B-I-C America muro ARCHITECTURAL M-SR8 Installation instructions

Model M-SR8
Ceiling Speaker System
Installation and Owner’s Manual

2
CO GRATULATIO S
– on selecting this B.I.C America Ceiling Speaker. Like all B.I.C America speakers, they combine
advanced acoustic technology with durability and will provide years of musical enjoyment.
This manual is designed to make your ceiling speaker as easy to install as it is to listen to. If you’ve
had any home “do-it-yourself ” experience, you should find installation of your new speaker a simple job.
However, we suggest you read through this manual before starting out. If you then decide that
installing your B.I.C America Ceiling Speaker is beyond your skills, we’ve included suggestions for locat-
ing sources of affordable outside help.
What you need to do the job
Speaker system parts inventory.............................................................2
Tools for installation .............................................................................2
Speaker wire........................................................................................3
Amplifier considerations ........................................................................3
Where to put your speakers
Various uses ........................................................................................3
Stereo imaging.....................................................................................3
Other acoustic considerations................................................................3
Surround sound ...................................................................................3
Wall & ceiling surfaces..........................................................................4
Speaker wire paths...............................................................................4
Painting your speakers ................................................................................4
Cutting holes for the speakers .....................................................................4
Running connecting wires............................................................................5
Hooking up your speakers
At the speaker end...............................................................................6
At the amplifier end..............................................................................6
Final assembly ............................................................................................6
A short “test drive” .....................................................................................6
A quick troubleshooting guide ...............................................................7
Further reading
Taking care of your new in-ceiling speakers ...........................................7
More on amplifiers and impedances.......................................................7
Installing B.I.C America speakers during new construction......................7
B.I.C America M-SR8 description and specifications ................................8
Limited Warranty..................................................................................8
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
DRAWI G 1
Speaker
Grille
TABLE OF CO TE TS
A
WHAT YOU EED
TO DO THE JOB
SPEAKER SYSTEM
PARTS I VE TORY
Before you get involved in the actual installation
process, it’s a good idea to check for possible
shipping damage and identify parts and hardware.
You should have the parts shown in Drawing 1:
m One (1) B.I.C America loudspeaker system
with attached grille
m White cardboard mounting template
(outer perforation)
m White cardboard masking template for
painting (inner perforation)
m Black grille adhesive
If anything is missing after a thorough search
of the box and packing materials, contact the
dealer where you bought your speaker.
Although the B.I.C America Ceiling System is
extremely well packed to withstand the rigors
of shipping, you should still inspect it closely,
especially if there is any damage to the outside
carton. If you find anything wrong, contact your
dealer or the shipper who delivered the speaker.
TOOLS FOR I STALLATIO
I EXISTI G WALLS
It doesn’t take a whole workshop to install
your new speaker, just a few simple tools:
m A pencil
m A drill with a 1-inch flat bit
m A retractable utility knife or keyhole saw
m A length of stiff wire about 3 feet long (a
straightened wire coat hanger works fine)
m A Phillips-head screw driver which will fit the
black screws included with your speaker
m A pair of diagonal pliers or wire strippers
Some of the following may also be needed,
depending on the application.
m A stud finder
m Drill bit just slightly larger than the diameter
of one speaker wire
m Plumb bob or small weight on a string
m Insulated staples for securing speaker wire
m Masking tape or foam “double-stick” tape
m Paint and applicator for changing grille and
outer frame finish
Black grille adhesive
in polybag
Cut-Out & Masking Templates

3
SPEAKER WIRE
The amount of wire you’re going to need will
vary with speaker placement (which we cover
next). But we’re covering the subject of wire
now because it’s something you may have to
go out and obtain along with whatever tools
you don’t already have.
What kind to use
We recommend using inexpensive, multi-
stranded “zip-cord” for amplifier-to-speaker
connections. Also called lamp cord, it’s sold in
pre-packed rolls and in bulk displays at hard-
ware, lighting and home improvement stores.
Zip-cord’s outside covering (insulation) can be
transparent, black, brown, white, etc. Color
doesn’t matter. Wire-thickness does. For in-
wall and in-ceiling, a good quality wire should
be used so the outside plastic covering won’t
crack and break down over time.
