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MODELS
AT8000
AT8200
B LENDING H IGH F IDELITY AND A RCHITECTURE
®
INSTALLATION & OPERATION GUIDE
MODELS
AT8000
AT8200
ADVANCED
TECHNOLOGY
®
IN-WALL LOUDSPEAKERS
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Congratulations!
Thank you for choosing Advanced Technology In-Wall Loudspeakers from Niles.
With proper installation and operation, you'll enjoy years of trouble-free use.
Niles manufactures the industry's most complete line of custom installation
components and accessories for audio/video systems. For a free full line catalog
write: Niles, Catalog Request, P. O. Box 160818, Miami, Florida 33116-0818
©1999 Niles Audio Corporation. Because Niles strives to continuously improve its products, Niles reserves the right to
change product specifications without notice. Niles and the Niles logo are registered trademarks of Niles Audio
Corporation. Blending High Fidelity and Architecture, BumpBack, X-Matrix and MicroSensor are trademarks of Niles
Audio Corporation. Dolby is a registered trademark of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. Decora is a registered
trademark of Leviton Manufacturing Co.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 1
FEATURES AND BENEFITS 1
INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS 3
SPEAKER PLACEMENT 5
INSTALLATION FUNDAMENTALS 7
INSTALLATION OF BRACKETS, FRAMES AND GRILLES IN NEW CONSTRUCTION 12
INSTALLATION OF BRACKETS, FRAMES AND GRILLES IN EXISTING WALLS 14
INSTALLATION OF THE SPEAKER AND GRILLE INNEWOR EXISTING CONSTRUCTION 15
OPERATION 17
SPECIFICATIONS 18
WARRANTY REGISTRATION CARD 20
LIMITED WARRANTY 21
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Introduction
The AT or Advanced Technology group of
In-Wall Loudspeakers are designed to
deliver truly stunning performance with
optimum installation flexibility. All models
in the AT series are constructed using the
highest quality components and utilize
advanced materials technology to create
speakers capable of reproducing both
music and movie soundtracks with stunning realism and sonic impact. They are
perfect anywhere that quality of sound is
the most important consideration.
An AT8000 Series Speaker Kit;
AT8000 Series Bracket Kit; and an
AT8000 Series Frame/Grille Kit are
required to install one AT8000 Series
In-Wall Loudspeaker in either new
or existing construction.
Features and Benefits
High Performance Woofer and
Tweeter Designs
Both the AT8000 and A T8200 incorporate
woofer designs which feature inverted
dust caps, butyl rubber surrounds, and
Niles exclusive BumpBack™ magnet
structure to provide powerful and accurate bass response. Additionally, both
models feature tweeters housed in a zerodiffraction swiveling enclosure which can
be positioned up to 15 degrees off axis to
deliver optimum clarity regardless of
speaker placement or listening position.
AT8000
Interlaced Carbon/Glass Fiber Woofer
The AT8000’s 8” woofer is constructed of
carbon and glass fibers which are not only
lighter and more rigid than polypropylene, but are interlaced in a pattern that
reduces cone breakup and effectively
lowers distortion.
Hyperbolic Tri-Laminate Dome
Midrange and Zero-Diffraction
Swiveling Tweeter*
The AT8000’s 1-1/2” midrange driver and
1” tweeter both share 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.
AT8200
Aluminum/Urethane Composite Woofer
The A T8200’s 8” woofer is constructed of a
composite of aluminum and urethane
which is extremely light, highly efficient,
and offers superior damping characteristics.
Hyperbolic Aluminum/Urethane Dome
Midrange and Zero-Diffraction
Swiveling Tweeter*
The AT8200’s 1-1/2” midrange and 1”
tweeter incorporate the same aluminum/
urethane composite used in the construction of the A T8200’s woofer. The result is a
very natural sounding speaker capable of
reproducing mids and highs with superb
detail and accuracy.
Computer Optimized Crossover with
Acoustical Configuration Controls
The second order Linkwitz-Riley crossover
is computer optimized and constructed of
premium components for unparalleled
sonic performance. The baffle-mounted
Tone Controls provide installers with Bass,
Midrange and Treble adjustment in four
increments (-2dB, Flat, +2dB, +4dB). These
controls can be used to fine tune the speakers performance or to compensate for less
than ideal room acoustics. (For more information, see Setting the Tone on page 15.)
