Russound Acclaim 7 Series Installation Manual

Acclaim™ 7 Series

In-wall Iso-Mount™ LCR Loudspeaker

Installation Manual

2 Russound In-wall LCR Loudspeaker Installation Manual

INTRODUCTION

Introduction

Thank you for selecting the Russound Acclaim 7 Series In-wall LCR Speaker.
Like all Russound speakers, they combine acoustic technology with durability
and will provide years of musical enjoyment. The Acclaim line provides
solutions for background music, dedicated music listening and home theater.
The 7 Series combines premium acoustic materials, with our most advanced
drivers to deliver exceptional performance in every application. From
background music to spectacular surround sound, Acclaim speakers oer the
nest sound around.

Iso-Mount technology takes the Acclaim 7 Series beyond ordinary In-wall
speakers by reducing undesirable wall vibrations with a unique thermopolymer
isolation mounting gasket. Where typical In-wall speakers lack clarity due to
speaker-induced wall vibrations, Iso-Mount speakers oer dramatic sonic
improvement by letting the music come only from the speakers, not from the
wall. In addition, the innovative Twist & Lock mounting system incorporated in
Iso-Mount models provides exceptionally easy and secure installation.

Iso-Mount speakers have a molded-in IR receiver opening that allows
mounting an infrared remote receiver through the speaker bae. The polymer
plug is designed to pop out for screw-in installation of an IR receiver such as
the Russound SaphIR™ Eye without damaging the speaker bae.

In addition to Iso-Mount and Twist & Lock features, Russound Acclaim 7 Series
speakers feature high quality drivers, sophisticated crossover networks, and
advanced designs to ensure optimum reproduction.

The Treble frequency adjustment switch allows you to tailor the sound of
Acclaim speakers to better match the listening environment. The switch oers
three settings: +3 dB, -3 dB, or 0 dB. It is located on the front bae.

In a home theater, the LCR is intended for use in the front left, center, and
right positions adjacent to the video display. In stereo audio applications, a
pair of LCR speakers can be used for the left and right channels.

The benet is that one speaker model can be used for the three front channels
in a home theater. This provides identical voicing in all three positions, which
improves clarity and imaging.

Because the LCR is magnetically shielded, it can be used next to CRT televisions
without causing picture distortion. A separate subwoofer is recommended to
reproduce the lowest frequencies.

Although intended primarily for use as front speakers, the LCR models can
also be used as surround speakers in a multichannel audio system. As an
alternative, any Russound in-wall or in-ceiling speaker would work well for the
surround channels.

3

Russound In-wall LCR Loudspeaker Installation Manual

PREPARATION / WIRING INFO

Speaker Wire

The amount of wire needed varies with speaker placement. Label speaker

wires with left, right, and room location.

What kind to use: We recommend using Russound AW series speaker cable
or any reputable brand of 16 to 12 gauge multi-stranded wiring for amplier­to-speaker connections.

Selecting the proper gauge: Wire is measured in gauges: the bigger the
number, the smaller the wire. The gauge of wire needed is determined by the
distance between your amplier/receiver and the speakers. The longer the
run, the heavier the gauge needed. Use the following chart as a guide:

Length Minimum Gauge
0' to 100' 16
50' to 150' 14
100' to 200' 12

If the conductors are not sheathed in colored jackets, utilize the conductors
consistently. The standard colors on the terminals are red Positive (+) and
black Negative (-). If the wire has transparent insulation, one conductor will be
copper-colored (+) and the other silver-colored (-). If the wire has an opaque
insulation, the conductors are dierentiated by a series of ribs or grooves, a
stripe, or dotted line on one conductor. Use and mark these as the Positive (+)
conductor.

Installation Tips

Wall and spacing requirements:

Any wallboard or paneling and 2" x 4" stud wall, or lath and plaster walls.•

A minimum depth of 4" (10 cm) measured from the outside face of the •
mounting surface, and at least 1 cubic foot of space behind the speaker for
optimal performance.

When installing the speakers, avoid:

Brick or concrete walls where the wallboard or paneling is attached to thin •
furring strips.

Walls where there are pipes, heating ducts and especially AC wiring in the •
general vicinity.

Incorporating optional IR receivers in the speakers will require additional

wire. Consult the selected IR receiver's manual for specic wire needs.

