Niles Audio HPS-4/HPS-6 Playing Two or More Speaker Pairs Simultaneously, Type of Speaker Wire

H I G H P O W E R S P E A K E R S E L E C T I O N S Y S T E M

H I G H P O W E R S P E A K E R S E L E C T I O N S Y S T E M

“TECH TIP”

If your amplifier

or receiver has “A”

and “B” speaker-

pair outputs,

connect the speaker

Playing Two or More Speaker Pairs Simultaneously

1. Make sure the amplifier or receiver power is OFF and set

the volume to minimum.

2. On the right side of the HPS-4/HPS-6’s front panel is a but-

ton labeled PROTECTION. This button activates the

HPS-4/HPS-6’s impedance correction circuitry. The circuit-

ry assures that your receiver or amplifier will see a safe

operating load when playing multiple speaker pairs simul-

taneously. Since most receivers and amplifiers are not

your receiver/amplifier. With six pairs of 4-ohm speakers playing, the load drops to slightly under 4 ohms.

If you intend to use the HPS series with more than two pairs of 4-ohm speakers, it is recommended that you verify that the receiver or amplifier is capable of driving a 4-ohm load. Consult your Niles dealer, or receiver/amplifier manufacturer, if you are uncertain about the capabilities of the receiver/amplifier.

Type of Speaker Wire

Tools

Required

•1/8" Standard Slotted Screwdriver

•Wire Stripper

selector to the “A”

outputs. Do not con- nect anything to “B”. This will prevent the amplifier or receiver from driving an unusually low impedance load.

rated for use below a 4 ohm load, you will need to activate

the Protection button whenever the overall system imped-

ance might fall below 4 ohms. Use the following chart as a

guide for setting the Protection button.

For most applications, we recommend you use 16 or 18 gauge, stranded copper speaker wire for the HPS-4/HPS-6 connections. For wiring runs longer than 80 feet, 14 gauge wire is recommended. Using speaker wire larger than 14 gauge for the HPS-4/HPS-6 connections is not recom- mended—the wire may not fit into the connectors. Never use solid-core, aluminum, or “Romex” type wire with the HPS-4/HPS-6. When running speaker wires inside walls, most states and municipalities in the U.S. specify that you must use a special type of speaker wire. Usually, the requirement is that the wire has a specific “CL” fire rating, such as “CL-2” or “CL-3”. Consult your Niles dealer, building contractor, or local building and inspection department if unsure about which type of wire is best for your application.

Avoiding Interference

Speaker wires can act as an “antenna” for electrical noise. Locating speaker wires too close to a light dimmer or switch may cause a “buzzing” or “popping” sound to be heard through the speakers. If you must locate the HPS-4/HPS-6 wiring near electrical devices, route the speaker wires several feet away from the electrical wiring.

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