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 S
CM5AT
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
CM6AT
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
CM8AT
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
®
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
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Introduction
The AT or Advanced Technology group of advanced materials technology to create
ceiling mount Loudspeakers is designed to speakers capable of reproducing both
deliver truly stunning performance with music and movie soundtracks with incred-
optimum installation flexibility. All models ible realism and sonic impact. They are
in the AT series are constructed using the perfect anywhere that ultimate sound
highest quality components and utilize quality is required.
Features and Benefits
Carbon/Glass Fiber with
Butyl Rubber Surround
simply plug into the crossover circuit
boards on the back of Niles speakers,
resulting in positive in-phase connections
every time.
The CM5AT, CM6AT and CM8AT loud-
speakers employ an advanced cone material
that combines carbon and fiber glass in a
special weave that maximizes stiffness and
minimizes cone break up. The result is a
cone that delivers deep, powerful bass and
unrivaled dynamic response.
Moisture and UV Resistant Construction
The CM5AT, CM6AT and CM8AT loud-
speakers are suitable for use in high mois-
ture environments. The drivers are resis-
tant to moisture and UV exposure; the
grille is made of powder-coated alu-
minum. However, the speakers are not
waterproof and direct contact with water
should be avoided.
1" Fluid-Cooled Ultra-Wide Dispersion
Tri-Laminate Teteron Tweeter in
Custom Pivoting Coaxial Enclosure
The Teteron tweeter employs a tri-lami-
nate design consisting of an inner textile
layer which forms the dome, a high damp-
ing layer to kill unwanted resonances and
an outside layer of urethane to add stiff-
ness and prevent breakup modes. The
result is a transparently clear, sweet, natur-
al sounding tweeter which still maintains
extended frequency response. This
advanced tweeter is housed in a precision
adjustment mechanism which permits the
tweeter to be accurately positioned after
installation for optimum performance and
without the diffraction distortion typical of
traditional pivoting tweeters.
Engineered for Ceiling Placement
The CM5AT, CM6AT and CM8AT have
been specifically designed and tuned for
optimum performance when mounted in a
ceiling. The custom designed low diffrac-
tion tweeter housing is mounted coaxially
to avoid the “venetian blind” effect com-
mon with ceiling speakers that employ
sub-baffles as tweeter mounts. The 20°
tweeter pivot angle ensures optimum
high-frequency coverage.
Installer Selectable Acoustic
Fine Tuning
Installers can select to de-emphasize the
bass or treble by 2dB to accommodate
reflective surfaces and corner loading.
This selection is accomplished via baffle-
mounted controls that are accessible after
the speaker has been installed.
No-Strip Speaker Terminal
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
contined on next page
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2
4 or 8 ohm Selectable Impedance
Easy Installation
The dual voice coil feature of the CM5AT, The CM5AT, CM6AT and CM8AT employ
CM6AT and CM8AT gives the installer a bracketless mounting system in existing
flexibility to select the speaker’s imped- ceilings. Simply cut a hole in the mount-
ance — 4 ohms for systems where maxi- ing surface, remove the grille from the
mum current transfer and output level is speaker, connect the wires and place the
desired; 8 ohms for systems utilizing mul- speaker in the hole. Then tighten the four
tiple speaker pairs where amplifier loading mounting “dogs” via the front panel
is a consideration.
screws. The dogs first swivel 90°, then
clamp the speaker frame to the drywall as
you tighten the screws.
™
MicroPerf Grilles
The CM5AT, CM6AT and CM8AT 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.
Hole Saving Bracket
Available as an optional accessory, CM5
Series, CM6 Series and CM8 Series New
Construction Brackets can be installed as a
“hole-saver” before the drywall goes up.
