Installation
Speaker Placement
Careful consideration should be made when determining the desired location of the speaker pair.
As this Model #51-881 is referred to as a ceiling speaker, this is the intended mounting location.
However, there is no electronic or physical reason these cannot be mounted in other locations,
such as walls. However, careful consideration should be given to appearance in these situations.
As noted above, this single speaker provides output for both the left and right channel, so much
greater flexibility is available with regards to proper placement. This speaker may be located
anyplace in a given room, however it is recommended that it not be placed less than 2’ from any
corner. In areas such as hallways, where length exceeds 12’, two speakers should be
considered.
It is important to note that more speakers in a given listening area do not necessarily equate to
higher sound levels. With more speakers, the desired listening level for a given area is attained
with lower output from each speaker. This creates a much more pleasant listening environment
as the sound source can be uniformly heard through the entire room, regardless of location and
with less interference with sounds such as conversation.
Speaker Wire
It is important that good quality wire is used in the installation. Installed speakers generally have
much longer wire runs than normal home theater speakers, hence heavier gauge wire is
recommended.
Note:
There are numerous manufactures in the market offering “high-end”
esoteric speaker wire, with claims of exotic materials and superior performance. Truthfully, this
type of product has been found to provide little or no benefit to installations of this type. Good
quality 14AWG CL3 rated in-wall wire, such as MCM #24-5790 (two-conductor), #24-5835 (four-
conductor) or similar, provide outstanding performance in this application.
When running this cable, a few simple guidelines must be followed
•
All speakers should be home-run. That is, wire should be run directly from each speaker,
back to the sound source
•
Speaker wire should be kept away from AC wiring to prevent noise. If AC wiring and
speaker wire must cross paths, it is best to have them cross at a 90º angle, minimizing
the common surface area between the two
•
Speaker wire and AC lines should
NEVER
pass through the same hole in studs or joists
Part 1
New Construction Installation
1. This initial step should be completed after all structure framing is completed, and prior to
drywall installation. In this instance, a Pre-Construction Bracket Kit, such as MCM #50-
6248 (sold separately) must be utilized. These brackets mount to studs or ceiling joists,
and in conjunction with drywall, provide a solid mounting base for the speaker.
Compatible with wood or metal studs spaced at standard 16” centers, the kit also
includes extension rails for ceiling joists mounted on 24” centers.
2. Centering the speaker opening between the studs, mount the Pre-Construction Bracket
to the studs.
3. When running wire to the speaker, leave enough wire length at the speaker end to reach
from the ceiling to almost the floor. This greatly adds safety, as the speaker may then be
connected to the wire while standing on the floor instead on top of a ladder. Coil the
speaker wire and staple to the side of the stud above the bracket. Take care to ensure
that it does not interfere with drywall installation.
