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
M O D E L
OS6
Indoor/Outdoor Loudspeaker.
®
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
The OS6 marries unparalleled listening satisfaction with the freedom to listen to
music anywhere! You can use them indoors and outdoors (even on a boat).
The extraordinary sonic performance of the OS6 was achieved by harmonizing
unique and proprietary technology with the most advanced manufacturing
methods and materials available.
The OS6 is a two-way speaker in an acoustic suspension enclosure. The cabi-
net is shaped to fit neatly into corners or eaves. It is supplied with a swiveling
mounting bracket for easy installation anywhere. In addition, our engineers
constructed the OS6's to withstand the stresses and strains of the world outside!
For the first time, serious listeners can enjoy a concert on the green in their own
back yard.
2
FEATURES & BENEFITS
LONG THROW POLYPROPYLENE WOOFER
The unusually stiff and light polypropylene cone, the butyl rubber surround, the
substantial magnet, and the rigid steel basket are all optimized for large excur-
sions of the woofer. In this way, the five inch cone can create the same deep
bass output of a much larger speaker moving small distances in and out. The
end result is rich satisfying bass from a compact, weather resistant loudspeaker.
ELASTODYNAMIC™ HYBRID DOME TWEETER
In the past, every weather resistant speaker has disappointed listeners with a
fatiguing and harsh treble sound caused by tweeter ringing. In the course of
developing our weather resistant tweeter, we determined that tweeter ringing
can be damped out by a microscopically thin elastomeric coating on a natural
fiber dome substrate. The result is a transparently clear, sweet, natural sounding
tweeter which still maintains extended frequency response.
TAPERING SHAPE
The cabinet of the OS6 is shaped so that the speaker will tuck discretely away
into corners or under eaves.
RIGID, ACOUSTICALLY INERT ENCLOSURE
The cabinet of the OS6 is composed of mineral filled polypropylene. This
material is extremely non-resonant. All you hear is the music.
LOW DIFFRACTION GRILLE AND FRONT BAFFLE
The grille of the OS6 has hundreds of precisely sized perforations, resulting in
acoustical transparency. The front baffle is gently curved in a radius optimized
for the best sound. Sound waves emanating from the woofer and the tweeter
are not reflected by the surrounding parts of the speaker.
3
PRECISION CROSSOVER
An electronic dividing network inside the cabinet precisely distributes the
music to the woofer and the tweeter. The two-way design of the OS6’s
crossover provides excellent stereo imaging and low distortion.
SWIVELING BRACKET
The U-shaped bracket and bracket knobs allow the OS6 to be pointed at the
optimum listening position and locked into place quickly and easily.
EASY THREE-WAY MOUNTING SYSTEM
1. The OS6 can be hung from a nail using the nail hole on the bracket.
2. The bracket can be screwed into the mounting surface using your hardware.
3. The OS6 is equipped with 1/4-20 threaded inserts for OmniMount®
(53 RST-UMK) or custom brackets.
STABLE SHELF PLACEMENT
The bracket knobs serve as one of the speaker's feet when the OS6 is placed
directly on a shelf or desktop without the bracket. In addition, two feet are
molded into the base of the cabinet to give added stability.
PREMIUM GOLD-PLATED FIVE-WAY BINDING POSTS
Gold plating gives you a corrosion-free high quality speaker wire connection.
The connectors' five-way design allows you to use any of the most popular wire
terminating methods.
EASY FINGER-SIZED ACCESS
The binding posts are mounted upside down in a molded recess on the back of
the OS6 to prevent moisture from pooling at the connection. The recess is large
enough for your fingers— you can easily loosen or tighten the speakerconnections.
WEATHER RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION
The hardware is made of stainless steel or brass, and the binding posts are plat-
ed with gold. The bracket and grille are made of aluminum for the ultimate
rust-proof construction.
4
The enclosure itself is shatterproof. The OS6’s components are weather
resistant, UV-resistant, saltwater corrosion-resistant, and immune to damage
from temperature extremes (-50 to over 200 degrees Fahrenheit).
5
PARTS GUIDE
a
e
b
c
d
b
d
f
g
h
e
i
j
Figure 1 OS6 Parts Guide
a. Bracket
f. Grille
b. Nail Hole
c. Wire Hole
d. Screw Hole
e. Bracket Knob
g. Cabinet
h. Baffle
i. Binding Posts
j. Threaded Inserts
6
INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS
TOOLS AND MATERIALS REQUIRED
• A wire stripper
• A pencil
• A level (optional)
• Three screws or bolts suitable for the mounting surface
• The proper screwdriver for your mounting hardware
• A drill bit of the right size and type
• An electric drill
WIRING
The OS6 connects to your receiver or amplifier using 2-conductor speaker wire
(See Figure 2). For most applications, we recommend using 16 or 18 gauge
wire. For wiring runs longer than 80 feet, we recommend 14 gauge wire. The
binding posts of the OS6 will accommodate up to 12 gauge wire directly.
