attached to the
bracket.
The loudspeaker wire is looped and hung on
two nails attached to the joists securing it for
future use. Make sure the location is noted
on house plans.
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13
Figure 14
Installation in
Existing Construction
IMPORTANT: Before you cut into any
wall, review the sections on running
wire and loudspeaker placement.
1. When determining the location of the
loudspeaker cutout keep in mind that
the mounting dogs will extend 3/4"
beyond the cutout. make sure that you
do not place the edge of the cutout
directly next to a ceiling joist. Locate
the joists using a stud sensor or hand-
knocking.
5. If you are cutting drywall use a
sheetrock or keyhole saw. Cut the hole
with the saw at a 45° angle. That way,
the drywall section can be replaced
cleanly if there is an unseen obstruction
behind the wall. BE VERY CAREFUL
NOT TO SAW THROUGH EXISTING
WIRES, PIPES, OR STRUCTURE. IF
YOU FEEL EXTRA RESISTANCE AS
YOU ARE CUTTING, STOP.
2. Once you have determined a possible
position for the cutout, drill a 1/8” pilot
hole just barely through the ceiling
(1/2” to 5/8” deep in most homes)
about an inch below the center of your
proposed speaker location. BE VERY
CAREFUL NOT TO DRILL THROUGH
EXISTING WIRES, PIPES, OR STRUC-
TURE. IF YOU FEEL ANY EXTRA RESIS-
TANCE AS YOU ARE DRILLING, STOP.
6. If you are cutting into a plaster ceiling,
use masking tape to outline your
penciled circle 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. To
actually cut the lathe, two methods are
used professionally; sawing with a
metal cutting blade on a sabre saw is
the quickest and the riskiest. Sawing a
lathe with a sabre saw can easily
vibrate plaster off the ceiling in a com-
pletely distant location creating more
patchwork. If you have the patience,
use a pair of tin snips to slowly nip
away at the lath instead. There is little
risk with this method, it is just time con-
suming.
3. Cut a foot-long piece of coat hanger.
Bend the wire (creating a right angle)
leaving 5-3/4" this allows for the extra
width of the mounting dogs). Poke the
“L-shaped” wire into the pilot hole and
turn it in a complete circle and move it
into the ceiling cavity to make sure you
have approximately 6" of depth. If the
wires movement is obstructed by any-
thing, fill the hole(s) with spackle and
try another location. (See Figure 14)
4. If the coat hanger moves freely in a
complete circle, hold the supplied
template up to the ceiling surface.
Outline the circular cutout on the
ceiling surface with a pencil. Drill
starting point with a 1/4" bit.
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14
Final Installation in New
or Existing Construction
1. If it is possible to lay a batt of insulation
into the ceiling cavity do so. Remember
to use equal amounts of insulation for
each loudspeaker.
Figure 16 Wire Stripping Details.
2. Check the position of the Impedance
jumper on the crossover PC board.
Choose the 4 ohm position if you are
using an amplifier capable of driving a
4 ohm load and you have only one pair
of speakers connected. Otherwise, use
the 8 ohm position (See Figure 15).
5. The DS8.3 and DS8.5 feature a separate
frame assembly which installs with four
clamps or mounting “dogs” which hold
the frame in place. The dogs are tight-
ened via four front-baffle screws.
Tighten the dogs by turning the screws
clockwise. DO NOT OVER-TIGHTEN
THESE SCREWS. Over-tightening the
clamps may make the grille difficult to
install. (See Figure 17).
3. Separate the loudspeaker end of the two-
conductor speaker-wire run to free at
least 2" of each conductor. Strip 1/2" of
insulation from the end of each conduc-
tor. (See Figure 16).
NOTE: The screws will turn easier if you
“prime” them first. Before installing each
speaker, turn the screws in and then turn
them back out to their original positions.
4. To connect the stripped end of one con-
ductor to the black terminal, push down
on the black terminal lever. Insert the
stripped end of the conductor into the
opening on the black terminal. Release
the pressure on the lever. Pay attention
to the markings on the wire. Now
connect the other wire to the red termi-
nal. Each loudspeaker must be connect-
ed to the amplifier in the same way. If
unsure, see “Speaker Phase” located on
the following page.
6. Holding the loudspeaker in the palm of
your hand, insert the loudspeaker into
the frame, twist clockwise to lock.
(See Figure 18).
7. Direct the tweeter. The tweeter is direct-
ed by gently pushing on the edge of the
tweeter housing. (See Figure 19). It will
move 17° in any direction. For critical
listening, point the tweeter to
Figure 15 Setting the Impedance jumper.
Figure 17 Tightening the mounting “dogs”
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15
reflections from the side walls. For sur-
round sound or low volume background
listening create more reflections and
thus more ambience by directing the
woofer towards the side walls.
Figure 18
Installing the
loudspeaker
9. Setting the Treble cut switch. Listen to a
well-recorded piece of music at the
user’s favorite listening position. Listen
for treble harshness or ringing, particu-
larly when the loudspeakers are placed
in a room without carpet. Use the +/-
1.5dB Treble switch to correct.
the user’s favorite listening position
minimizing reflections from the side
walls. For surround sound or low
volume background listening create
more reflections and thus more ambi-
ence by directing the tweeter towards
the side walls.
10.Setting the bass jumper. Listen to a
well-recorded piece of music at the
user’s favorite listening position. Listen
for bass boominess, particularly when
the loudspeaker is placed near a corner.
Remove the loudspeaker by grasping the
tabs and rotating counter-clockwise.
Adjust the bass jumper (-1dB, -2dB)
accordingly. (See Figure 21).
