Russound Advantage Series User's Manual
Contents
1. 23 Introduction 3 THE RUSSOUND ADVANTAGE Thank you for selecting Russound Advantage Series speakers Like all Russound speakers they combine advanced acoustic technology with durability to provide years of listening enjoyment The Advantage speaker line is composed of the Music and the Hi Fi Series The Music Series is designed to provide an optimum bal ance between performance and price delivering superior sound for all applications at a most affordable cost The Music Series is perfect for multi room audio systems as well as surround sound applications providing exemplary reproduction throughout the home The Hi Fi Series combines the finest components with our most advanced drivers to deliver exceptional per formance in every application From background music to spectacular surround sound Hi Fi Series speakers offer the finest sound around Iso Mount technology takes the Advantage Series beyond ordinary in wall speakers by reducing undesirable wall vibrations with a unique thermopolymer isolation mounting gasket Where typical in wall speakers lack clarity due to speaker induced wall vibrations Iso Mount speakers offer dramatic sonic improvement by letting the music come only from the speakers not from the wall as well In addi tion the innovative Twist amp Lock mounting system incor porated in Iso Mount models provides exceptionally2. magnet assemblies and lightweight domes to reproduce every subtle nuance of the musical or cinema sound source A computer designed lens helps smooth their response and aids in delivering wide dispersion for excel lent sound throughout the listening area COMPUTER DESIGNED ASYMMETRICAL CROSSOVERS The crossover is the traffic cop for the audio signal dividing the lows from the highs and sending them off to the proper driver element It also matches driver effi ciencies and phase relationships to make sure that the different drivers work in unison Advantage asymmetri cal crossovers are very sophisticated designs blending and matching the output of our proprietary drivers into a seamless and accurate sound field Asymmetrical refers to the roll off slope of the woofer midrange being differ ent from the roll on slope of the tweeter The result is both better driver integration and better time coherence in the speaker s output We also use high quality compo nents to ensure long life and excellent unit to unit consis tency HIGH FREQUENCY SWITCH This adjustment allows you to tailor the sound of Advantage speakers to better match the listening envi ronment The switch offers a flat response position and a plus 3 dB position It is located on the front baffle of Iso Mount models 4 Space Requirements amp Impedance Matching SPACE AND WALL REQUIREMENTS SPACE REQUIREMENTS Russound Advantage Iso Mount speakers require a mi
3. WALL CEILING OPENING FOR SPEAKER The following steps outline how to locate a section of wall between two studs mark the outer boundaries of the hole drill a small hole in the center to verify the location and then cut the main hole Determine the location of the wall studs so the speaker can be centered approximately between them There are several ways to go about this Use a stud finder a simple electronic device which works by locating changes in wall density Many stud finders can also indicate the presence of live AC wiring Tap on the wall and listen to the resulting THUMP When it s deeper and hollow sounding you re between studs When it s sharper and more flat sounding you re close to or over a stud Identify studs by the position of electrical outlets or switch es There may be a stud directly to the left or right of such electrical fixture This gives you a point of measurement since studs are either 24 or 16 inches on center in newer houses 12 inches apart on older homes When you re reasonably sure of where the wall s studs are and are completely sure there isn t an electri cal cable water pipe or heating duct in that vicinity of wall position the cardboard mounting template and draw around its outer perimeter with a pencil If you don t trust your eye use a level to make sure the hole will be straight Drill a 1 inch hole in the center of the pencil out line which you have ju
4. adding a proprietary ther mopolymer isolation gasket between the frame and the baffle This unique gasket dramatically reduces unwanted wall vibrations to increase the clarity definition and accuracy of the sound produced This makes the Iso Mount speakers perfect for both serious listening and for background applica tions The adjustable tweeter pivots for fine adjust ment of the speaker s high frequency directivity and the symmetrical frame permits the speaker baffle to be installed with the tweeter at the top or the bottom of the speaker Ideally the tweeter should be as close to ear level as possible when you re seated in the prime listening position Figure 1 WHEN Pre Construction or Retrofit Installation 8 WHEN PRE CONSTRUCTION OR RETROFIT INSTALLATION PRE CONSTRUCTION INSTALLATION Built in speaker installation is more convenient during home construction than after construction is completed Speaker wire can be routed to the destination before the wallboard is installed and possible hindrances such as AC wiring plumbing or ductwork can be easily located and avoided Speaker rough in brackets are used in the pre construction phase of speaker installation during construction of new homes and additions Russound offers Speaker Rough In Brackets for the full line of Advantage speakers These brack ets are designed to provide drywall installers the correct cut out pattern for the speakers The brackets have wi