Larger sizes can be accommodated using spade, banana, or pin connectors.
TECH TIP
Wire size is expressed by its AWG (American
Wire Gauge) number. The lower the number, the
larger the wire, i.e. twelve AWG is physically larger
than fourteen AWG.
When you run wire inside walls, outdoors or in marine installations, special
jacketing or conduit is required for a trouble-free installation and conformation
to the local and national building codes. If you are not sure of the correct wire
jacket or type of conduit to use, consult a professional audio/video installer,
building contractor, or the local building and inspection department.
7
Figure 2
Wiring directly from a receiver or
amplifier
Figure 3
Incorporating a volume control
INCORPORATING A VOLUME CONTROL
It’s possible to control the volume of the sound at the speaker location. Plan to
wire the system so that each pair of speakers has its own volume control. Niles
makes a wide range of indoor and outdoor volume controls. Consult your local
Niles dealer for more information. Volume controls are connected in line with
the speaker, so you must connect the wire from the amplifier to the volume con-
trol and then from the volume control to the speaker (See Figure 3).
RECOMMENDED AMPLIFIER POWER
We recommend an amplifier with a power rating of five to seventy-five watts
per channel for optimum performance (Niles makes a line of high-performance
amplifiers. See your local Niles dealer for more information). Ironically, most
speakers are not damaged by large amplifiers but by small amplifiers. If you are
playing at high volume, a small amplifier will run out of power very quickly.
When an amplifier runs out of power it creates damaging “clipping” distortion.
A large amplifier will play at the same volume without distorting. See the sec-
tion "Operation" for more information about clipping distortion.
8
PLACING THE OS6 FOR THE BEST SOUND QUALITY
The OS6’s dispersion pattern is very broad. The speaker is very sensitive and
will handle a lot of amplifier power. This allows good sound quality over an
extremely large listening area. However, if a single pair is positioned to provide
coverage of a very large room or patio, you will have “hot spots” of loud sound
when you are near the speakers. The best way to avoid hot spots for a large
space is to use several pairs. A good rule of thumb is a pair of speakers for
every 200 to 400 square feet of listening area. Your local Niles dealer is a good
source for advice on speaker placement for your particular installation.
When using more than one pair, it is usually best to alternate a left channel and
then a right channel, so that you never have a "left next to a left".
The position of the speakers and the surroundings around them play a very
important role in how a stereo image is created. You should experiment to find
the very best position for your speakers. Here are some guidelines to make the
process quick and easy.
Speaker
Placement
Zone
10'
5'
10'
Speaker
Placement
Zone
Figure 4
Illustration depicts the opti-
mum placement zone for a lis-
tening distance of ten feet.
9
Make sure you are not blocking or reflecting the sound 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 distance between the ideal listening
position and the wall you plan to mount the speakers on. Try to place the speak-
ers so that they are at least one-half the listening distance apart (this maintains a
large, pleasant stereo "image") and less than the entire listening distance (this
avoids a "hole-in-the-middle" effect). For example, if you are ten feet back from
the wall, the speakers should be between five and ten feet apart (See Figure 4).
You can control the speakers bass output by placement. This is called the
boundary effect. You will get more bass response by mounting the OS6 directly
to a wall or other flat surface (any boundary close to the speaker will reinforce
the bass frequencies). You can increase the bass output even more by mount-
ing the OS6 in a corner or under an eave (See Figure 5) This type of placement
gives the speaker two boundaries, both reinforcing the bass sounds. Of course,
if you wish to hear less bass, try moving the speaker away from the boundary
(See Figure 6).
Figure 5
Figure 6
Placement for more bass output
Placement for
less bass output
MOUNTING METHODS
The OS6 can be mounted either horizontally or vertically. The bracket knobs
will keep the speaker angled correctly in any position once they are tightened.
You can choose from three mounting methods to attach the OS6 to the wall,
ceiling, or other mounting surface.
10
1. If the speaker is never going to be exposed to sudden accidental impacts,
wind, waves or earthquakes you can simply hang it on a nail using the nail
hole(s) of the bracket (See Figure 7).
