Niles Audio Portable Speaker DS63 User Manual

I N S T A L L A T I O N & O P E R A T I O N G U I D E  
MDOSD6E.3L S  
DIRECTED SOUNDFIELD  
DS6.5  
DIRECTED SOUNDFIELD  
DS6.7  
DIRECTED SOUNDFIELD  
®
B L E N D I N G H I G H F I D E L I T Y  
®
A N D A R C H I T E C T U R E  
 
Introduction  
Niles new DS Directed Soundfield loud- the ceiling — preserving interior design  
speakers feature a fully adjustable, inde- integrity and delivering life-like sonic  
pendently pivoting, woofer and tweeter quality that is not available from conven-  
that enables the loudspeakers to accu- tional ceiling speakers.  
rately recreate high fidelity sound  
regardless of where they are located in  
Features and Benefits  
Fully pivoting woofer and tweeter  
speakers radiate sound perpendicular to  
their mounting surface, which usually is  
not where the listening area is. DS  
Directed Soundfield Loudspeakers over-  
come this challenge and allow sound to  
be directed into the listening area regard-  
less of ceiling angle.  
A pivoting woofer assembly can adjust up  
to 15° focusing bass and midrange tones  
directly at the listening area for superb  
imaging and unparalleled clarity. Within  
the woofer assembly, the tweeter is housed  
in its own low-diffraction pivoting assembly  
that can adjust up to 17° in any direction to  
create direct or diffused sound fields.  
Installer Selectable Acoustic  
Fine Tuning  
No-Strip Speaker Terminal  
Installers can select to fine tune the bass or  
treble to accommodate reflective surfaces  
and corner loading. This selection is  
accomplished via the baffle-mounted tre-  
ble control (-1.5dB, flat and +1.5dB) and  
PC board mounted bass jumper (flat, -1dB,  
and -2dB).  
Niles patented No-Strip terminal enables  
speakers to be connected without strip-  
ping the speaker wire. No-Strip terminals  
eliminate fumbling with wire strippers and  
input terminals. They are color coded and  
plug into the crossover circuit boards on  
the back of Niles speakers, resulting in  
positive in-phase connections every time.  
4 or 8 ohm Selectable Impedance  
The DS6.3, DS6.5 and DS6.7 give the  
installer flexibility to select the speaker’s  
impedance — 4 ohms for systems where  
maximum current transfer and output  
level is desired; 8 ohms for systems utiliz-  
ing multiple speaker pairs where amplifier  
loading is a consideration.  
Moisture and UV Resistant  
Construction  
The DS6.3, DS6.5 and DS6.7 loudspeak-  
ers are suitable for use in high moisture  
environments. The drivers are resistant to  
moisture and UV exposure; the grille is  
made of powder-coated aluminum.  
However, the speakers are not waterproof  
and direct contact with water should be  
avoided.  
MicroPerf Grilles  
The DS6.3, DS6.5 and DS6.7 employ  
Niles exclusive MicroPerf grille construc-  
tion. The exceptionally tight hole pattern  
provides acoustic transparency at all audio  
frequencies and enables the speaker ele-  
ments to remain invisible. MicroPerf  
grilles can also be painted to blend seem-  
lessly with the surrounding decor.  
Engineered for Ceiling Placement  
The increased popularity of cathedral and  
vaulted ceilings pose a distinct sonic chal-  
lenge for conventional ceiling loudspeak-  
ers. That is because conventional ceiling  
 
2
Easy Installation  
Hole Saving Bracket  
The DS6.3, DS6.5 and DS6.7 employ a Available as an optional accessory, DS6  
bracketless mounting system in existing Series New Construction Brackets can be  
ceilings. Simply cut a hole in the mount- installed as a “hole-saver” before the dry-  
ing surface, install the frame by tighten the wall goes up. The drywall contractor cuts  
four mounting “dogs” via the front panel the holes as the drywall is installed, reduc-  
screws. The dogs first swivel 90°, then ing installation time and minimizing the  
clamp the speaker frame to the drywall as chance for lost wires.  
you tighten the screws.  
Twist & Lock Baffle  
Patent-pending two-piece twist and lock  
baffle and frame mechanism facilitates  
quick installations. Moreover, it allows  
trouble-free upgrades or repairs.  
 
