AperionAudio 8" In-Ceiling User manual

Owner’s Manual for Aperion Audio
8" In-Wall and In-Ceiling Speakers

Table Of Contents
Thank You From Aperion Audio .....................................................1
Tools and Materials Needed ..........................................................2
Speaker Installation .....................................................................3
Setting Up Your Receiver ............................................................19
Troubleshooting .........................................................................19
Specifications ..........................................................................20
Warranty ...................................................................................21

Aperion 8" In-Wall and In-Ceiling
Thank You… and congratulations
for purchasing Aperion Audio loudspeakers. We think you’ve made an excellent
choice! We’re proud of our speakers and everything that goes into them,
and grateful for this opportunity to show you what they can do. And — once
you listen to them in your home — we trust you’ll be equally grateful you
chose Aperion.
These In-wall In-ceiling are members of the Intimus family, designed
to perform beautifully in home theater applications with other Intimus
speakers as either front or surround speakers. They’re also well suited for
distributing audiophile quality sound throughout your home, even outdoors.
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Also helpful:
•Stiff wire (like coat hanger wire)
•Fish tape
•A few square feet of fiberglass
insulation without paper
backing
•Insulated staples
Tools and Materials You’ll Need to Do-it-Yourself
Needed:
•Manual drywall saw or keyhole saw
•Drill with 1/8” to 1” bits
•Phillips screwdriver (manual is best)
•Speaker wire (we’ll help you choose in
Section 3, “Plan Your Wire Run”)
•Wire strippers
•Level
•Tape measure
•Stud finder
($10 from Radio Shack or Home Depot)
•Pencil
Please Read This Manual Before You Start Installing Your Speakers.
To be handy, or not to be…
The following pages contain some sound advice, bound to help you get the most out of your
Aperion speakers. You’ll need to decide if you’re really equipped to take this on yourself. Many
do-it-yourselfers have told us, “I couldn’t believe how easy the install was, but running the wire
to the speaker, that took some doing!”
Consider hiring an experienced installer if running the wires seems too difficult or if (like many
of us) you’re uncomfortable cutting holes in your walls without knowing what’s behind them.
Still unsure? You might want to pre-read “Step 2. Cut Holes” and “Step 3. Plan Your Wire Run”.
If at any step in your ownership experience — from installation through adulation — we can
answer a question or be of assistance, just call us toll free at 888.880.8992 or email
[email protected]. We think you’ll find our reputation for top-notch customer
service well deserved.
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Aperion 8" In-Wall and In-Ceiling
Speaker Installation
The installation process will follow these steps:
Page 4 – Determine speaker placement
Page 8 – Cut holes
Page 10 – Plan your wire run
Page 13 – Run speaker wires
Page 14 – Paint the speaker grill (optional)
Page 15 – Install the speaker
Page 17 – Aim the tweeter and set the speaker switches
Page 18 – Install the grills
APERION 8" IN-WALL SPEAKER
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APERION 8" IN-CEILING SPEAKER

Step 1. Determine Speaker Placement
We will help you determine the optimal speaker locations sonically speaking, but you will need
to look for the clues that indicate problematic behind-the-wall obstructions. For example, in-wall
wiring often runs straight up or straight out from lights, outlets, switches etc. The same is true
of ducting running to vents.
Once you’ve zeroed in on specific placements for your speakers, mark the spots with tape so, as
you move from location to location, you can make adjustments if needed when you get to the
next step.
Front Three Speakers Placement: The ideal in-wall set-up would be three 8" in-wall
speakers, all mounted vertically, serving as left, right and center channel speakers.
The left and right speakers would be at the same height as the listeners’ ears and TV
(about 40” off the floor) and separated by 45° to 60° (when viewed from the seat i n g
position). The in-wall center channel speaker would be mounted vertically directly above
the TV, although below the TV (mounted upside-down) also works well.
Sometimes, real-world circumstances won’t allow for this ideal in-wall placement. The 8"
in-wall speakers can be mounted horizontally if need be. The 8" in-ceiling speakers, with
their aimable tweeter, will work fine in nearly all ceiling locations. If your TV backs up to
a wall, the in-ceiling speakers will sound best about 24” in front of that wall. If there’s no
wall behind your TV, place these three speakers in the same vertical plane as the TV.
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Aperion 8" In-Wall and In-Ceiling
TV Height (about 40”)
45˚ – 60˚
TV Height (about 40”)
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One pair of speakers should be located directly to the sides of the listening area (one on each
side, but you knew that). An additional pair of rear speakers can also be added for 7.1
Surround Sound. If you prefer an ambient and subtle surround sound, such as a dipole speaker
provides, then locate either the 8" In-Wall or 8" In-Ceiling speakers well above ear-level. You
can attain a more direct sound, like what monopole or bipole speakers produce, when placing the
8" In-Wall speakers at or slightly above ear-level. If some speakers need to be further from you
than the others, don’t worry, you can compensate for this later.
Home Theater Surround Sound Placement
Above ear level
6-8ft
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Aperion 8" In-Wall and In-Ceiling 7
Distributing Sound Through Your House - OR Outside
The 8" in-wall and in-ceiling speakers are well suited for delivering quality sound
throughout your house and even outdoors. Adjustable treble levels enable them to
adapt well to almost any placement, their aimable tweeter allows their sound to be
directed towards listening areas, and their weather-resistant drivers,
painted aluminum grills and UV resistant parts let them weather the outdoors.
Indoors, our speakers will sound best if you avoid corner placement. In-wall speakers
should be raised above large in-room obstacles but kept close to ear level. The ideal
in-ceiling speaker location is over the primary listening area, especially if the ceiling is
low. And while our speakers are designed to handle the outdoor elements, they should
be placed out of the extreme sun, rain, snow and gale-force winds as much as possible
(such as under eaves).