Selecting the proper gauge
Wire is measured in “gauges.” For no
particularly good reason, the bigger the
number, the smaller the wire. For example,
18-gauge is thinner than 14-gauge.
The gauge of wire you need is determined by
the distance between your amplifier/receiver
and the speakers. Use the following chart as a
guide:
Length Minimum Gauge
Less than 10 ft. 18
10 to 50 ft. 16
Over 50 ft. 14
If in doubt, be safe and get a smaller gauge
(i.e. thicker wire). Using too thin a gauge over
a long distance can compromise sound quality.
And besides, there isn’t a vast cost difference
between gauges.
How much to buy
Basically, more than you think you need. As we
noted earlier, a discussion of lengths is sort of
premature until you’ve decided on exact place-
ment, so you may want to skip to Section B on
“Where to put your speakers.” But if you
have a rough idea of the distance from your
amplifier to the speakers, here are a few tips:
• Because of the complicated paths which are
often required to route wires, you’ll definitely
need more than the amount derived from
simple measurements.
• Even if one speaker is a lot closer to the
amp than the other speaker, you should
use the same length of wire for both paths.
This insures that both speakers will play at
equal volume.
• Professional installers often use the following
rule of thumb: “As the crow flies” amp to
speaker distance TIMES FIVE. That allows
enough for both speaker paths plus a very
healthy margin for unplanned detours.
Remember the electrician’s favorite adage:
“You can always cut off extra wire, but you
cannot make wire longer once it is cut.”
AMPLIFIER CO SIDERATIO S
Virtually any receiver, power amplifier or
integrated amplifier can be used with your
B.I.C America Ceiling Speaker. Although B.I.C
America speakers are rated for high power, it’s
OK to use an even more powerful amplifier if
you take some simple precautions, which we
cover on page 7 (“Taking care of your new
in-ceiling speakers”).
A more serious consideration is whether or
not you intend to power more than one set of
speakers with the same amplifier or receiver.
If you intend to hook speakers to both “A” and
“B” receiver outputs and then play both sets
of speakers at the same time, you should read
the section starting on page 7 of this manual
(“More on amplifiers and impedances”),
to avoid potential problems.
B
VARIOUS USES
B.I.C America Ceiling Speakers can be used for
background music, as a primary listening system,
or as built-in surround and rear speakers
in an audio/video home theater.
Background music
If you just want low-volume background
music to float through a room, placement for best
acoustics is not particularly critical. You can pretty
well ignore all our diagrams and tips on imaging and
other acoustical matters. ust put your speaker
where it’s convenient and non-intrusive to room
decor. You can even place the speaker in an adjoin-
ing room, such as a living room that flows into a for-
mal dining room, or in a kitchen and breakfast nook.
Surround sound
B.I.C America Ceiling Speakers make excellent
surround sound speakers. They can be mounted in
any of the positions shown in Drawings 2 and 3,
especially from the ceiling.
OTHER ACOUSTIC
CO SIDERATIO S
For best fidelity, there are several other factors
to keep in mind before you start actual installation.
B.I.C America ceiling speakers may be used
for rear sound channels by placing them (1)
behind or (2) in the ceiling, just behind the
viewer.
DRAWI G 2
DRAWI G 3
Open Attic
B.I.C America
Speaker
Standard Room
1
2
DRAWI G 4
Cone of
Coverage
WHERE TO PUT
YOUR SPEAKERS
Since these are primarily used in ceiling appli-
cations, we highly recommend installing in an
open attic space. If you need to go into the
ceiling of a first floor room (in a two story
house), we recommend the use of a profes-
sional installer.
Vertical placement
Treble frequencies are
quite directional. While
the dome tweeters in
B.I.C America M-SR8
speakers are designed to
disperse high frequencies
over a wide area, they
will give you the best
sound when positioned
so that they cover the
listening area in a cone
Placement can make all the difference in how your
B.I.C America speaker systems sound – and how
easy they are to install. There are at least three
“WHERE’S” and a “HOW” to factor into your layout:
• HOW you intend to use your speakers
• WHERE they’ll sound best (acoustic
considerations)
• WHERE it’s possible to install them
(ceiling surfaces)
• WHERE they can be installed that makes it
easy to get wire to them without remodeling
your entire house.
of coverage as shown in Drawing 4. Of course,
if the speakers are being installed in an area where
listeners usually stand up (such as a kitchen or
hallway), they are best suited for ceiling mount
(see Drawing 3).