3
Installation Considerations  
Recommended Amplifier Power  
amplifier will run out of power very quick-  
For satisfactory performance, we recom- ly. When an amplifier runs out of power it  
mend an amplifier with a power rating of creates damaging “clipping” distortion. A  
10 to 100 watts for the DS6.3; 10 to 150 large amplifier will play at the same vol-  
watts for the DS6.5 and the DS6.7. ume without distorting. See the section on  
Curiously, most speakers are not damaged operating the speakers for more informa-  
by large amplifiers but by small amplifiers. tion about clipping distortion.  
If your system is playing loudly, a small  
Figure 1  
The illustration shows how a  
typical DS loudspeaker mounts  
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.  
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.  
Dogs swivel 90°, then  
clamp the speaker  
frame to the drywall.  
Frames are molded with a  
slight texture to assure  
good paint adhesion.  
Wings are scored for  
easy size trimming.  
Mounting screws tighten the  
“dogs”, clamping the speaker  
to the drywall.  
Brackets and wings  
attach to the ceiling joists  
with nails or screws.  
Rust-proof aluminum grilles make the DS  
series perfect for moist environments.  
Figure 2 Connect the wires and place the speaker in the frame, twist and lock.  
 
4
Incorporating a Local Volume Control  
professional audio/video installer, your  
In a multiroom system there is one indis- building contractor, or the local building  
pensible device for true convenience—a and inspection department.  
local volume control. It enables you to  
adjust the volume of the speakers without  
If your stereo system operates with a wire-  
leaving the room.  
Incorporating Remote Control  
less Infrared (IR) remote control, consider  
Plan to wire the system so that each pair the advantages of installing a Niles Infrared  
of speakers has its own volume control Extender System. Niles manufactures a  
built into the wall (think of a volume con- number of concealable IR sensors and wall  
trol as a dimmer switch for sound).  
mounted keypads which send a copy of  
your hand-held remote command via a  
wire to your main equipment location,  
where it is repeated to your stereo system.  
The wire is typically installed with the  
speaker wire, since the speaker signal and  
the IR signal will not interfere with each  
other. This makes almost no difference to  
the installation time, and the cost of the  
recommended IR control cable (West Penn  
D291 or equivalent) is reasonable.  
Niles makes a wide range of high perfor-  
mance indoor and outdoor volume con-  
trols. They are available in Standard or  
®
Decora style cover plates (just like your  
light switches and dimmers). Volume con-  
trols are connected in line with the speak-  
er, so you must connect the wire from the  
amplifier to the volume control and then  
from the volume control to the speaker.  
Speaker Wire  
The correct routing for IR control cable is  
to home run an IR control cable from the  
main equipment location beside the  
speaker wire to the planned volume con-  
trol location; and then on to the proposed  
sensor location. The combination of IR  
control cable and speaker wire enables a  
Use 2-conductor speaker wire when con-  
necting DS6.3, DS6.5 and DS6.7 speakers  
to your receiver or amplifier. For most  
applications, we recommend you use 16  
or 18 gauge stranded wire. For wiring runs  
longer than 80 feet we recommend 14  
gauge stranded wire. The no-strip termi-  
nals of the DS speakers will accommodate  
12 to 18 gauge wire.  
®
programmable Niles IntelliPad to be  
installed at a later date (the IntelliPad has a  
convenient speaker mute feature in addi-  
tion to automating and controlling your  
stereo system). An IR sensor is best placed  
where it is convenient for you to point the  
hand-held remote. Both an IntelliPad and  
an IR sensor can be connected in one  
room with one home run IR control cable.  
When you run wire inside walls, special  
jacketing (CL-2 or CL-3) is required to  
both protect the wire and for fire preven-  
tion. 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  
Insulation Behind The Speaker  
For best performance from your speakers  
lay a batten of fiberglass insulation (exam-  
ple: R-19 un-batted 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, i.e. 12 AWG is physi-  
cally larger than 14 AWG.  
 
