Features

Overview: The Niles Audio DS8HD Directed Soundfield ceiling-mount speaker is designed for advanced home theaters and primary listening rooms. Niles' patented Directed Soundfield technology uses a patent-pending pivot mechanism to direct the sound to the listening area for optimum sound quality. This 3-way speaker can be used as a left or right speaker in stereo configurations, or as the left, right, or center speaker in a home theater application. The DS8HD comes with a magnetically-attached paintable metal grille.

IMPACT Drivers: The DS8HD features an 8" cone woofer, 1-1/2" dome midrange, and 1" dome tweeter made of nano-coated Improved Aluminum Ceramic Technology (IMPACT) for superior sound quality. The integrated woofer/baffle design increases the cone area, which enhances the low frequency response. The zero-diffraction tweeter assembly pivots up to 15° (30° when the woofer is in its maximum position) to let you aim the high frequencies to the listening area.

Grille: The DS8HD includes a 11-5/16" diameter MicroThin metal grille, which attaches magnetically to the speaker. The 1/4" thick grille is easy to install, and blends with the room's aesthetics. It is rust-resistant, and paintable to match any décor. An optional SG8C square grille is also available, if desired.

Treble Switch: The DS8HD has a 3-position switch that allows you to adjust the output of the tweeter to compensate for room acoustics. For acoustically bright rooms with wood or tile floors, you should move the switch to the minus (-) position to reduce the tweeter output by 3dB. For rooms with carpet, drapery, and plush furniture--surfaces that absorb high frequencies, you should move the switch to the plus (+) position to increase the tweeter output by 3dB. The center position (0) does not affect the tweeter's output.

Dialog Compensation Switch: The speaker has a two-way switch that provides additional definition in the critical midrange frequencies where the human voice is reproduced. For normal listening, the switch should be in the Zero (0) position. If the speaker is used as a center channel speaker in a home theater application, you should slide the switch to the plus (+) position to enhance the dialog.

Weather-Resistant: The frame, speaker, and grille are weather-resistant, so you can install the speaker in moist environments, including bathrooms and outdoors under eaves.

Speaker Terminals: The DS8HD is equipped with a pair of spring-loaded post terminals, which can accept up to 12-gauge speaker wire. For wire runs of less than 80 feet, 16-gauge wire is recommended. You should use 14-gauge wire for runs of 80-200 feet, and 12-gauge wire for runs over 200 feet.

Installation: Installing the speaker requires a 9-3/4" cutout. The speaker requires a depth of 5-5/16" behind standard 5/8" drywall. There are three spring-loaded mounting clamps with screws that tighten from the front.

Optional Enclosure: The optional RWE8C rear wave enclosure can be added to eliminate unwanted sound from bleeding into adjacent rooms or spaces. The enclosure is precisely shaped for predictable sound performance.