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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.
Note: The DS8HD is packaged as a single speaker.
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.
Note: When running speaker wire inside walls or ceilings, special
jacketed cable (CL-2 or CL-3) should be used to protect the wire and for
fire prevention. If unsure, you should consult your local building
inspectors about code compliance requirements.
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.
Note: If you add the optional rear wave enclosure, you
will need an additional 2" of depth and 10" clearance to one side of the
loudspeaker opening.
