Installation Considerations
light switches and dimmers). Volume con- trols are connected in line with the speak- er, so you must connect the wire from the amplifier to the volume control and then from the volume control to the speaker.
Speaker Wire
Use 2-conductor speaker wire when con- necting BG speakers to your receiver or amplifier. For most applications, we rec- ommend you use 16 or 18 gauge wire. For wiring runs longer than 80 feet we recommend 14 gauge wire. The spring loaded terminals of the BG speakers will accommodate up to 14 gauge wire directly. Larger sizes can be accommodat- ed via pin connectors.
trol all of the functions of your system from the room with the remote pair of speakers. Niles makes a number of IR sen- sors which install in the wall, in the ceiling, in cabinetry, on tabletops, or even behind the grille of your Niles BG speakers.
An IR sensor requires that a dedicated 2-conductor shielded wire (West Penn D291 or equivalent) run from each sensor location to the main equipment location. This wire is normally run beside the speaker wire at the same time. Typically, the sensor 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 sen-
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.
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, con- sider the advantages of installing a Niles IR Repeater system. You are able to con-
sor placed in a wall, ceiling, on a cabinet or tabletop. However, when you place a Niles MS-1 MicroSensor behind the perfo- rated aluminum grille of a speaker the effective range is reduced to 9 to 15 feet.
Insulating the Wall Cavity
For best performance from your speakers fill the wall cavity behind the speaker with fiberglass insulation (e.g. R-19 unbat- ted insulation). Try to keep the same amount of insulation for each speaker, particularly in the same room, for consis- tent bass response.