The drywall contractor cuts the holes as
the drywall is installed, reducing installa-
tion time and minimizing the chance for
lost wires
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3
Installation Considerations
Recommended Amplifier Power
ing loudly, a small amplifier will run out
For satisfactory performance, we recom- of power very quickly. When an amplifier
mend an amplifier with a power rating of runs out of power it creates damaging
10 to 100 watts for the CM5AT; 10 to 125 “clipping” distortion. A large amplifier will
watts for the CM6AT and 10 to 150 watts play at the same volume without distort-
for the CM8AT. Curiously, most speakers ing. See the section on operating the
are not damaged by large amplifiers but speakers for more information about clip-
by small amplifiers. If your system is play- ping distortion.
Incorporating a Local Volume Control
Figure 1
The illustration shows how a
typical CM 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 CM
series perfect for moist environments.
Figure 2
Figure 3
The CM5AT, CM6AT and
CM8AT tweeter is
housed in a custom
designed, low diffraction
enclosure, pivots up to
20° to provide optimum
high frequency coverage
20
The CM5AT, CM6AT
and CM8AT include
easy access, baffle
mounted tone
controls that enable
you to accommodate
varying room
acoustics
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4
In a multiroom system there is one indis- professional audio/video installer, your
pensible device for true convenience—a building contractor, or the local building
local volume control. It enables you to and inspection department.
adjust the volume of the speakers without
Incorporating Remote Control
leaving the room.
If your stereo system operates with a wire-
Plan to wire the system so that each pair less Infrared (IR) remote control, consider
of speakers has its own volume control the advantages of installing a Niles Infrared
built into the wall (think of a volume con- Extender System. Niles manufactures a
trol as a dimmer switch for sound).
number of concealable IR sensors and wall
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
Use 2-conductor speaker wire when con-
necting CM5AT, CM6AT and CM8AT
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 recom-
mend 14 gauge stranded wire. The no-
strip terminals of the AT speakers will
accommodate 12 to 18 gauge 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
®
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
(example: 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 consis-
tent 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.
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5
Introduction
Although the CM5AT, CM6AT and CM8AT
have extensive ability to compensate for
unusual placements with their unique piv-
oting tweeters and acoustic fine-tuning
switches, placement is still the primary
tool for satisfying your particular listening
needs. In the following section, we discuss
how speakers should be placed and how
tweeters should be directed and how the
acoustic fine-tuning switches should be set
for different purposes.
Speaker Placement
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.
Make sure the sound will not be blocked
or reflected off of furniture or other
objects. You should have a direct line of
Figure 4
In this example,
the speakers
could be
Direct tweeter
placed from
towards listener
five to 10 feet
apart, since the
listener is 10
feet back from
the speakers
Critical
Listening
Position
10'
5'
10'
Direct tweeter
towards listener
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6
sight with the front of the speaker. To room you will notice that when the sound
determine the best position, measure the is perfect in one part of the room, it is too
“listening” distance between the ideal lis- loud near the speakers. By placing more
tening position (your favorite chair or than one pair in the room you will avoid
couch) and the location in which you plan these “hot spots” of loud sound and you
to install the speakers. Try to place the will create more sonic ambiance while
speakers so that they are equally distant maintaining clarity and a rich sound
from your listening spot and at least one everywhere (See Figure 5).
half of the listening distance apart (this
You can make listener position still less
maintains a large pleasant stereo “image”).
critical by using mono rather than stereo.
In home theater applications where there
This can be difficult to achieve with nor-
is a center channel you may choose to
mal stereo amplifiers. However, Niles
space the left and right main speakers far-
manufactures Systems Integration
ther apart for a “bigger than life” sound
®
Amplifiers which enable one room to be
®
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
wired in stereo while other rooms are
wired in mono! Consult your local Niles
dealer for more information.
are ten feet back from the speakers, the In smaller rooms or rooms that are infre-
speakers should be between five and ten quently used, you typically can’t justify
feet apart (See Figure 4).
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 pat-
tern of two speakers. You can also com-
promise between direct sound (for detail
and clarity) and reflected sound (the
ambient or “all around you” effect). The
speakers can be placed near corners to
create more reflected sound. By directing
the tweeters to point away from the listen-
er, 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, otherwise the com-
promise becomes too one sided and at
high volumes, the sound will be blurred
and less distinct.
