iC4 ARC Installation Guide
Contents
1. grill cover because yours is plugged up with paint Unfortunately they are not free 2 NHT C4 ARC In Ceiling Loudspeaker Installation Guide Placement NHT ARC series of in ceiling speakers are designed for installation in sheetrock plaster and lath wood and material combination ceil ings up to 2 1 4 thick almost always between standard wood joists Their moisture resistant drive units ARC frames and stainless steel hardware allow them to be installed in moisture prone interiors and protected exterior environments like bathrooms indoor swimming pool rooms covered porches sauna rooms and under eave structures Exposed outdoor use is not recommended We make really great specific All Weather Outdoor speakers for this application Spend some time considering placement prior to installing the speakers Once they are installed they are more or less permanent so the locations should be selected carefully When possible locate the speakers at least 3 feet from adjacent sidewalls and at least 2 feet from front or rear walls to allow them to radiate over the widest possible area The speakers must be mounted on a dead flat surface to ensure a good seal between the baffle and the ceiling because the speaker s frame is rigid and will not flex For the best stereo effect position the speakers so that they are equidistant from the most likely listening area If the NHT in ceiling speakers are going to serve as rear Surround or back channels in a2. IC4 AVRG In Ceiling Loudspeaker Installation Guide Now Hear This Table of contents 1 Introduction 2 Placement 3 Wiring 4 Getting Wired 5 Drill with Caution 6 Installation New Construction ceilings not installed you see ceiling joists when you look up 7 Installation Existing Construction retrofitting finished ceilings 8 Painting 9 In Use 10 Optimizing Sonic Performance 11 Maintenance 12 Service amp Support amp Troubleshooting 13 Professional Specifications 1 NHT iC4 ARC In Ceiling Loudspeaker Installation Guide Introduction We re glad you chose NHT in ceiling loudspeakers We know you won t be disappointed Please take a few minutes to read this entire Installation Guide prior to installing your new speakers The information provided will help you to obtain maximum performance from your audio system If you have questions or need assistance at any time before after or during the installation or operation of your new speakers we are here to help Our telephone number is 707 747 0122 Our web address www nhthifi com IC4 Cutout Template What s In The Box Metal Grille 1 Speaker assembly 1 Metal grill 1 Cardboard Cutout Template Speaker Assembly Cardboard Cutout Template Before we start please consider hiring a pro installer to do this while you go fishing with some old friends Cutting holes in ceilings and walls and installing heavy objects above you a
3. Multi room audio where you will use multiple pairs of speakers in different rooms is a completely different wiring situation and the methods for doing so are too numerous to cover here Consider what device you will amplify them with if you will have local controls to wire to if you need to pull control cables like CAT6 or will the speaker wires home run to the head end Lots of questions need answers beforehand Home runs to a single location are the safest but controlling the volume remotely in a room will then require a wireless command and control system that are typically pricy If all this sounds foreign to you stop everything now and consult a pro fessional to learn more about your options and at least consider having a pro wire your house for the command and control system you decide to use 3 NHT C4 ARC In Ceiling Loudspeaker Installation Guide Getting Wired Proper loudspeaker wiring methods and type and quality of wire are essential to good sound At a minimum 16 AWG 2 conductor speaker wire is recommended for runs up to 50 feet 14AWG for longer runs 12AWG for really really long runs When permanently in Stalling wire inside walls be sure to use wire that is rated for in wall use and has special jacketing for fire prevention In the U S some of the U L standards are CL 2 CL 3 and CM wire and in Canada the CSA standard is FT4 wire The wire should be run in accordance with National Electrical Code best practices to meet any applica
4. ble local or national building codes Be forewarned MDU high rise com mercial and educational buildings have additional requirements and restrictions For best results avoid running speaker wire near AC wire as it may induce noise in the audio signal It s a good idea to run the speaker wire after the AC wiring has already been completed so that you can route the speaker wire away from AC lines or cross at 90 If speaker wires and AC wiring must run parallel install the speaker wire within a steel conduit or use shielded speaker cable Note that low voltage wiring doorbell intercom telephone security etc can also induce hum Drill with Caution Remember these are only suggestions There are building codes and best practices to be followed be sure you are familiar with them When drilling holes through wall studs or ceiling joists watch your fingers use a drill bit that is sharp wider than the speaker cable that will be routed pulled through them Always drill through the center of the stud or joist If the hole must be drilled within one inch of the edge of a wall stud add a nail plate to the drywall side to protect the wire from possible nails and screws put in the wall later Line up the holes in the studs or joists as you go so that pulling the wire through them will be easier Maybe you consider hiring a professional installer and see a blockbuster at the local multi plex with some old friends instead Installation New C