BumpBack™ Woofer Magnet
Niles engineers have utilized a unique magnet construction allowing far greater “throw”
or voice coil excursion. This enables Niles
AT loudspeakers to play louder without
mechanical distortion or “bottoming”.
Features and Benefits
1
Patent Pending
Page 4
X-Matrix™ Reinforced Baffle
The X-Matrix baffle design uses specially
molded ribs to add rigidity to the baffle
assembly. The end result is better bass and
improved midrange detail.
Weather Resistant Construction
The A T8000 and A T8200 loudspeakers feature drivers which are impervious to moisture; the grille (sold separately as part of the
AT8000 Series Frame and Grille kit) is
made of aluminum, and all exposed hardware is constructed of stainless steel.
Absolutely Flush to the Wall
Appearance
The unique mounting system of the AT
loudspeakers powerfully clamps the frame
to the bracket, sandwiching the wall material 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 prevent
it from resonating. You hear only the
music, not the drywall.
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 speaker baffle attaches to the frame,
and the grille mounts over the speaker.
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 painter
with the aluminum grilles so that they can
be painted to match the surroundings.
Only when construction is completely finished 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!
Eight Ohm Impedance
The AT8000 and AT8200 speakers are
designed to be compatible with most
amplifiers. Their eight ohm impedance is
an easy electrical load for most amplifiers
to drive.
Low Diffraction, Paintable
Aluminum Grilles
AT speakers are available with aluminum
grilles. The powder-coated aluminum grille
has hundreds of precisely sized perforations,
creating an acoustically transparent grille.
Infrared Sensor Mount
The speaker baffle has a locator designed for
the Niles MS-1 MicroSensor,™ a miniature
infrared sensor. The MS-1 installs discretely
behind the aluminum grille and therefore
minimizes wall clutter 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.
Features and Benefits
2
Page 5
New Construction Wings
Bracket
Frame
Speaker Baffle
Grille
Recommended Amplifier Power
For satisfactory performance, we recommend an amplifier with a power rating of
twenty to two hundred watts for the
AT8000 and AT8200 speakers. 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. (For more information
about clipping distortion, see the section
on Operation, on page 17.)
Incorporating a Local Volume Control
In a multi-room system there is one indis-
pensible control for true convenience—a
local volume control. It allows you to
adjust the volume of the speakers without
leaving the room.
Plan to wire the system so that each pair of
speakers has its own volume control built
into the wall (think of a volume control as
a dimmer switch for sound).
Niles makes a wide range of high performance indoor and outdoor volume controls. They are available in Standard or
Decora
®
style faceplates (just like your light
switches and dimmers). Volume controls
are connected in line with the speaker, so
you must connect the wire from the amplifier to the volume control and then from
the volume control to the speaker.
Installation Considerations
3
Figure 1
Model AT8000 Shown
Installation Considerations
Page 6
Speaker Wire
Use 2-conductor speaker wire when connecting AT speakers to your receiver or
amplifier. For most applications, we recommend you use a minimum of 16 or 18
gauge wire. For wiring runs longer than 80
feet we recommend a minimum of 14
gauge wire. The spring loaded binding post
terminals of the AT speakers will accommodate up to 8 gauge wire directly.
Banana jack or pin connectors may also be
used to allow the connection of larger size
wires if necessary.
When wire is to be run inside walls, special jacketing (CL-2 or CL-3) is required to
both protect the wire and for fire prevention. 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.
Incorporating a Remote Control
If you are planning to use a stereo system
with a hand held IR remote control, consider the advantages of installing a Niles IR
Repeater system. Y ou are able to control all
of the functions of your system from the
room with the remote pair of speakers.
Niles makes a number of IR sensors which
install in the wall, in the ceiling, in cabinetry, on tabletops, or even behind the
grille of your Niles AT speakers.
