Niles HDFX Manuel utilisateur

INSTALLATION GUIDE

HDFX

FOR USE IN MULTI-CHANNEL MUSIC OR HOME THEATER SYSTEMS

HIGH DEFINITION, SIDE/REAR CHANNEL EFFECTS, IN-WALL LOUDSPEAKERS

Thank you for choosing HDFX High-Deﬁnition, Side-/Rear-Channel Effects, In-Wall Loudspeakers

from Niles. With proper installation and operation, you should enjoy years of trouble-free use.

Niles manufactures the industry’s most complete line of custom installation components and

accessories for audio/video systems. To see the complete Niles product assortment, visit us on the

Internet at: www.nilesaudio.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction 1

Features and Benefits 1

Installation Considerations 3

Loudspeaker Placement 6

Installation Fundamentals 9

New Construction: Installing A Bracket 14

Existing Construction: Installing A Bracket 15

Finishing the Installation 17

Operation 22

Removing the Grille and Loudspeaker 22

Specifications 23

CONGRATULATIONS!

NILES AUDIO CORPORATION – 1-800-BUY-HIFI – 305-238-4373NILES AUDIO CORPORATION – 1-800-BUY-HIFI

INTRODUCTION

Niles HDFX High-Deﬁnition, Side-/Rear-Channel Effects, In-Wall Loudspeakers are expressly

designed for superior sonic quality in side- or rear-channel applications. They employ advanced

technology components that extract the subtle nuances in recorded music or the thunderous

action sound in a movie. HDFX loudspeakers are the perfect choice wherever quality of sound is

the most important consideration.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

5-1/4-INCH INJECTION-MOLDED TCC WOOFER WITH

BUTYL-RUBBER SURROUND, LONG-THROW VOICE

COIL/MAGNET STRUCTURE, AND VENTED POLE PIECE

The HDFX features newly-developed woofer-cone material that combines injection-molded

polypropylene with talc, carbon, and ceramic (TCC) stiffening agents. As a result, the cone offers

extreme stiffness and light weight for accurate, dynamic response. A long-throw voice coil/magnet

structure ensures increased cone excursion to enhance low frequency response and dynamic

impact. Additionally, the woofer employs a vented pole piece for increased bass linearity and a

butyl-rubber surround for improved midrange damping and clarity as well as moisture resistance.

DUAL 2-1/4-INCH INJECTION-MOLDED TCC

FULL-RANGE DRIVERS FOR SIDE-CHANNEL EFFECTS

Dual 2-1/4-inch injection-molded TCC™ (talc, carbon, and ceramic-ﬁlled) polypropylene full-range

drivers ﬁre to either side, providing a uniform, sound ﬁeld that is ideal for special effects.

COAXIAL 1-INCH TETERON TRI-LAMINATE TWEETER

WITH FLUID-COOLING AND ULTRA-WIDE DISPERSION

FOR CLEAR AND DETAILED HIGH FREQUENCIES

The HDFX’s 1-inch Coaxial Teteron Tweeter employs a tri-laminate design consisting of an inner

textile layer, which forms the dome, a high damping layer to kill unwanted resonances, and an

outside layer of urethane to add stiffness and prevent breakup modes. The result is a transparently

clear, sweet, natural-sounding tweeter, which still maintains extended frequency response.

INSTALLER-SELECTABLE ACOUSTIC FINE TUNING

Using the bafﬂe-mounted TREBLE/CUT and BASS/CUT controls, the installer can de-emphasize the

bass and/or treble response by 3 dB after installing the HDFX to precisely tone match the sound in

any room.

BIPOLE/DIPOLE AND FX/CUT SWITCHES

The HDFX also includes a bafﬂe-mounted BIPOLE/DIPOLE mode switch so the installer can set the sur-

round effects for either side or rear placement. A companion FX/CUT switch allows adjustment of the

direct/diffuse sound ﬁeld balance to provide realistic effects, regardless of room size.

EASY RETROFIT INSTALLATION IN YOUR EXISTING HOME

Designed for ease of installation, the Niles mounting system makes retroﬁt installations simple and

fast. A supplied template assures fast and accurate hole cutting. The bracket slips behind the drywall,

and the screws secure the bracket to the frame, sandwiching the drywall between them. The loud-

speaker bafﬂe attaches to the frame, and the grille mounts over the loudspeaker.