5
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 lis-  
tening position (your favorite chair or  
couch) and the location 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 far-  
ther apart for a “bigger than life” sound  
Speaker Placement  
Introduction  
Although the DS6.3, DS6.5 and DS6.7  
have extensive ability to compensate for  
unusual placements with their unique piv-  
oting woofers, tweeters and acoustic fine-  
tuning switches, placement is still the pri-  
mary tool for satisfying your particular lis-  
tening needs. In this section, we discuss  
how speakers should be placed and how  
woofers and tweeters should be directed  
and how the acoustic fine-tuning switches  
should be set for different purposes.  
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, or you listen criti-  
cally to movie soundtracks or music  
videos in your home theater, you will  
need your speakers placed so that they are  
optimized for critical listening. Here are  
some guidelines to make the process of  
placement quick and easy.  
®
with Dolby encoded movies and TV  
shows. However, for combined music and  
movie usage stay within the good place-  
ment zone for music. For example; if you  
are ten feet back from the speakers, the  
speakers should be between five and ten  
feet apart (See Figure 4).  
Woofers and tweeters should be directed  
at the listening position.  
Figure 4  
In this example,  
the speakers  
could be  
Direct woofer and  
tweeter towards  
listener  
placed from  
five to 10 feet  
apart, since the  
listener is 10  
feet back from  
the speakers  
Critical  
Listening  
Position  
10'  
5'  
10'  
Direct woofer and  
tweeter towards  
listener  
 
6
Placement for Varying  
Listening Positions  
around you” effect). The speakers can be  
placed near corners to create more reflect-  
ed sound. By directing the tweeters to  
point away from the listener, so they create  
as much reflected sound as possible, you  
emphasize the ambient effect. The more  
reflected sound there is in the room the  
stronger the ambient effect at low volumes.  
You should use moderation, however, oth-  
erwise the compromise becomes too one  
sided and at high volumes, the sound will  
be blurred and less distinct.  
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 profession-  
al 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.  
Placement for Home Theater  
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 you  
will create more sonic ambiance while  
maintaining clarity and a rich sound  
everywhere (See Figure 5).  
Rear 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 enve-  
lope 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!  
You can make listener position still less  
critical by using mono rather than stereo.  
This can be difficult to achieve with nor-  
mal stereo amplifiers. However, Niles  
manufactures Systems Integration  
®
Amplifiers which enable one room to be A single pair of DS6.3, DS6.5 and DS6.7  
wired in stereo while other rooms are  
wired in mono! Consult your local Niles  
dealer for more information.  
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 placing  
the speakers near a corner so that the  
adjoining walls will act as a powerful  
reflector. Direct the tweeters so that sound  
is pointed away form the listener creating  
still more reflections and thus more “sur-  
round sound” effect. However, as you  
In smaller rooms or rooms that are infre-  
quently 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 clari-  
ty) and reflected sound (the ambient or “all  
 
7
move the speaker farther away from the uniquely suited to enhance a good sur-  
round sound system. Consult your local  
Niles dealer for more information.  
listener, both the reflected and the direct  
sound will dissipate, requiring more  
power from your surround sound amplifier  
channels. 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.  
The Boundary Effect  
Corners can affect the bass response of the  
speaker powerfully! This is called the  
boundary effect. You will emphasize par-  
ticular bass frequencies and cancel out  
other bass frequencies when you place  
speakers close to the wall/ceiling bound-  
ary 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 speak-  
ers with the bass turned up, you’ll enjoy  
corner placement. If you keep your tone  
controls at neutral, try to keep the speak-  
ers at least two or three feet from the  
boundaries of the room.  
In large or unusually shaped rooms this  
might be the only way to achieve a good  
effect. If you like to listen to music sur-  
round modes which emulate concert hall  
acoustics, more than two surround speak-  
ers will prove extraordinarily effective  
(See Figure 6). With Niles DS6.3, DS6.5  
and DS6.7 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  
Figure 5  
Varying Listening Position  
Figure 6  
Surround Sound  
 
