AperionAudio L6-IC User manual

Owner’s Manual for Aperion Audio Speakers
L6-IW (In-Wall) and L6-IC (In-Ceiling)

Table Of Contents
Thank You From Aperion Audio ............................................................................................1
Tools and Materials Needed .................................................................................................2
Speaker Installation ............................................................................................................4
Setting Up Your Receiver ...................................................................................................19
Troubleshooting ................................................................................................................19
Specifications ..................................................................................................................20
Warranty ..........................................................................................................................21

L6-IW (In-Wall) and L6-IC (In-Ceiling)
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.
The L6-IW and L6-IC 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.
Thank You… and congratulations
1

Also helpful:
• Stiff wire (like coat hanger wire)
• Fish tape
• A few square feet of berglass
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 nder
($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.
2

L6-IW (In-Wall) and L6-IC (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 frame and grill (optional)
Page 15 – Install the speaker
Page 17 – Aim the tweeter and set the speaker switches
Page 18 – Install the grills
3
INTIMUS L6-IC
IN-CEILING SPEAKER
INTIMUS L6-IW
IN-WALL SPEAKER

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 L6-IW 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 oor) and separated by 45° to 60° (when viewed from the seating
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. L6-IW speakers work almost as
well mounted horizontally. L6-IC speakers, with their aimable tweeter, will work fine in nearly all ceiling locations.
If your TV backs up to a wall, the L6-IC’s 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.
Step 1. Determine Speaker Placement
4

L6-IW (In-Wall) and L6-IC (In-Ceiling) 5
TV Height (about 40”)
45˚ – 60˚
TV Height (about 40”)

One pair of speakers should be located directly to the sides of the listening area (one on each side, but you knew
that). One or two additional rear speakers will be required for 6.1 or 7.1 Surround Sound. If you prefer an ambient
and subtle surround sound, such as a dipole speaker provides, then locate either the L6-IW or L6-IC speakers well
above ear-level. You can attain a more direct sound, like what monopole or bipole speakers produce, when placing
L6-IW 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
6

L6-IW (In-Wall) and L6-IC (In-Ceiling)
The L6-IW and L6-IC 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).
disTRiBuTing sound ThRough YouR house — oRouTside
7

a. First, locate your wall-studs with a “stud-
nder”. 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. If you do find
You’ve decided where the speakers will go — it’s time to cut some holes in your wall!
Step 2. Cut the Holes
8
Above ear level
6-8ft
Fig. A
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.

L6-IW (In-Wall) and L6-IC (In-Ceiling)
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.
Above ear level
6-8ft
9

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.
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.
Step 3. Plan Your Wire Run
10
To Receiver/
Amplifier
Studs Studs
Cable
To Left
Speaker
1’ hole
in header
Dry
Wall
To Right
Speaker
Fig. B
Fig. A

L6-IW (In-Wall) and L6-IC (In-Ceiling)
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.
11

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.
A good guide is to use 18 gauge wire for runs less of than 75 feet, 16 gauge wire for runs of 75 to 150 feet and 14
gauge wire for runs over 150 feet (the speaker terminals will accommodate 14-gauge speaker wire). Behind-the-
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.
•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 amplier 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).
exTRa TiPs foR disTRiBuTed sound
12

L6-IW (In-Wall) and L6-IC (In-Ceiling)
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 “sh 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 4. Run Speaker Wires
Above ear level
6-8ft
13

In-ceiling speakers
a. Your speakers came with their grills
attached. To remove the grills prior to painting,
insert the supplied tool through a grill-hole
near the edge and simply pull the grill out.
b. Replace the grills with the paint masks
provided in the carton.
c. Paint the speakers’ anges, carefully
following the instructions for the type of paint
you’re using.
d. The grills can also be painted but care
should be taken not to clog the holes. Do not
paint the grills while they’re in 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.
If you want to paint your speakers (to match the wall or ceiling), we recommend that you do so before they are
installed. But if you need to, they can also be painted in-wall. Just follow these steps:
Step 5. Paint the Speaker Frame & Grill
In-wall speakers
a. Your speakers came with their grills
attached. To remove the grills prior to painting,
insert the supplied tool through a grill-hole
near the edge and simply pull the grill out.
b. Paint the speakers’ anges, carefully
following the instructions for the type of paint
you’re using.
c. The grills can also be painted but care
should be taken not to clog the holes.
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.
14

L6-IW (In-Wall) and L6-IC (In-Ceiling)
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 bafe. As you
tighten the screws, the feet will automatically
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.
Step 6. Install the Speaker
ip 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
ange to become snug against the ceiling.
(Over-tightening may warp the bafe, crack
the wall, cause the ange to distort, and make
the grill difficult to install.)
Above ear level
6-8ft
15
Flange
Mounting feet
Fig. B: Attach wires
to push terminals
Fig. C

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 ip to an outward position,
clamping the drywall between the feet and
the ange 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 ange to become
snug against the wall. (Over-tightening may
warp the bafe, crack the wall, cause the
ange to distort, and make the grill difcult
to install.)
16

L6-IW (In-Wall) and L6-IC (In-Ceiling)
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. If you decide to make further adjustments
at a later time, be sure to read “Removing the
grill” below.
d. Our speakers are acoustically engineered
with their grills in place, so if you’re setting
the treble switch by ear, you might want to try
for a sound that is slightly too “bright” with
the grills off.
Your speakers have aimable tweeters and adjustable treble levels 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?”
Step 7. Aim the Tweeter and Set the
Speaker Switch
17

Removing the grill: If you need to remove grills after installation, the best method is to insert the supplied
tool through a grill-hole near the edge and simply pull the grill out.
The grills are designed for a very tight press fit, to minimize any chance of their vibrating or coming loose. To
install, align the notches with the slots on the bafe and slide slowly into place, working your way around the
edges. If you’ve painted the anges, take care not to scratch the paint. If you nd the grills very difcult to
install it’s probably because the mounting screws are over-tightened.
Step 8. Install the Grills
18
In-Wall In-Ceiling