5. appears to come from above the screen which is less believable However excellent results are still possible if you follow certain guidelines for placing the ceiling speakers 1 Place the front speakers close to the same plane as the front of the TV as possible 2 Tilt the tweeters so they aim at the prime listening position 3 Align the center channel speaker with the center of the screen and place the left and right speakers no fur ther than 4 feet from either side of the screen SURROUND SOUND If the prime purpose of the surround system is to watch TV and movies the surround speakers should be placed to produce a diffuse sound field Iso Mount wall speak ers should be placed to the sides or rear of the prime listening location located 24 inches or more above ear level when the listener is seated If this speaker location is closer than 24 inches from the ceiling mount the Iso Mount speaker baffle upside down in the wall frame with the tweeter away from the ceiling For TV and movies ceiling surround speakers should be placed directly to the sides or rear of the prime listening position but be aimed away from the listener to reflect the output off the rear or side walls This configuration is also suitable for a TV movie and music mixed use If the prime purpose of the surround system is to listen to music the Iso Mount wall speakers should be placed closer to ear level Ceiling speakers should be aimed at the prime li
6. come from the left speaker If sound comes from the right speaker when the stereo s balance control is turned to the LEFT you ll need to swap the connections on the back of the amplifier receiver 6 FIRST turn DOWN the VOLUME and turn OFF the AMPLIFIER 7 For Surround Sound use the level setting test tone built into most Surround Sound processors 8 Swap the wires attached to the left and right speaker terminals 9 Repeat steps 1 through 5 A QUICK TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE Before seeking service from your Russound dealer please read through these troubleshooting tips for sim ple remedies NO SOUND FROM EITHER SPEAKER 1 Incorrect source selected on receiver or preamplifier 2 Mute button pressed on receiver 3 Wrong speaker output selected many receivers have an A and B speaker switch 4 In Wall Volume control not turned up or wired incorrectly 5 If using a speaker selector room station not turned on or improperly connected 6 Short circuit causing amplifier receiver to power down or suffer damage 7 Wire disconnected NO SOUND FROM ONE SPEAKER 1 Unsecured connection at either the speaker or ampli fier receiver 2 Balance control turned all the way left or right 3 Bad connecting cable between sound source and amplifier 4 Short circuit causing amplifier receiver to power down or suffer damage For any other speaker performance issues contact your Russound dealer or call our Tech S
7. have been altered or modified Any product whose identifying number or decal serial etc has been altered defaced or removed Normal wear and maintenance Due to our continual efforts to improve product quality as new technology and techniques become available Russound FMP Inc reserves the right to revise speaker systems specifications without notice Russound 5 Forbes Road Newmarket NH 03857 tel 603 659 5170 fax 603 659 5388 e mail tech russound com www russound com fax on demand 603 659 5590 LR3130 0009
8. OWNER S MANUAL 2 Contents Introduction The Russound Advantage 3 Space and Wall Requirements 4 Impedance Matching for Amplifier and Speakers 4 Speaker Care 5 Getting Started 6 WHO Installer Skills and Tools Required 6 WHAT Speaker Usage and Environment 7 WHEN Pre Construction or Retrofit Installation 8 WHERE Speaker Placement 9 WIRE Wire Requirements 12 HOW Painting the Speaker Frames and Grilles 13 HOW Cutting Wall Ceiling Opening for Speakers 15 HOW Hooking Up the Speakers 17 HOW Final Assembly of Speakers 19 HOW Testing Speaker Polarity and Channel Connections 19 Specifications 21 Warranty
9. Stud finder Multimeter Plumb bob or small weight on a string Cardboard mounting template included with speakers Pencil Length of stiff wire about 3 feet long a straightened wire coat hanger works well Insulated staples for securing speaker wire 1 5V AA battery Masking tape Paint and applicator for painting the grille and outer frame We suggest you read through this manual first before proceeding with installation to familiarize yourself with the entire installation process If you then decide that installing your Russound Advantage Series Speakers is beyond your skills call your Russound dealer to arrange for professional installation Be ready to tell your installer if the speakers will be used for serious listening or for background sound and to discuss the desired speaker locations 7 WHAT Speaker Usage and Environment WHAT SPEAKER USAGE AND ENVIRONMENT Before you decide where you want to install your Russound Advantage speakers you ll need to deter mine their intended use Will you be sitting in one place listening to music or will you be playing back ground music during domestic and social activities Once you ve determined where you will be while you listen you can decide where the preferred speaker location will be Russound Advantage speakers have been designed to be suitable for most listening environments Advantage Series Iso Mount technology provides superior performance by
10. This test is per formed with the speaker wires disconnected from the amplifier receiver It is recommended that the wiring and speaker polarity be tested with a 1 5V AA battery You ll need one person at the speaker end and one person at the exit end of the speaker wire near the amplifier receiver 1 While one person observes the woofer cone grille removed for better visibility the other person momen tarily energizes the wire at the amplifier end with the 1 5V AA battery the positive conductor at the positive end the negative conductor at the negative end of the battery Figure 13 Figure 14 Figure 15 TWIST amp LOCK FASTENER PIVOTING TWEETER 20 2 If the woofer cone moves outwards when momentari ly energized the speaker is wired correctly If the woofer cone moves inward the polarity is reversed and the wire s positive and negative conductors should be switched on the back of the speaker TO TEST CHANNEL CONNECTIONS 1 Turn on your stereo system Make sure that the VOL UME control is turned down and that the BALANCE con trol is set to center 2 Activate a musical source such as FM or CD player 3 Slowly turn up the volume You should hear music coming out of your new Russound Speakers If you don t refer to the troubleshooting guide below 4 Make sure sound emanates from all speakers in the system 5 Now rotate the stereo s BALANCE control all the way to the LEFT Sound should only