8
Side-by-side wiring is unavoidable in par-  
ticular spots in every house, just move the  
speaker wire route away as soon as possi-  
ble. 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, inter-  
coms, 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, side-by-side.  
Installation  
Fundamentals  
Running the Speaker Wire in New  
Construction  
If you have doubts about whether you are  
capable of installing a Niles ceiling mount  
loudspeakers, 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.  
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.  
Scheduling and Preparation  
Plan to schedule the speaker wiring after  
the electrical wiring is finished. That way  
you can avoid wire routes which could  
potentially induce hum over the speaker  
wire. The basic rules are:  
Safety First!  
Wear gloves, safety goggles and head pro-  
tection when drilling. Avoid nails, they ruin  
bits and they can create injury. Pay particu-  
lar 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.  
• Never run speaker wire through the  
same hole as an electrical cable.  
• Never run speaker wire into the same  
J-box as electrical cable.  
Drilling  
• Avoid running the speaker wire beside  
the electrical cable. Keep your speaker  
cable at a distance of at least 18"-22"  
from any electrical power cable.  
Use a bit that is large enough for the wires  
you plan to run. An auger bit is the pre-  
ferred bit for rough-in wiring. It will actu-  
ally pull itself through the wood, so that  
the drill motor, not you, does most of the  
work. You may be drilling a lot of holes,  
so this is an important consideration.  
Figure 7  
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 7).  
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.  
 
9
Try to line the holes up perfectly, because when you look at the painted wall board,  
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!  
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” run-  
ning horizontally in the ceilings and  
floors. In between the studs and the joists  
is the space for the wiring and plumbing  
of your home.  
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.  
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.  
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.  
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 struc-  
ture of the wall. You want to avoid all  
studs or joists. A typical route would be:  
from the speaker location in the ceiling,  
across the attic, then down through a top  
plate (the horizontal 2x4 or 2x6 laid  
across the vertical studs) to the volume  
control location, back up to the attic,  
across the attic, and finally down another  
wall plate to a J-Box in the wall behind the  
stereo system itself (See Figure 8).  
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  
Identify where all of your electrical,  
phone, and TV wiring is likely to be and  
plan to route around it all. You can acci-  
dentally induce 60Hz hum on your speak-  
ers if you run your speaker wire right  
beside electrical wire for more than a few  
feet. Try to keep speaker wire running par-  
 
10  
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. Take a look  
at the outside of your house  
too, sometimes conduit,  
vents or drain pipe will be  
visible that give useful infor-  
mation. Choose the route  
with the fewest potential  
obstacles.  
Speaker  
Location  
Volume  
Control  
Location  
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 Figure10).  
Stereo  
Location  
Figure 8  
allel to power cables at least three 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, remov-  
ing the cover plate and switch or recepta-  
cle, 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 is free of obstructions (See  
Figure 9).  
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 condition-  
ing vents can be used as wire raceways for  
plenum rated wire (check your local  
building codes, some municipalities  
require conduit).  
Unobstructed space  
for speaker wiring  
Figure 9  
 
11  
Figure 10  
In traditional wood stud/drywall construc-  
tion you should first cut the hole for the  
speaker and utilize the large hole to auger  
across the (through the ceiling joists) for as  
far as your drill bit will take you.  
Sometimes, you will need to use the  
“notching” technique to reach areas your  
drill bit won’t reach or to turn corners (e.g.  
to go down the wall when there is not an  
accessible attic). Don’t make an irregular  
hole in the drywall. If you carefully cut a  
rectangular hatch in the drywall you will  
make your patch at the same time you cut  
your hole. Notch the bottom of the joists  
and run the wire through the notches.  
Protect the wire with nail plates. Once  
you’ve run your wire replace the hatch you  
cut using standard drywall “joint tape” and  
“joint compound” to hold the patch in  
place, let dry, sand surface and touch-up  
the wall with paint. (See Figure 11).  
The door jamb has been removed and the  
speaker wire concealed between the wall and  
the jamb. Nail plates are installed to protect  
the wire and the door jamb is replaced  
Figure 11 Diagram of ceiling speaker cut-out with ceiling joists notched for wire run.  
 
