Recommended Amplifier Power
For satisfactory performance, we recom-
mend an amplifier with a power rating of
ten to one hundred fifty watts. Curiously,
most speakers are not damaged by large
amplifiers but by small amplifiers. If your
system is playing loudly, a small amplifier
will run out of power very quickly. When
an amplifier runs out of power it creates
damaging “clipping” distortion. A more
powerful amplifier will play at the same
volume without distorting. See the section
labeled Operation on page 9 for more
information about clipping distortion.
Speaker Wire
Use 2-conductor speaker wire when con-
necting HD speakers to your receiver or
amplifier. For most applications, we recom-
mend you use 16 or 18 gauge wire. For
wiring runs longer than 80 feet we recom-
mend 14 gauge wire. The five-way binding
post connection terminals on the rear of the
HD•CTR
BX
will accommodate up to 12
gauge wire directly. Larger sizes can be
accommodated via pin connectors.
When you run wire inside walls, special
jacketing (CL-2 or CL-3) is required to
both protect the wire and for fire preven-
tion. In some areas conduit is required.
For a trouble-free installation, low voltage
wire such as speaker wire must be run in
accordance with the National Electrical
Code and any applicable provisions of the
local building code. If you are unsure of
the correct installation techniques, wire
jacket or type of conduit to use, consult a
professional audio/video installer, your
building contractor, or the local building
and inspection department.
Incorporating a Remote Control
If you are planning to use a stereo system
with a hand held IR remote control, consid-
er the advantages of installing a Niles IR
Repeater system. You are able to control all
of the functions of your system even if the
AV equipment is hidden or located in
another room. Niles makes a number of IR
sensors which install in the wall, in the ceil-
ing, in cabinetry, or on tabletops.
An IR sensor requires that a 2-conductor
shielded wire (West Penn D291 or equiva-
lent) be home run from each sensor loca-
tion to the main equipment location. This
wire is normally run beside the speaker
wire at the same time. Typically, the sen-
sor is placed in a location that faces your
listening position. Most remote controls
will have an effective line of sight range of
18 to 30 feet with any Niles sensor placed
in a wall, ceiling, on a cabinet or tabletop.
Ins
talla
tion Consider
ations
3
Installation Considerations
TECH TIP
Wire size is expressed by its AWG (American Wire
Gauge) number. The lower the number, the larger
the wire, i.e. twelve AWG is physically larger than
fourteen AWG.
