around you” effect). By trying to place the speakers so that they create as much reflected sound as possible, you emphasize the ambient effect. They can be up high in the wall or even down low at power outlet height, in the ceiling, near corners, or directed at reflective objects and walls. The more reflected sound there is in the room the stronger the ambient effect at low vol- umes. You should use moderation, howev- er, otherwise the compromise becomes too one sided and at high volumes the sound will be blurred and less distinct.
Placement for Rear Home Theater Applications
In a home theater, the goal is to reproduce the experience of a great movie theater in our homes. The biggest difference between the two is the rear or surround speaker array in a commercial theater. Here, it is not uncommon to see twenty or thirty speakers around the audience. This huge array of speakers assures that you will feel completely surrounded by the ambient soundtrack of the movie. Film makers try to use the “surround” soundtrack to envelope you in the environment on screen. They will place background music, rain sounds, traffic noise, etc. on the “surround” sound- track. In a home with a single pair of speak- ers it is easy for the jungle sounds to sound like they are “in the middle of your head” just like headphones!
A single pair of AT Loudspeakers, properly placed, can create a very convincing simu- lation of an array of speakers. If you place them near a hard reflecting surface you can make one pair of speakers sound like sev- eral. Create as many reflections as possible by mounting the speaker up high in the wall so that the ceiling will act as a power- ful reflector. If you place the speakers near a corner, wash the sound down a wall from a ceiling location, or mount the speakers as far away as you can from the listening area, more reflections will occur. However, all of these placement techniques require that
you work your surround sound amplifier channels harder. If the surround sound sys- tem you are using has a small five or ten watt amplifier for the rear speakers, stay within five to eight feet of the listening loca- tion. If you are using a 25 to 50 watt ampli- fier you can mount the speakers 10 to 15 feet away from the listening location and still achieve reasonably high volume levels.
Of course, the best way to emulate the sound of multiple speakers is to use multi- ple speakers. In large or unusually shaped rooms this might be the only way to achieve a good effect. If you like to listen to music surround modes which emulate concert hall acoustics, more than two sur- round speakers will prove extraordinarily effective. With Niles AT loudspeakers it is easy to add another pair without affecting the decor of the room. However, you will need to use a much more powerful ampli- fier than that which is built into a typical surround sound receiver or amplifier. Niles makes a number of Systems Integration Amplifiers with proprietary features that make them uniquely suited to enhance a good surround sound system. Consult your Niles dealer for more information.
Installation
Fundamentals
Running the Speaker Wire in New Construction
If you have doubts about whether you are capable of installing Niles AT Series speakers in your walls, consult a Niles dealer or professional installer. They have special tools, techniques, and experience to make the impossible possible. The installer can provide you with an estimate before any work is done.
Scheduling and Preparation
Plan to schedule the speaker wiring after the electrical wiring is finished. That way
Installation Fundamentals
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