Fig. A
Step 2. Cut the Holes
You’ve decided where the speakers will go — it’s time to cut some holes in your wall!
If you do find an obstruction, you can easily
patch the small hole you drilled. Otherwise,
continue with the following steps.
b. Position the template at your chosen
speaker location and trace along the inside
edge. Make sure you keep this line at least
an inch from any stud or firebreak so that the
speaker’s mounting system has the room it
needs.
a. First, locate your wall-studs with a “stud-
finder”. They can be found at hardware
stores. Once you’ve found the wall-studs,
check for obstructions behind your chosen
speaker locations. Drill a small hole in the
center of the area you plan to cut out. Take a
piece of coat hanger wire and bend it at a 90-
degree angle — insert it into the small hole
and fish around to make sure no pipes, studs,
wires or other objects are hiding there.
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Aperion 8" In-Wall and In-Ceiling 9
c. After all the speaker locations have their outlines drawn, you may want to measure once
more and make some small adjustments (as needed) to align them relative to one another.
d. Carefully cut along these lines. A keyhole saw or dry-wall saw (about $10) is easy to control
and will do less damage than an electric jig saw. The speakers’ frames will overlap and hide the
rough edges, so don’t obsess about making absolutely perfect cuts.

Step 3. Plan Your Wire Run
Running the wires from your electronics to the speaker locations may be the most
difficult step of all — some thoughtful planning now could save some headaches later.
a. Start by visualizing where the wire will need to run and consider various wiring strategies:
Attic: With in-ceiling speakers, this approach is the most popular and usually the easiest to
install. It will probably involve drilling through the header, a stud that caps the top of the wall,
with a 3/8” to 1” “spade” bit above the receiver. If you choose in-wall placement rather than
in-ceiling, a similar hole will probably be needed above the speaker locations as well.
To Receiver/
Amplifier
Studs Studs
Cable
To Left
Speaker
1’ hole
in header
To
Speaker
Fig. B
Fig. A
Dry Wall
Right
10

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Under the floor: Same as the attic method except that the holes are drilled through
the studs that cap the bottom of the wall. This can work well if you have a crawl space
or open basement.
Under the carpet: “Tape wire” is available — sweeping it under the rug is easy, and
invisible.
Behind the baseboard: Special baseboards are designed to house and hide wires.
Drywall channeling:
This involves routing out a shallow groove directly in the
wallboard, laying the speaker wire in the channel and refilling it with drywall
compound.
Or, use a combination of the above techniques.
Aperion 8" In-Wall and In-Ceiling

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b. Select your speaker wire and purchase the proper lengths. Now that you know the
speaker locations and have a wire-routing plan, the wire lengths you’ll need can be estimated.
In most cases, 14 gauge wire should be sufficient (the speaker terminals will accommodate
up to 14-gauge speaker wire). If larger wire is needed, terminate the wire using pin
connectors to ensure it will fit into the terminals. Behind-th e-wall wire runs should use UL
Class 2 or 3 approved cable to ensure compliance with local building codes (it will be
marked CL2 or CL3).
c. Route speaker wires away from household wiring because electrical lines will
interfere with your speaker signal.
Avoid the temptation to “piggyback” and use existing holes in the studs where electrical
wiring runs. And, when possible, keep speaker wires more than 18” away from electrical
wiring. If you need to cross electrical wiring, go directly across at a 90° angle.
Extra Tips For Distributed Sound
•Many distributed sound systems feature individual in-room volume controls. This means
you will need additional wire runs from the control to the speaker so be sure to account
for these when planning your wire runs.
•If you plan to use more than two sets of speakers, be sure they don’t present an unsafe
load to your electronics.
There are two ways to deal with this potential problem:
1) Buy a distributed audio amplifier with one channel for each speaker (best option).
2) Buy an inexpensive speaker selector (works, but is not the optimal solution).
Speaker selectors are usually not recommended because they can greatly
degrade the speakers’ sound quality (by wiring your speakers in a series with one
another other or by placing a resistor in series with them).