11. ain the impedance levels that will allow your amplifier receiver to operate safely Russound makes a complete line of these products from Impedance Matching Volume Controls to Impedance Matching Speaker Selectors Ask your Russound dealer for details or request a catalog from Russound at 800 638 8055 U S and Canada or 1 603 659 5170 from outside the U S Speaker Care 5 SPEAKER CARE Russound Advantage Series speakers are built with qual ity materials to last a lifetime They should work for as long as you own your home and longer if you avoid the following Too little power at high volumes Too much power Transients immediate loud passages thumps etc TOO LITTLE POWER AT HIGH VOLUMES Speakers can be damaged when they are driven by an amplifier receiver that isn t capable of delivering all the clean power that is being demanded When an ampli fier receiver runs out of current due to high demand while trying to re create musical peaks it causes a type of output signal distortion called clipping Clipping not only makes the music sound unclear over time it can damage or destroy the speakers If you re listening at loud volumes you may be unaware that clipping is occurring but the damage may already be done as clip ping damage can be instantaneous or cumulative If you like your music loud consider using an amplifier receiv er with at least 50 watts per channel but remember you can damage any speake
12. ay move the amplifier to another part of the room consider leaving some excess wire coiled up Coil wire into concentric circles and secure with a tie wrap or tape If you ve used sufficiently thick wire this extra length will not affect speaker performance and could make re routing easier if the room is rearranged later 2 Pull the speaker wire conductors apart so they re sep arated for the last two inches from the end 3 Using wire strippers diagonal cutters or a knife care fully remove 1 2 inch of insulation from each conductor 4 IMPORTANT Before connecting the speaker wires to the amplifier receiver use a multimeter to test the speaker wires for short circuits If there is indication of a short in the wiring it must be corrected before the speakers are connected to the amplifier receiver Failure to do so may result in damage to the stereo equipment 5 Connect the POSITIVE conductor to the RED ter minal and the NEGATIVE conductor to the BLACK speaker terminal of the amplifier receiver For proper sound the left and right speaker wires must be connected to the corresponding left and right speak er terminals on the amplifier receiver CONNECT TO THE AMPLIFIER WALL CONNECTOR PLATE 1 Route wiring through an electrical outlet box retrofit junction box or low voltage mounting ring Mount the box or ring to the drywall 2 Terminate the wires to a wall plate with binding posts R
13. bility For this warranty to apply the unit must be installed and used according to its written instructions If necessary repairs must be performed by Russound The unit must be returned to Russound at the owner s expense and with prior written permission Accidental damage and shipping damage are not considered defects nor is damage result ing from abuse or from servicing performed by an agency or person not specifically authorized in writing by Russound Russound products are sold only through authorized Dealers and Distributors to ensure that customers obtain proper support and service Russound reserves the right to limit the warranty of products purchased from an unauthorized dealer or other source including retailers mail order sellers and online sellers to ninety 90 days from the date of purchase Damage to or destruction of components due to application of excessive power voids the warranty on those parts In these cases repairs will be made on the basis of the retail value of the parts and labor To return for repairs the unit must be shipped to Russound at the owner s expense along with a note explaining the nature of service required Be sure to pack the speaker s in a corrugated container with at least 3 inches of resilient material to protect the unit from damage in transit This Warranty Does Not Cover Damage caused by abuse accident misuse negligence or improper operation installation Products that
14. commended Power 5 120 watts Nominal Impedance 6 Ohms Efficiency 90 dB 1W 1M w 1kHz Frequency Response 45Hz 20kHz 3 dB Frame ABS plastic symmetrical Grille Fine mesh aluminum Mounting Iso Mount vibration damping with quarter turn Twist amp Lock fasteners Dimensions 12 25 H x 8 25 W 31 1 cm x 20 9 cm Series Hi Fi Model SP H8IM Description Rectangular In wall Cut Out 15 0 H x 9 25 W 38 1 cm x 23 5 cm Woofer 8 0 20 3 cm woven glass fiber long throw Tweeter Pivoting 25mm 1 0 aluminum dome fluid cooled Recommended Power 5 140 watts Nominal Impedance 6 Ohms nominal Efficiency 91 dB 1W 1M w 1kHz Frequency Response 35Hz 20kHz 3 dB Frame ABS plastic symmetrical Grille Fine mesh aluminum Mounting Iso Mount vibration damping with quarter turn Twist amp Lock fasteners Dimensions 16 375 H x 10 625 W 41 5 cm x 26 9 cm Specifications 23 Warranty amp Repair Warranty All Russound Advantage Speaker products have a Limited Lifetime Warranty against defects in materials and workmanship Proof of Purchase must accompany all claims During the warranty period Russound will replace any defective part and cor rect any defect in workmanship without charge for either parts or labor Russound may replace returned speakers with a product of equal value and performance In such cases some modi fications to the mounting may be necessary and are not Russound s responsi