Nail Mounting
Screw Mounting
OmniMount or Custom Bracket Mounting
Figure 7 The OS6 can be mounted three ways.
2. The safest and most secure way to mount the speaker is by screwing it to the
mounting surface using your own hardware (suitable for the surface you are
mounting to) and the bracket supplied with the speaker (See Figure 7).
3. There are threaded brass inserts on the back of the OS6 for attaching an
OmniMount (53 RST-UMK Series) or a custom bracket (See Figure 7). This
allows you to position the speaker at unusual angles or distances from the
mounting surface.
SAFETY FIRST!
Be careful to use hardware that is designed for the surface you are mounting to.
The OS6 with the bracket weighs 4 lbs. 12 oz. If you are not sure of a safe way to
mount the speakers, consult a professional installer or a building contractor.
You will maximize the useful life of the speaker, by placing the speaker so that
it receives less exposure to the elements. Look for the best overall compromise
between sound quality, convenience, and exposure. Do not compromise safety.
11
PAINTING THE OS6
The enclosure, the brackets, and the grilles of the OS6 can all be painted to
match the surroundings. Because we want you to preserve the acoustic quali-
ties of the grille, please paint the grille according to the grille painting instruc-
tions. Make sure you pick a paint that is appropriate for the mounting location.
There are interior and exterior varieties, and even paint for marine uses. If you
are not sure what paint to use, consult a paint store professional or a painter.
TOOLS REQUIRED
• A spray can of primer paint (Krylon Sandable Spray Primer #1318)
• The correct paint for the surroundings (oil or water based paint for example)
• A paint brush or applicator if the paint is not in a spray can.
• A paper clip or a corkscrew (for removing the grille)
• Masking tape
• 2 paint masks (supplied)
• A damp cloth and a dry cloth
PREPARING TO PAINT
1. Separate the parts of the speaker. You should remove the brackets and the
bracket knobs. Remove the grille by hooking it with a bent paper clip or the tip
of a corkscrew and pulling it away from the cabinet (See Figure 8).
Figure 8
Removing the grille using a paper clip
12
2. Wipe off the other sides of the cabinet, the bracket, bracket knobs, and grille
with a damp cloth. Do not touch or rub the speakers on the front baffle. Make
sure everything is dry before masking.
3. Mask off the binding posts and the brass threaded inserts on the back panel
with masking tape.
4. Mask off the threaded inserts on the top and bottom with masking tape.
5. Protect the front of the speakers by inserting the supplied paint masks in
place of the grilles.
PAINTING THE CABINET, BRACKET KNOBS AND BRACKET
1. Apply two thin coats of a primer to the cabinet and knobs. We recommend
Krylon Sandable Spray Primer #1318. The bracket doesn't require a coat of primer.
2. Allow the primer to completely dry.
3. Apply the finish color.
4. Allow the paint to completely dry.
5. Carefully remove the masking material.
6. Do not reattach the speaker to the bracket until the bracket is mounted. Try
to keep all handling of the freshly painted parts to a minimum.
PAINTING THE GRILLE
The grille is important to the sound of the OS6. Do not fill the holes of the grille
with paint. The grille is constructed of aluminum with a perfectly even powder
coat overall. This powder coat is an ideal primer.
If you are using a spray paint, use two thin coats without any primer. If you are
using a compressor and a spray gun, use the finest, most diffuse setting. Practice
on paper if you are not experienced in painting with spray paint.
13
If you are using an applicator or brush and a can of paint, thin the paint first.
Thick paint will tend to clog the grille holes.
REPLACING THE GRILLE
Carefully fit the grille into its recess so that it is barely in place. Starting with
one corner, go around the speaker, pushing the grille in a little bit each time.
You should be gentle, the aluminum grille can be easily bent out of shape. You
will feel a positive “snap” when it is fully in place.
14
INSTALLATION
MOUNTING THE BRACKET
1. Remove the bracket knobs and the bracket from the speaker.
2. Hold the bracket up to the mounting surface. The speaker can be mounted
either horizontally or vertically. Hold the bracket so that the speaker wire fits
through the large, circular wire hole in the bracket. Align the bracket to be
square with the surroundings (use a level for accuracy).
3. Mark the locations of the three oval-shaped screw holes (See Figure 9).
Be sure to use all of the holes.
4. Drill pilot holes into the mounting surface.
Figure 9
Mounting the
OS6
5. Pull the speaker wire through the wire hole in the center of the mounting
bracket. Align the bracket so that the holes all line up.
