Bose VirtallyInvisible-791 Owners Guide

VIRTUALLY INVISIBLE® 791 SPEAKERS

Installation Guide
Installationsvejledning
Installationsanleitung
Guía de instalación
Asennusopas
Notice d’installation
Telepítési útmutató
Guida di installazione
Gebruikershandleiding
Podręcznik instalacji
Installationsanvisning

SAFETY INFORMATION

English

Important words of caution

Please read this owner’s guide completely before you start.
Then carefully consider your experience using the tools and
taking the precautions referred to here.

If you have doubts about doing this installation, you should
contact either the dealer you purchased the product from, an
electrician, or a professional audio/video installer. You can
describe the job and request a cost estimate before committing
to installation service.

WARNING: Installation shall be in accordance with the applicable
section of the National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA 70, and/or the
National Fire Alarm Code, ANSI/NFPA 72, as applicable. The wiring
method and compartment shall be such as not to interfere with the
operation of the speaker.

CAUTIONS:

• Failure to follow the instructions in this owner’s guide voids all
warranties on your speakers.

• These speakers are not designed or recommended for
installation in walls, in ceilings of masonry, or in drop ceilings.

• This product is not intended for use in Air-Handling Plenum
Spaces.

• Consult local building codes before you get started with this
installation.

• See product enclosures for safety-related markings.

• Make no modifications to the speakers or accessories.
Unauthorized alterations may compromise safety, regulatory
compliance, and system performance.

• Be sure to keep all insulation away from speakers in
accordance with the installation instructions in this guide.

Mount these speakers in wood frame or
similar construction only

Each speaker requires a round space of 85/8 in. (21.9 cm)
diameter, plus a minimum of 4
wallboard that is a maximum of

Bose recommends installing these speakers only in wood frame
or similar ceiling construction with adequately spaced studs, as
found in 2 x 6 construction. These installation guide instructions
are specific to this type of installation only.

1

/

in. (10.5 cm) of depth behind

8

3

/4 in. (1.9 cm) thick.

Important safety instructions

1. Read these instructions – for all components before using

this product.

2. Keep these instructions – for future reference.

3. Heed all warnings – on the product and in the owner’s guide.

4. Follow all instructions.

5. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

6. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the
manufacturer.

For your records

Serial numbers are located on the rear of each of your Virtually
Invisible

Serial numbers: _____________________ ____________________

Dealer name: ___________________________________________
Dealer phone: ___________________________________________
Purchase date: ___________________________________________
We suggest you keep your sales receipt and warranty card

together with this owner’s guide.

®

791 speakers.

_____________________ ____________________
_____________________ ____________________

VIRTUALLY INVISIBLE is a registered trademark of Bose Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.

ii

English

OVERVIEW AND CONTENTS

Basic steps to installation

The instructions on the pages that follow will help you
complete each of the steps below.

Step 1:
Choose approximate locations for each

speaker.
Step 2:

Observe the cautions and use the template
for precise placement.

Step 3:
Cut the hole for each speaker.

Step 4:
Wire each speaker.

Step 5:
Insert and secure the speaker in the ceiling.

Step 6:
Test each speaker to make sure it works.

PREPARATION 2

Before you begin... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Unpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Other equipment you will need . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

If painting is in your plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Selecting speaker cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Preparing the cable wires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Placement guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Using the arrow as a guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Placing speakers for stereo sound . . . . . . . . . . 4

Placing speakers for home theater . . . . . . . . . . 5

Other considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

INSTALLATION 6

Preparing the ceiling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Using the template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Drilling a pilot hole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Cutting the speaker hole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Getting the wire ready . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Connecting the speaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Finishing the installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Securing the speaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Testing each speaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Attaching the grille . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

REFERENCE 11

Painting the exterior parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Painting the grille . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Painting the frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Customer service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Limited warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Technical information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

iii

PREPARATION

Speakers

Template/Paint shield

Speaker grilles

Speaker cable

Spade
drill bit

Square-head
or Phillips-head
screwdriver

Sharp pencil

Cutting tool*

Protective eyewear

Painter’s tape**

Wire cutter/stripper

Tape m easu r e

Power drill

Stud finder

English

Before you begin...