Corners and reflections
When a speaker is placed close to the corner of a
room, bass frequencies are emphasized.
Treble is emphasized when it reflects back from
reflective surfaces such as large windows. Conversely,
highs tend to be muffled by soft surfaces such as
drapes, rugs, upholstered furniture, carpeted steps
and even textured fabric wall paper.

4
WALL A D CEILI G SURFACES
Now that we’ve covered where you should
put your speakers, let’s consider where you
CAN put them.
B.I.C America M-SR8 speakers require at least
37/16˝ of depth (measured from the outside
surface of the wall). This means that they can
be installed in any wallboard-and-2 x 4 stud wall.
In fact, the dense, rigid nature of plasterboard or
(lath and plaster in older homes) acts as a
superb speaker baffle.
You can also install B.I.C America ceiling
speakers in stud walls covered with thick wood
paneling or in wallboard/plaster ceilings.
However, avoid:
• Stud walls covered only with thin veneer
paneling – the surface isn’t rigid enough and
can cause annoying vibrations and buzzing.
• T-bar “drop ceilings” with very thin fiber-
board panels which can buzz and vibrate. If
you suspect this will happen, reinforce the
drop-in panel with wood or particle board.
• Any wall which can’t provide proper depth
(clearance) for the back of the M-SR8
speakers to protrude. This includes brick
or concrete walls where the wallboard or
paneling is attached to thin furring strips.
• Walls where you know that there are pipes,
heating ducts and ESPECIALLY AC wiring in the
general vicinity. For example, if there is an out-
let along the baseboard, there is often a live
wire running partly up the wall at that point.
SPEAKER WIRE PATHS
The last consideration is the obstacle course
that lies between the speakers’ hoped-for
mounting positions and your stereo system.
Wire can be run through crawl spaces that lie
above your ceiling or below the floor, through
basements of second stories, or simply along
the perimeter of your listening room. We cover
each of these options in detail in the “Running
connecting wires” section of this manual.
In general, you should pay particular
attention to the following areas:
• Avoid running speaker wires close to house
electrical wiring for any distance. If you have
to run them parallel, make sure to space the
speaker wires at least two feet from the AC
line. It is, however, OK for speaker wires to
cross paths with AC line or go through the
same hole together with house wiring if they
separate before and after.
• Make sure that the entire path between
speakers and amplifier is clear and not
obstructed by a major floor or ceiling joist
or masonry wall which you won’t be able
to drill through.
• Remember that the other end of the wires
has to come out somewhere to connect
with the amplifier. Confirm ahead of time
that you can drill an outlet hole easily and
in an unobtrusive spot.
C
D
CUTTI G HOLES
FOR THE SPEAKERS
Wallboard is an easy surface in which to make
a relatively neat hole. Actually, the hole
doesn’t even have to be that neat, since the
speaker’s outer frame will cover it. ust make
sure you don’t make it any bigger than the
template. In the following steps, you’re going
to locate a section of ceiling between the
woodframing or in the wall between two
studs, mark the outer boundaries of the hole,
drill a small hole in the center to confirm
your location and then cut the main hole.
DRAWI G 5
A. Trace template
outline
B. Drill 1 inch
pilot hole
C. Probe with wire
for stud clearance
D. Cut speaker
hole along outline
1. First you must determine the location of
your ceiling supports or wall studs so that
the speaker can be approximately centered
between them. There are several ways to
go about this:
• Tap on the surface and listen to the result-
ing “THUMP”. When it’s deeper, you’re
between studs. When it’s sharper and more
flat-sounding, you’re close to a stud.
• Use a stud-finder, a simple little device
which works by locating the studs behind
a wall.
• Identify wall studs by the position of elec-
trical outlets or switches. There will be a
stud either directly to the left or right of an
electrical fixture. This gives you a point of
measurement, since studs are either 18 or
16 inches apart in newer houses, 12 inches
apart on pre-WW2 homes.