THREE-STAGE INSTALLATION SYSTEM FOR REMODELS OR

NEW CONSTRUCTION

Only the parts needed are installed during a particular stage of construction. After framing and wiring

are ﬁnished, the bracket is installed. After the drywall is up, but before the painter begins to paint, the

frame is installed, and the rustproof aluminum grille is left for the painter to match to the surround-

ings. The loudspeaker is installed only when construction is completely ﬁnished. Masking or prepping

the loudspeaker for painting and worries about loudspeaker theft during ﬁnal construction are never

an issue!

MICROPERF™ ALUMINUM GRILLES

Niles’ exclusive MicroPerf™ aluminum-grille construction provides an exceptionally tight hole

pattern for acoustic transparency at all audio frequencies and enables the loudspeaker elements

to remain invisible. MicroPerf™ aluminum grilles can also be painted to blend seamlessly with the

surrounding decor.

NILES’ HD HIGH-DEFINITION VOICE MATCHING

Ensures compatibility with other Niles HD High-Deﬁnition in-wall, on-wall, and ceiling-mount models

to accommodate a wide range of system designs.

DOLBY®DIGITAL READY

The HDFX is speciﬁcally designed for Home Theater Sound. This model exceeds the speciﬁcations set

forth by Dolby Laboratories for the accurate reproduction of Dolby Digital-Encoded Sources.

NILES AUDIO CORPORATION – 1-800-BUY-HIFI – 305-238-4373 3

Bracket

New Construction Wings

Frame

Loudspeaker Bafﬂe

Acoustic Fine

Tuning Controls

Grille

Figure 1. Mounting an HDFX vertically into a wall

INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS

TOOLS AND PRECAUTIONS

We recommend using the following tools to install an HDFX loudspeaker:

• Electric drill with 1/4- and 1/2-inch drill bits, and a 1-inch flat drill bit

(for drilling through studs)

• Keyhole or drywall saw

• Stiff wire, fish tape, or glow rods (for routing cables)

• Phillips screwdriver set

• Cable ties

• Pencil

• Level

• Rubber gloves and protective eyewear

Before starting the installation, please observe the following precautions:

• Turn off all system power before making any connections.

• Always wear protective eyewear when using tools.

• Make sure hands are clean before installation.

• Wear gloves when working with fiberglass insulation.

RECOMMENDED AMPLIFIER POWER

For satisfactory performance, we recommend using a surround ampliﬁer with a power rating of

10 to 150 watts. Curiously, most loudspeakers are not damaged by large ampliﬁers, but rather

by small ampliﬁers. If your system is playing loud music, a small ampliﬁer will run out of power

very quickly and can create damaging “clipping” distortions. A more powerful ampliﬁer will play at

the same volume without distorting. See OPERATION on page 22 for more information about

ampliﬁer clipping distortion.

NILES AUDIO CORPORATION – 1-800-BUY-HIFI – 305-238-4373

LOUDSPEAKER WIRE

Use 2-conductor loudspeaker wire when connecting loudspeakers to your receiver or ampliﬁer. For

most applications, we recommend using 16- or 18-gauge wire. For wiring runs longer than 80 feet,

we recommend 14-gauge wire. The spring-loaded terminals of the HDFX will accommodate up to

12-gauge wire directly. Larger sizes can be accommodated via pin connectors.

When running wire inside walls or ceilings, use special jacketed cable (CL-2 or CL-3) to protect the

wire and for ﬁre prevention. In some areas, conduit is also required. For a trouble-free installation,

low-voltage wire such as loudspeaker 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 instal-

lation techniques, wire jacket, or type of conduit to use, consult a professional audio/video installer,

building contractor, or the local building and inspection department.

INSULATING THE WALL CAVITY

For best performance from your loudspeakers, ﬁll the wall cavity behind the loudspeaker with

ﬁberglass insulation (e.g., R-19 unfaced insulation). Try to keep the same amount of insulation for

each loudspeaker, particularly in the same room, for consistent bass response.

TECH TIP

Wire size is expressed by its AWG (American

Wire Gauge) number – the lower the number,

the larger the wire. For example, 12 AWG is

physically larger than 14 AWG.

