PSB Speakers CW160R Vii. Setup, I. Materials And Tools, Ii. Layout, A. Required Tools, Ii.Layout

CONTENTS

I.MATERIALS AND TOOLS

A.Required Tools

B.Other Tools

II.LAYOUT

A.Listening Locations

B.Speaker Locations

C.System and Supply

D.Obstructions

E.Weather Resistance

F.Tricks of the Trades—Nothing's Plumb, Square, or True

III.INSTALLATION

A.New Construction

B.Enclosure Volume and Insulation

IV. WIRING

A.Rough-in Wiring

B.Finish Wiring

C.Tricks of the Trades—Drilling

V.GRILLES

A.Installing and Removing

B.Grille Alternatives—Scrims, Hole Shapes and Sizes

VI. PAINTING

A.Construction Dust and Paint Shield

B.Painting Finish Frames

C.Painting Grilles

VII. SETUP

A.Swivel Tweeter

B.High and Mid Frequencies Switches

C.Listening—Balance, Range, and Imaging

I. MATERIALS AND TOOLS

The only other materials necessary to install CustomSound speakers are paint and extra fine sandpaper if you wish to change the color of Grills and/or Finish Frames from their standard white. Of course, wire cable of appropriate length and size will be necessary to connect speakers to amplifiers (or volume controls) in the music system.

A. Required Tools

The following tools are needed for normal, simple installations:

Tape Measure, Pencil, and Level

Utility Knife and Wallboard Saw (and extra blades)

Philips Screwdriver and Putty Knife

Drill and Bits (smaller for lead holes and larger for cabling)

Probe Wire (a heavy coat hanger can substitute for a short fish-tape)

Flashlight

B. Other Tools

Particularly when installing a quantity of speakers, or installing in wood paneling or other wall materials, the following tools are desirable for neater and more efficient installations:

Stud Finder (helpful—particularly with simple, wallboard-on-studs construction) Metal Straight Edge (Ruler or Framing Square) and Masking Tape Wallboard Rasp/Sanding Block (or a piece of wire lath around a block)

Awl or Worn Screwdriver (for initial, exploratory holes) and Hammer Wire Cutters/Strippers and Electrical Tape

Battery Screwdriver and Power Drill and Extensions (with extra bits) Jig Saw and Blades

Wallboard Router and Cutout Bits

II. LAYOUT

A. Listening Locations

Consider the desired, intended, and probable locations of listeners when considering speaker locations. Ideally, listeners should have a clear line-of-sight/hearing to all speakers in their listening area—not too far off axis and not obstructed by structure or furnishings—for most balanced frequency response. Where will listeners be—primary and secondary? Where will listeners’ ears be—sitting, standing, walking? No installation is absolutely ideal, but considering listener locations with speaker location can greatly improve the final result—and simplify the effort and expense to achieve it.

B. Speaker Locations

Here are three simple ideals, which are never fully satisfied:

1.Locate speakers equidistant to listeners, preferably at ear level.

2.Locate speakers closer to each other than their distance from listeners.

3.Locate speakers symmetrically to each other and to their physical surroundings.

Ideally, listeners will be equidistant from front right and left and center channel speakers and from rear (or side) left and right surround channels for most accurate spatial imaging. If listeners are too close to front or to rear channel speakers the image cannot come together and flow seamlessly across. While ear-level mounting is ideal, the swivel tweeters can be aimed towards the listeners, increasing the accuracy of frequency response when speakers are located further off axis from listeners’ ears. Most importantly, a center

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