PAI TI G YOUR
SPEAKERS
If you like the designer white finish which
has been applied to your B.I.C America
speakers, you can skip to Step D. But if you
want your speakers to completely blend in
with a colored wall or accent the surface,
now is the time to paint their outer frames
and perforated grilles.
The speakers’ outer surfaces are primed to
accept ordinary latex wall paint or aerosol
spray paint. Because the surface behind the
perforated grille should remain black, you
will need to mask this area off before you
begin painting.
1. First the speaker’s grille must be removed.
From the back of the speaker, use the
mounting legs to push the grille off.
2. If you are going to use standard, canned,
wall paint so your speakers will match the
wall color, you will need to thin the paint to
nearly the consistency of water. This is
critical since paint with any thickness will
plug the holes in the grille which will impede
the sound from getting to the room. Once
you thin the paint it may take several coats
to get good consistent color coverage with-
out plugging the holes in the grille. One trick
to use is to blow air through the grille holes
as you are in the painting process to keep
the holes open. Paint the outer speaker
frame and grille separately. A medium nap
roller or fine brush will work OK if you take
your time and are careful. If you're using
spray paint, make sure that you achieve the
same coverage on both grille and frame.
Take care to use very light coats on the
grille to avoid plugging the holes (perfor-
ations). Also, be sure to spray at different
angles to achieve good even coverage of
the perforations and edges. You must take
extreme precautions when painting the grille not
to get paint in the holes of the grille. There’s no
need to replace the grille at this time since you
will need access to the inner speaker surface
during installation.

2. When you’re reasonably sure of where the
ceiling joist (studs or framing) or wall stud
2 x 4’s are (and are TOTALLY sure that there
isn’t an electrical cable, water pipe or heating
duct in that vicinity of your proposed cutout)
position one of the cardboard mounting
templates and draw around the inside outline
with a pencil.
3. Drill a 1-inch hole in the center of the pencil
outline which you have just drawn.
4. Obtain a length of stiff wire such as an un-
wound, totally un-bent coat hanger. Bend it
so that the last 12 inches is at a right angle
to the rest.
5. Insert the angled part into the 1-inch hole you
just drilled and probe to left and right to con-
firm that a stud is not close on either side.
• If there is a close stud on one side, just
re-position the cardboard template a few
inches in the opposite direction and re-draw
your pencil outline, keeping the 1-inch hole
within the pencil outline’s inner boundaries.
6. If there are no obstructions, cut the hole along
the pencil outline. If the surface is wallboard,
simply cut it increasingly deeper with utility
knife until it gives way and then pull it out by
grasping the cut-out through the 1-inch hole.
• If you’re dealing with lath and plaster or
thick paneling, you need to use a different
technique. Drill 1-inch holes at opposite sides
of the pencil outline. Then use a keyhole saw
or a hacksaw blade with VERY slow strokes
to saw through and remove the inner surface.
7. Temporarily place the B.I.C America speaker
into the cut-out to insure that it fits properly.
It’s OK if the hole is slightly large, since it
will be covered by the speaker’s outside
frame. Actual installation will happen later,
after you’ve routed the speaker wires.
8. Repeat for the other speaker.
9. Now it’s time to drill the hole on the OTHER
end – at the point where the wires from the
speakers will exit to the amplifier/receiver.
• Use the same 1-inch drill bit as before.
• If you want a totally finished job, install an
outlet box against a stud and cover it with a
TV cable or single outlet plate which has one
hole in the middle for the wires to exit from.
5
E
RU I G
CO ECTI G WIRES
Now you know where the wires have to run.
It’s time to actually route them.
If you have an attic or overhead crawl space,
your two steps are:
1) Route wires up from the amplifier to the
crawl space;
2) Route wire across the crawl space to the
speaker.
ROUTI G WIRE UP TO SPEAKER
(ATTIC CRAWL SPACE)
See Drawing 6
1. You’re about to ascend into your attic.
Grab the following:
• Tape measure
• Cordless drill with a 1-INCH BIT (or non-
cordless model with long extension cord)
• A VERY long roll of speaker wire
• Wire cutters – either diagonal pliers or
wire strippers which include a cutting surface.
