Sonance VP65R, VP65RTL, VP65S, VP65STL, VP69R User Manual

Introduction

Thank you for purchasing Sonance Visual Performance

®

Series 6” in-ceiling speakers. When properly installed your
new speakers will give you years of entertainment pleasure.
This manual covers these Visual Performance series speaker
models: VP69R, VP67R, VP65R, VP65S, VP65RTL, VP65STL .

Box Contents

Sonance Visual Performance Series in-ceiling speaker boxes
contain (2) Visual Performance speakers, (2) paint plugs
(installed on the fronts of the speakers), (2) paintable grilles and
(1) mounting cutout template.

Speaker Placement

Distributed Audio Placement (Mono signal)

All Sonance Visual Performance Series in-ceiling speaker models
provide excellent coverage in distributed audio systems from a
wide variety of installation locations.

The table and illustration in

Figure 1

show how far apart the
speakers can be placed at various ceiling heights while still
providing good coverage for all listeners.

Home Theater Speaker Placement

Left, Center & Right Speakers

(see Figure 2)

• Place the left, center and right speakers from 1 foot to 2 feet in
front of the video screen, from 6 feet to 10 feet apart, with the
center channel speaker as close to midway between the left
and right speakers as possible.

• The main listening position should be between 4 and 10 feet
away from the speakers.

Surround Speakers — 5.1-Channel System

(see Figure 2)

• Locate the left and right surround speakers on the ceiling
between 2 feet and 6 feet behind the listening position. The
speakers should be between 6 feet and 10 feet apart.

Surround Speakers — 7.1-Channel System (see Figure 3)

•

LLeefftt && RRiigghhtt SSuurrrr oouunndd SSppeeaa kkeerr ss ::

Place the left and right
surround speakers directly to the sides of the listening position,
between 6 feet and 10 feet apart.

•

SSuu rr rroouu nndd BB aacckk SS ppeeaa kk ee rrss::

Place the surround back speakers
between 2 feet and 6 feet behind the listening position. The
surround back speakers should be closer together than the left
and right surround speakers — between 3 feet and 6 feet apart.

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

VISUAL PERFORMANCE® SERIES

6”

IN-CEILING SPEAKERS

S

AFETY WARNING:

THESE SPEAKERS HAVE FASTMOUNT

®

TABS THAT PREVENT THE
SPEAKER FROM FALLING OUT OF THE MOUNTING HOLE DURING THE
INSTALLATION PROCESS

.

THE EDGES OF THE F ASTMOUNT TABS ARE VERY SHARP.
U

SE CAUTION WHEN HANDLING THE SPEAKER

.

TV

6' – 10'

Apart

3' – 6'

Apart

2' – 6'

Less than 2’

1'– 2'

Surround

Back

Speakers

Left, Center

& Right

Speakers

Left & Right

Surround Speakers

F

IGURE 3: 7.1-CHANNEL HOME THEATER SPEAKER PLACEMENT

TV

6'– 10'

Apart

6' – 10'

Apart

2' – 6'

1'– 2'

Left & Right

Surround
Speakers

Left, Center

& Right

Speakers

Less than 2’

FIGURE 2: 5.1-CHANNEL HOME THEATER SPEAKER PLACEMENT

C

OVERAGE

A

REA

C

OVERAGE

A

REA

S

PEAKER

S

PACING

S

PEAKER SPACING (IN FEET

)

FOR A DISTRIBUTED AUDIO SYSTEM

S

TANDING LISTENER

S

EATED LISTENER

10-

F

OOT CEILING

12-

F

OOT CEILING

14-

F

OOT CEILING

8-

F

OOT CEILING

9.5’ Apart

13.5’ Apart

17.5’ Apart

21.5’ Apart

5.7’ Apart

9.7’ Apart

13.7’ Apart

17.7’ Apart

F

IGURE 1: DISTRIBUTED AUDIO SPEAKER SPACING

2

SONANCE VISUAL PERFORMANCE®6” IN-CEILING

Stereo Placement (2-Channel)

• Place the left and right speakers anywhere from 6 feet to 10
feet apart, with the main listening position as close to midway
between the speakers as possible.

• In most cases pivoting the woofer of each speaker directly
towards the main listening position will help maximize the
stereo soundstage.

Use the Left and Right speaker placement in

Figures 2

and

3

(on page 1) as a guide.

Before Installation

1. Determine the location for the speaker (see

Speaker Placement

on page 1).

2. Perform an obstruction survey to be certain that there are no

studs, conduit, pipes, heating ducts, pocket doors or air returns
in the ceiling cavity that will interfere with the speaker.