An IR sensor requires that a 2-conductor
shielded wire (West Penn D291 or equivalent) be home run from each sensor location to the main equipment location. This
wire is normally run beside the speaker
wire at the same time. Typically, the sensor
is placed in a location that faces your listening position. Most remote controls will
have an effective line of sight range of 18
to 30 feet with any Niles sensor placed in
a wall, ceiling, on a cabinet or tabletop.
However, when you place a Niles MS-1
MicroSensor behind the perforated alu-
minum grille of a speaker, the sensor’s
effective range is reduced to 9 to 15 feet.
Acoustical Treatment Options
For the best performance from your AT
speakers, acoustically treating the surrounding drywall is suggested. In new construction installations, the most practical
option is to block off the wall cavity both
above and below the area where the
speaker will be installed. This will create a
“backbox” containing a specific volume of
air in which the performance of the
AT8000 and AT8200 speakers will be optimized. When installing the AT speakers in
a standard wall (16” stud spacing with 2x4
studs) the suggested air volume would be
2540 cubic inches or 52” of space
between the top and bottom walls of the
“backbox”. If the speakers are to be
installed in a 2x6 wall, a true backbox may
be constructed using 1/2” or 5/8” thick
Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF). The
dimensions of the enclosure may be varied
in terms of height, width, and depth, as
long as the interior volume of the enclosure
remains approximately 2540 cubic inches.
Installation Considerations
4
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.
Page 7
Although the A T speakers utilize an infinite
baffle design which does not require the
use of a backbox, critical listeners may
appreciate the tighter bass and extended
frequency response into the lower octaves
that the use of a backbox (or blocking off
the wall cavity) will provide. Ahole cutting
template is provided with the AT8000
Series Bracket Kit. The cutout for the speaker must measure 9-3/4” x 17-1/4”.
Insulating the Wall Cavity
When it is not possible to use a backbox,
good results can be achieved by treating
the interior of the drywall cavity with
Dynamat™ or a similar cabinet damping
material. At least two linear feet of damping material should be adhered to the rear
wall and to the front wall (one foot above
and one foot below the cutout) of the wall
cavity. Additionally, insulating the wall
cavity behind the speaker with fiberglass
insulation (e.g., R-19 unbatted insulation)
will improve performance. Try to keep the
amount of insulation used for each speaker equal, as bass output will be more consistent. Further improvement can be made
by wedging a brace of 1x1 stock between
the front and rear walls, both above and
below the cutout. Use care when inserting
the brace, as too much pressure will create
a bulge in the wall.
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 individual instruments, you are a critical listener.
In a home theater, the intelligibility of dialog 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
Speaker Placement
5
Speaker
Placement
Zone
Speaker
Placement
Zone
10’
5’
10’
Figure 2
Page 8
image is created. Here are some guidelines
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
the front of the speaker. To determine the
best position, measure the “listening” distance 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 example; if you are ten feet back from the wall,
the speakers should be between five and
ten feet apart (See Figure 2).
The Boundary Effect
Corners can affect the bass response of the
speaker powerfully! This is called the
boundary effect. You will emphasize particular bass frequencies and cancel out
other bass frequencies when you place
speakers close to the wall/ceiling boundary
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 preamp or receiver’s tone controls at neutral, try to keep the
speakers at least one or two feet from the
boundaries of the room. The baffle-mounted Acoustical Configuration Controls may
be used to help reduce the affect of corner
placement (or the room’s own acoustics)
on the speakers performance. (For more
information, see Setting the Tone Controls
on page 15).
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 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 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 placing more than
one pair in the room you will avoid these
“hot spots” of loud sound and create more
sonic ambiance while maintaining clarity
and rich sound everywhere.
You can make listener position even 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 wired in
mono! Consult your local Niles dealer for
more information.
In smaller rooms or rooms that are infrequently 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 pattern of two
speakers. You can also compromise
between direct sound (for detail and clarity) and reflected sound (the ambient or “all
Speaker Placement
6
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around you” effect). By trying to place the
speakers so that they create as much
reflected sound as possible, 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 volumes. You should use moderation, however, otherwise the compromise becomes too
one sided and at high volumes the sound
will be blurred and less distinct.