Step 4. Run Speaker Wires
Aperion 8" In-Wall and In-Ceiling 13
a. First, prepare the route of the wire.
Depending on your chosen strategy (from those
above), this may mean drilling holes, removing
baseboards and molding, and/or
making channels in wallboard.
b. Next, run the wire. A “fish tape” can make it
much easier. Leave about two feet of extra wire
to make it easier to connect to your speaker.
c. NEVER use staples, nails or other metal
objects to secure the speaker wire. A short
could affect your system’s performance, even
damage your electronics. Special insulated
staples are available from your hardware store.
d. Note the markings on your wire that
identifies each strand. You’ll need this info
later to be sure you connect the speakers
properly.

Step 5. Paint the Speaker Grill (optional)
If you need to, you can paint your speaker grilles to match the wall or ceiling. Just follow these steps:
a. Remove the speaker grille before painting. DO NOT paint the grille while
on the speaker.
b. When the grilles are painted, care should be taken not to clog the holes. Do
not paint the grills while they’re on the speaker. Most hardware and paint
stores sell an inexpensive spray-can that allows you to spray small amounts of
most types of paint. We recommend only light spray painting using 5 parts
thinning agent to 1 part paint. If a few holes get clogged, they can be opened
with a pin after the paint is dry.
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Step 6. Install the Speaker
If there’s no fiberglass insulation in the hole awaiting your speaker, adding two square feet
behind the speaker will help its bass performance. If there is existing fiberglass but it has
paper backing, remove the paper. It’s OK to let the speaker’s magnet push against the
fiberglass. NOTE: We strongly recommend wearing a long sleeved shirt and dust mask
while working with fiberglass.
flip to an outward position, clamping the
drywall between the feet and the white
frame. If you’re using a powered screw gun,
finish tightening with a hand screwdriver to
avoid over-tightening. Tighten just enough
for the flange to become snug against the
ceiling. (Over-tightening may warp the baffle,
crack the wall, or cause the flange to distort.)
Mounting feet
Fig. B: Attach wires
to push terminals
Fig. C
Flange
In-ceiling speakers
a. Your speakers came with their
grills attached. To remove the grills
prior to installation, insert the supplied
tool through a grill-hole near the edge and
simply pull the grill out.
b. Attach the speaker wire to the
push terminals on back of the speaker. It’s
very important to wire them with the
correct negative/positive polarity. Be sure that
the wire attached to the positive terminal (+,
red) on the speaker connects to the positive
terminal on receiver. Similarly, the negative
terminal (-, black) on the speaker must
connect to the negative terminal on the
receiver. You can use the stripe, differing
colors or “+++” markings on one of the wire
strands to keep track.
c. Be sure the mounting feet are
turned inward to clear the opening, and then
insert the speaker into the ceiling or wall.
Position and aim the speaker and tighten
the four screws on the front of the baffle.
As you tighten the screws, the feet will
automatically
Aperion 8" In-Wall and In-Ceiling 15

In-wall speakers
a. Attach the speaker wire to the
push terminals on back of the speaker.
It’s very important to wire them with
the correct negative/positive polarity. Be sure
that the wire attached to the positive
terminal (+, red) on the speaker connects to
the positive terminal on receiver. Similarly,
the negative terminal (-, black) on the
speaker must connect to the negative
terminal on the receiver. You can use the
stripe, differing colors or “+++” markings on
one of the wire strands to keep track.
b. Mount the frame into the hole you just
cut.
c. Be sure the mounting feet are turned
inward to clear the opening and then insert
the frame into the ceiling or wall. Make sure
the speaker is sitting squarely, then tighten
the six screws on the inside of the frame. As
you tighten these screws, the feet will
automatically flip to an outward position,
clamping the drywall between the feet and
the flange of the frame. If you’re using a
powered screw gun, finish tightening with a
hand screwdriver to avoid over-tightening.
Tighten just enough for the flange to become
snug against the wall. (Over-tightening may
warp the baffle, crack the wall or cause the
flange to distort.)
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a. Aim the tweeter before adjusting the
“Treble” switch. You’ll probably want to aim
the tweeter into the main listening area. For a
diffused surround sound, try aiming the
tweeter away from the listening area.
b. Start with the “Treble” switch in the “0”
or “Neutral” position. If you’re considerably
off to the side of where the speaker is aimed,
try the “+3dB” position. If the speaker is
aimed directly at you, you’re very close to the
speakers or the room is very “lively”, you may
prefer the “-3dB” position.
c. Our speakers are acoustically engineered
with their grilles in place, so if you’re setting
the treble switch by ear, make sure to do the
listening test with the grill on the speaker.
Step 7. Aim the Tweeter and Set the
Treble Switch (In-Ceiling only)
Your in-ceiling speaker has an aimable tweeter and adjustable treble level so that they can
perform well in a wide variety of circumstances. We offer some guidelines but, ultimately,
trust your own ears. That said, the best question to ask yourself when trying various settings
is not “what sounds best?” but “what sounds most true to life ?”
Aperion 8" In-Wall and In-Ceiling 17

Step 8. Install the Grills
The grills are magnetically held in place over the speaker baffle. Simply align the grill over the speaker
frame and allow it to click in place.
In-Wall In-Ceiling
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