8. Direct the Woofer. The woofer is direct-
ed by gently pushing on the outer edge
of the grille face. (See Figure 20). It will
move 15° in any direction. For critical
listening, point the woofer to the user’s
favorite listening position minimizing
11.Install the grille into the loudspeaker.
The grilles should fit snugly. If you have
difficulty fitting them in, try loosening
the mounting dog screws (excessive
tightening can distort the shape of the
frame holding the grille in place).
Figure 19 Directing the tweeter.
Figure 20 Directing the woofer.
Figure 21 Setting the bass jumper.
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16
Loudspeaker Phase
Loudspeaker wire has two conductors.
One conductor is attached to the negative
(-) terminals and one conductor is
attached to the positive (+) terminals of
both your loudspeaker and your amplifier.
Usually, the wire is marked for your con-
venience. There are different ways wires
are marked: a stripe on one wire, a ribbed
area of one conductor you can only feel,
different colors of metal wire on each con-
ductor, 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.
Operation
Listening at Higher Volumes
It requires more power to achieve a reason-
able volume of sound in a large room than
it does in a small room. It is possible (even if
you are not a teenager) to turn the volume
so high that the amplifier runs out of power.
This creates “clipping” distortion.
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 loudspeaker
with a large amplifier because it will be
very loud indeed before it produces any
clipping distortion.
If you make a mistake, one loudspeaker
will be playing “out-of-phase” with the
other loudspeaker. An out-of-phase pair of
loudspeakers work against each other and
the sound of the two loudspeakers 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:
Cleaning
You can clean the loudspeaker with a
dampened 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.
1. Stand half way between the loud-
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
connections on one amplifier chan-
nel 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 loudspeak-
ers are working together or
“in-phase”.
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17
Specifications
DS8.5
DS8.3
Driver Compliment
Driver Compliment
8” Injection molded graphite reinforced
polypropylene woofer with butyl rubber
surround in an integrated patented pivot-
ing mount, (15° pivot angle)
8” Injection molded polypropylene
woofer with butyl rubber surround in an
integrated patented pivoting mount, (15°
pivot angle)
1" fluid-cooled ultra-wide dispersion
tri-laminate Teteron dome tweeter in a
patented low diffraction pivoting mount,
(17° pivot angle)
1" fluid-cooled ultra-wide dispersion silk
dome tweeter in a patented low diffraction
pivoting mount, (17° pivot angle)
Recommended Amplifier Power
10 to 175 watts per channel
Recommended Amplifier Power
10 to 150 watts per channel
Tone Controls
Tone Controls
Bass jumper: flat, -1dB and -2dB
Baffle-mounted Treble controls:
-1.5dB, flat and +1.5dB
Bass jumper: flat, -1dB and -2dB
Baffle-mounted Treble controls:
-1.5dB, flat and +1.5dB
Nominal Impedance
4 or 8 ohm selectable
Nominal Impedance
4 or 8 ohm selectable
Frequency Response
35Hz to 22kHz, +/- 3dB (on axis)
Frequency Response
35Hz to 20kHz, +/- 3dB (on axis)
Sensitivity
89dB for 2.83 volts of Pink Noise
Sensitivity
88dB for 2.83 volts of Pink Noise
Overall Exterior Frame Dimensions
11-7/16" diameter
Overall Exterior Frame Dimensions
11-7/16" diameter
Depth Behind Wall
5-5/8" deep (based on 1/2" drywall)
Depth Behind Wall
5-5/8" deep (based on 1/2" drywall)
Hole Cut-Out Dimensions
10-3/16" diameter
Hole Cut-Out Dimensions
10-3/16" diameter
Wiring Requirements
Wiring Requirements
12 AWG gold-plated push terminals
accommodates 12–18 gauge wire. We
recommend 16–18 gauge stranded wire
for up to 80 feet, 14 gauge stranded wire
for up to 200 feet.
12 AWG gold-plated push terminals
accommodates 12–18 gauge wire. We
recommend 16–18 gauge stranded wire
for up to 80 feet, 14 gauge stranded wire
for up to 200 feet.
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18
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
FITNESS 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_____________________________________________________________________________
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19
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
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WARRANTY REGISTRATION CARD
Model Purchased__________________________________________________________________________________
Serial Number___________________________________________________________________________________
Date Purchased (month/day/year)_________________________________________________________________
Dealer Name and Location________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
K Dr.
K Miss
K Mr.
K Mrs.
K 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. . .?
J
J
J
J
J
J
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. ___________________
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
Alternative
Classical
Country
Jazz
New Age
Popular
R&B
Rock
Other______________
J
Own a Town House/
Condominium/Co-op
Rent an Apartment
Rent a House
J
J
Income:
Who will install the
product?
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
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?
J
J
J
J
Custom Installer
Electrician
Friend
J
J
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?
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
Architect/Developer
Custom Installer
Direct Mail
Occupation:
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
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
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
Ease of Use
Price/Value
Product Features
Quality/Durability
Reputation
Style/Appearance
Warranty
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Niles Audio
Corporation
12331 S.W. 130 Street
Miami, Florida 33186
Tel: (305) 238-4373
Fax: (305) 238-0185
CHARTER
MEMBER
©2005 Niles Audio Corporation. All rights reserved. Niles, the Niles logos, Blending
High Fidelity and Architecture, Systems Integration Amplifiers, and IntelliPad are registered
trademarks of Niles Audio Corporation. QuickSnap, Microperf and Twist and Lock are
trademarks of Niles Audio Corporation. Decora is a registered trademark of Leviton and
Dolby is a registered trademark of Dolby Laboratories. All other trademarks are the property
of their respective owners. Printed in Brazil 06/05 DS00352BBR
Printed in Brazil
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