15. easy and secure installation Iso Mount speakers have a molded in IR receiver open ing that allows mounting an infrared remote receiver through the speaker baffle The blue polymer plug is designed to pop out for screw in installation of an IR receiver such as the Russound SaphIR Eye without damaging the speaker baffle In addition to Iso Mount and Twist amp Lock features Russound Advantage speakers feature high quality driv ers sophisticated crossover networks and advanced designs to ensure optimum reproduction in your home no matter what the source material may be WOVEN GLASS FIBER WOOFER MIDRANGE CONE Our woven glass fiber cone employs the best of modern technology to deliver an optimum balance of performance Its superior transient response and light weight produce excellent low distortion voice reproduction and high effi ciency The result is exceptional sound from deep bass through the all critical midrange frequencies LARGE HIGH ENERGY MAGNETIC MOTOR SYSTEMS These powerful motors drive the woofer midrange cone to reproduce sound Their advanced Finite Element Analysis design means they are optimized to mate per fectly with the glass fiber cones delivering all the power needed with finesse and superior control A dual vented design and large Kapton voice coil ensure adequate power handling under the most demanding situations SILK OR ALUMINUM DOME TWEETERS These fluid cooled devices utilize rare earth Neodymium
16. ervices department at 603 659 5170 HOW Final Assembly of Speakers 21 Speaker Specifications Series Music Model SP M6IM Description Rectangular In wall Cut Out 10 75 H x 6 75 W 27 3 cm x 17 1 cm Woofer 6 5 16 5 cm woven glass fiber Tweeter Pivoting 20mm 0 8 silk dome fluid cooled Recommended Power 5 100 watts Nominal Impedance 8 Ohms Efficiency 89 dB 1W 1M w 1kHz Frequency Response 50Hz 20kHz 3 dB Frame ABS plastic symmetrical Grille Fine mesh aluminum Mounting Iso Mount vibration damping with quarter turn Twist amp Lock fasteners Dimensions 12 25 H x 8 25 W 31 1 cm x 20 9 cm Series Music Model SP M8IM Description Rectangular In wall Cut Out 15 0 H x 9 25 W 38 1 cm x 23 5 cm Woofer 8 0 20 3 cm woven glass fiber Tweeter Pivoting 25mm 1 0 silk dome fluid cooled Recommended Power 5 120 watts Nominal Impedance 8 Ohms Efficiency 90 dB 1W 1M w 1kHz Frequency Response 40Hz 20kHz 3 dB Frame ABS plastic symmetrical Grille Fine mesh aluminum Mounting Iso Mount vibration damping with quarter turn Twist amp Lock fasteners Dimensions 16 375 H x 10 625 W 41 5 cm x 26 9 cm Specifications 22 Series Hi Fi Model SP H6IM Description Rectangular In wall Cut Out 10 75 H x 6 75 W 27 3 cm x 17 1 cm Woofer 6 5 16 5 cm woven glass fiber long throw Tweeter Pivoting 20mm 0 8 aluminum dome fluid cooled Re
17. hem to elimi nate confusion during the installation process AT THE SPEAKER END 1 Mount the speaker frame as shown in Figure 9 Center and level the frame in the cut out hole and tight en the 2 Phillips screws until the clamps rotate and are drawn up snugly from behind clamping the frame in place Tighten each screw snugly but do not over tight en 2 Cut off excess wire leaving about 2 feet extending through the frame 3 Pull the speaker wire conductors apart so they re sep arated for the first two inches from their ends 4 Using a wire stripper diagonal cutters or a knife careful ly remove 1 2 inch of insulation from each conductor 5 Twist the strands in each conductor into a tight spiral as shown in Figure 10 6 Attach the speaker wires to the red and black speaker terminals Press down on the binding posts while insert ing the wire into the hole Connect the POSITIVE conductor to the RED terminal and the NEGATIVE conductor to the BLACK speaker terminal for correct polarity 7 Make sure that no stray strands of wire are touching the other conductor 8 Repeat Steps 1 through 7 for the other speaker s Figure 9 Figure 10 Figure 11 INTEGRAL SWING OUT CLAMPS WALL SURFACE SPEAKER CUT OUT 18 CONNECT TO THE AMPLIFIER NO WALL CONNECTOR PLATE 1 Cut off excess wire leaving enough to easily reach from the wall opening to your stereo system If there s a possi bility that you m
18. inted object and start at the corner or edge of the grille Remove the scrim cloth by gently separating it from the inside surface of the perforated grille being careful to keep it clean Store it before you begin painting Center the included black plastic paint shield over the speaker baffle and press into the frame Paint the outer speaker frame and grille separately For the grille Russound recommends a spray applica tion using latex paint diluted 4 to 5 1 with water If you re using an aerosol spray paint make sure that you achieve the same coverage on both grille and frame While the paint is still wet on the grille and the grille is not in the frame use a gentle burst of com pressed air against the outside surface to clear the fine holes in the metal mesh After the paint has thoroughly dried remove the paint shield from the frame and store for future use The shield may be held in by a vacuum seal Pull gently but firmly to slowly break the seal and remove Reattach the scrim cloth to the grille starting from the edge and smoothing wrinkles as you go Note Speaker frames can become bonded to the wall or ceiling surface paint when they are painted after installation Use care not to break the surface of the paint when replacing the grille or baffle in the frame 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 HOW Painting the Speaker Frames and Grilles 15 HOW Cutting Wall Ceiling Opening for Speakers HOW CUTTING
