Niles Audio HDFX User Manual

INSTALLATION GUIDE

FOR USE IN MULTI-CHANNEL MUSIC OR HOME THEATER SYSTEMS

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

HDFX

CONGRATULATIONS!

Thank you for choosing HDFX High-Deﬁ nition, 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

INTRODUCTION

Niles HDFX High-Deﬁ nition, 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-ﬁ lled) polypropylene full-range drivers ﬁ re to either side, providing a uniform, sound ﬁ eld 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 bafﬂ e-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.

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

BIPOLE/DIPOLE AND FX/CUT SWITCHES

The HDFX also includes a bafﬂ e-mounted BIPOLE/DIPOLE mode switch so the installer can set the surround effects for either side or rear placement. A companion FX/CUT switch allows adjustment of the direct/diffuse sound ﬁ eld 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 retroﬁ t 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 loudspeaker bafﬂ e 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 ﬁ nished, 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 surroundings. The loudspeaker is installed only when construction is completely ﬁ nished. Masking or prepping the loudspeaker for painting and worries about loudspeaker theft during ﬁ nal 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-Deﬁ nition in-wall, on-wall, and ceiling-mount models to accommodate a wide range of system designs.

DOLBY® DIGITAL READY

The HDFX is speciﬁ cally designed for Home Theater Sound. This model exceeds the speciﬁ cations set forth by Dolby Laboratories for the accurate reproduction of Dolby Digital-Encoded Sources.

INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS

Acoustic Fine Tuning Controls

Bracket

New Construction Wings

Frame

Loudspeaker Bafﬂ e

Grille

Figure 1. Mounting an HDFX vertically into a wall

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

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 ampliﬁ er with a power rating of 10 to 150 watts. Curiously, most loudspeakers are not damaged by large ampliﬁ ers, but rather by small ampliﬁ ers. If your system is playing loud music, a small ampliﬁ er will run out of power very quickly and can create damaging “clipping” distortions. A more powerful ampliﬁ er will play at the same volume without distorting. See OPERATION on page 22 for more information about ampliﬁ er clipping distortion.

LOUDSPEAKER WIRE

Use 2-conductor loudspeaker wire when connecting loudspeakers to your receiver or ampliﬁ er. 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 ﬁ re 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 installation 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, ﬁ ll the wall cavity behind the loudspeaker with ﬁ berglass 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.

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

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 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-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, trafﬁ c 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 adjoining 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 loudspeakers, 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 loudspeakers 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.

Figure 2. HDFX loudspeakers are placed

near back corner walls of a home theater room.

• 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 loudspeakers 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.

Figure 3. HDFX loudspeakers are placed near back corner walls of a home theater room with an L-shaped sofa.

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

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