12  
The wings and brackets have centering  
lines to simplify placement of the speakers.  
Installation in New  
Construction  
Screw one side of the assembled bracket  
with wings to the joist using one of the  
supplied screws. Level the bracket. Screw  
the other side of the bracket/wing assem-  
bly to the joist. Two screws on each side  
make for a very secure installation. Secure  
the wire to the bracket using bracket’s  
wire tie. The drywall installers will cut the  
drywall to the exact size of the bracket.  
(See Figure 12)  
Insulating the Ceiling Cavity  
If feasible, fill the ceiling cavity with insu-  
lation at this point.  
Mounting the  
New Construction Bracket  
The hole saving bracket enables a faster  
and cleaner final installation of the speak-  
er. It forces the drywall installer to cut out  
the speaker hole for you and provides  
wire ties for the speaker wire, reducing the  
risks of accidental loss or movement of the  
wire. In addition, it enables you to align  
your speakers with other ceiling fixtures  
with great accuracy since you can really  
see exactly where the speaker will be.  
Concealing Speaker Wire for a  
Future Installation  
Attach the speaker wire in a loop between  
the ceiling joists and carefully mark the  
exact location of the wire on a set of  
plans. Ask the general contractor to inform  
the drywall installers that the speaker wire  
loops are concealed for future installa-  
tions. (See Figure13)  
To install the bracket, first attach the  
QuickSnap new construction 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 the length will interfere with  
corner or eaves.  
Figure 12  
Figure 13  
The optional hole saving brackets are installed  
and the speaker wire is attached to the bracket.  
The speaker wire is looped and hung on two  
nails attached to the joists securing it for  
future use. Make sure the location is noted  
on house plans.  
 
13  
Figure 14  
Installation in  
Existing Construction  
IMPORTANT: Before you cut into any  
wall, review the sections on running  
wire and speaker placement.  
1. When determining the location of the  
speaker cutout keep in mind that the  
mounting dogs will extend 3/4" beyond  
the cutout. make sure that you do not  
place the edge of the cutout directly  
next to a ceiling joist. Locate the joists  
using a stud sensor or hand-knocking.  
5. If you are cutting drywall use a  
sheetrock or keyhole saw. Cut the hole  
with the saw at a 45° 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 EXTRA RESISTANCE AS  
YOU ARE CUTTING, STOP.  
2. Once you have determined a possible  
position for the cutout, drill a 1/8” pilot  
hole just barely through the ceiling  
(1/2” to 5/8” deep in most homes)  
about an inch below the center of your  
proposed speaker location. BE VERY  
CAREFUL NOT TO DRILL THROUGH  
EXISTING WIRES, PIPES, OR STRUC-  
TURE. IF YOU FEEL ANY EXTRA RESIS-  
TANCE AS YOU ARE DRILLING, STOP.  
6. If you are cutting into a plaster ceiling,  
use masking tape to outline your pen-  
ciled circle 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. To actually cut  
the lathe, two methods are used profes-  
sionally; sawing with a metal cutting  
blade on a sabre saw is the quickest  
and the riskiest. Sawing a lathe with a  
sabre saw can easily vibrate plaster off  
the ceiling in a completely distant loca-  
tion creating more patchwork. If you  
have the patience, use a pair of tin snips  
to slowly nip away at the lath instead.  
There is little risk with this method, it is  
just time consuming.  
3. Cut a foot-long piece of coat hanger.  
Bend the wire (creating a right angle)  
leaving 4-3/4" this allows for the extra  
width of the mounting dogs). Poke the  
“L-shaped” wire into the pilot hole and  
turn it in a complete circle and move it  
into the ceiling cavity to make sure you  
have approximately 6" of depth. If the  
wires movement is obstructed by any-  
thing, fill the hole(s) with spackle and  
try another location. (See Figure 14)  
4. If the coat hanger moves freely in a  
complete circle, hold the supplied tem-  
plate up to the ceiling surface. Outline  
the circular cutout on the ceiling sur-  
face with a pencil. Drill starting point  
with a 1/4" bit.  
 