Placement for Rear Home Theater
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 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” soundtrack to envelope
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 speakers it is easy for the jungle sounds to sound
like they are “in the middle of your head”
just like headphones!
A single pair of AT Loudspeakers, properly
placed, can create a very convincing simulation of an array of speakers. If you place
them near a hard reflecting surface you can
make one pair of speakers sound 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 speakers 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 techniques require that
you work your surround sound amplifier
channels harder. If the surround sound system you are using has a small five or ten
watt amplifier for the rear speakers, stay
within five to eight 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 multiple 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
concert hall acoustics, more than two surround speakers will prove extraordinarily
effective. With Niles AT 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 amplifier 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
Niles dealer for more information.
Installation
Fundamentals
Running the Speaker Wire in New
Construction
If you have doubts about whether you are
capable of installing Niles AT Series
speakers 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.
Scheduling and Pr
eparation
Plan to schedule the speaker wiring after
the electrical wiring is finished. That way
Installation Fundamentals
7
Page 10
you can avoid wire routes which could
potentially induce hum over the speaker
wire. The basic rules are:
• Never run speaker wire through the
same hole as an electrical cable.
• Never run speaker wire into the same
J-box as electrical cable.
• Avoid running the speaker wire beside
the electrical cable. Keep it at least three
or four feet distant from any electrical
power cable.
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, intercoms, 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, sideby-side.
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.
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.
Drilling
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 will be drilling a lot of holes, so this is
important.
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.
T ry to line the holes up perfectly, because 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!
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 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.
Installation Fundamentals
8
Figure 3
Page 11
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.
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 when you
look at the painted 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.
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.
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 another plate to the wall behind the
stereo system itself (See Figure 4). The
other very common route is through the
bottom plate of the wall into an unfinished
basement or crawl space.
Identify where all of your electrical, phone,
and TV wiring is likely to be and plan to
Installation Fundamentals
9
Figure 4
Speaker
Location
Volume
Control
Location
Stereo
Location
Page 12
route around it all. You can accidentally
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 parallel 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 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 the wire
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. T ake 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.
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 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 conditioning vents
can be used as wire raceways for plenum
rated wire (check your local building codes,
some municipalities require conduit).
10
Figure 5
Unobstructed space
for speaker wiring
Figure 6
Installation Fundamentals
Page 13
In traditional wood stud/drywall construction 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 drywall
at each stud, run your wire, and patch and
touch-up the wall (See Figure 7).
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. Acareful study of the
potential problems before you start the job
will pay off.
Installation Fundamentals
11
Figure 7
Page 14
Installation of
Brackets, Frames
and Grilles in
New Construction
Stage One: Before Drywall is Hung
Insulating the Wall Cavity.
If feasible, fill the wall cavity with insulation at this point.
Attach the 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 their length will
interfere with a corner or eaves. You can
mount the bracket horizontally or vertically
(See Figure 8).
Installation of Brackets, Frames and Grilles in New Construction
12
Figure 8
Figure 9
4 Wire Ties
Page 15
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. T wo 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).
Stage Two: Before Painting
Screw the frame to the installed bracket
using the supplied screws. Do not overtighten 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).
Painting the Aluminum Grilles
The grille is important to the sound of the
AT loudspeakers. Do not fill the holes of
the grille with paint. The grille is constructed 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.
Installation of Brackets, Frames and Grilles in New Construction
13
Figure 10
Page 16
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
speaker 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 “Lshaped” 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 wire's 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 determined 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 painted or wall
papered drywall, use a sheetrock or keyhole saw. Cut the hole with the saw at a
45 degree 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 any extra
resistance as you are cutting, STOP.
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.
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.
Installation of Brackets, Frames and Grilles in Existing Walls
14
Figure 11
Page 17
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 permanent, 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).
Installation of the
Speaker and Grille
in New or Existing
Construction
Setting the Tone Controls
The AT8000 and AT8200 speakers feature
baffle-mounted, 4 position level controls
for the Bass, Midrange and Treble frequencies. These tone shaping filters enable each
of the frequency bands to be cut or boosted
to compensate for less than ideal room
acoustics, or to suit the listener’s preference.