Tweeters should be directed at the listen-
ing position.
Placement for Varying
Listening Positions
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.
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
Placement for Home Theater
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
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7
array in a commercial theater. Here, it is as you move the speaker farther away from
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!
the 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.
In large or unusually shaped rooms, using
multiple speakers might be the only way to
achieve a good effect. In large or unusual-
ly shaped rooms this might be the only
way to achieve a good effect. If you like to
listen to music surround modes which
emulate concert hall acoustics, more than
two surround speakers will prove extraor-
dinarily effective (See Figure 6). With
Niles CM5AT, CM6AT and CM8AT loud-
speakers it is easy to add another pair
without affecting the decor of the room.
A single pair of CM5AT, CM6AT or
CM8AT 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 sev-
eral. Create as many reflections as possible
by placing the speakers near a corner so
that the adjoining walls will act as a pow-
erful reflector. Direct the tweeters so that
sound is pointed away form the listener However, you will need to use a much
more powerful amplifier than that which
is built into a typical surround sound
creating still more reflections and thus
more “surround sound” effect. However,
Figure 5
Varying Listening Position
Figure 6
Surround Sound
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8
Running the Speaker Wire in New
Construction
receiver or amplifier. Niles makes a num-
ber of Systems Integration Amplifiers with
proprietary features that make them
uniquely suited to enhance a good sur-
round sound system. Consult your local
Niles dealer for more information.
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.
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.
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:
• Never run speaker wire through the
same hole as an electrical cable.
• Never run speaker wire into the same
J-box as electrical cable.
• 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.
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
Figure 7
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.
Safety First!
Wear gloves, safety goggles and head pro-
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9
tection when drilling. Avoid nails, they ruin bundle of wires you can pull at once.
bits and they can create injury. Pay particu-
Whenever you run the wire further than
lar care when using “hole-hogs” and other
four and one half feet from a hole in a stud
powerful electric drills; the torque of the
or joist (open attic space, going up walls,
drill when suddenly stopped by a nail can
etc.), fasten the wire to the joists or studs
break the wrist of a strong man.
using cable clamps or appropriately sized
Drilling
wire staples. The wire should not have
Use a bit that is large enough for the wires large sags in it, nor should it be too tight.
you plan to run. An auger bit is the pre- Try to protect the wire from being stepped
ferred bit for rough-in wiring. It will actu- on in attics or other unfinished crawl
ally pull itself through the wood, so that spaces. There are guard strips, raceways
the drill motor, not you, does most of the and conduits which can be used to protect
work. You may be drilling a lot of holes, the cable. Consult the local building code
so this is an important consideration.
for special requirements in your area.
Always drill the holes in the center of the Concealing Speaker Wire
stud. If you have to notch the stud or drill in Existing Walls
the hole closer than one inch from the
edge of the stud, protect the wire with a
nail plate (See Figure 7).
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
when you look at the painted wall board,
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.
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.
Try to line the holes up perfectly, because
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!
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
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
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10
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).
Speaker
Location
Identify where all of your
electrical, phone, and TV
wiring is likely to be and plan
Volume
Control
Location
to route around it all. You
can accidentally induce
60Hz hum on your speakers
if you run your speaker wire
Stereo
Location
right beside electrical wire for
more than a few feet. Try to
keep speaker wire running
parallel to power cables at
Figure 8
least three feet away. To find
exactly where an electrical
of solid masonry, and have no hollow
space for speakers or wires.
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).
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
Unobstructed space
for speaker wiring
Figure 9
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11
Figure 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 information. Choose the
route with the fewest potential obstacles.
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).
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
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.
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12
plenum rated wire (check your local
building codes, some municipalities
require conduit).
Construction
Insulating the Wall Cavity
If feasible, fill the wall cavity with insula-
tion at this point.
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).
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.
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.
The wings and brackets have centering
lines to simplify placement of the speakers.
Installation in New
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
nail attached to the joists securing it for
future use. Make sure the location is noted
on house plans.
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13
Figure 14
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)
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)
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.