14  
Final Installation in New  
or Existing Construction  
1. If it is possible to lay a batt of insulation  
into the ceiling cavity do so. Remember  
to use equal amounts of insulation for  
each speaker.  
2. Check the position of the Impedance  
jumper on the crossover PC board.  
Choose the 4 ohm position if you are  
using an amplifier capable of driving a  
4 ohm load and you have only one pair  
of speakers connected. Otherwise, use  
the 8 ohm position (See Figure 15).  
Figure 16 No-Strip Speaker Wire Terminal.  
6. The DS6.3, DS6.5 and DS6.7 feature a  
separate frame assembly which installs  
with four clamps or mounting “dogs”  
which hold the frame in place. The  
dogs are tightened via four front-baffle  
screws. Tighten the dogs by turning the  
screws clockwise. DO NOT OVER-  
TIGHTEN THESE SCREWS. Over-tight-  
ening the clamps may make the grille  
difficult to install. (See Figure 17).  
3. Separate the speaker wire so that at least  
two inches of each conductor are free.  
4. Open the no-strip terminal by applying  
pressure to the red and black levers  
until an audible “click” is heard.  
NOTE: The screws will turn easier if you  
“prime” them first. Before installing each  
speaker, turn the screws in and then turn  
them back out to their original positions.  
5. Insert one unstripped wire fully into the  
black and one into the red terminal. Pay  
attention to the markings on the wire.  
Each speaker must be connected to the  
amplifier in the same way. If unsure,  
see “Speaker Phase” located on the fol-  
lowing page. Squeeze the red and black  
levers until they click signifying that  
they have locked into the wire. Check  
to make sure that the knife assembly  
inside the no strip connector has prop-  
erly pierced the wire (See Figure 16).  
7. Insert the No-strip terminal into the  
corresponding socket on the rear of the  
speaker. Push it down until it locks in  
place. The terminal will only fit in the  
socket in one direction. If the terminal  
does not properly seat, reverse the ter-  
minal.  
Figure 15 Setting the Impedance jumper.  
Figure 17 Tightening the mounting “dogs”  
 
15  
Figure 18  
10. Direct the Woofer. The woofer is direct-  
ed by gently pushing on the outer edge  
of the grille face. (See Figure 20). It will  
move 15° in any direction. For critical  
listening point the woofer to the user’s  
favorite listening position minimizing  
reflections from the side walls. For sur-  
round sound or low volume background  
listening create more reflections and  
thus more ambience by directing the  
woofer towards the side walls.  
Installing the speaker  
8. Holding the speaker in the palm of your  
hand, insert the speaker into the frame,  
twist clockwise to lock. (See Figure 18).  
11. Setting the Treble cut switch. Listen to a  
well-recorded piece of music at the  
user’s favorite listening position. Listen  
for treble harshness or ringing, particu-  
larly when the speakers are placed in a  
room without carpet. Use the +/-1.5dB  
Treble switch to correct.  
9. Direct the Tweeter. The tweeter is  
directed by gently pushing on the edge  
of the tweeter housing. (See Figure 19).  
It will move 17° in any direction. For  
critical listening point the tweeter to the  
user’s favorite listening position mini-  
mizing reflections from the side walls.  
For surround sound or low volume  
background listening create more reflec-  
tions and thus more ambience by direct-  
ing the tweeter towards the side walls.  
12. Setting the bass jumper. Listen to a  
well-recorded piece of music at the  
user’s favorite listening position. Listen  
for bass boominess, particularly when  
the speaker is placed near a corner.  
Remove the speaker by grasping the tabs  
and rotating counter-clockwise. Adjust the  
bass jumper (-1dB, -2dB) accordingly.  
(See Figure 21).  
13.Install the grille into the speaker. The  
grilles should fit snugly. If you have dif-  
ficulty fitting them in, try loosening the  
mounting dog screws (excessive tight-  
ening can distort the shape of the frame  
holding the grille in place).  
Figure 19 Directing the tweeter.  
Figure 20 Directing the woofer.  
Figure 21 Setting the bass jumper.  
 
