Bowers & Wilkins CWM6 User Manual

English

CWM6

2

Welcom e to Bowers & Wilkins and th e CWM6 Series

Thank you for choosing Bowers & Wilkins. When John Bowers first established our company he did

so in the belief that imaginative design, innovative engineering and advanced technology were keys

that could unlock the enjoyment of audio in the home. His belief is one that we continue to share and it

inspires every product we design.

The CWM6 Series of wall mount speakers is designed to offer easy installation and high quality

audio reproduction for discrete custom install applications. This manual describes the installation

of CWM6 Series speakers within conventional stud and sheetrock (joist and plasterboard) walls. It

begins by listing the contents of the CWM6 series carton.

www.bowers-wilkins.com

3

2. CWM6 Series Basics1. CWM6 Carton Contents

1

1

1

1

CWM663, CWM664

95mm (3.7in)

183mm (7.2in)

279mm (11in)

279mm (11in)

CWM652

95mm (3.7in)

153mm (6in)

228mm (9in)

228mm (9in)

CWM6 Series speaker assembly (bafe, frame, grille)•

Cut-out template•
Paint mask•

Document pack containing Quick Start Guide and •
Warranty information

Environmental Information

All Bowers & Wilkins products are
designed to comply with international
directives on the Restriction of Hazardous
Substances (RoHS) in electrical and electronic
equipment and the disposal of Waste Electrical
and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). These symbols
indicate compliance and that the products must be
appropriately recycled or processed in accordance
with these directives. Consult your local waste disposal
authority for guidance.

CWM6 Series wall mount speakers comprise a

bafe carrying the speaker drivers and crossover, an
integrated frame and front ange, and a magnetically
secured grille. The frame is connected via side
mounted terminals to the speaker cables, with the
bafe connecting automatically as it is inserted in the

frame.

CWM6 Series speakers require wall aperture

dimensions described in the following table:

Model Aperture Height Aperture Width

CWM652 228mm (9 in) 153mm (6 in)
CWM663 279mm (11 in) 183mm (7.2 in)
CWM664 279mm (11 in) 183mm (7.2 in)

All CWM6 Series speakers require clear depth behind
the sheetrock (plasterboard) of 90mm (3.55 in). The
diagrams above illustrate these dimensions.

Note: If CWM6 Series speakers are to be installed
in “new build” projects, pre-mount kits and back
boxes are available. Contact your local Bowers &
Wilkins retailer for more information.

Before installing CWM6 Series speakers you should
ensure that the wall locations chosen are free of
obstructions such as pipe work, ducting or wiring that
will interfere with the installation. In existing dry-wall
construction, use a stud-nding tool to help you map
the wall construction and a pipe detector to scan the
proposed installation locations.

4

3. Positioning CWM6 Series Speakers

4. Installing CWM6 Series Speakers

The appropriate position for CWM6 Series speakers
within the listening environment will depend on their
specic application:

General Background Audio Applications:

For applications where single CWM6 Series speakers
are required to operate independently to provide
background audio, they can be located substantially as
installation convenience and architecture dictate. The
only acoustic constraint to bear in mind is that corner
locations will result in signicantly emphasised low
frequencies and should be avoided.

Stereo Audio Applications:

For applications where a pair of CWM6 Series
speakers is to be used for conventional stereo
reproduction, they should be located between 3m
(10 ft) and 5m (16.5 ft) apart and a similar distance
in front of the listening area. Try to avoid corner
locations for the speakers and to ensure that acoustic
environment around each speaker is similar.

Note: Different acoustic environments might be,
for example, a bare wall and a heavily curtained
window.

Multi-channel Audio Applications

For applications where multiple CWM6 Series speakers
are to be used for multi-channel audio visual systems,
the left and right front speakers should be located
either side of the screen approximately 0.5m (20 in)
away. The centre channel speaker should be located
either directly above or below the screen or, in the case
of an acoustically transparent screen, directly behind.
Surround channel CWM6 Series speakers should be
located just behind and either side of the listening
position. Try to avoid corner locations for any of the
speakers and to ensure that acoustic environment
around each front and surround speaker is similar.

Note: Different acoustic environments might be,
for example, a bare wall and a heavily curtained
window.

Note: The nature of the installation of wall speakers
means that it is sometimes impractical to locate
them in the acoustically ideal positions. In these
cases they should be located as close as is
practical to the ideal positions. Your local Bowers &
Wilkins retailer will be able to offer advice if required.

Note: CWM6 Series drive units create stray
magnetic fields. We recommend that magnetically
sensitive items such as CRT screens and magnetic
cards for example, are kept at least 0.5m (20 in)
from the speaker. LCD, OLED and plasma screens
are not affected by magnetic fields.