3. Cut a foot-long piece of coat hanger.
Bend the wire (creating a right angle)
leaving 4-1/8" at one end for the
CM5AT, 4-3/4" for the CM6AT and
5-3/8" for the CM8AT (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
3-3/4" of depth. If the wires movement
is obstructed by anything, fill the hole(s)
with spackle and try another location.
(See 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.
4. If the coat hanger moves freely in a com-
plete circle, hold the supplied template
up to the ceiling surface. Outline the cir-
cular cutout on the ceiling surface with a
pencil. Drill starting point with a 1/4" bit.
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
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)
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14
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.
Jumper on the crossover PC board.
Choose the 4 ohm position if you are
using an amplifier capable of drawing a
4 ohm load and you have only one pair
of speakers connected. Otherwise, use
the 8 ohm position (See Figure 15).
6. If you are cutting into a plaster ceiling, 3. Separate the speaker wire so that at least
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
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.
the lathe, two methods are used profes- 5. Insert one unstripped wire fully into the
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.
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).
6. 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 ter-
minal does not properly seat, reverse
the terminal
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.
7. On both models, there are four clamps
or mounting “dogs” which hold each
speaker in place. The dogs are tight-
ened via four front-baffle screws. To
2. Check the position of the Impedance
Figure 15 Setting the Impedance Jumper.
Figure 16 No-Strip Speaker Wire Terminal.
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15
placed in a room without carpet/ Use the
-2dB Treble cut switch to correct.
10.Install the grille into the speaker. The
grilles should fit snugly. If you have diffi-
culty fitting them in, try loosening the
mounting dog screws (excessive tighten-
ing can distort the shape of the frame
holding the grille in place).
Painting the Speakers
All models may be painted. The plastic
will readily accept most paints.
Figure 17
Tightening the
mounting “dogs”
The speakers must be masked prior to
painting them. The inside circular portion
of the hole template can be used as a
paint mask. Remove the outside portion of
the template by gently pulling along the
perforation. Affix the mask to the front of
the speaker using a piece of tape. Fold the
tape onto itself to form a double-sided
loop. Affix the tape to the tweeter and
place the mask onto the speaker.
install the speaker, first rotate the dogs
inward. Insert the speaker into the
cutout and 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).
NOTE: The screws will be easier to turn if
you “prime” them first. Before installing each
speaker, turn the screws in and then turn
them back out to their original positions.
The grilles should be painted before they
are installed. For all models, the best
results will be obtained by using a spray
gun or airless sprayer, thinning the paint
(prevents clogging of the grille holes), and
by applying several light coats instead of
one heavy one.
8. Direct the Tweeter. The tweeter is
directed by gently pushing on the edge
of the tweeter grille. It will move 20° in
any direction. For critical listening point
the tweeter to the user’s favorite listen-
ing position minimizing reflections from
the side walls. For surround sound or
low volume background listening cre-
ate more reflections and thus more
ambience by directing the tweeter
towards the side walls. See Speaker
Placement on Page 6.
Speaker Phase
Speaker wire has two conductors. One con-
ductor 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
convenience. There are different ways wires
are marked: 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, or you might make a mis-
take.
9. Setting the Bass and Treble cut switch-
es. Listen to a well-recorded piece of
music at the user’s favorite listening
position. a) Listen for bass boominess,
particularly when the speaker is placed
near a corner. Use the -2dB Bass cut to
correct. b) Listen for treble harshness or
ringing, particularly when the speakers are
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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.
