Niles Audio Speaker RS 5s User Manual

I N S T A L L A T I O N & O P E R A T I O N G U I D E  
RS5  
Weatherproof Rock Loudspeaker  
®
B L  
E
N
N
D
D
I
N
G
H I  
G
H
E
F I  
D
E
L
I
®
T
Y
A
A R  
C
H
I
T
C
T
U
R
E
 
INTRODUCTION  
The RS5 series of weatherproof rock loudspeakers are designed to provide  
unparalleled listening satisfaction and GeoRealistic™ styling. The extraordinary  
sonic performance of the RS5 was achieved by harmonizing Niles’ unique and  
proprietary technology with advances in cabinet assembly techniques. They are  
designed and built to withstand the environmental stresses placed on an outdoor  
loudspeaker. They will sound good and look good no matter what Mother Nature  
does to them.  
The RS5 series loudspeaker is a two-way loudspeaker in an acoustic suspension  
enclosure. The cabinet is styled to look like a rock. It is supplied with a security  
bracket and cable to insure it stays where it is placed, reducing the chance of theft  
and unauthorized movement of the loudspeaker. For the first time, serious listeners  
will be able to enjoy the music in their backyard as much as their living room and  
the speakers will blend into the landscaping.  
 
2
FEATURES & BENEFITS  
GeoRealistic™ Styling  
Traditionally, rock speakers have looked like ornaments and not like rocks. Each  
RS5 style has unique textures and colors that are fashioned after natural rocks.  
Shaped grilles match the features on the front of the rock, making them blend into  
the cabinet. All of this extra attention to detail leads to a GeoRealistic™ style that  
enables the RS5 to blend in with other landscaping and disappear. All that will be  
noticed is the great sound not the loudspeaker.  
Weather Proof Construction  
The cabinet is made from fiberglass, it utilizes double seals on the tweeter, woofer  
and enclosure cover, the woofer drains water away from it, the grilles are painted  
aluminum and the drivers are made from weather resistant materials. The RS5 has  
passed the most stringent environmental tests devised. Surviving over 5 years worth  
of temperature cycling and still having seals that pass a 24-hour submersion test. It  
has passed the test requirements for Salt Fog, Operating Temperature, Storage  
Temperature, UV Exposure and Humidity per military standard 883. Whether you  
are concerned about salt-air, rain, freezing rain, snow, extreme temperatures, high  
humidity, direct sunlight or combinations of these conditions, the RS5 has proven  
itself to withstand the harshest conditions Mother Nature can throw at it.  
5-1/4” Talc Filled Polypropylene Woofer  
The unusually stiff talc filled polypropylene cone, the butyl rubber surround, and  
the substantial magnet and motor structure are optimized for large excursions of the  
woofer. In this way, the 5-1/4” woofer can create outstanding bass output. In the  
end, the woofer design provides deep rich bass and outstanding weather resistance  
capabilities.  
1/2” Kaladex™ Tweeter  
In the past, rock speakers have used a co-axial tweeter design that has disappointed  
listeners with a fatiguing and harsh treble sound caused by tweeter ringing. The  
RS5’s 1/2” Kaladex™ tweeter employs DuPont’s latest material technology to  
produce a dome tweeter with exceptional frequency response and low distortion.  
The result is a transparent clear, sweet, natural sounding tweeter, which still  
maintains its extended frequency response and is completely weatherproof.  
Tweeter Placement Improves Coverage and Dispersion  
The tweeter is angled twenty degrees up from the woofer. This means that it is  
“aimed” at the listener and not at the ground. This improves the high frequency  
coverage of the loudspeaker and ensures that all the benefits of the tweeter are  
heard and not lost in the surroundings.  
 
