Niles Audio CM6HDFX User Manual

I N S T A L L A T I O N G U I D E

F O R U SE IN M ULTI- CHA N NE L MU SIC OR HOM E T H EATE R S Y ST E MS

HIGH DEFINITION, SIDE/REAR CHANNEL EFFECTS, CEILING MOUNTED LOUDSPEAKER

CM6HDFX

NEW CONSTRUCTION

CONGRATULATIONS!

Thank you for choosing CM6HDfx High-Deﬁnition, Side/Rear Channel Effects, Ceiling Mounted Loudspeaker 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

Speaker Placement 5

Installation Fundamentals 9

New Construction: Installation of Brackets, Frames, and Grilles 14

Existing Construction: Installation of Brackets, Frames, and Grilles 16

Finishing the Installation 17

Operation 19

Specifications 19

Limited Warranty 20

Warranty Registration Card 21

INTRODUCTION

Niles CM6HDfx High-Deﬁnition, Side/Rear Channel Effects, Ceiling Mounted Loudspeakers are expressly designed for superior sonic quality. They employ advanced technology components that extract the subtle nuances in recorded music or the thunderous action sound in a movie. They are perfect for applications where in-wall or on-wall surround speakers are not practical. Moreover, these ceiling mount surround speakers are designed for applications where quality of sound is the most important consideration.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

INJECTION-MOLDED TCC WOOFER WITH BUTYL-RUBBER SURROUND

The CM6HDfx features a newly-developed 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. 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 3/4” TRI-LAMINATE TETERON TWEETER DOMES WITH FLUID-COOLING AND ULTRA-WIDE DISPERSION FOR CLEAR AND DETAILED HIGH FREQUENCIES

Each tweeter’s tri-laminate design consists 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. The 20°-pivot angle also ensures optimum, detailed high-frequency coverage.

DIRECT/DIFFUSE SETTING

The DIRECT/DIFFUSE switch allows the installer to select different sound-ﬁeld patterns for different applications. In the DIFFUSE mode, the tweeters are “out of phase,” producing a very naturalsounding diffuse surround effect. In the DIRECT mode, the tweeters are “in phase,” producing a more present (“in-your-face”) surround effect.

NOTE: BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SPEAKERS MUST BE ORIENTED WITH THE “OUT-OF-PHASE”

TWEETER (IDENTIFIED BY A GRAY DOT) SO THEY POINT IN THE SAME DIRECTION, RELATIVE TO THE LISTENER. SEE PLACEMENT DIAGRAMS STARTING ON PAGE AND SETTINGS.

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6 FOR RECOMMENDED PLACEMENTS

INSTALLER-SELECTABLE ACOUSTIC FINE TUNING

Using the bafﬂe-mounted TWEETER LEVEL control, the installer can de-emphasize the treble response by 3 dB after speaker installation to accommodate reﬂective surfaces and corner loading.

MICROPERF™ ALUMINUM GRILLES

Niles’ exclusive MicroPerf™ grille construction provides an exceptionally tight hole pattern for acoustic transparency at all audio frequencies and enables the speaker elements to remain invisible. MicroPerf grilles can also be painted to blend seamlessly with the surrounding decor. Additionally, the aluminum grille material will never rust or discolor over time.

EASY INSTALLATION

Each CM6HDfx speaker employs a bracketless mounting system for easy installation in an existing ceiling. The installer simply cuts a hole in the mounting surface, removes the speaker grille, connects the wires, and places the unit in the opening. The installation is completed by tightening four mounting “dogs” (via front panel screws) to clamp the speaker frame to the drywall.

HOLE-SAVING BRACKET

Available as an optional accessory, a CM6 Series New-Construction Bracket can be installed as a “hole-saver” for each speaker before the drywall goes up. Later, the drywall contractor cuts speaker holes after drywall installation, thereby reducing installation time and minimizing the chance for lost wires.

OPTIONAL FIRE-RATED METAL ENCLOSURE

Optimizes performance and ensures code compliance.

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 CM6HDfx 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.

INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS

Figure 1. Mounting a CM6HDfx

loudspeaker 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.

Dogs swivel 90°, then clamp the speaker frame to the drywall.

Knockout wire tie allows the wire to be secured to the bracket throughout the new construction process. It knocks out cleanly when the speaker is installed.

New construction wings instantly snap into the bracket without screws.

Frames are molded with a slight texture to assure good paint adhesion.

Mounting screws tighten the “dogs,” clamping the speaker to the drywall.

Rust-proof aluminum grilles make the CM Series perfect for moist environments.

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Wings are scored for easy size trimming.

Brackets and wings attach to the ceiling joists with nails or screws.

TOOLS AND PRECAUTIONS

We recommend using the following tools to install a CM6HDfx 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 125 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 clipping distortion.

OPERATION on page 19 for more information about ampliﬁer

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 CM6HDfx 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 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 installa tion techniques, wire jacket, or type of conduit to use, consult a professional audio/video installer, building contractor, or the local building and inspection department.

INSULATION BEHIND THE SPEAKER

For best performance from your speakers, lay a batten of ﬁberglass insulation (e.g., R-19 unfaced insulation) on top of the speaker. Try to keep the same amount of insulation for each speaker, 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.

SPEAKER PLACEMENT

NOTE: THE NILES CM6HDFX 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 HDLCR BX 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-speaker array in a commercial theater. Here, it is not uncommon to see 20 or 30 speakers placed around theater walls. This huge array of speakers 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”

(CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE)

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PLACEMENT FOR HOME THEATER REAR APPLICATIONS

Place CM6HDfx so

tweeters fire across

back of room.

Place CM6HDfx so tweeters fire across back of room

Place CM6HDfx so tweeters fire toward walls.

Place CM6HDf

so tweeters fire

toward walls.

Place CM6HDfx so tweeters fire toward walls.

Place CM6HDfx

so tweeters fire

toward walls.

(CONTINUED)

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

A single pair of CM6HDfx Loudspeakers, properly placed, can create a very convincing simulation of an array of surround speakers. Here are some recommended placement tips:

• Place the surround speakers near a hard reflecting surface, as shown in Figure 2. The reflections will help one pair of speakers to sound like several. If possible, try placing them near a corner (so that the adjoining walls will act as a powerful reflector) to create even more reflections, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Figure 2. CM6HDfx loudspeakers placed near a back wall of a home theater room.

Figure 3. CM6HDfx loudspeakers

placed near back corner walls of a home theater room.

Figure 4. CM6HDfx loudspeakers placed near back corner walls of a home theater room with an L-shaped sofa.

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