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17
Specifications
CM6AT
CM5AT
Driver Compliment
Driver Compliment
6-1/2" carbon/glass fiber with butyl rubber
surround
5-1/4" carbon/glass fiber with butyl rubber
surround
1" fluid-cooled ultra-wide dispersion
tri-laminate Teteron tweeter in a custom
pivoting coaxial enclosure
1" fluid-cooled ultra-wide dispersion
tri-laminate Teteron tweeter in a custom
pivoting coaxial enclosure
Recommended Amplifier Power
10 to 125 watts per channel
Recommended Amplifier Power
10 to 100 watts per channel
Nominal Impedance
4 or 8 ohm selectable
Nominal Impedance
4 or 8 ohm selectable
Frequency Response
50Hz to 21kHz, +/- 3dB (on axis)
Frequency Response
60Hz to 21kHz, +/- 3dB (on axis)
Tweeter Adjustment
Up to 20° pivot angle
Tweeter Adjustment
Up to 20° pivot angle
Sensitivity
89dB for 2.83 volts of Pink Noise
Sensitivity
88dB for 2.83 volts of Pink Noise
Overall Exterior Frame Dimensions
9-1/4" diameter
Overall Exterior Frame Dimensions
8-1/8" diameter
Depth Behind Wall
3-3/4" deep (based on 1/2" drywall)
Depth Behind Wall
3-3/8" deep (based on 1/2" drywall)
Wall Cut-Out Dimensions
8" diameter
Wall Cut-Out Dimensions
6-7/8" diameter
Wiring Requirements
Wiring Requirements
We recommend 16 to 18 gauge stranded
wire for up to 80 feet, 14 gauge stranded
wire for up to two hundred feet.
We recommend 16 to 18 gauge stranded
wire for up to 80 feet, 14 gauge stranded
wire for up to two hundred feet.
Connectors accommodate 12 to 18 gauge
stranded wire.
Connectors accommodate 12 to 18 gauge
stranded wire.
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18
Specifications
CM8AT
Driver Compliment
8" carbon/glass fiber with butyl rubber
surround
1" fluid-cooled ultra-wide dispersion
tri-laminate Teteron tweeter in a custom
pivoting coaxial enclosure
Recommended Amplifier Power
10 to 150 watts per channel
Nominal Impedance
4 or 8 ohm selectable
Frequency Response
40Hz to 21kHz, +/- 3dB (on axis)
Tweeter Adjustment
Up to 20° pivot angle
Sensitivity
90dB for 2.83 volts of Pink Noise
Overall Exterior Frame Dimensions
10-5/8" diameter
Depth Behind Wall
4" deep (based on /2" drywall)
Wall Cut-Out Dimensions
9-1/2" diameter
Wiring Requirements
We recommend 16 to 18 gauge stranded
wire for up to 80 feet, 14 gauge stranded
wire for up to two hundred feet.
Connectors accommodate 12 to 18 gauge
stranded wire.
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19
WARRANTY REGISTRATION CARD
Model Purchased__________________________________________________________________________________
Serial Number___________________________________________________________________________________
Date Purchased (month/day/year)_________________________________________________________________
Dealer Name and Location________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
q Dr.
q Miss
q Mr.
q Mrs.
q 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. . .?
o
o
o
o
o
o
Under 25
25-34
35-44
45-54
55 & over
(Please check all that
apply)
Own a House. If yes,
how many square feet?
1._____________________
2. ___________________
3. ___________________
__________________
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Alternative
Classical
Country
Jazz
New Age
Popular
R&B
Rock
Other______________
o
Own a Town House/
Condominium/Co-op
Rent an Apartment
Rent a House
o
o
Income:
Who will install the
product?
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
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?
o
o
o
o
Custom Installer
Electrician
Friend
o
o
Myself
Yes
No
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?
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Architect/Developer
Custom Installer
Direct Mail
Occupation:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
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
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Ease of Use
Price/Value
Product Features
Quality/Durability
Reputation
Style/Appearance
Warranty
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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
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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_____________________________________________________________________________
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22
Niles Audio
Corporation
12331 S.W. 130 Street
Miami, Florida 33186
Tel: (305) 238-4373
Fax: (305) 238-0185
© 2001 Niles Audio Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Niles, the Niles logo, and Blending
High Fidelity and Architecture are registered trademarks of Niles Audio Corporation.
MicroPerf is a trademark 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 specifica-
tions of Niles products. Additional information can be obtained on-line. Printed in Taiwan.
DS00294ATW
Printed in Taiwan
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