Boston Acoustics Hidden Theater

Speaker Features
Subwoofer Features
Subwoofer Installation Tips
SA1 Amplifier Features
Amplifier Controls and Connections

Speaker Features

Woofers: The DSi495 uses an 8" DCD (Deep Channel Design) copolymer woofer. The DCD woofer uses a deeply grooved pole plate that enables the voice coil to travel farther for greater output without bottoming. To maintain a compact footprint, the woofer is offset behind the mid/tweeter baffle but is allowed to breath amply through a crescent-shaped vent.

Midrange Tweeter Baffle: The DSi495 presents a perfect sonic image by positioning the midrange and tweeter on an angled baffle that faces down towards the listener. Once the speaker is mounted, the angled mid/tweeter baffle can be rotated to best suit the speaker location.

Tweeters: The DSi495 has a 1" Kortec soft dome tweeter. Kortec is a silky fabric saturated on the underside with a proprietary stiffening agent. Because the inside surface of the dome is ultra stiff, the tweeter tracks the signal with ease and produces an excellent transient attack. Simultaneously, the soft, self-dampening top layer eliminates unwanted resonance. So the sound is smooth and articulate.

Surround: When using the DSi495 as a surround speaker, it can be positioned for direct or diffuse operation. When the mid/tweeter baffle is facing the listening area the sound radiated is direct, when facing a wall or corner, the sound is diffuse.

Inputs: Spring loaded posts will accept banana plugs or bare wire up to 12 gauge.

Paintable: Both the frame and grill can be painted to match the ceiling or wall. A paint shield is included to protect the speaker from being painted as well.

Installation: After a 10.667" diameter cutout is made, the speaker is installed in the hole and held in place by 4 attached clamps. The only tool required (after the hole is cut) is a #2 Phillips head screwdriver to tighten the clamps. The clamps spread from 0.259" to 1.342", so they should cover almost any application (most drywall is 1/2" thick). The required depth to install this speaker is 5.834".

Subwoofer Features

Woofers: The VRiSub82 in-wall subwoofer uses dual 8" cast DCD copolymer woofers. The subs are mounted to a massive cast aluminum baffle for rigidity and low resonance.

Inputs: Spring loaded posts will accept pin connectors, or bare wire up to 12 gauge.

Paintable: Both the frame and grille can be painted to match the ceiling or wall. A plastic paint shield is included to protect the drivers.

New Construction Bracket: For new construction installations, the NCBTL8 in-wall Installation Bracket (item # 065NCBTL8) is needed.

Subwoofer Installation Tips

Overview: It is the nature of bass to cause objects to vibrate. Care should be taken in planning the installation of an in-wall subwoofer to minimize the risk of room vibration and noise. Here are some tips to consider:

• Location Hazards: Do not locate the subwoofer in wall cavities that contain ducts or grilles. Do not locate the sub close to wall-mounted light fixtures, grilles, or other wall-mounted objects that might vibrate. Check both sides of the wall for objects that might vibrate.
• Wall Materials: It is recommended that the sub is only installed in walls with a solid surface such as wallboard, wood, or masonry. Do not install the sub in walls constructed of lath and plaster. Extra care must be taken with walls with steel studs to confirm that any studs that touch each other are screwed together and that all studs are screwed to the Sheetrock. Note: Consult local building codes for compliance.
• Placement: The VRiSub82 should be located in full-height wall cavities to achieve a minimum cavity volume of 2.5 cubic feet. Do not locate two Sub82's in the same wall cavity or in the same wall cavity of any other speaker.
• Wall Dampening: The performance of the sub will be enhanced if the wall cavity is filled with standard fiberglass insulation.
• New Construction: Taking steps to increase the rigidity of the mounting surface will enhance the performance of the sub. Using additional drywall screws, using construction adhesive between the drywall and studs are useful techniques.

Wall Thickness: With the supplied hardware, the sub can be installed into walls with a surface thickness of 1-1/2" to 1-1/4". With the thicker surfaces, you will need longer screws. It is not recommended to install this sub in walls where the thickness is less than 1/2".

Installation: After a 19-7/16" x 11" cutout is made (either vertically or horizontally), the speaker is installed in the hole and held in place by a rugged plastic screw-set bracket. The only tool required (after the hole is cut) is a #2 Phillips head screwdriver to tighten the clamps. The clamps spread up to 2.220", so they should cover almost any application (most drywall is 1/2" thick). The required depth to install this speaker is 3.75".

Note: There must be 1-1/2" clearance around the mounting hole on the long axis to accommodate the clamps.

SA1 Amplifier Features

Overview: The SA1 amplifier is designed to be used with the Boston Acoustics line of installed subwoofers. One SA1 amplifier can power up to two of the same model subwoofer.

Variable Crossover: The amplifier has a built-in variable crossover that makes it easy to achieve a seamless blend with the main speakers, while the 24dB/octave low-pass filter prevents the subwoofer from being easily localized by the ear, increasing placement flexibility. The crossover point may be adjusted from 40-160 Hz.

Amplifier Controls and Connections

Front Panel Controls:

• Phase Switch: switches the polarity of the two speaker outputs; the correct setting is that which yields the fullest bass
• Low-pass Knob: allows you to adjust the low-pass crossover point from 40-160 Hz
• Volume Knob: allows you to adjust the volume level up or down until the bass level of your subwoofer matches the bass level of your speakers

Rear Panel Controls:

• EQ Mode Switch: allows you to select one of the following EQ modes, depending where your subwoofer is located: Wall or Floor
• 12-volt Trigger Switch: allows you to choose one of the following settings:
  • On: amp is on whenever the front panel switch is in the On position
  • 12V: amp is in standby mode whenever the front panel switch is in the On position. The SA1 turns on when a 12-volt power supply triggers it.
    • Note: Be sure to use a power supply that is rated as, "9 to 14 volts DC @ 1.5mA max. 1/8" diameter female plug with tip positive."
  • Music: amp is in standby mode whenever the front panel switch is in the On position. The SA1 turns on when an audio input signal triggers it.

Rear Panel Connections:

• Line In: left and right RCA audio jacks; use this configuration if you wish to set the subwoofer crossover point using the SA1's low-pass control knob on the front panel or are using separate components, such as stereo preamplifier.
• LFE/Xover Bypass: single RCA audio jack; in this configuration, the SA1's internal low-pass filter and front panel low-pass control knob will be bypassed
• Speaker A/Speaker B: gold-plated binding posts; the binding posts are not 5-way because a plastic collar prevents their use with spade lugs