• Plumb bob or string with a small weight
(such as a metal nut) on the end
• Tape – any kind will do
2. Crawl up into the attic with all the afore-
mentioned stuff and proceed to a spot
that’s directly over a speaker cut-out hole.
3. Time to use that roll of cable. Push a cable
through the speaker cut-out.
4. Making sure the end doesn’t get pulled back
up through the hole, reel out cable while
moving across the attic/crawl space until
you reach the location above your amplifier.
5. Extend at least 10 (TEN) more feet of cable
for the roll and cut it.
6. You now have a cable running from the
speaker. Time to get them down the wall
to where the amplifier will be.
7. Drill a 1-inch hole through the horizontal
2 x 4 directly above the amplifier wall outlet.
8. Now you’re going to guide cables down to
where they’ll emerge from the wall. Since this
hole isn’t too big, just stuffing them down and
grabbing them won’t work. Instead, it’s time
for the plumb bob or string-with-weight (or
wire if there’s insulation to contend with).
Tape the two cable ends (which come from
the speaker) to the plumb bob string just
above the weight and lower the whole thing
down through the 1-inch hole above the
amplifier. You’ll likely have to “feed out” the
attached cable to get the weight to descend.
9. Continue “feeding out” both cables until they
and the weight hit bottom. Tie the free end
of the plumb bob string to something so
that it doesn’t fall down the hole.
10. Exit the attic crawl space.
11. Go over to the 1-inch amplifier wire hole
and look for the extended string/plumb
bob and attached cables. If they’re not
visible, fish around for them with your stiff
wire/unbent coat hanger and pull them
through the hole. Then rescue the plumb
bob from the attic.
12. At the speaker hole, things are much easier.
You can just reach through and grab the
cables. Pull their whole free length out the
cut speaker hole. You’ve done it!
DRAWI G 6 DRAWI G 7
F
HOOKI G UP
YOUR SPEAKER
The main thing to remember when hooking up
a speaker is that two conductors in the speaker
wire are not interchangeable. One will be used
as a POSITIVE (+) conductor and the other as
a NEGATIVE (-) conductor. These correspond to
the RED (+) and BLACK (-) connectors on your
B.I.C America Ceiling Speaker and also to the
speaker terminals on your amplifier or receiver.
IDE TIFYI G “+” and “-”
Your need to be able to discriminate between
the two conductors in the zip cord.
If your wire has transparent insulation, this is
easy: One conductor will be copper-colored
and the other silver-colored. Generally, profes-
sionals denote the copper one as POSITIVE
(+) and the silver one as NEGATIVE (-).
If you’ve used wire which has an opaque
insulation, there are still differentiating mark-
ings. Examine the wire closely and look for:
• A series of ribs or grooves on one conductor
• A painted stripe
• A single strand of yarn intertwined with the
multi-stranded wire in one conductor.
Denote any of these as the POSITIVE (+) con-
ductor for similar connections on both ends.

AT THE SPEAKER E D
1. Cut off excess wire, leaving about 2 feet
extending through the speaker cut-out hole.
2. Pull the conductors apart so they’re separat-
ed for the first two inches from their ends.
3. Using wire strippers, diagonal pliers or a
knife, remove 1/2inch of insulation from
each conductor.
4. Twist the tiny strands in each conductor
into tight spirals, as shown in Drawing 7.
5. IMPORTANT: Route the speaker wire
THROUGH the hole in the ceiling (Drawing 8).
6. Attach the speaker wires to the red and
black speaker terminals. Press down on
the protruding levers while inserting the
wire into the hole.
• Connect the POSITIVE (+) conductor to
the RED terminal and the NEGATIVE (-)
conductor to the BLACK speaker terminal.
• Make sure that no stray strands of wire
have gotten detached and are touching
the other main wire.
AT THE AMPLIFIER E D
1. Cut off excess wire, leaving enough to
comfortably reach from the hole in the wall
to your stereo system. If there’s a possibility
that you’re going to move the amplifier to
another part of the room, consider leaving
some excess wire coiled up. If you’ve used
sufficiently thick wire, this extra length will
not affect speaker performance and
could make things easier if the room is
rearranged later.
2. Pull the conductors on both speaker wires
apart so they’re separated for the first two
inches.