3
Precision Crossover  
A customized electronic dividing network inside the cabinet precisely distributes  
the music to the woofer and the tweeter. The three-pole two-way design of the  
RS5 crossover provides excellent stereo imaging, low distortion and superior sonic  
performance.  
ConeForward™ Design  
Most competitive rock speaker manufacturers mount their drivers from inside the  
cabinet. This moves the front of the driver inside the cabinet creating a tunnel for  
the driver to play through. This tunnel adversely affects the sound quality of the  
loudspeaker by making the loudspeaker sound “narrow” and “far away”. Niles’  
engineers have used a patent-pending ConeForward™ design technique that  
moves the woofer and tweeter as close to the grille as possible. Combining the  
ConeForward™ design technique with tight quality control leads to unparalleled  
sonic performance and imaging from an outdoor rock loudspeaker.  
Rigid Acoustically Inert Cabinet Construction  
Niles utilizes a unique 4-layer cabinet construction to achieve superior  
non-resonance of the loudspeaker cabinet. This insures that all you hear is the  
music not the cabinet ringing.  
Low Diffraction Microperf™ Aluminum Grilles  
The aluminum Microperf™ grille on the RS5 has hundreds of precisely sized  
perforations, creating an acoustically transparent grille. The aluminum construction  
resists oxidation enabling years of trouble-free operation in the harshest conditions.  
We paint both sides of the grille for added protection.  
Connection Cable with Water Resistant Wire Nuts  
Connecting the loudspeaker’s cable to the cable running from the house is always  
a point of concern for the installer. If this connection is not done right, the cable  
will corrode and the connection will fail. To make sure this connection is trouble-  
free, we provide a three-foot connection cable rated for burial underground and  
specialized waterproof wire nuts. Our wire nuts are filled with a waterproof sealant.  
Just insert the wires and twist them together. Then bury the cable. The connection  
will be protected from the elements.  
Security Bracket and Cable  
Using the security bracket and cable supplied with the loudspeaker provides a  
simple but effective method to protect the loudspeaker from theft or unapproved  
movement. You can easily upgrade our standard security mounting method to  
provided even greater security, if you require it.  
 
4
INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS  
Tools and Materials Required  
• A wire stripper  
• 1/2” PVC conduit (optional)  
• PVC conduit glue and cleaner (optional)  
• PVC cutting tool  
• Trench digger or shovel  
• Tube of silicone sealant (optional)  
• Cable (length and type determined by installation site – see “Choosing the  
Speaker Cable”)  
Selecting the number and location for your speakers  
The RS5 loudspeaker can be installed directly on the ground, in a flowerbed, on a  
wood deck or on a concrete/stone patio. There are two considerations for placing  
the loudspeaker, ease of running the cable to the loudspeaker and coverage of the  
loudspeaker. The RS5 loudspeaker will cover an area of a circle with a 16-foot  
diameter, in front of the speakers.  
If you are using stereo outputs from the amplifier, alternate the speakers to provide  
the best imaging. You should place speakers less than 8 feet from the sides of the  
listening area and 12 feet from each other. The row spacing should not be greater  
than 20 feet. These loudspeaker spacing rules are the recommended maximums;  
placing speakers at a greater distance apart will negatively affect sound coverage  
and reduce their stereo effect. Placing speakers closer together will improve sound  
coverage and produce more stereo coverage.  
Figure 1 Stereo Coverage 4 speakers  
 
5
Figure 1 shows how this would work for a square area of 28 feet by 20 feet and  
using stereo signals. Using our spacing rules as shown in Table 1, leads to the need  
for four speakers. The loudspeaker coverage pattern is shown in the diagram.  
Figure 2 Stereo Coverage 6 speakers  
Figure 2 shows the same area as Figure 1, however the number of speakers has  
increased by 2. You can see a greater area of stereo coverage and this would  
also have a more even sound level across the listening area. This illustrates  
the fact that not using the maximum spacing allowed leads to improved  
sound quality.  
Achieving high quality stereo coverage in a large area is costly. You need to use  
more speakers and more amplifier power or separate amplifiers. If a large area  
needs to be covered, consider using a summed stereo or mono signal for each  
speaker. If summing the stereo inputs into the amplifier or setting the amplifier to  
play in mono is acceptable, the loudspeakers can be spaced 8 feet from the sides  
and 16 feet from each other. The row spacing between speakers should be less than  
30 feet. This will increase the area your loudspeakers will cover.  
Sources  
Stereo  
Mono  
Spacing  
Spacing Between  
Spacing  
from Sides Speakers within a row  
Between Rows  
8 ft  
2.4m  
8 ft  
2.4m  
12 ft  
3.7m  
16 ft  
4.9m  
20 ft  
6.1m  
30 ft  
9.1m  
Note: These are maximun recomended distances, sound quality is improved if  
you use smaller spacings.  
Table 1 Spacing Rules  
 