LOUDSPEAKER PLACEMENT

NOTE: THE NILES HDFX LOUDSPEAKER IS DESIGNED FOR USE IN SIDE- OR REAR-CHANNEL

APPLICATIONS ONLY. FOR FRONT-OR CENTER-CHANNEL APPLICATIONS, WE RECOMMEND USING A

NILES HDLCR OR HDLCRBX LOUDSPEAKER

PLACEMENT FOR HOME THEATER REAR APPLICATIONS

In home theater, the goal is to reproduce the experience of a great movie theater in your home. The

biggest difference between the two venues is the use of a rear- or surround-loudspeaker array in a

commercial theater. Here, it is not uncommon to see 20 or 30 loudspeakers placed around theater

walls. This huge array of loudspeakers assures the audience will feel completely surrounded by the

ambient soundtrack of the movie.

Filmmakers carefully use the “surround” soundtrack to envelope viewers in the sound environment

on screen. They will place background music, rain sounds, trafﬁc noise, etc. on the “surround”

soundtrack to create desired effects. However, in a home with a single pair of front loudspeakers,

this surround effect will be lost, and jungle sounds may actually sound like they are emanating “from

the middle of your head,” just like headphones!

Each HDFX loudspeaker is equipped with a BIPOLE/DIPOLE switch that optimizes the surround

effects for either side or rear placement (see SETTING THE BIPOLE/DIPOLE MODE

on page 20). Here are some recommended loudspeaker placement tips:

• Place the surround loudspeakers on a rear wall directly behind the listening position. If

possible, try placing the loudspeakers nearer to the corners, as shown in Figure 2 and

3. Set each BIPOLE/DIPOLE switch to DIPOLE for reflected sound. Moreover, the adjoin-

ing walls will act as powerful reflectors to create even more reflections.

• If you place the surround loudspeakers farther away from the listener, the surround

sound will dissipate, requiring even more power from the surround-sound channels. If

your sound system uses a small 5- or 10-watt surround amplifier for the rear loud-

speakers, be sure to place the loudspeakers within 5 to 8 feet of the listening location.

• If you are using a larger 25- to 50-watt surround amplifier, you can mount the loud-

speakers 10 to 15 feet away from the listening location and still achieve reasonably

high volume levels. In large or unusually-shaped rooms, this might be the only way to

achieve a good effect.

NILES AUDIO CORPORATION – 1-800-BUY-HIFI – 305-238-4373

• If your home theater system is capable of reproducing Dolby EX surround sound,

consider using a second pair of HDFX loudspeakers (on the side walls) for an additional

rear surround effect, as shown in Figure 4 (on the next page). Ideally, the side loud-

speakers should be placed in-line with the listening position with the BIPOLE/DIPOLE

controls set to DIPOLE. For a more focused surround effect, set the BIPOLE/DIPOLE

controls to BIPOLE.

• If you like listening to music in surround modes (which emulate concert hall acoustics),

consider using more than two surround loudspeakers to provide an extraordinary

effect. With Niles HDFX loudspeakers, it is easy to add another pair without affecting

the decor of the room.

NOTE: FOR THIS APPLICATION, YOU WILL NEED TO USE A MORE POWERFUL AMPLIFIER THAN

THE ONE 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 YOUR EXISTING SURROUND-SOUND SYSTEM. CONSULT

YOUR LOCAL NILES DEALER FOR MORE INFORMATION.

(CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE)

Figure 2. HDFX loudspeakers are placed

near back corner walls of a home theater room.

Figure 3. HDFX loudspeakers are placed

near back corner walls of a home theater room

with an L-shaped sofa.

THE BOUNDARY EFFECT

Placing a loudspeaker in a corner can powerfully affect the way a listener perceives bass response.

Known as the boundary effect, placing loudspeakers close to a wall/ceiling boundary or near a

corner-wall boundary will emphasize certain bass frequencies, while canceling others. This effect

can make the loudspeaker sound excessively boomy and inaccurate to some listeners, while to

others it just seems like more bass sound.

As a good rule-of-thumb, if you like listening to your current pair of loudspeakers with the bass

turned up, you’ll enjoy corner placement. However, if you listen with the tone controls at neutral, try

keeping the loudspeakers at least 2 or 3 feet from the boundaries of the room.

PLACEMENT FOR HOME THEATER REAR APPLICATIONS

(CONTINUED)

Figure 4. Two pairs of HDFX loudspeakers

reproduce Dolby EX surround sound in a home

theater room.

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