5. d between adjacent joists no closer than two inches from either joist 2 Determine that there are no obstructions above the desired cutout area This may be accomplished by drilling a hole in the center of the cutout area and using an L shaped piece of metal like a bent coat hanger wire to feel around above the ceiling If you discover an obstruction fill the hole with patching compound and try another location plan B 8 NHT C4 ARC In Ceiling Loudspeaker Installation Guide Installation Existing Construction Continued 3 If no obstructions are found above the ceiling use the supplied cutout template and a pencil to draw an outline of the area to be cut out Make sure you are using the right template Begin by drilling a hole on the inside of the circle with a 1 4 bit then cut the hole with a keyhole saw or use a rotary cutter fig 7 If the ceiling is painted use the utility knife to score the paint so the sheetrock paper or paint does not peel when you cut Once installed the speaker frame lip will extend about 1 2 inch beyond the perimeter of the cutout to hide minor cutting imperfections 4 If the ceiling is constructed of lath and plaster outline the penciled circle with masking tape to help prevent plaster cracking drill a 1 4 hole and use a jig saw with a new blade or rotary saw to cut through the plaster lath A saber saw with a metal cutting blade can be used however this saw will vibrate plaster off the ce
6. for easy retrieval during speaker installation You can be clever here 4 During the drywall installation cut a hole in the drywall so it butts up to the protruding lip of the mounting bracket as you would cut out for a ceiling light can Once installed the lip of the speaker frame will extend about 12 inch beyond the perimeter of the bracket lip to hide minor imperfections in the cutout fig 3 Fig 3 ee ee Ceiling Speaker Joist Mounting rack ca Drywall 5 After the ceiling trim work is installed and the painting is complete but just before the carpet or flooring is installed install the speaker by first connecting the speaker wire to the spring posts on the back of the speaker assembly making sure to observe correct polarity red black 6 NHT C4 ARC In Ceiling Loudspeaker Installation Guide Installation New Construction Continued 6 The speaker assembly is then inserted into the hole in the bracket and attaches to the bracket and ceiling drywall via four plastic spring loaded mounting clamps dog legs on the back of the speaker assembly that will swivel out 45 and lower to sandwich the drywall and mounting bracket when you start to tighten the 4 mounting screws fig 4 Begin this phase by being sure the dog legs are rotated sideways like the speaker came packed so that the body of the speaker assembly can slide through the mounting b
7. home theater system make sure to install them behind the listeners for best results For best results don t mount the speakers directly over listeners heads Position the NHT in ceiling speakers 15 to 60 off axis from the listen ing position If you wish to get an idea how they will look try taping the supplied cutout templates to the ceiling or print to scale one of the grill images from our website full size and tape it to the ceiling maybe Kinko s will do this for you For more information about home theater speaker placement try Dolby Labs website at www dolby com us en consumer setup connection guide home theater speaker guide index html Wiring Retrofit Installations or New Construction How you wire is an important subject If you are just wiring for 2 or 4 speakers for the surround and or back channels of a home theater system within the same room it a fairly simple wiring task Be sure to always leave yourself some extra length on the ends for working room and terminate the speaker wires to wall plates when possible leave yourself some extra wire to work with and stuff the excess in the wall All this will make your life easier Don t nail the wire down in place unless building codes require it you may want to pull additional or different cables later if you must use large staples to guide the wire At this point you once again may consider hiring a professional installer and have a few beers with your friends instead
8. iling and is easy to loose control of Save yourself the headache and buy a good rotary cutter Always be prepared to patch the plaster 5 Locate the speaker wire strip the ends 1 2 and connect the speaker wire to the spring posts on the back of the speaker making sure to observe correct polarity red black 7 The speaker assembly mounts to the existing ceiling via four plastic spring loaded mounting clamps dog legs on the back of the speaker assembly that will swivel out 45 and lower to sandwich the speaker assembly in place between its protruding outer frame and the rear surface of the drywall Begin this phase by being sure the dog legs are rotated sideways like the speaker came packed so that the body of the speaker assembly can slide through the mounting bracket Exercise caution not to damage the drivers themselves fig 4 8 Tighten the screws snugly making sure not to over tighten as this may compromise the fit of the speaker assembly The use of power screwdrivers is not recommended The gasket on the back the speaker assembly lip reduces unwanted vibrations against the drywall and will compress slightly to allow the speaker assembly lip to rest flush and seal against the ceiling Painting Don t But if you must to keep the homeowner or decorator happy take the grill to a professional painter Bring a sample of the color you want with you along with a box of chocolate for the painter High end custom auto