3. Using wire strippers, diagonal pliers or a
knife, remove 1/2inch of insulation from
each conductor.
4. Twist the tiny strands in each conductor
into tight spirals.
5. Attach the speaker wires to the red and black
speaker terminals on the amplifier or receiver.
• Connect the POSITIVE (+) conductor to
the RED terminal and the NEGATIVE (-)
conductor to the BLACK speaker terminal.
• Make sure that no stray strands of wire
have gotten detached and are touching
the other main wire.
DRAWI G 8
6
DRAWI G 9
FI AL ASSEMBLY
1. If you haven’t done so already during paint-
ing, remove the perforated grilles from your
B.I.C America Ceiling Speaker. To remove
the grille, just use the mounting screw
(dog leg) on the rear to push the grille off.
2. See Drawing 9. Make sure all the clamping
brackets (dog legs) are turned inward as
shown in the picture before going up on
the ladder to install the unit in the ceiling.
3. Find the wire you ran previously (hopefully
hanging down through the hole you cut).
Strip the ends if you haven’t already done
so and connect as described in Section F.
4. Insert the speaker into the cutout hole
and be certain the wire is not hanging
down on the woofer cone.
5. Using a Phillips screwdriver (or powered
screwdriver, recommended), start tightening
the four screws. As you start the tightening
each of the mounting brackets (dog legs) will
swing around and follow the screw down to
the back of the ceiling and clamp the speak-
er into place. Avoid excessive force when
tightening the screws to prevent deforming
the drywall or breaking the plastic clamp of
the speaker. Be sure to go around all four
screws and check for even tightness in the
clamping pressure.
6. Now is the time to aim the tweeter (if
needed) toward your primary listening area.
Gently push on the rim of the tweeter to
swivel it so the center is aiming toward
the area you want (See Drawing 10).
7. Replace the grille by gently pressing it into
place. Use the supplied black grille adhesive
around the edge of the grille when pressing
it into place.
G
A SHORT TEST DRIVE
At this point, it’s a good idea to test every-
thing out.
Home Theater System
If you have connected your new B.I.C America
Ceiling Speakers to the rear “surround” output
of your receiver, you will need to put your
receiver in the “Pro-Logic” or “Digital” mode
and use a source such as a DVD player or
Hi-Fi VCR and suitably recorded movie to test
your receiver surround operation.
Stereo Music System
1. Turn on your stereo system. Make sure that
the VOLUME control is turned down and
that the BALANCE control is set to center.
2. Activate a musical source such as FM, a
tape or CD player.
3. Gently turn up the volume. You should hear
music coming out of your new B.I.C America
Ceiling Speakers! (If you don’t, refer to the
troubleshooting guide on the next page. We
suggest you read the section on the next
page titled “Taking care of your new in-
ceiling speakers” (for further operating tips).
HDRAWI G 10

7
A QUICK
TROUBLESHOOTI G GUIDE
Before returning your B.I.C America Ceiling
Speaker for service, it’s a good idea to check
out these simple remedies first.
o sound from the speaker
1. Incorrect source selected on receiver or
preamplifier.
2. Mute button pressed on receiver.
3. Wrong speaker output selected – many
receivers have an “A” and “B” speaker
switch. Make sure it’s in the right position.
4. Un-secure connection at either the speaker
or amplifier – double check them.
5. Balance control turned all the way left or
right – return it to center.
6. Surround mode not turned on and/or
surround level too low.
7. Bad connecting cable between sound
source and amplifier – try a new cable.
8. Defective speaker – contact your B.I.C
America dealer or call 1-877-558-4242.
Intermittent sound from speaker or
speaker plays initially but then shuts off.
1. Short circuit at either the amplifier or
speaker connectors is activating the amp’s
protection circuits – double check connec-
tions, making sure no stray strands of wire
from one conductor are touching the other.
Speakers plays but sound is mixed
with hum
1. It could be a faulty patch cord. If so, there
will be hum from your main speaker system
as well as from your B.I.C America Ceiling
Speakers. Assuming you didn’t have hum
in your system before, one or both of the
speaker wires has been run too close to
internal AC house wiring. Re-route it so
that it stays at least 2 feet away from AC
power wiring when running parallel.