3. Visual Performance Series 6” in-ceiling speakers have the

following mounting space requirements:

• VP69R/VP67R/VP65R: 8

5

/

32

” (207mm) diameter mounting

hole with at least 5

3

/16” (132mm) depth within the mounting

cavity.

• VP65S/VP65STL: 8

5

/

32

” x 8

5

/

32

” (207mm x 207mm) mount-

ing hole. The VP65S requires at least 4

13

/16” (122mm) depth

within the mounting cavity; the VP65STL requires at least 3

1

/

32”

(77mm) depth within the mounting cavity.

• VP65RTL: 8

5

/32” diameter mounting hole with at least 31/32”

(77mm) depth within the mounting cavity.

4. Position the included cutout template where the speaker is to

be located and pencil an outline on the ceiling.

• If you are unsure about obstructions, drill a small hole in the
center of the outline and insert a coat hanger wire into the
hole to feel-around for possible obstructions.

5. Cut the mounting hole using a keyhole or drywall saw, and
run the speaker wires from the mounting hole to the amplifier
location.

• Consult local building codes before running speaker wires
through ceilings.

Installation

Sonance Visual Performance Series speakers feature exclusive
FastMount

®

tabs and an integral RotoLock®mounting system for

quick mounting directly into existing ceilings.

WARNING: THE EDGES OF THE FASTMOUNT TABS
ARE VERY SHARP. USE CAUTION WHEN HANDLING
THE SPEAKER.

1. Remove the paint plug from the speaker.

2. Strip ¼” – ½” of insulation from each speaker lead. Twist the
strands or tin the exposed wire with solder to ensure that there
are no stray strands. (Stray strands that touch each other can
cause a short-circuit that can damage the amplifier.)

3. The speaker’s connector posts are spring-loaded. Push the top
of each connector post down to open the connector and insert
the exposed wires into the holes in the posts.

• The speaker’s positive post is labeled with a red dot; the
negative post is labeled with a black dot. Double-check that
you connected amplifier “+” to speaker “+” and amplifier “–”
to speaker “–”.

4. Make sure all the
RotoLock clamps are
retracted so that they
are tucked within the
mounting hole’s border.
Insert the speaker into
the hole in the ceiling
(

Figure 4

). The
RotoLock system can
accommodate a maxi­mum ceiling material
thickness of 1¼”.

• The FastMount tabs
will prevent the
speaker from falling
out of the mounting
hole, allowing the
installer to let go of
the speaker to pick-up
tools or other items
(

Figure 5

).

NOTE : THE FASTMOUNT

TABS ARE DESIGNED
FOR ONE-TIME USE
ONLY. IF THE SPEAKER IS

REMOVED FROM THE

MOUNTING HOLE THE

FASTMOUNT TABS WILL

DISCONNECT AND

REMAIN INSIDE THE
CEILING.

5. Tighten the four screws
on the front of the
speaker baffle. The
RotoLock clamps will
automatically rotate
into position and begin
clamping the speaker
(

Figure 6

).

• When you notice
resistance on the
screws the speaker
has been clamped
successfully.

IMPORTANT:
Always use low­torque settings;
NEVER over­tighten.

NOT E: ADJUSTING THE TENSION OF THE ROTOLOCK CLAMPS

SO THAT THE SPEAKER FRAME IS FLAT WILL HELP ENSURE THAT

THE GRILLE CONTACTS THE CEILING ALL THE WAY AROUND THE
SPEAKER FOR A PROPER FIT.

6. The new micro flange grille is held in place by several small,
powerful magnets on the speaker frame. Place the grille
against the speaker and the magnets will hold it firmly in
place. When properly installed, the grille flange should make
contact with the wall all the way around the speaker.

FastMount Tabs

RotoLock Clamps

(retracted)

FIGURE 4: INSERTING THE SPEAKER

INTO THE MOUNTING HOLE

F

IGURE 5:

F

ASTMOUNT TABS

RotoLock Clamps
(extended)

FIGURE 6:

T

IGHTENING THE

R

OTOLOCK CLAMPS

3

SONANCE VISUAL PERFORMANCE®6” IN-CEILING

Painting The Grilles

NOT E: VISUAL PERFORMANCE SPEAKER GRILLES COMPLETELY

COVER THE SPEAKER FRAME, SO ONLY THE GRILLES (NOT THE
SPEAKERS THEMSELVES) REQUIRE PAINTING. THE SPEAKERS ARE

FITTED WITH PAINT PLUGS TO PROTECT THEM IF THE CEILING IS
PAINTED AFTER THE SPEAKERS ARE INSTALLED.