6
8 Feet  
(2.4 mm)  
16 Feet  
(4.9 mm)  
8 Feet  
(2.4 mm)  
Figure 3 Mono Coverage 4 speakers  
Figure 3 shows the difference in coverage area using the spacing rules for mono  
signals. Using the same four speakers as we did in Figure 1, we can increase our  
coverage area from 560 square feet (52 sq. meters) to 960 square feet (88.3 sq.  
meters), simply by using a mono source.  
The trade off in sound quality between mono sources and stereo sources is sonic  
imaging. If you are concerned with keeping the instruments and vocals sonically  
separated, then stereo setup must be used.  
When choosing the location for the loudspeaker, take into consideration the slope of  
the land in the area the speakers are going to be placed. The flatter and more level  
the area, the better. The woofer should be straight up and down or tilted forward a  
bit to assist in drawing water away from it. Never chose a place where an automatic  
sprinkler will be aimed on or near the loudspeaker. While the loudspeaker is  
weatherproof, continuous streaming water will shorten the product’s life and void  
the warranty.  
Choosing the Speaker Cable  
In order to choose the proper speaker cable, please follow these steps:  
• Unless you are using a Niles’ WVC100 or WMVC100 series weatherproof  
impedance matching volume controls or equivalent, only two (2) RS5  
loudspeakers can be safely attached to a typical amplifier channel, if that  
amplifier is rated to drive 4 ohms. You can do this by running wires from each  
loudspeaker to the amplifier or you can connect one loudspeaker to another.  
Make sure this is taken into account when calculating cable length and number  
of amplifier channels needed. If you are unsure about these calculations, consult  
an audio/video installer.  
 
7
• You will need 2-conductor speaker cable that clearly identifies each conductor  
in the cable. If burying your cable in the ground is required, use cable rated for  
direct burial or run cable through PVC pipe. Always use moisture resistant cable.  
• After calculating the length of cable needed for each speaker, use the furthest  
length cable to determine the gauge (thickness) of speaker wire to use:  
Wire Gauge  
Maximum Distance  
16. . . . . . . . . . . . 60 ft (18 m)  
14. . . . . . . . . . . . 100 ft (30 m)  
12. . . . . . . . . . . . 160 ft (50 m)  
• When running wires inside walls or outdoors, you should install your wires while  
conforming to your local building requirements and codes. If you are unsure of  
these codes, consult a professional audio/video installer, building contractor or  
local building and inspection agency that has jurisdiction.  
Incorporating a Volume Control  
It is possible to control the volume of the sound at the speaker location. Volume  
controls are connected in line with the speaker, an example of wiring an area with  
4 speakers and a master volume control is shown in Figure 4. It is usually desirable  
to control the volume of the speakers in different areas or zones of the outdoor  
system. A suggested way to accomplish this is shown in Figure 5. Niles makes  
a wide range of outdoor volume controls. We recommend our standard  
weatherproof volume control, WVC100 series or our weatherproof muting volume  
control, WMVC series. In addition to controlling the volume of the loudspeakers,  
these controls can allow the addition of added speakers without adding more  
amplifier channels.  
Figure 4 One Zone Volume Control Wiring  
 
8
Figure 5 Two Zone Volume Control Wiring  
Volume controls provide flexibility and customization to make the system reliable  
and easy to use. Consult your local Niles’ dealer for more information about using  
volume controls.  
Recommended Amplifier Power  
We recommend an amplifier with a power rating of ten to one hundred watts per  
channel for optimum performance. Outdoor speakers typically require more power  
than indoor speakers. The outdoor environment is usually noisier and has less  
reflective surfaces to make the system sound louder. Therefore, the use of a higher  
power amplifier is recommended.  
Ironically, most speakers are not damaged by large amplifiers but by small  
amplifiers. When playing the loudspeaker at higher volumes, a small amplifier  
will run out of power very quickly. When an amplifier runs out of power it creates  
damaging “clipping” distortion. A large amplifier will play at the same volume  
without causing this distortion.  
If the plan requires connecting two RS5 speakers on one amplifier channel, an  
amplifier rated to drive a 4-ohm load of thirty watts to two hundred watts, is  
recommended. If you use two RS5’s on one channel and the amplifier is not rated  
for driving a 4-ohm load, the amplifier will run out of power more easily and could  
damage the speakers.  
See the section “Operation” for more information about clipping distortion.  
 