9. ll help isolate the speaker sound from bleeding into adjacent rooms improve bass response tightness increase power handling and lower distortion Build it solid use screws and construction adhesive and caulking to air seal it your box and insure it will not vibrate rattle fall apart or come loose Make sure it is supported by the ceiling joists not the sheetrock 1 Once you ve selected the desired location s for the speakers begin installing the iCB6 pre construction bracket s between adjacent ceiling joists First attach the mounting wings to the bracket by inserting them into the locking plastic tabs in the side of the bracket fig 1 2 The wings feature progressively scored sections 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 with screw holes spaced in one inch increments to help you align the bracket The iCB6 pre construction bracket has NHT logos on one side this side should be oriented away from the dry wall towards the sky Attach the wings to the joists using the 50mm flathead screws use two screws for each wing Cut off the extra portion of the wing fig 2 5 NHT iC4 ARC In Ceiling Loudspeaker Installation Guide Installation New Construction Continued Fig 2 3 Complete the pre wiring to the speaker brackets before the drywall goes up Leave an extra few feet of speaker wire on each end to make your life easier later Coil the excess and tack it carefully to an adjacent ceiling joist
10. motive painting shops can match the color and paint the grill without plugging up the 1000 grill holes We have extra grills available for a charge if you do not heed our warning and try to paint the grill yourself with latex paint In Use The NHT in ceiling speakers are designed to handle a wide range of listening levels but every speaker has limits It is important to use common sense and listen for signs of possible distress from the speakers here are some pointers to remember Noticeable distortion or harsh breakup is an indication that the amplifier or your speakers are running beyond their capacity and the 9 NHT C4 ARC In Ceiling Loudspeaker Installation Guide volume should be decreased ASAP Speaker damage most often occurs from sustained high volume levels not from transient sounds or brief musical peaks Excessive boosting of bass treble or equalizer controls can worsen the problem and is not recommended Having more power is always better than having less Underpowered amplifiers are most often the cause of speaker damage If you tend to listen at higher volume levels get a powerful amplifier because they are less likely to run out of power Proper wiring of the speakers is critical to good sound speaker wires have some sort of marking along one or both conductors to help you make the correct connections Weak bass and the lack of a well defined stereo image indicate incorrect speaker phase the and a
11. nd your Loved Ones heads is serious business There are also numerous decisions concerning wiring control systems methods and best practices only a professional installer will have knowledge of Please consult a professional to install this speaker Find an Installer near you by visiting www nhthifi com navigate to the Where to Buy section or visit www cedia org to find a CEDIA installation professional One last word of advice It is up to you to insure that the installer you choose NHT referred or not possesses sufficient skills proper tools and knowledge of local fire and building codes and has a familiarity with the structure of the building especially wall and or ceil ing materials layouts electrical and plumbing lines etc With the above said we know there are capable do it yourselfers If you are one of them and want to install the speaker on your own or with the help of an expert friend read on If you have questions or need assistance at any time before during or after the installation or about the operation of you new speakers we re here to help Finally like our fathers told us measure twice and cut once First Paint Warning NHT recommends that you use a capable professional painter only to paint this speaker grill if necessary to per fectly match the wall or ceiling Latex paint will definitely clog the micro perforated grill holes and constrict the speaker s performance capability Contact us if when you need a new
12. nder or something you will make sure there are no obstructions behind your in tended speaker location Using the enclosed cutout template you will mark the hole and cut a clean hole using a rotary cutter sheetrock or keyhole saw After you have found and connected the speaker wire you will mount the speaker in the hole and snap on the magnetic grill It s usually not as easy as this sounds and you should once again consider hiring a pro installer Warning Exercise caution when drilling into existing ceilings Do not drill through electrical wires pipes drains conduits heating or air conditioning ducts or structural wood or metal support members If you feel resistance while drilling you should stop immediately Do not install the speaker into a drop ceiling T Bar or soft ceiling without a proper backing board to spread the load as this type of construction will not support its weight You will not need the iCB6 pre construction bracket nor will you be able to install it if you wanted to The speaker is designed to mount securely without it assuming you do everything right Tools You ll Need 2 Philips screwdriver Pencil Tape measure Utility knife or keyhole saw Safety goggles Dust mask Protective gloves A ladder Electric drill with 2 Philips bit Band aids 1 Using a stud finder or the knocking method locate the ceiling joists in the ceiling area where you wish to mount the speaker The speaker will be mounte