16  
Operation  
Listening at Higher Volumes  
It requires more power to achieve a reason-  
able 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 immedi-  
ately! Those harsh sounds are masking  
some much more powerful ultra-high-fre-  
quency 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 clip-  
ping distortion.  
Cleaning  
You can clean the speaker with a damp-  
ened 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.  
 
17  
Specifications  
DS6.5  
DS6.3  
Driver Compliment  
Driver Compliment  
Injection molded graphite reinforced  
polypropylene woofer with butyl rubber  
surround in an integrated patent pending  
pivoting mount, (15° pivot angle)  
Injection molded polypropylene woofer  
with butyl rubber surround in an inte-  
grated patent-pending pivoting mount,  
(15° pivot angle)  
1" fluid-cooled ultra-wide dispersion  
tri-laminate Teteron dome tweeter in a  
patent pending low diffraction pivoting  
mount, (17° pivot angle)  
1" fluid-cooled ultra-wide dispersion silk  
dome tweeter in a patent-pending low dif-  
fraction pivoting mount, (17° pivot angle)  
Recommended Amplifier Power  
Recommended Amplifier Power  
10 to 100 watts per channel  
10 to 150 watts per channel  
Tone Controls  
Tone Controls  
Bass jumper: flat, -1dB and -2dB  
Baffle-mounted Treble controls:  
-1.5dB, flat and +1.5dB  
Bass jumper: flat, -1dB and -2dB  
Baffle-mounted Treble controls:  
-1.5dB, flat and +1.5dB  
Nominal Impedance  
Nominal Impedance  
4 or 8 ohm selectable  
4 or 8 ohm selectable  
Frequency Response  
Frequency Response  
50Hz to 20kHz, +/- 3dB (on axis)  
50Hz to 22kHz, +/- 3dB (on axis)  
Sensitivity  
Sensitivity  
87.5dB for 2.83 volts of Pink Noise  
88dB for 2.83 volts of Pink Noise  
Overall Exterior Frame Dimensions  
Overall Exterior Frame Dimensions  
9-7/8" diameter  
9-7/8" diameter  
Depth Behind Wall  
Depth Behind Wall  
6" deep (based on 1/2" drywall)  
6" deep (based on 1/2" drywall)  
Hole Cut-Out Dimensions  
Hole Cut-Out Dimensions  
8-5/8" diameter  
8-5/8" diameter  
Wiring Requirements  
Wiring Requirements  
Patented two-piece, no strip speaker  
wire terminal, accommodates 12–18  
gauge wire. We recommend 16–18 gauge  
stranded wire for up to 80 feet, 14 gauge  
stranded wire for up to 200 feet.  
Patented two-piece, no strip speaker  
wire terminal, accommodates 12–18  
gauge wire. We recommend 16–18 gauge  
stranded wire for up to 80 feet, 14 gauge  
stranded wire for up to 200 feet.  
 