19. l speaker should be located above the TV screen aligned with the center of the screen and the left and right speakers should be about 3 or 4 feet to either side of the screen Left and right speakers placed too close together or too far apart dissipate the illusion of being in the action on the screen continued on next page General Disclaimers All rooms have different sound characteristics Speaker location listening loca tion reflective and absorptive surfaces all have a dramatic impact on the sound you hear The follow ing are only general recommendations and should not be considered the best or only solutions Best for serious listening Stereo pair in wall or in ceiling Six to 8 feet apart on the short wall of a rectangular room cen tered on the listening area In wall speakers should be at ear height when seated if possible Good for serious listening Stereo pair in wall or in ceiling Six to 8 feet apart on the long wall of a rectangular room centered on the lis tening area In wall speakers should be at ear height when seated if possible Ceiling Speaker LEGEND Wall Speaker Figure 3 A Figure 3 B 10 WHERE Speaker Placement For home theater wall speakers for the front three chan nels create the illusion that the sound is coming from the screen which makes the viewing experience more involving and believable When you use ceiling speakers for the front channels the sound
20. l a 1 inch hole in the center of the pencil outline you have drawn Insert a bent wire into the hole and probe to the left and right to determine installation clearance Install the retrofit junction box and cover it with an out let plate which has connections for the speaker wire termi nations For your convenience a full line of Russound PlateMate connection systems such as the PlateMate BP10D is available from your Russound dealer 4 3 2 1 8 7 6 Figure 8 HOW Cutting Wall Ceiling Opening for Speakers 17 HOW Hooking up the Speakers HOW HOOKING UP SPEAKERS IDENTIFYING POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE AND Speaker wire consists of two conductors and the wire should be manufactured so you can discriminate between the two If your wire has transparent insulation one conductor may be copper colored and the other sil ver colored Generally professionals denote the copper one as POSITIVE and the silver one as NEGATIVE If you re using wire with an opaque insulation covering there will be one of the following differentiating markings 1 A series of ribs or grooves on one conductor 2 A painted stripe or dotted line on one conductor 3 A string interwoven in the wire strands of one conductor By convention the marked conductor is positive for connection at both ends NOTE It is important that you label your wires left and right at both ends when you run t
21. les HOW PAINTING THE SPEAKER FRAMES AND GRILLES Russound in wall speaker frames and grilles are pre fin ished with an off white paint You can choose to leave them as is or paint them with latex wall paint or aerosol spray paint to accent or blend with the wall or ceiling TO PAINT SPEAKERS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ASSEMBLED Separate and remove the speaker baffle from the frame and set it aside Remove the scrim cloth by gently separating it from the inside surface of the perforated grille being careful to keep it clean Store it before you begin painting Paint the outer speaker frame and grille separately For the grille Russound recommends a spray applica tion using latex paint diluted 4 to 5 1 with water If you re using an aerosol spray paint make sure that you achieve the same coverage on both grille and frame While the paint is still wet on the grille and the grille is not in the frame use a gentle burst of com pressed air against the outside surface to clear the fine holes in the metal mesh After the paint has thoroughly dried re install the speaker baffle inside the frame Reattach the scrim cloth to the grille starting from the edge and smoothing wrinkles as you go 6 5 4 3 2 1 Figure 5 Figure 6 GRILLE BAFFLE FRAME 14 TO PAINT SPEAKERS THAT HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED AND INSTALLED Remove the speaker grilles from the frames being careful not to damage the paint Use a small po
22. m a receiver s outputs If the total speaker load does not present adequate resistance the receiver increases its power output Low impedance speakers may hamper operations of receivers not designed to deliver large amounts of current to low impedance loads This may lead to greater distortion and causes the receiver to run hot or activate its protection circuitry First consult the owner s manual for your amplifier or receiver It should state the minimum speaker imped ance during multiple speaker operation The impedance may also be printed on the back of the amplifier receiv er next to the speaker connectors If you can t readily determine this information consult the dealer where you purchased the amplifier or receiver or call the manufac turer of the product in question The impedance rating for your Russound Advantage Music Series speakers is 8 ohms 6 ohms for the Hi Fi Series Next determine the impedance of your other speakers It may be printed on the back of the speaker near the connection terminals or you can consult the speaker s owner s manual Speaker impedance must be equal to or higher than the amplifier receiver speaker output impedance rating For instance an amplifier receiver that is rated for two pair of 8 ohm speakers cannot support two pair of 4 ohm speakers If the amplifier receiver is not rated for the speaker con figuration desired external volume controls and or speaker selectors can maint