Speaker Wire Paths

Avoid running speaker wires close to house electrical wiring for any •
distance. If you have to run them parallel, leave two feet between the
wiring. Speaker wires should cross AC lines at a 90° angle.

The entire path between speakers and amplier should be clear and •
unobstructed. Conrm the placement for the wall port close to the
intended location of the amplier or receiver.

Label speaker wires at each end with left and right and the room location. •

Amplier Power

For home theater applications, we recommend at least 30 watts of amplier

power per LCR speaker.

Typical usage of speaker wire conductors

-

+

-

+

4 Russound In-wall LCR Loudspeaker Installation Manual

PREPARATION / SPEAKER PLACEMENT

Determine the intended use of the speakers in the room. If they are going to
be your primary listening source in a room, you need to consider some other
factors to insure proper imaging. The term "stereo imaging" refers to a speaker
system’s ability to project music so that it sounds like the performers are in a
three-dimensional space between the speakers.

There are several factors to keep in mind before you begin actual installation.
In general, the best acoustic performance will result if both speakers face
a similar type of surface, are placed in similar positions on the same wall or
ceiling, and are mounted to the same type of material with equal cavity
volume.

Bass frequencies are emphasized when an In-wall speaker is placed close to
a corner. This tends to make male voices sound deeper and may muddy some
sounds such as sound track dialogue. Avoid placing just one speaker in a corner
and another on a long at wall.

Treble is emphasized when it bounces back from reective surfaces such
as large windows. Conversely, highs tend to be mued by soft surfaces
such as drapes, rugs, upholstered furniture, etc. The best situation is a mix of
absorptive and reective surfaces, which can be achieved by adding throw
rugs or insulated drapes to a reective room.

The tweeters should be placed at ear level of the intended user. In a horizontal
orientation, the speaker can be mounted with the tweeter at the top or bottom.
In a vertical orientation the speakers should be mounted with the tweeters
positioned to the outside and aimed toward the listener.

Speaker Placement and Use

Placement can make all the dierence in how your Russound speaker system
sounds. All rooms have dierent sound characteristics. Speaker location,
listening location, reective and absorbing surfaces all have a dramatic eect
on the sound you hear. There are at least four related considerations that factor
into the speaker layout:

•Theintendeduse:criticallistening,hometheater,orbackgroundmusic

•Theroom’sphysicalcharacteristics:hard,reectivesurfacesorsoft,absorbent

textures

•The listening locations:a desiredprimelisteningspotora need forsound

throughout the room

•Theavailablelocations:unobstructedwallandceilingsurfaces

It may happen that the ideal or desired locations for the speakers may have to
be modied for feasibility.

5

Russound In-wall LCR Loudspeaker Installation Manual

PREPARATION / SPEAKER PLACEMENT

Home Theater

For home theater, wall or LCR speakers for the front three channels create the
illusion that the sound is coming from the screen, which makes the viewing
experience more involving and believable. In a multichannel audio system for
a home theater, one LCR should be installed horizontally above or below the
video display for the center channel, and two should be installed vertically to
the left and right of the display for the main front channels.

The center-channel speaker should be as close to ear level as possible; thus, if
the video display is mounted high, the speaker should be below it. If the display
is low, the speaker should be above it. The tweeter should then be angled up
or down as needed so that its axis points toward the ear level of the listeners.

The left and right speakers should be about 3' or 4' to either side of the screen.
Left and right speakers placed too close together or too far apart dissipate the
illusion of being "in the action" on the screen. For best results the tweeters
should be positioned on the outside, away from the video display.

Placement near corners

Placing a speaker near a corner of a room can cause sonic reections o the
side wall. This can result in a loss of clarity and poor imaging. Accordingly,
we do not recommend placing the LCR near a corner unless the side wall is
covered with sound-absorptive material.

Generally, the best acoustic performance will result if the left and right
speakers are placed in similar positions on the same type of wall surface.

Typical front wall LCR speaker placement

(Place tweeters at approximate ear level and aim at intended listener position)

Front Center

Surround
Right

Front
Right

Front
Left

Surround
Back Right

Surround
Back Left

Surround
Left

Subwoofer

LCR

LCR

LCR