To paint the grilles, first remove the scrim cloth that is attached
to the backs of the grilles. (The adhesive that holds the cloth in
place is reusable.) Paint the grilles with very thin paint (5 parts
thinner to 1 part paint), being careful not to plug the holes.
When the paint has fully dried, re-attach the scrim cloths to the
backs of the grilles and re-install the grilles on the speakers.

Speaker Adjustments

Pivoting Woofer and Tweeter

All Visual Performance Series 6” in-ceiling speakers have a
pivoting tweeter and all except the VP65RTL have a pivoting
woofer assembly. These pivoting drivers allow you to direct sound
towards or away from the listening area, depending on how the
speakers are being used:

• If you’re using the speakers in stereo or as the front left/center/
right speakers in a home theater, pivot the woofer and/or
tweeter directly towards the listening area. This will help the
sound from the speakers blend into a solid soundstage even if
the speakers are widely separated.

• If you’re using the speakers as surround channel speakers in a
home theater, you can create a more diffuse, spacious
surround effect by pivoting the woofer and/or tweeter towards
a wall or window, away from the listeners.

To Pivot the Tweeter:

Apply light pressure to the plastic ring around the outside edge
of the tweeter dome, as shown in

Figure 7

(left). Take care not to

touch or apply pressure to the tweeter dome itself.

To Pivot the Woofer:

Apply pressure on the outer edge of one of the tweeter support
brackets, as shown in

Figure 7,

(right). Do not touch or apply

pressure to the woofer cone.

Specifications

VP69R

Tweeter: 1" (25mm) Beryllium dome, Ferrofluid-

cooled, pivoting, in acoustic back chamber

Woofer: 6½" (165mm) Beryllium cone with a rubber

surround, pivoting
Frequency Response: 40Hz – 20kHz ±3dB
Impedance: 6 ohms nominal; 4 ohms minimum
Power Handling: 5 watts minimum; 150 watts maximum
Sensitivity: 90dB SPL (2.83V/1 meter)
Grille Material: Perforated Steel
Dimensions (Dia. x D): 9¾" x 5

3

/16

" (248mm x 132mm)

Cutout Dimensions (Dia ): 8

5

/

32" (207mm)

Shipping Weight: 12 lbs (5.45kg) pair

VP67R

Tweeter: 1" (25mm) Aluminum dome, Ferrofluid-

cooled, pivoting, in acoustic back chamber
Woofer: 6½" (165mm) Coated carbon fiber cone with

a rubber surround, pivoting
Frequency Response: 43Hz – 20kHz ±3dB
Impedance: 6 ohms nominal; 4 ohms minimum
Power Handling: 5 watts minimum; 140 watts maximum
Sensitivity: 90dB SPL (2.83V/1 meter)
Grille Material: Perforated Steel
Dimensions (Dia. x D): 9¾" x 5

3

/16

" (248mm x 132mm)

Cutout Dimensions (Dia ): 8

5

/

32" (207mm)

Shipping Weight: 11 lbs (5.0kg) pair

VP65R/VP65S/VP65RTL/VP65STL

Tweeter: 1" (25mm) Silk dome, Ferrofluid-cooled,

pivoting, in acoustic back chamber
Woofer: 6½" (165mm) Carbon fiber cone with a

rubber surround, pivoting (VP65R, VP65S)
Frequency Response: 44Hz – 20kHz ±3dB
Impedance: 8 ohms nominal; 6 ohms minimum
Power Handling: 5 watts minimum; 130 watts maximum
Sensitivity: 90dB SPL (2.83V/1 meter)
Grille Material: Perforated Steel
Dimensions

VP65R (Dia. x D): 9¾" x 5

3

/16"

(248mm x 132mm)

VP65S (H x W x D): 9¾" x 9¾” x 413/16"

(248mm x 248mm x 122mm)

VP65RTL (Dia. x D): 9¾" x 31/32"

(248mm x 77mm)

VP65STL (H x W x D): 9¾" x 9¾” x 31/32"

(248mm x 248mm x 77mm)
Cutout Dimensions

VP65R, VP65RTL (Dia): 8

5

/32" (207mm)

VP65S/VP65STL (W x H): 8

5

/32" x 85/32" (207mm x 207mm)

Shipping Weight: 10 lbs (4.5kg) pair

FIGURE 7:PIVOTING THE TWEETER (LEFT) AND WOOFER (RIGHT)

Technical Assistance and Service

If you any have questions about the operation or installa­tion of this product, please call our Technical Assistance
Department on any business day at [phone] or (949)
492-7777; from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., PST.