23. neral the best acoustic performance will result if both speakers face a similar type of surface are placed in similar positions on the same wall or ceiling and are mounted to the same type of material with equal cavity volume Bass frequencies are emphasized when an in wall speaker is placed close to a corner This tends to make male voices sound deeper and may muddy some sounds such as soundtrack dialogue Avoid placing just one speaker in a corner and another on a long flat wall Treble is emphasized when it bounces back from reflec tive surfaces such as large windows Conversely highs tend to be muffled by soft surfaces such as drapes rugs upholstered furniture etc The best situation is a mix of absorptive and reflective surfaces which can be achieved by adding throw rugs or insulated drapes to a reflective room Figure 4 OKAY MUCH BETTER 12 Wire Wire Requirements WIRE CONSIDERATIONS When purchasing speaker wire you will need to select the proper gauge determine the length and choose the brand Wire is measured in gauges the higher the number the thinner the wire For example 18 gauge wire is thinner than 14 gauge wire The length of speaker wire you ll need will vary with speaker placement The gauge of wire you need is determined by the distance between your amplifier receiver and the speakers Use the fol lowing chart as a guide Length Minimum Gauge 10 to 100 ft 16 80 to 125 ft 14 O
24. ngs that are nailed screwed stapled onto the wall studs Once the wallboard is installed the opening is cut out and the speaker frame is inserted into the bracket When installing the pre construction bracket note that there are holes molded into the bracket for speaker wire tie off This keeps the wire from getting lost later during the construction process You can also tie the wire to the bezel mounting assembly once it s installed using any of the rotating clamp towers DURING NEW INSTALLATION KEEP THE FOLLOWING TIPS IN MIND Use a small level to verify that the rough in bracket is straight If possible run speaker wires after AC wiring is in place to avoid induced hum caused by close parallel proximity of the two types of wire If possible run speaker wires after plumbing is in place wire can bend pipes cannot Secure speaker wires in place against a stud along vertical runs with insulated staples only being careful not to pierce the wire insulation Allow a bit of slack for expansion of building materials Horizontal runs should be routed through holes drilled in studs at roughly equal heights The actual speakers should not be installed until the wallboard is in place In the meantime leave several feet of wire coiled up and secured to the back side of the mounting frame Excess length can be removed during final assembly Any speaker installed in a ceiling should have a safety wire firmly
25. ni mum wall depth of 3 5 8 9 2 cm measured from the outside face of the mounting surface and require at least 1 4 cubic feet of space behind the speaker for optimal performance WALL REQUIREMENTS ACCEPTABLE INSTALLATION SITUATIONS Any wallboard and 2x4 stud wall Lath and plaster wall Wood paneling and 2x4 stud wall The dense rigid nature of plasterboard or lath and plaster or thick wood paneling acts as a superb speaker baffle UNACCEPTABLE INSTALLATION SITUATIONS Brick or concrete walls where the wallboard or panel ing is attached to thin furring strips This type of wall can t provide proper depth clearance for the back of the Russound Advantage speakers Locations concealing pipes heating ducts and AC wiring These elements can complicate speaker mounting and installation of speaker wire AC wiring can induce hum caused by close proximity to the speaker IMPEDANCE MATCHING FOR AMPLIFIER AND SPEAKERS Not all amplifiers or receivers can safely operate two sets of speakers at once If you intend to run your Russound Advantage speakers and your main speakers concurrently or if you intend to hook up and run two sets of speakers at the same time it s important to con sider both the impedance of the speakers and the capa bilities of the amplifier or receiver you re using A speaker s impedance rating indicates the amount of electrical resistance it places against current flowing fro
26. nto the frame and attach the grille 1 Place the speaker baffle into the frame The symmetri cal frame allows the Iso Mount speaker to be installed right side up or inverted to direct the pivoting tweeter toward the intended listening position Ideally the tweeter should be as close to ear level as possible when you re seated in the prime listening position 2 Turn the Twist amp Lock locking fasteners in each cor ner a quarter turn clockwise to secure the baffle to the frame They require some effort as you are also com pressing the Iso Mount gasket Make sure the gasket is properly seated 3 Insert the speaker grille by placing it over the speaker baffle and aligning its edges in the frame Press gently into place taking care not to scratch the frame finish The grille is made from pliable non rusting aluminum If the grille seems loose in the frame gently remove it carefully bend a slight flare on the outer edges and re insert into the frame HOW TESTING SPEAKER POLARITY AND CHANNEL CONNECTIONS Before you put away all of your tools it s a good idea to test the speaker polarity and channel connections It is helpful if you ve labeled your wires to identify the left and right speakers TO TEST POLARITY Polarity refers to the positive and negative electri cal elements of the speakers wires and connections The test for polarity ensures that positive and negative wires and connections are not reversed
27. physical characteristics hard reflective surfaces or soft absorbent textures The listening locations a desired prime listening spot or a need for sound throughout the room The available locations unobstructed wall and ceiling surfaces It may happen that the ideal or desired locations for the speakers may have to be modified for feasibility STEREO IMAGING If your Russound In wall Speakers are going to be your primary listening source in a room you need to consid er some other factors to insure proper imaging The term stereo imaging refers to a speaker system s abili ty to project music so that it sounds like the performers are in a three dimensional space between the speakers It s the whole point of having stereo instead of mono phonic sound To achieve good stereo imaging the speakers are best located 6 to 8 feet apart on the short wall of a rectangu lar room if the prime listening location is opposite the short wall Optimally tweeters should be located at ear level when the listener is seated Ceiling mounted speak ers are best located slightly forward of the listening posi tion with the tweeter aimed toward the listener HOME THEATER When setting up a home theater surround sound sys tem it s preferable to use wall mount rather than ceiling speakers for the front three channels The three front speakers should be at close to equal heights at ear level when the listener is seated The center channe