As an example, a speaker installed within
one or two feet of a corner or ceiling may
exhibit excessive bass response caused by
the boundary effect. Cutting the Bass by 3
dB can minimize the boundary effect and
enable the speaker to sound much more
accurate and natural despite it’s proximity
to the adjoining wall or ceiling. (For more
information on the boundary effect, see
The Boundary Effect on page 6.)
In contrast, a large room with lots of
drapes, upholstered furniture and textured
wall paper may sound dead and lifeless.
Boosting the Treble 3dB or more may substantially increase the ambience and presence in an absorbent room.
The key to good sound is experimentation.
Set the controls to the “flat” position to start
with, then adjust until the desired results
are achieved.
Installing a Niles MS-1 MicroSensor™
There is a 1/2" round molded "IR Sensor
Knockout" on the face of the speaker baffle. 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.
Installation of the Speaker and Grille in New or Existing Construction
15
Figure 12
Page 18
Installing the Speaker
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).
1. Separate the speaker wire so that at least
two inches of each conductor are free.
2. Strip one half inch of insulation from the
end of each conductor of the speaker
wire.
3. If you have gold pin connectors which
you wish to use, affix them to the
stripped wire ends now.
4. Connect one stripped wire end (or connector) to the black and one to the red
terminal. Pay attention to the markings
on the wire. Each speaker must be connected to the amplifier in the same way.
5. Place the speaker baffle in the frame and
secure it with the supplied #8 x 1/2”
screws. If you find that the baffle does
not smoothly fit the frame, slightly
loosen the mounting screws that hold
the frame to the bracket.
6. 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 absolutely flush
appearance when it is fully in place.
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 colors 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:
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 connections 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”.
Installation of the Speaker and Grille in New or Existing Construction
16
Figure 13
Page 19
Operation
Listening at Higher Volumes
It requires more power to achieve a reasonable 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 immediately! Those
harsh sounds are masking some much
more powerful ultra-high-frequency 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 clipping distortion.
Cleaning
Y ou can clean the speaker 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.
Operation
17
Page 20
Specifications
Model AT8000
Driver Compliment
WOOFER — 8” Interlaced carbon/glass fiber
cone with an inverted dust cap, butyl rubber
suspension and a custom construction debris
screen
MIDRANGE — 1-1/2” fluid-cooled trilaminate hyperbolic dome with a NDFE 35
neodymium, high magnetic flux motor structure and distortion canceling balanced drive
TWEETER — 1” fluid-cooled tri-laminate
hyperbolic dome in a zero diffraction swiveling enclosure with a NDFE 35 neodymium,
high magnetic flux motor structure and
distortion canceling balanced drive
Crossover
Computer-optimized, Linkwitz-Riley filters
with premium components and 4 increment
(-2dB; Flat; +2dB; +4dB) Bass, Midrange, and
Treble controls
Design Principle
Infinite baffle for large and varying air
volumes
Recommended Amplifier Power
Twenty to Two Hundred watts per channel RMS
Nominal Impedance
8 Ohms (4 Ohms minimum)
Frequency Response
30 Hz to 21,000 Hz, plus or minus 3dB (on axis)
Sensitivity
89 decibels for 2.83 volts of Pink Noise, measured at 1 meter on axis
Maximum Sound Pressure Level
112dB
Overall Exterior Frame Dimensions
11” x 18-3/8”
Depth Behind Wall
3-1/8” (Assumes 1/2” drywall)
Wall Cut-Out Dimensions
9-3/4” x 17-1/4”
Wiring Requirements
We recommend 16 to 18 gauge for up to 80
feet, 14 gauge for up to two hundred feet.
Connectors accommodate 8 to 22 gauge wire.