9
INSTALLATION  
Run the speaker cable  
Determine the location of the amplifier that will power the loudspeakers. The  
amplifier should be located in an area that protects it from the weather. Refer to the  
amplifier installation instructions to ensure that the amplifier is not located in an  
area that does not meet its recommended operating environment.  
Once the location of the amplifier is determined, layout and place the loudspeakers  
in the area where music is desired. Use the procedures and recommendations  
detailed in the section “Selecting the number and location for your speakers” of this  
manual, to choose the best locations for the speakers.  
Determine a path for the speaker cable. You may need to run wires in walls, under  
sidewalks or patios and around obstacles in your yard. Install the wires while  
conforming to your local building requirements and codes. If you are unsure of  
these codes, consult a professional audio/video installer, building contractor or  
local building and inspection agency that has jurisdiction. Use care when digging  
trenches in the yard; ensure that there are no buried cables or gas lines by verifying  
the location of these items with the local authorities in your area, prior to digging  
the trenches.  
After selecting this path, estimate the amount of cable needed and use the section  
entitled “Choosing the Speaker Cable” to choose and cut the cable required.  
If the cable will be run underground, dig a trench along the path needed for the  
speaker cable. If you are using PVC pipe to run your cable in, connect and glue  
the PVC piping sections and connections together so they lie in this trench easily.  
Now run the cable from the amplifier to each speaker location through the pipe. If  
you are using direct burial cable, run the cable from the amplifier to each speaker  
location and lay the cable in the trench.  
Do not cover the cable in the trenches until system operation and loudspeaker  
coverage is verified.  
Connecting the loudspeaker  
1. Strip two to three inches of the speaker cables’ outer jacket away from the  
insulated conductors. Ensure that at least two inches of the separate conductors  
are free.  
2. Strip one half inch of insulation from the end of each conductor as show  
in Figure 6.  
3. Perform steps 1 and 2 on the RS5’s connection cable.  
 
10  
4. Connect one stripped end of the speaker cable coming from the amplifier to the  
RS5 connection cable’s red wire. To connect the two wires, twist the stripped  
ends of the wire together and screw down the wire nut on the twisted wires. The  
material inside the wire nut will protect the stripped ends of the wire. However,  
if added protection is desired, place a large amount of silicone sealant so the  
bottom of the wire nut is encased and sealed. Pay attention to the markings on  
the speaker cable. Each loudspeaker you connect must be connected to the  
amplifier’s speaker wire in the same way.  
5. Repeat step 4 with the RS5 connection cable’s black wire and the other stripped  
amplifier speaker cable’s conductor.  
6. Connect the opposite end of the speaker cable to the amplifier or receiver. Start  
by performing step 1 and 2 on the speaker cable near the amplifier. Paying  
attention to the markings on the speaker cable conductor, attach the same  
conductor you attached to the red loudspeaker wire to the positive (red) or (+)  
amplifier output terminal. Attach the other conductor to the amplifier’s negative  
(black) or (–) amplifier output terminal.  
Figure 6 Speaker wire preparation  
Speaker Phase  
Speaker wire has two conductors. One conductor is attached to the negative (black)  
or (-) terminals and one conductor is attached to the positive (red) or (+) terminals  
of both the loudspeaker and the amplifier. Usually, the wire is marked for your  
convenience. There are different ways to mark the conductor; a stripe on one wire,  
a ribbed area on one conductor that you can feel, different color metal conductor  
wire inside the insulation, the insulation covering the conductor might be different  
colors, or there might be a fabric string wound onto one of the conductors. Of  
course some cables make it difficult to determine which conductor is which. Be  
careful to avoid mistakes. If you do, one loudspeaker will be playing out of “phase”  
with the other loudspeaker. An out of phase pair of speakers work against each  
other and the sound of the two speakers playing together will be lacking in bass  
response and have a “phasey”sound quality. If you suspect the sound is not right,  
 