To install a CWM6 Series speaker, proceed as
described in the following paragraphs:

4.1 Using the supplied cut-out template, mark a cut
line on the existing wall. Check the cut line denes
the correct dimensions. Cut along the line with an
appropriate tool to create a rectangular aperture in the

wall.

Note: Ensure that there is enough free space
internally adjacent to the aperture for the
QuickDogs™.

Note: To reduce the possibility of the wall buzzing
or rattling, adhesive mastic can be applied between
the studs and sheetrock in the vicinity of the
speaker aperture.

5

4.2 If speaker cable is already present in the wall
space, pull the cable down through the aperture. If
speaker cables are not already installed this should be
done at this stage. It is likely that you will need to gain
access through the oor above to route the cables
down into the wall cavity.

Leave enough spare cable through the aperture to
ease connection to the speaker frame, but not so
much that it is likely to buzz or rattle when pushed
back up into the wall space. Approximately 1.0m (3 ft)

is appropriate.

Note: Always use high quality, low resistance
speaker cable. Low resistance is especially
important if the length of cable from amplifier to
speaker exceeds 5m. Your local Bowers & Wilkins
retailer will be able to offer advice on speaker cable
selection if required.

4.3 Now connect the speaker cable to the spring
terminals on the side of the frame. Ensure that the
speaker connection polarity is correct: the cable
connected to the positive terminal on the amplier
should be connected to the red spring terminal on the
frame. Similarly, the cable connected to the negative
terminal on the amplier should be connected to the
black spring terminal on the frame. The diagram above

illustrates cable connection.

Note: If an amplifier is already connected to the
cable it should be switched off while connections
are being made to the frame.

4.4 With the frame connected it may be inserted into
the wall aperture. Ensure that the QuickDogs™ (spring
clamps) are rotated so that they will pass through the
aperture then insert the frame up so that the ange
is ush on the wall. Take care that the cable is not
trapped. Now reach inside the aperture, rotate the
QuickDogs™ outwards and, using two ngers and
thumb, pull each spring clamp downwards so that the
frame is xed securely. There are four QuickDogs™ on
the CWM652 and six on the CWM663 and CWM664.
The diagram above illustrates insertion of the frame.

Note: To release a spring clamp push the metal tab,
located just below the finger platform, upwards.

4.5 If the frame ange is to be painted it should be
done at this stage. Any conventional, domestic paint
may be applied by brushing, rolling or spraying. Use
the supplied paint mask to avoid getting paint in the
cavity. Painting without using the paint mask risks
contamination of the internal connection terminals or
the grille attachment magnets. The diagram above
illustrates painting using the paint mask.

Note: If the grille is to be painted this should be
done “off-line” before it is fitted.

6

4.6 The bafe can now be tted into the frame. Ensure

= 1x

that the connector on the bafe is oriented correctly
with the connector in the frame. The bafe is hinged
into place along its bottom edge and secured at the
top by two push-lock fasteners. Push-lock fasteners
are secured by pushing the head inwards – either
with a thumb or a screwdriver. Please ensure that
the largest groove on the fastener is orientated at a
diagonal, pointing to the corner of the bafe, before
pushing the fastener. As they secure, the fasteners
will click. The bafe will then be secure in the frame.
The diagram above illustrates inserting the bafe and
securing the push-lock fasteners.

Note: Push-lock fasteners are released by turning
anticlockwise with a screwdriver.

4.7 A three position high frequency level switch is
tted to CWM600 series models, on the front face of
the bafe. The centre position of the switch gives a
nominally level frequency response.

The HF+ boost position can be useful where the
listening environment is acoustically absorbent, for
instance where carpets, soft furnishings and curtains
predominate, or where the speakers are covered
by curtains or wall hangings. The HF- cut position
may be preferred where the listening environment is
acoustically reective, for instance where hard oors
and glass predominate. The diagram above illustrates
the level switch and its effect.

7

4.8 The grille can now be tted to the bafe. It is held in
place magnetically, so simply needs to be aligned with
the groove in the frame ange, where it will click into
place. The diagram above illustrates tting the grille.

The CWM6 Series speaker is now installed and ready

for use.

Issue 2

B&W Group Ltd
Dale Road
Worthing West Sussex
BN11 2BH England

T [phone]
F [phone]
[e-mail]
www.bowers-wilkins.com

B&W Group (UK Sales)
T [phone]
E [e-mail]

B&W Group North America
T [phone]
E [e-mail]

B&W Group Asia Ltd
T [phone]
E [e-mail]

Copyright © B&W Group Ltd. E&OE