Model AT8200
Driver Compliment
WOOFER — 8” aluminum/urethane cone
with a high temperature aluminum voice coil
former, an inverted dust cap, a butyl rubber
suspension and a custom construction debris
screen
MIDRANGE — 1-1/2” fluid-cooled aluminum/
urethane hyperbolic dome with a NDFE 35
neodymium, high magnetic flux motor structure and distortion canceling balanced drive
TWEETER — 1” fluid-cooled aluminum/
urethane hyperbolic dome with a NDFE 35
neodymium, high magnetic flux motor structure and distortion canceling balanced drive
Crossover
Computer-optimized, Linkwitz-Riley filters
with premium components and 4 increment
(-2dB; Flat; +2dB; +4dB) Bass, Midrange, and
Treble controls
Design Principle
Infinite baffle for large and varying air
volumes
Recommended Amplifier Power
T wenty to T wo Hundred watts per channel RMS
Nominal Impedance
8 Ohms (4 Ohms minimum)
Frequency Response
30 Hz to 21,000 Hz, plus or minus 3dB (on axis)
Sensitivity
89 decibels for 2.83 volts of Pink Noise, measured at 1 meter on axis
Maximum Sound Pressure Level
114dB
Overall Exterior Frame Dimensions
11” x 18-3/8”
Depth Behind Wall
3-1/8” (Assumes 1/2” drywall)
Wall Cut-Out Dimensions
9-3/4” x 17-1/4”
Wiring Requirements
We recommend 16 to 18 gauge for up to 80
feet, 14 gauge for up to two hundred feet.
Connectors accommodate 8 to 22 gauge wire.
Specifications
18
Page 21
Limited Warranty
21
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 two 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
REMEDYOF THE CONSUMER/PURCHASER. NILES SHALLNOT 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_____________________________________________________________________________
Page 22
DETACH HERE AND RETURN TO: Niles Audio Corporation Warranty Registration Dept. P.O. Box 160818 Miami, Florida 33116-0818
Model Purchased____________________________________________________________________________________
Serial Number____________________________________________________________________________________
Date Purchased (month/day/year)______________________________________________ ______________ ______
Dealer Name and Location________________________________________________ ________________________
______________________________________ ___________ ______________________________ ___________________
❑ Dr. ❑ Miss ❑ Mr. ❑ Mrs. ❑ Ms.
Name______________________________________________________________ ______________________________
Address__________________________________________________________________ ______________ _________
_________________________________________________ _________________________________________________
City_______________________ __________________________________State________________Zip______________
Telephone (___________)___________________________________________________________________________
WARRANTY REGISTRATION CARD
Age:
❏
Under 25
❏
25-34
❏
35-44
❏
45-54
❏
55 & over
Income:
❏
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
Occupation:
❏
Arts/Entertainment
❏
Business Owner
❏
Engineer
❏
Finance/Accounting
❏
General Office
❏
Management
❏
Professional
❏
Sales/Marketing
❏
Student
❏
Tradesperson
Musical tastes:
(Please check all that
apply)
❏
Alternative
❏
Classical
❏
Country
❏
Jazz
❏
New Age
❏
Popular
❏
R&B
❏
Rock
❏
Other______________
How did you hear
about Niles?
❏
Architect/Developer
❏
Custom Installer
❏
Direct Mail
❏
Friend/Family
❏
In-Store Display
❏
Interior Designer
❏
Magazine Ad
❏
Mail-Order Catalog
❏
Newspaper Ad
❏
Product Brochure
❏
Product Review
❏
Retail Salesperson
What magazines do
you read?
1. ______________________
2. ___________________
3. _________________ ____
Who will install the
product?
❏
Custom Installer
❏
Electrician
❏
Friend
❏
Myself
Which factor(s) influenced thepurchase
of your Niles product?
(Please check all that
apply)
❏
Ease of Use
❏
Price/Value
❏
Product Features
❏
Quality/Durability
❏
Reputation
❏
Style/Appearance
❏
Warranty
Do you. . . ?
❏
Own a House. If yes,
how many square feet?
__________________
❏
Own a Town House/
Condominium/Co-op
❏
Rent an Apartment
❏
Rent a House
Are you interested in
receiving literature on
other Niles products?
❏
Yes ❏No
Are there products/
capabilities that you
would like to see
introduced?
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
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
Page 23
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
DETACH HERE
Page 24
Niles Audio
Corporation
12331 S.W. 130 Street
Miami, Florida 33186
Tel: (305) 238-4373
Fax: (305) 238-0185
www.nilesaudio.com
Printed in Taiwan
©1998 Niles Audio Corporation DS00220A
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