13. onstruction ceilings not installed you see ceiling joists when you look up Installation in new construction is a three step process 1 Install the appropriate pre construction brackets in the chosen locations according to your well though out plan 2 Run your speakers wires to these locations according to your well though out wiring plan 3 Install the speakers after the ceiling and trim is installed and painted but just before the carpet or flooring is installed The iCB8 kit is the pre construction bracket you ll use for the iC4 ARC speakers Each box will contain a mounting kit for one speaker which includes iCB8 Mounting Bracket Aluminum Mounting Wings Screws y y moan s gt TESS MS SSS 1 iCB8 Mounting Bracket 2 Aluminum Mounting Wings 4 5 x 50mm flathead wood metal screws o 21919 le elelo 2129 4 NHT C4 ARC In Ceiling Loudspeaker Installation Guide Installation New Construction Continued Tools You ll Need Pencil 2 Philips screwdriver Tape measure Utility knife Keyhole saw jigsaw or rotary saw Safety goggles Dust mask Protective gloves A ladder Electric drill with 2 Philips bit Band aids Performance tip Consider building a box using plywood behind the speaker We offer a technical document Tech Docs on the nhthifi com website recommending the optimal internal volume and how much insulation to place in the box by speaker model This wi
14. racket Exercise caution not to damage the drivers themselves BAA CCCKK a Note it s ok to let the fiberglass insulation lay on the back of the speaker 7 Begin to tighten the screws that at first will rotate the dog legs out 45 and then they will start to move downwards to clamp the ceiling and bracket Tighten the screws carefully but snugly making sure to not over tighten as this may compromise the fit of the speaker assembly The use of power screwdrivers is not recommended but if you must set the toque ratchet setting at its least resis tive position and the speed very low The speaker frame lip should rest flush and seal against the ceiling The spring loaded mounting clamps provide tension once installed 8 Once all the screws are snug and speaker secure install the grill It uses magnets to attach to the speaker You will notice a gauzy white cloth on the speaker side of the grill It s called scrim cloth and helps hide the speaker s silhouette from showing through the grill Do not remove this scrim under penalty of law Respect the scrim 7 NHT iC4 ARC In Ceiling Loudspeaker Installation Guide Installation Existing Construction retrofitting finished ceilings This multi step process begins by identifying a location in your ceiling for the speaker always keeping a plan B in mind Somehow you ll need to get speaker wire to that spot Using a stud fi
15. re reversed on one speaker Optimizing Sonic Performance Bass response is smoothest when the speaker is mounted into a rigid ceiling that flexes very little For improved performance during framing add cross braces horizontally roughly one and a half feet to either side of the speaker location Use adhesive caulk and extra screws when attaching the drywall to the joists around the speaker Additionally once the speaker cutout has been made in the drywall add a strip of a high quality non hardening construction adhesive type caulk where the drywall meets the joists and cross braces Also for more controlled bass response add code approved amp fire resistant insulation to the ceiling cavity around and behind the speaker to provide acoustic damping Be sure to add the same amount of insulation to each speaker in the same room to ensure consistent sound Use R 12 or R 19 fiberglass insulation and be sure to wear protective gloves and a breathing mask to avoid contact and inhalation of the fibers If the insulation is paper or foil faced position the paper or foil side away from the speaker If the new or existing insulation is the loose blown in type place a thin sheet of fiberglass over the top of the speaker to keep out small debris Maintenance Do not expose the speakers to direct sunlight or excessively high temperatures Do not attempt to clean the actual drivers speakers themselves You may clean the grill after removal with a cit
16. rus based cleaner to cut a greasy film otherwise a mild detergent will clean the speaker up nicely Avoid harsh cleaners Let dry completely 10 NHT C4 ARC In Ceiling Loudspeaker Installation Guide Service amp Support amp Troubleshooting Contact the NHT Authorized Reseller who sold you the products or Contact NHT by telephone go online at www nhthifi com and navigate to the Service Center area for more information Professional Specifications Average Impedance 8Q Recommended Power 20 150W Max RMS Power Handling 150W Coverage to 60 off axis Cutout dim 10 50 diameter 8 1 2 Depth behind the wall 4 81 4 13 16 Finished dim 11 REV 4313 11 NHT iC4 ARC In Ceiling Loudspeaker Installation Guide
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