6. Use your hardware to attach the bracket to the mounting surface.
15
CONNECTING THE SPEAKER
1. Separate the two conductors of the speaker wire so that at least two inches
of each conductor are free.
2. Strip one half inch of insulation from the end of each conductor of the
speaker wire.
3. If you have any connectors (gold pins or bananas) which you prefer to use,
affix them to the stripped wire ends now. Only gold plated connectors should
be used outside as they will not tarnish or corrode.
4. Use the bracket knobs to attach the speaker to the bracket. Do not tight-
en the knobs completely. Angle the speaker so that the rear terminals are
accessible.
5. Connect one stripped wire end (or connector) to the black and one to the
red terminal. Pay attention to the markings on the wire. Each speaker must be
connected to the amplifier in the same way.
SPEAKER PHASE
Speaker wire has two conductors. One conductor is attached to the negative (-)
terminals and one conductor is attached to the positive (+) terminals of both
your speaker and your amplifier. Usually, the wire is marked for your conve-
nience. There are different ways to mark the wire; a stripe on one wire, a
ribbed area of one conductor you can only feel, different colors of metal wire
on each conductor, or there might be a fabric strand or string wound into one
of the conductors. Of course, there are some wires which appear completely
identical. Be careful to avoid mistakes. If you do, one speaker will be playing
out of “phase” with the other speaker. An out-of-phase pair of speakers work
against each other and the sound of the two speakers playing together will be
lacking in bass and “phasey” sounding. If you suspect the sound is not right
and you cannot see any markings on the wire, try this simple test:
1. Point the speakers at each other, rather than at you.
2. Play some music with the amplifier or radio set to Mono.
16
3. Stand so you are the same distance from each speaker and listen to the rich-
ness of the bass and the loudness of the sound.
4. Turn off the amplifier and reverse the connections on one speaker only.
5. Repeat the listening test with the same setting of the volume control. When
the sound has a richer bass and is slightly louder the speakers are working
together or “in-phase”.
FINAL ADJUSTMENTS
1. After checking that the speaker is in phase and works correctly, angle the
speaker for the best sound.
2. Tighten the bracket knobs using only your hands. Use of any power tools
may over-tighten the knob, and strip the threads of the insert.
3. Check that the entire installation is safe and secure.
17
OPERATION
LISTENING AT HIGHER VOLUMES
Outdoors there are no walls to reflect and contain the sound. It requires more
power to achieve a reasonable volume of sound outside than it does when you
are indoors. You also frequently find yourself very far from the speaker. It is
possible 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 indoors or outdoors, turn the
volume down immediately! Those harsh sounds are masking some much more
powerful ultra-high-frequency sound spikes which will quickly damage any
fine loudspeaker.
CLEANING
You can clean the OS6's with a dampened 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. Hosing off the speaker is not recommended, as the tweeter is a precise
mechanism which might be damaged by a high pressure stream of water.
18
SPECIFICATIONS
RECOMMENDED AMPLIFIER POWER
Five to 100 watts per channel
NOMINAL IMPEDANCE
8 Ohms
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
110Hz to 21kHz, plus or minus 3 dB (on axis)
SENSITIVITY
89 decibels for 2.83 volts of Pink Noise, measured at 1 meter on axis
WIRING REQUIREMENTS
Sixteen to 18 gauge 2-conductor (unshielded or shielded) wire for runs up to 80
feet. Fourteen gauge 2-conductor (unshielded or shielded) wire for runs up to
200 feet.
TEMPERATURE EXTREMES
-50° to 200° Fahrenheit
DIMENSIONS (Speaker without bracket)
7" Wide x 9-1/4" High x 5-11/16" Deep
DIMENSIONS (Speaker with bracket)
7" Wide x 9-1/4" High x 6-5/8" Deep
WEIGHT (Speaker and bracket)
4 lbs. 12 oz. each
19
WARRANTY REGISTRATION CARD
OS6 Indoor/Outdoor Loudspeaker
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 outdoor loudspeaker products to the original
purchaser to be free of manufacturing defects in material and workmanship for a period of two
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, model and serial num-
ber 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
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
Niles Audio
Corporation
©1999 Niles Audio Corporation. Niles, the Niles logo and Blending High Fidelity and
Architecture are registered trademarks of Niles Audio Corporation. ElastoDynamic and
OmniMount is a registered trademark of OmniMount Systems 6/98 DS00215A
12331 S.W. 130 Street
Miami, Florida 33186
Tel: (305) 238-4373
Fax: (305) 238-0185
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