Speaker plays but sound is muffled and
“strained.” Amplifier may shut off if
volume is raised too far.
1. Too thin a gauge of wire has been run
too far a distance between amp and
speaker. Make sure that you have followed
our suggestions as to wire gauge versus
overall distance.
When volume is turned up to a high
level, the treble cuts in and out.
1. The B.I.C America Ceiling Speaker features
a special protection circuit which electroni-
cally disconnects the tweeter if it starts
getting too hot. Turn down your amplifier
and make sure to read the section of this
manual titled “Taking care of your new
in-ceiling speakers” which starts on
this page.
FURTHER READI G
TAKI G CARE OF YOUR
EW I -CEILI G SPEAKERS
B.I.C America Ceiling Speakers are designed
to last the life of your home – if you follow a
few simple rules.
The main “killers” of a loudspeaker system are
1) too little power at high volumes, 2) too much
power at high volume, 3) transient thumps.
ot enough power
It’s a surprising fact, but far more speakers
are damaged by too little power than by too
much! When an amplifier runs out of power
while trying to re-create musical peaks, it caus-
es a form of high frequency distortion called
clipping. In moderate amounts, clipping simply
makes the music sound terrible. In greater
quantities over a period of time, it can damage
or destroy the tweeters (high frequency repro-
duction speakers) in any speaker system. If you
like your music LOUD, consider getting an
amplifier with at least 60 watts per channel.
Too much power
There’s nothing wrong with driving your
B.I.C America Speakers with a high power
amp – the extra power helps them achieve
quick musical transients found in digital record-
ings. However, you must remember to restrain
yourself and not get too heavy-handed with
the volume control (or remote buttons). If the
music begins to sound distorted or you hear a
“clacking” sound during bass notes, back off!
And naturally, if the internal protection circuits
are intermittently shutting off the tweeter,
you’re exceeding its safe power input level.
Transients
Loud, deep THUMPs, caused when you turn
your stereo on or off, can seriously damage any
loudspeaker including your B.I.C America ceil-
ing models. It’s always a good practice to turn
the volume down (or press the MUTE button if
your receiver has one) when changing sources
(such as changing from tuner to CD player
input). Also remember to turn your system off
before disconnecting any hook-up cables. When
they’re pulled out, a huge burst of low frequency
hum often occurs if the system is still on.
Cleaning
B.I.C America Ceiling Speakers are covered
with a durable finish which can be cleaned with
soap and water or spray cleaners. Avoid the use
of ammonia-based cleaning products, however.
If you’ve painted the grilles and frames, follow
the paint manufacturer’s cleaning instructions.
MORE O AMPLIFIERS
A D IMPEDA CE
Not all amplifiers or receivers can safely
operate two sets of speakers at once. If you
intend to use your B.I.C America Ceiling Speak-
ers at the same time as your main speakers –
or if you intend to hook up two sets of B.I.C
America Ceiling Speakers and use both at the
same time, it’s important to consider both the
impedance of the speakers and the capabilities
of the amplifier you’re using.
First consult the owner’s manual that came
with the amp or receiver. It should tell you the
minimum speaker impedances during simulta-
neous operation. On some models, the manual
will recommend that only two pairs of 8 ohm
speakers be used at the same time. Others
might allow one set of 8-ohm speakers and
one set of 4-ohm impedance speakers. A few
extremely robust receivers and power amplifiers
may even allow two sets of 4-ohm speakers.
If you can’t readily determine this information,
consult the dealer where you purchased the
amplifier, or call the manufacturer.
Next, determine the impedance of your
other speakers. It’s often printed on the back
of the enclosure down near the connection
terminals, or you can consult the speaker’s
owners’ manual.
B.I.C America Ceiling Speakers are rated at 8
ohms impedance. In general, this means that
most amplifiers will allow you to simultaneous-
ly operate one B.I.C America Ceiling Speaker
and one other set of 8-ohm loudspeakers – or
two sets of B.I.C America Ceiling Speakers.
If your other speakers are rated at 4 ohms,
some amplifiers may experience difficulty dri-
ving both sets at once and shut off intermit-
tently when the volume control is turned up.
In this case, you should operate only one
set of speakers at a time or keep the volume
extremely low.