11  
check to make sure that the conductors on each loudspeaker are attached the same  
on the loudspeaker and the amplifier. If you cannot see any markings or determine  
if they are all attached the same, try this simple test:  
1. Point the speakers at each other, rather than at the area you want to cover.  
2. Play some music with the amplifier or receiver set to Mono.  
3. Stand so you are the same distance from each speaker and listen to the richness  
of the bass and the loudness of the sound.  
4. Turn off the amplifier and reverse the connections on one speaker only.  
5. Repeat the listening test with the same setting of the volume controls. If the  
current sound has a richer bass and is slightly louder than the previous sound,  
the speakers are working together and are “in-phase”. Leave the speakers  
connected to the amplifier in this configuration. If the current sound is not richer  
in bass or louder than the previous sound, turn off the amplifier and reverse the  
connections of the wire you moved in step 4.  
Verify System Operation and Loudspeaker Coverage  
1. Turn the system “On” and play music to the speakers. Set the Volume controls to  
a level that allows the speakers to be easily heard over the “noise” in the area.  
2. Verify that music is playing through each speaker. If not, trouble shoot the wiring  
and make sure each speaker is electrically connected to the amplifier.  
3. If you attached your loudspeakers in a stereo mode, verify that they are  
connected to the proper channel of the amplifier. To do this, change the balance  
of your speakers on your amplifier or receiver so that one channel is at playing  
loudly and the other is not. Verify that the speakers are attached to the proper  
channel per the layout of the loudspeakers on the plans. If they are not, correct  
the wiring on the loudspeaker that is not connected properly. Reset the balance  
on the amplifier or receiver so both channels have a similar volume level.  
 
12  
4. If you used a volume control between the amplifier and the speakers, verify that  
it is controlling the volume of the loudspeakers in its zone. Repeat this for every  
volume control in the system. If it is not, correct the wiring.  
Figure 7 Bottom of Loudspeaker  
5. Point the loudspeakers per the layout and verify that the sound is even and  
consistent throughout the area.  
Figure 8 Security Cable in Eyelet  
Installing the Security Bracket and Cable  
1. With the loudspeaker in the proper location per the layout, turn the loudspeaker  
over so the bottom of the loudspeaker is facing you, as shown in Figure 7.  
Figure 10 Security Cable after Looping  
Figure 9 Security Cable  
Looping Through  
 
13  
2. Take the nylon security cable, supplied with the loudspeaker and fold it in half.  
Using the middle of the cable, feed it through the Security Attachment Eyelet as  
shown in Figure 8.  
Figure 11 Security Cable  
Connected and Tightened  
3. Feed the opposite end of the nylon security cable through the exposed portion  
of the cable that was just fed through the security eyelet, as shown in  
Figure 9 and 10.  
Figure 12 Security Stake  
Attachment to Cable  
4. Pull the ends of the security cable with the loops as tight as you can until the  
knot around the security eyelet is tightened as shown in Figure 11.  
Figure 13 Security Stake  
Driven into Ground  
 
14  
5. Feed the Security Stake through the loops at the end of the security cable and  
insure that they are inserted into the cable holder provided at the top of the stake,  
as shown in Figure 12.  
6. Pick a spot in the ground which the loudspeaker will cover and drive the security  
stake all the way into the ground until the cable holder is completely under the  
surface of the ground, as shown in Figure 13.  
7. Pull on the security cable and verify that the stake is securely held in the ground.  
Upgraded Security Attachment Method (Optional)  
To perform this attachment method you will need the following items:  
1. (1) Stainless Steel Eyebolt  
2. (1) Concrete Anchor sized to the Stainless Steel Eyebolt  
3. (1) Bag of Quikcrete – fast drying cement mix or equivalent  
4. A post hole digger or shovel  
5. (1) Stainless Steel Aircraft Cable 1/8” diameter or larger  
6. (2) Stainless steel wire rope clamps sized to the aircraft cable chosen  
To install an upgraded security system:  
1. Prepare a hole that is at least one-foot deep, at a minimum (three-feet if  
the speaker is being installed in an area that has a frost line). The hole should  
be at least six inches in diameter. This hole should be under the desired location  
of the loudspeaker.  
2. Once the hole is prepared, mix the concrete per its’ instructions. Fill the hole  
with concrete. Place the concrete anchor in the center of the concrete so the top  
of the anchor is flush with the top of the concrete and the anchor is not filled  
with concrete.  
3. Wait until the concrete is dried per the instructions on the concrete  
mix used.  
4. Screw the stainless steel eyebolt into the concrete anchor  
5. Feed one end of the stainless steel aircraft cable through the eyebolt in  
the concrete  
6. Loop the end of the aircraft cable around the eyebolt and back to the  
aircraft cable. Secure this end of the cable to the main aircraft cable with the  
wire rope clamp.  
 
