In-Wall Speaker Pair Installation Manual Model #50-6374 MCM Electronics 650 Congress Park Drive Centerville, Ohio 45459 www.electronics.com © 2007 MCM Electronics Introduction This series of MCM Custom Audio In-Wall Speakers is the culmination of: • Years of experience in the commercial and residential sound industry • Communication with the nations top installation specialists • MCM’s long history with some of the very best speaker manufacturers in the world balance of cost, features, performance and appearance. The most outstanding feature of this speaker system is the selectable mid and high frequency emphasis. This allows the user to choose between +3, +0 and –3db settings in both ranges to compensate for differing room treatments such as, carpet, curtains and furniture in the living room, and tile, countertops and appliances in the kitchen. The result is a premium quality speaker system, which provides the perfect The correct setting of this selector will ultimately depend upon the specific room, the sound system, and personal taste. General Features Specifications • • • • • 8" polypropylene cone woofer with rubber surround Coaxially mounted 1" titanium dome pivotal tweeter 2½" mylar dome midrange +3/+0/-3dB HF and Midrange compensation selectors 12dB/octave crossover • • • • Power Capacity: 75W/150W RMS/peak Frequency Response: 34Hz~23KHz Nominal Impedance: 8Ω SPL: 90dB W/M Installation Speaker Placement Careful consideration should be made when determining the desired location of the speaker pair. As this Model #50-6374 is referred to as an in-wall speaker, this is the intended mounting location. However, there is no electronic or physical reason these cannot be mounted in ceilings or other locations. In an “ideal” environment, the left and right speakers should be placed on the same wall, 6’ to 8’ apart, at the same distance from opposite corners. The mounting height should be that which places the tweeters at eye level to the listeners. It should be noted that often times, the listeners may be seated. Since many rooms do not offer the “ideal” environment, slight variations to this may be made. As proximity to corners has a significant effect on low frequency response, priority should be given to locating speakers the same distance to corners. As these speakers are rectangular in shape, they may be mounted either vertically or horizontally. In situations were they are horizontal, the tweeters position should be mirror images of each other (either both in, or both out). Pivotal Tweeters Since decorating schemes may not allow positioning at eye level, these in-wall speakers are equipped with pivoting tweeter assemblies. After installation is completed, prior to installing the grill, the tweeter may be angled towards the primary listening area. This is especially helpful in situations where speakers must be mounted higher than desirable. 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 #24-3060 (two-conductor), #24-3075 (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 #50-6682A (sold separately) must be utilized. These brackets mount to wall studs, 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 studs mounted on 24” centers. 2. When positioning the pre-construction bracket between the studs, added care should be taken to ensure that the bracket is level. A standard bubble level, such as MCM #22-7572 or similar, model is essential to achieving this. 3. Centering the speaker opening between the studs, mount the Pre-Construction Bracket to the studs. 4. If installing the speakers high on the wall, be sure to leave sufficient wire length at the speaker end to reach 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. 5. Once the drywall has been installed, a 12-3/4" x 8-1/2" opening should be cut to match the hole in the pre-construction bracket. In most cases, the drywall installer will do this at the same time that openings are cut for light switches, outlets and ceiling fixtures. 1. Skip directly to Part 2 Installation in Completed Structures 1. For this type is installation, a stud finder such as MCM #22-9350 is highly recommended. This device will not only accurately located both edges of the stud, but will provide a warning of nearby electrical wiring. 2. When deciding on a final location to install in-wall speakers, extreme care should be taken to ensure that obstructions do not exist, such as air ducts, plumbing and electrical wiring. 3. Locate the wall studs between which the speaker will be mounted. Using a pencil, mark a spot directly in the center of the two studs 4. Locate the rectangular cardboard mounting template, included with the speaker. This template should measure 12-3/4" x 8-1/2". Using a tape measure, determine its exact center point. 5. Poke a small hole in the template, and place the template on the wall, lining up the hole with the spot marked on the wall. At this stage, it is helpful to use masking or similar tape to temporally attach the template to the wall. Using a standard bubble level, such as MCM #22-7572 or similar, make sure the template is in proper position on the wall, and lightly trace its outer edge with a pencil. 6. Remove the template, and using a wallboard saw similar to MCM #22-7597, cut along the pencil mark. This type of saw is especially useful, as its rigid design and sharp point allow it to “plunge” into the wall with no need to drill a pilot hole. When you have cut the length of each edge, remove the saw, and start a new line, opposite the last cut edge. This will ensure much cleaner cuts at the corners. Part 2 1. Locate the 12 long black machine screws included with each speaker pair. Six screws will be used with each speaker. 2. Remove the perforated metal grill from the front of each speaker to be installed. This is most easily accomplished by using one of the machine screws to poke through the mounting hole on the back of the speaker plate. You may need to poke through multiple of the mounting holes to force the speaker grill out of the mounting frame. Take care not to press too hard against the back of the grill with the screw, as it may bend the grill. 3. Insert the machine screws into the mounting holes in the front of each speaker (six each), in a manner that each screw protrudes from the back of the speaker baffle. 4. Locate the rectangular mounting frame provided for each speaker. Carefully laying the speaker on its face, place the rectangular frame on the back of the speaker in a manner that lines up the holes in the frame with each of the machine screws protruding from the back of the speaker baffle. Screw each machine screw approximately 1/4” into the metal mounting frame. 5. Attach the speaker wire to the ( – ) and ( + ) connections on the rear of the enclosure. Take care to observe correct polarity. 6. Fully insert the speaker into the wall in a manner that positions the speaker baffle in front of the wallboard, with the metal mounting frame behind the wallboard. 7. In a circular pattern, begin to tighten the six mounting screws. Care should be taken when tightening these screws. Make sure the screwdriver is secure in the head of the screw and does not slip out and damage the speaker cone. 8. As screws are tightened, the metal frame will draw up against the rear of the drywall. If using a drill to tighten screws, tighten all six until the speaker frame just makes contact with the wall. From there, it is best to use a hand screwdriver to fully tighten. This will prevent potential breakage of the plastic speaker frame. 9. In an alternating cross pattern, (center left, center right, top left, bottom right, top right, bottom left) tighten all six screws, by hand, until the speaker frame is snug against the wall. Take care not to over-tighten as this may damage the mounting clips or the mounting frame. 10. Once all screws are tightened, the grill may be reinstalled on the front of the speaker. 11. The other end of the speaker wire is now ready for connection to the sound source Warranty MCM Custom Audio products are warranted against manufacturer defects for a period of 12 months from the original date of purchase. This warranty is limited to manufacturer defects, in either materials or workmanship. MCM Electronics, or any other worldwide divisions of Premier Farnell PLC, are not responsible for any consequential or inconsequential damage to any other component, structure or the cost of installation or removal of said items. This warranty will not cover damage due to improper use such as (an not limited to) damaged cones, mounting frames, voice coils or items damaged by whether damaged items. For questions or specific information regarding warranty replacement or repair, contact: MCM Electronics www.mcmelectronics.com 800-543-4330