I STALLI G B.I.C AMERICA
SPEAKERS DURI G EW
CO STRUCTIO
Needless to say, installing speakers when a
house is being built is far easier than doing
it later.
• If possible run speaker wires after AC
wiring is in place to avoid induced hum
caused by close parallel proximity.
• Secure speaker wires in place along the run
with insulated staples only and be careful
not to pierce the insulation. Allow a bit of
slack for expansion of building materials.
• Needless to say, the actual speakers should
not be installed until the wall board is in
place. In the meantime, leave several feet
of wire coiled up and secured to the back
side of the speaker opening.
• When it comes time to put up the drywall,
make sure the speaker cut out hole doesn’t
extend farther than the sides of the mount-
ing frame.
• After the wallboard is put up, install the
speakers as detailed on pages 5-6 of this
manual.

8
B.I.C America Speakers
Three-Year Limited Warranty
If the B.I.C America speaker system proves to
be defective in materials or workmanship within
three years from the date of the original cus-
tomer’s purchase, we will at our option, repair or
replace the defective part.
Limitation of Implied Warranties
Any implied warranties, including warranties
of merchantability and fitness for a particular
purpose, are limited in duration to the length of
this warranty.
Disclaimer
THE WARRANTY STATED HEREIN IS IN LIEU
OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING MERCHANTABILITY
AND FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND
ALL OTHER LIABILITIES AND OBLIGATIONS OF
B.I.C AMERICA, ALL OF WHICH ARE EXPRESSLY
DISCLAIMED. B.I.C AMERICA HAS NOT MADE
AND DOES NOT HEREBY MAKE ANY OTHER
REPRESENTATION, WARRANTY OR COVENANT
WITH RESPECT TO THE CONDITION, QUALITY,
DURABILITY, DESIGN, OPERATION, CAPACITY,
FITNESS FOR USE OR SUITABILITY OF THE
B.I.C ELECTRONIC PRODUCT.
Exclusion of Certain Damages
B.I.C America’s liability for any defective
product is limited to repair or replacement of the
product at our option. B.I.C shall not be liable for
incidental or consequential damages of any kind
or character because of product defects.
Some states do not allow limitation of how
long an implied warranty lasts and/or do not allow
the exclusion or limitation of incidental or conse-
quential damages, so the above limitation and
exclusions may not apply.
This Warranty Does ot Cover
• Damage caused by abuse, accident, misuse,
negligence, or improper operation (installation).
• Products that have been altered or modified.
• Any product whose serial number has been
altered, defaced or removed.
• Normal wear and maintenance.
• Damages caused by shipping (All claims for
shipping damages must be made with the
carrier.)
Warranty Service
Warranty service must be performed by an
authorized service center, usually a B.I.C America
dealer or its authorized agent. You may obtain a
list of authorized service centers by calling
1-877-558-4242.
All warranty repairs must be accompanied by
the original bill of sale. No other document is
acceptable or required.
TM
Certified BEST VALUE Performance
Specifications
M-SR8
Frequency response............40Hz - 21,000Hz
Power Handling .....10-125 watts per channel
Sensitivity ...........................................90dB
Woofer ...............................8˝ Poly/graphite
Tweeter .......................3/4˝ pivoting titanium
Impedance ......................................8 ohms
Overall Dimensions ........................103/4˝dia.
Required cut-out .............................91/2˝dia.
Required depth....................................37/16˝
Due to our continual efforts to improve product
quality as new technology and techniques become
available, B.I.C America reserves the right to revise
speaker systems specifications without notice.
B.I.C AMERICA M-SR8
DESCRIPTIO S A D
SPECIFICATIO S
The B.I.C America M-SR8 in-ceiling speak-
er has been ruggedly constructed to with-
stand not only the extreme dynamic range
found in today’s digital sound sources, but
also the rigors of temperature variation,
dust and moisture encountered in perma-
nent installation. Above all, they have
been designed to give you the finest possi-
ble music reproduction possible in modest-
sized speakers.
B.I.C America
925 . Shepard Street
Anaheim, CA 92806
www.bicamerica.com
Tech Support:
1-877-558-4242 (4BIC)
© B.I.C America. All rights reserved.
B.I.C America is a registered trademark of B.I.C America.