15  
Rock Speaker  
Aircraft Cable  
Eyelet  
Concrete  
Anchor  
Wire Rope Clamps  
Figure 14 Upgraded Security Attachment  
7. Turn the loudspeaker over and feed the other end of the aircraft cable through  
the eyelet in the bottom of the loudspeaker.  
8. Loop this end of the aircraft cable around the eyelet and back to the aircraft  
cable. Secure this end of the cable to the main aircraft cable with the wire rope  
clamp. The upgraded attachment should now look like Figure 14.  
Final Adjustments  
Now that the loudspeaker’s phase, operation and security is assured, there are some  
final steps to ensure that the loudspeakers installation is complete and that they are  
used at there full potential.  
1. Cover any trenches or wires that are still open or exposed.  
2. Point the loudspeakers per the layout and verify that the sound is even and  
consistent throughout the area that sound is desired, as you did in step 5 of  
verifying system operation.  
3. Verify that the front of the loudspeaker is as close to perpendicular to the ground  
as possible. This will aid the drainage of water away from the woofer and  
improve sound quality.  
4. Check that the entire installation is safe and secure.  
 
16  
OPERATION  
Listening at Higher Volumes  
Outdoors there are no walls to reflect and contain the sound and typically  
the ambient noise level is louder. This causes the system to require more power  
to achieve a reasonable listening level than it does when you are listening indoors.  
In addition, you are frequently further away from the loudspeaker. It is possible  
to turn the volume so high that the amplifier runs out of power. This creates  
clipping” distortion.  
Clipping distortion makes treble sound very harsh and unmusical. When you hear  
harsh sounding treble from any good speaker indoors or outdoors, turn the volume  
down immediately! Those harsh sounds are masking some much more powerful  
ultra-high-frequency sound spikes that will quickly damage any fine loudspeaker.  
Cleaning  
The rock loudspeaker should not require cleaning. The formation of dirt and  
molds on the cabinet will add to the natural look of the loudspeaker. However,  
if you desire to clean the loudspeaker you can clean the RS5 with a dampened  
soft cloth or a paper towel. Hosing the loudspeaker off with a garden hose or high  
pressure cleaner is not recommended, the drivers, especially the tweeter, can  
be damaged by a high-pressure stream of water. The use of chemical cleaners  
should also be avoided.  
 
17  
SPECIFICATIONS  
Recommended Amplifier Power  
10 to 100 Watts  
Nominal Impedance  
8 Ohms  
Frequency Response  
70 Hz to 20 kHz  
Sensitivity  
90 decibels for 2.83 Volts RMS of Pink Noise, measured at 1 Meter on Axis  
Wiring Requirements  
2-conductor direct burial cable at the following sizes depending on longest  
length of cable required:  
Wire Gauge  
Maximum Distance  
16. . . . . . . . . . . . 60 ft (18 m)  
14. . . . . . . . . . . . 100 ft (30 m)  
12. . . . . . . . . . . . 160 ft (50 m)  
Temperature Extremes  
-50° to 185° Fahrenheit  
-45° to 85° Celsius  
Dimensions  
10” Length x 8-1/2” Deep x 9-1/2” High  
25.4cm Length x 21.6cm Deep x 24.1cm High  
Weight (Loudspeaker Only)  
11.5 lbs.  
5.2 kgs.  
 
18  
Niles Audio  
Corporation  
12331 S.W. 130 Street  
Miami, Florida 33186  
Tel: (305) 238-4373  
Fax: (305) 238-0185  
©2008 Niles Audio Corporation. DS00366B  
 

Musical Fidelity Stereo Amplifier M6I User Manual
National Instruments Computer Accessories 321042A 01 User Manual
Nikon Camera Flash R200 User Manual
Nokia Cell Phone 2112 User Manual
Nokia Network Router M1112 User Manual
Omega Calculator DPF75 User Manual
Omega Engineering Thermometer OS523E User Manual
Onkyo Stereo Amplifier A 9755 User Manual
Panasonic Camcorder AG 3DP1G User Manual
Panasonic CD Player 5300U User Manual