28. r with clipping no matter how well it is built TOO MUCH POWER There s nothing wrong with driving your Russound Advantage speakers with as much power as they are rated for The extra power helps them provide full rich sound and excellent transient response However you should not be heavy handed with the volume control If the music begins to sound distorted in any way back off the volume TRANSIENTS Transients are sudden uncontrolled signal changes that can seriously damage any speaker including your Russound Advantage speakers Transients may be caused by turning the system on or off while the volume is at a maximum level or by disconnecting any hook up cables while the system is on creating a burst of low frequency hum These conditions can cause serious speaker damage and should be avoided As a general rule always unplug the amplifier from the AC mains before connecting or disconnecting any signal or speak er cable Note Russound does not guarantee its speakers against abuse including too little power at high volumes and too much power Damage from clipping or too much power is revealed simply by looking at the speaker s voice coils When used with care and common sense your Russound speakers should pro vide a lifetime of listening pleasure 6 Getting Started amp WHO Installer Skills and Tools There are several related factors that must be considered before the installation of your Russound Advantage speake
29. rs WHO Who is doing the installation the homeowner or a professional installer WHAT What is the installation environment and the intended use serious listening or background WHEN When will the installation be performed during pre construction or retrofit in an existing home WHERE Where is the best speaker location and where are the available speaker locations WIRE Wire should be what gauge and what length Can the speaker wires be run to the intended location Will there be any IR receivers mounted in any Iso Mount speaker locations If so what are the wiring requirements HOW How are the speakers installed WHO INSTALLER SKILLS AND TOOLS REQUIRED This manual is designed to make your Advantage Series speakers as easy to install as they are to listen to If you ve had any home do it yourself experience you should find installation of your new speakers a manage able job You should have a basic understanding of hand and power tool operations a working knowledge of your audio system and be able to operate a multimeter TOOLS NEEDED FOR INSTALLATION IN EXISTING WALLS Drill with a 1 inch flat bit Drill bit 1 4 larger than the diameter of the speaker wire Retractable utility knife Roto Zip Dremel or key hole saw 2 Phillips head screw driver to fit the screws for the integral swing out mounting clamps Bubble level Pair of diagonal cutters or wire strippers
30. st drawn just deep enough to fully penetrate the wallboard Obtain a length of stiff wire such as a straightened wire coat hanger Bend it so that the last 6 or 8 inches is at a right angle to the rest Insert the angled part into the 1 inch hole you just drilled and probe to left and right to confirm that a stud is not too close on either side Move the wire around in a circular motion to check clearances above and below the hole as well If there is a stud too close on one side reposition the cardboard template a few inches in the opposite direction and re draw your pencil outline keeping the 1 inch hole within the pencil outline s inner boundaries 5 4 3 2 1 Figure 7 STEP 2 Trace template outline STEP 3 Drill 1 inch pilot hole STEP 5 Probe with wire for stud clearance STEP 6 Cut Speaker hole along outline 16 Carefully score the penciled outline of the template with a sharp utility knife to avoid chipping paint or tear ing wallpaper Then use a keyhole drywall saw to cut along the scored line Make sure you don t make it any larger than the marked outline If you re dealing with lath and plaster or thick panel ing you ll need to use a different technique Using a 1 inch flat bit drill holes at the inside corners of the pencil outline Be careful not to drill beyond the out line Then use a fine toothed keyhole saw or a hack saw blade and with VERY slow strokes saw through the
31. stening position The Advantage Twist amp Tilt speaker design provides the option of either uniform or focused dispersion ensuring that high quality sound fills the chosen listening area This ability to focus the sound where you need it most provides increased flexibility with heightened fidelity After the frame is secured the speaker baffle portion installs with a simple twist The Twist amp Tilt technology offers the option of tilting the driver baffle assembly 15 degrees to focus the sound towards the chosen listening area or standard mounting for uniform dispersion 4 5 2 3 3 2 4 1 1 Good for background listening Stereo pair behind above or to the sides of the main listen ing area Six to 8 feet apart centered on the listening area If in wall speakers are at ear height when seated they will be more distracting because their high fre quency response will be more prominent The same is true for ceiling speakers located direct ly over the listening position as opposed to off to the side a bit Surround sound The multiple surround locations can all be made to work as long as the speakers are properly directed as per the recommendations in these instructions Numbers designate suggested locations for pairs Figure 3 C Figure 3 D WHERE Speaker Placement 11 FIDELITY For best fidelity there are several factors to keep in mind before you begin actual installation In ge