If your speakers should need repair or service, contact your Sonance
Authorized Dealer for help, or use the following procedure:

1. Prior to calling, note the product’s model number, serial number,
purchase date, and the name and address of the dealer where you
purchased the product.

2. Contact our Technical Assistance Department at the above num­ber(s) and describe the problem the unit is experiencing. If appli­cable, they will issue a Return Authorization Number.

IMPORTANT: YOU MUST HAVE PRIOR AUTHORIZATION TO
RETURN YOUR SPEAKER TO SONANCE!

3. If you’re directed to return the unit to Sonance for repair, pack the
unit in its original shipping carton. If needed, you can obtain
replacement packaging from us for a small charge. Note: it is best
if you place the box into an additional outer “overcarton” before
shipment to minimize a chance of theft in shipment. Please include
a copy of the original bill of sale inside the package.

4. Contact a package delivery company such as United Parcel
Service or Federal Express to arrange prepaid (not collect)
shipping. Do not use the U.S. Postal Service.

IMPORTANT: Freight collect shipments will be refused.

5. Write the Return Authorization Number on the outside of

the shipping carton.

6. Ship the packaged unit to:

Quality Assurance Department
Sonance
212 Avenida Fabricante
San Clemente, CA 92672-7531

Limited Lifetime Warranty Coverage
(U.S. Only)

Sonance warrants to the original retail purchaser only that
this Sonance product will be free from defects in materials
and workmanship, provided the speaker was purchased
from a Sonance Authorized Dealer.

Defective products must be shipped, together with proof of purchase,
prepaid insured to the Authorized Sonance Dealer from whom they
were purchased, or to the Sonance factory at the address listed on
this instruction manual. Freight collect shipments will be refused. It is
preferable to ship this product in the original shipping container to
lessen the chance of transit damage. In any case, the risk or loss or

damage in transit is to be borne by the purchaser. If upon examina­tion at the factory or Authorized Sonance Dealer it is determined that
the unit was defective in materials or workmanship at any time dur­ing this warranty period, Sonance or the Authorized Sonance Dealer
will, at its option, repair or replace this product at no additional
charge, except as set forth below. If this model is no longer available
and can not be repaired effectively, Sonance, at is sole option, may
replace the unit with a current model of equal or grater value. In
some cases where a new model is substituted, a modification to the
mounting surface may be required. If mounting surface modification
is required, Sonance assumes no responsibility or liability for such
modification. All replaced parts and product become the property of
Sonance. Products replaced or repaired under this warranty will be
returned to the original retail purchaser, within a reasonable time,
freight prepaid.

This Warranty does not include service or parts to repair damage
caused by accident, disaster, misuse, abuse, negligence, inadequate
packing or shipping procedures, commercial use, voltage inputs in
excess of the rated maximum of the unit, or service, repair or modi­fication of the product which has not been authorized or approved
by Sonance. This Warranty also excludes normal cosmetic deteriora­tion caused by environmental conditions. This Warranty will be void
if the Serial Number on the product has been removed, tampered­with or defaced. This Warranty is in lieu of all other expressed war­ranties. If the product is defective in materials or workmanship as
warranted above, the purchaser’s sole remedy shall be repair or
replacement as provided above. In no event will Sonance be liable
for any incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use or
inability to use the product, even if Sonance or an Authorized
Sonance Dealer has been advised of the possibility of such damages,
or for any claim by any other party.

Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of consequential
damages, so the above limitation and exclusion may not apply. All
implied warranties on the product are limited to the duration of this
expressed Warranty. Some states do not allow limitation on the
length of an implied warranty. If the original retail purchaser resides
in such a state, this limitation does not apply.

Exclusions And Limitations

The warranty set forth above is in lieu of all other warranties,
express or implied, of merchantability, fitness for a particular pur­pose, or otherwise. The warranty is limited to Sonance products reg­istered herein and specifically excludes any damage to loudspeakers
and other allied or associated equipment which may result for any
reason from use with this product. Sonance shall, in no event, be
liable for incidental or consequential damages arising from any
breach of this warranty or otherwise. This warranty gives you specif­ic legal rights, and you may have other rights which vary from state
to state.

©2007 Sonance. All rights reserved.

Sonance, Sonance Visual Performance, RotoLock and FastMount are registered trademarks of Dana Innovations.

Due to continuous product improvement, all features and specifications are subject to change without notice.

For the latest Sonance product specification information visit our website: www.sonance.com

SONANCE • 212 Avenida Fabricante • San Clemente, CA 92672-7531 USA

[phone] or [phone] • FAX: [phone] • Technical Support: [phone]

www.sonance.com

33-4783 12/07