Thank you for choosing Bose® Virtually Invisible® 791
speakers for in-ceiling installation. These top-of-the-line

Virtually Invisible

mance for stereo and home theater enjoyment. Their
slim profile blends well into your room, so only the
sound...not the speakers...stands out.

Please be sure to read this guide carefully before you do
any cutting. There are many factors to consider before
proceeding with this type of installation.

Unpacking

Carefully unpack the speakers. Check to be sure the
carton includes all the parts shown.

®

speakers provide superior perfor-

Other equipment you will need

Hardware for securing the speaker to your ceiling is
attached to the speaker. In addition, you need a ladder
and the equipment below to make the installation go
smoothly.

If any part of the speaker pair appears damaged, do
not use it. Notify Bose or your authorized Bose dealer
immediately. For Bose contact information, refer to
the address list included in the carton.

Note: With the speakers unpacked, you can find the serial

numbers on the back of each one. Then you can copy the
numbers onto your warranty card and in the “For your records”
space on page ii.

If painting is in your plan

Be sure to read “Painting the exterior parts” on page 11
before you begin installing your speakers. There are a
number of suggestions on how to protect the speakers
and spread the paint evenly on the speakers before you
secure them in your ceiling.

2

English

PREPARATION

Selecting speaker cable

If your cables are not yet installed, use these guidelines
for choosing and using speaker cable. If your cables are
already installed, check to be sure they meet these
standards.

Gauge Maximum Length

18 AWG (0.82 mm

16 AWG (1.3 mm

14 AWG (2.1 mm

12 AWG (3.3 mm

2

)

2

)

2

)

2

)

Consider the location of the speakers and be sure to
allow enough cable to reach each one. This includes the
extra length needed for wiring the speaker before
inserting it into the ceiling.

20 ft (6 m)

30 ft (9 m)

50 ft (15 m)

90 ft (27 m)

Preparing the cable wires

Speaker cable consists of two insulated wires. The
insulation around one wire is marked (striped, collared,
or ribbed) to identify it as positive. The other wire is
negative.

Note: It is sometimes difficult to distinguish wire
markings. Inspect both wires carefully.

1

1. Strip approximately
both wires.

2. Twist the bare end of each wire so loose strands will
not touch across terminals.

Be sure to connect each wire to the proper speaker
terminal, positive to positive (+) and negative to
negative (–).

Note: For information on installing cable, consult a
professional electrician or audio/video installer, or look
for reference books at a local home building retail store.

/2 in. (13 mm) of insulation from

3

PREPARATION

Guide arrow

Front of your room

Minimum

Minimum

Minimum

Minimum

Minimum

Minimum

English

Placement guidelines

Orienting and placing these identical speakers is critical
to their performance.

Follow these guidelines in choosing the approximate
location for each speaker. Before you mark the location
for the ceiling holes, be sure to read:

• “Other considerations” on page 5, and

• “WARNINGS:” on page 6.

Using the arrow as a guide

There is a small arrow molded into the inside flange
of each speaker. Use it as a guide for orienting the
speakers relative to one another.

Placing speakers for stereo sound

Position these two speakers:

– one on the left and one on the right at the front of

the room

– oriented with the arrow pointing to the opposite

speaker
– an equal distance from the primary listening area
– with each one AT LEAST:

- 2 ft (.6 m) from the front wall

- 3 ft (1 m) from the side walls

- 6 ft (2 m) apart

2' (.6 m)

3'

(1 m)

2' (.6 m)

3'

(1 m)

The diagrams that follow show the proper orientation
using a pair of speakers for stereo sound, or several
pairs of speakers for home theater sound.

2' (.6 m)

2' (.6 m)

4