32. surface Temporarily place the speaker s outer mounting frame into the cut out to insure that it fits properly It s okay if the hole is slightly larger than the inner lip of the frame as it will be covered by the frame s outer bezel Actual installation must wait until after you ve routed the speaker wires Repeat steps 1 through 7 for the other speaker When installing speakers in an internal non insulated wall we recommend you place standard household fiberglass insulation without a vapor barrier within the wall cavity This generally improves the sound produced by the speakers and slightly reduces the transmission of sound to the adjacent room There will not be room to place insulation directly behind the woofer magnet but you can fill the rest of the cavity from top to bottom or as far as you can access JUNCTION BOX INSTALLATION The following steps outline how to bring wires to the amplifier location The speaker wires will be terminated in an outlet box attached to a stud during construction or a retrofit junction box or low voltage mounting ring that clamps to the wallboard You will cut a hole for the outlet box run the wires through and install the box Determine the wire exit location on the wall Identify the nearest stud using the stud finder techniques above Using the outlet box as a template trace a box just to the left or right of the nearest stud Using the same 1 inch drill bit as before dril
33. tied between the back of the speaker assem bly and the frame of the building Use any strong insu lated wire and connect it to the speaker being careful not to let it interfere with the speaker s operation The other end should be firmly attached to the studs or floor ing above using a hook nail or other reliable fastener When installing the drywall make sure the speaker cut out hole doesn t extend farther than 1 4 from the inside of the mounting frame The flat rough in brackets and wings are thin enough that they won t interfere with wallboard installation After the wallboard is secured install the speakers as described in the installation instructions in this manual RETROFIT INSTALLATION If you are installing Russound Advantage speakers in an existing home you will need to be diligent in locating existing pipes ductwork and AC wiring before cutting any holes in the ceiling or walls In many cases these obstructions are indicated by wall outlets switches plumbing fixtures radiators etc Figure 2 New construction use of Rough in Bracket Not for use with Retrofit applications 2 x 4 STUD 9 WHERE Speaker Placement WHERE SPEAKER PLACEMENT Placement can make all the difference in how your Russound speaker system sounds There are at least four related considerations that factor into the speaker layout The intended use critical listening home theater or background music The room s
34. ussound PlateMate BP10D is suitable attaching the POSITIVE conductor to the RED terminal and the NEGATIVE conductor to the BLACK terminal Mount the wall plate to the outlet box 3 Using the remaining speaker wire cut two pieces long enough to reach from the wall plate to the back of the amplifier receiver 4 IMPORTANT Before connecting the speaker wires to the amplifier receiver use a multimeter to test the speaker wires for short circuits If there is indication of a short in the wiring it must be corrected before the speakers are connected to the amplifier receiver Failure to do so may result in damage to the stereo equipment 5 Terminate wiring at both ends from the amplifier receiver to the wall plate Connect the POSITIVE conductor to the RED terminal and the NEGATIVE conductor to the BLACK speaker terminal of the amplifi er receiver For proper sound the left and right speak er wires must be connected to the corresponding left and right speaker terminals on the amplifier receiver 6 Repeat Steps 1 through 5 for the other speaker s Figure 12 HOW Hooking up the Speakers 19 HOW Final Assembly of Speakers HOW FINAL ASSEMBLY OF SPEAKERS Up to this point in the installation process you have located and cut the hole mounted the speaker frame run the wires and connected them to the speaker baffle and to the amplifier receiver Now you will mount the speaker i
35. ver 100 ft 12 We recommend using Russound AW series speaker cable for amplifier to speaker connections but any rep utable brand of 16 to 12 gauge multi stranded wiring is acceptable Incorporating optional IR receivers in Iso Mount models will require additional wire Consult the selected IR receiver model s manual for the specific wire needs Care must be taken to avoid obstacles when running wire In general you should pay particular attention to the following Avoid locations concealing pipes heating ducts and AC wiring in the general vicinity Avoid running speaker wires close to house electrical wiring for any distance If you have to run them paral lel make sure to space the speaker wires at least two feet from the AC line It is however permissible for speaker wires to cross paths with AC line or pass through the same hole together with house wiring if they separate before and after Make sure that the entire wire path between speak ers and amplifier is clear and not obstructed by a floor or ceiling joist or a masonry wall which can t be drilled through Confirm ahead of time that you can drill an outlet hole easily and in an unobtrusive spot to connect wires with the amplifier receiver Label speaker wires at each end left or right and include room location This simplifies speaker receiv er hook up once the speakers are installed 13 HOW Painting the Speaker Frames and Gril
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