18  
Specifications  
DS6.7  
Driver Compliment  
High Output injection molded graphite  
reinforced polypropylene woofer with  
shorting ring and butyl rubber surround  
in an integrated patent-pending pivoting  
mount, (15° pivot angle)  
1" fluid-cooled ultra-wide dispersion  
tri-laminate Teteron dome tweeter in a  
patent pending low diffraction pivoting  
mount, (17° pivot angle)  
Recommended Amplifier Power  
10 to 150 watts per channel  
Tone Controls  
Bass jumper: flat, -1dB and -2dB  
Baffle-mounted Treble controls:  
-1.5dB, flat and +1.5dB  
Nominal Impedance  
4 or 8 ohm selectable  
Frequency Response  
48Hz to 22kHz, +/- 3dB (on axis)  
Sensitivity  
89dB for 2.83 volts of Pink Noise  
Overall Exterior Frame Dimensions  
9-7/8" diameter  
Depth Behind Wall  
6" deep (based on 1/2" drywall)  
Hole Cut-Out Dimensions  
8-5/8" diameter  
Wiring Requirements  
Patented two-piece, no strip speaker  
wire terminal, accommodates 12–18  
gauge wire. We recommend 16–18 gauge  
stranded wire for up to 80 feet, 14 gauge  
stranded wire for up to 200 feet.drywall)  
 
19  
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  
 
WARRANTY REGISTRATION CARD  
Model Purchased__________________________________________________________________________________  
Serial Number___________________________________________________________________________________  
Date Purchased (month/day/year)_________________________________________________________________  
Dealer Name and Location________________________________________________________________________  
__________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Dr.  
Miss  
Mr.  
Mrs.  
Ms.  
Name____________________________________________________________________________________________  
Address_________________________________________________________________________________________  
_________________________________________________________________________________________________  
City_________________________________________________________State______________Zip______________  
Telephone (___________)___________________________________________________________________________  
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  
Age:  
Musical tastes:  
What magazines do  
you read?  
Do you. . .?  
Own a House. If yes,  
how many square feet?  
Under 25  
25-34  
35-44  
45-54  
55 & over  
(Please check all that  
apply)  
1._____________________  
2. ___________________  
3. ___________________  
__________________  
Alternative  
Classical  
Country  
Jazz  
New Age  
Popular  
R&B  
Rock  
Other______________  
Own a Town House/  
Condominium/Co-op  
Rent an Apartment  
Rent a House  
Income:  
Who will install the  
product?  
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  
Are you interested in  
receiving literature on  
other Niles products?  
Custom Installer  
Electrician  
Friend  
No  
Myself  
Yes  
How did you hear  
about Niles?  
Which factor(s) influ-  
enced the purchase of  
your Niles product?  
Are there products/  
capabilities that you  
would like to see  
introduced?  
____________________  
____________________  
____________________  
____________________  
____________________  
____________________  
Architect/Developer  
Custom Installer  
Direct Mail  
Occupation:  
Arts/Entertainment  
Business Owner  
Engineer  
Finance/Accounting  
General Office  
Management  
Professional  
Sales/Marketing  
Student  
Tradesperson  
(Please check all that  
apply)  
Friend/Family  
In-Store Display  
Interior Designer  
Magazine Ad  
Mail-Order Catalog  
Newspaper Ad  
Product Brochure  
Product Review  
Retail Salesperson  
Ease of Use  
Price/Value  
Product Features  
Quality/Durability  
Reputation  
Style/Appearance  
Warranty  
 
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 five 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 FIT-  
NESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE PRODUCT.  
REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT AS PROVIDED UNDER THIS WARRANTY IS THE EXCLUSIVE  
REMEDY OF THE CONSUMER/PURCHASER. NILES SHALL NOT 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_____________________________________________________________________________  
 
22  
Niles Audio  
Corporation  
12331 S.W. 130 Street  
Miami, Florida 33186  
Tel: (305) 238-4373  
Fax: (305) 238-0185  
CHARTER  
MEMBER  
© 2002 Niles Audio Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Niles, the Niles logo, and Blending  
High Fidelity and Architecture are registered trademarks of Niles Audio Corporation. All  
other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Because we constantly strive  
to improve our products, Niles reserves the right to change product specifications without  
notice. The technical and other information contained herein is not intended to set forth all  
technical and other specifications of Niles products. Additional information can be obtained  
on-line. DS00295ABR  
Printed in Brazil  
 

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