Conextion zc Series Service manual

Owner’s and
Installation Manual
zc Series Ceiling Speakers
Includes Models
z600c, z500c, z400c, z300c,
z200c and z100c

zc Series Ceiling Speakers 2
Owner’s and Installation Manual 3 
Introduction
Congratulations and thank you for choosing a zc Series
Loudspeaker from coNEXTion Systems! With proper in-
stallation and operation, you will enjoy years of trouble-
free use. We work very hard to ensure that all of our
speakers consistently deliver exceptional performance
and value. We hope you enjoy them to their fullest.
Please take a moment to read these instructions so you
can get the most from your speakers. coNEXTion Systems
manufactures a full line of ceiling, in-wall, and outdoor
speakers. To learn more about our products, and to see
a video demonstration of the installation features of the
zc Series speakers, please visit us on the web at our web
site www.conextionsystems.com. You can also call us
at 866-310-NEXT (6398). Please take a moment to famil-
iarize yourself with the major components of your new zc
Series Loudspeaker by studying the diagram below.
Major Components of the
zc Series Loudspeaker*
* Some features not available on all models
Direct Axis Extending
Tweeter™
Circuit Board with
Bass Adjustment and
Impedance Selection
SnapLok™ Angled
Woofer Bafe
50° No Diffraction
Angling Tweeter
Z-Tool™ Frame
Treble Control

zc Series Ceiling Speakers 2
Owner’s and Installation Manual 3 
Features and
Benets
zc Series Speakers
Sound Better and Install Faster
All our zc Series Speakers feature Z-Tool™ and SnapLok™
Installation…That’s Right—NO TOOLS!
Our patent-pending Z-Tool™ system for zero tool in-
stallation allows the frame to be mounted in the ceil-
ing without the use of any tools! Our unique, proprietary
mounting mechanism allows the installer to secure the
speaker frame rmly against the drywall in seconds.
We also created the patent-pending SnapLok™ angled
(up to 20°) bafe that drops into place, requiring no pre-
alignment. A simple hook mechanism snaps the bafe into
place. This method is safer, quicker and easier than any oth-
er ceiling speaker installation system on the market today.
50° No Diffraction Angling Tweeter
All zc Series models feature a 50° (that’s 3.5 times more
than traditional tweeters) no diffraction angling (pivoting
ball) tweeter that enables it to be pointed towards the
listening position, and be locked into position (except the
z200c, which has a 20° no diffraction angling tweeter).
On the three-way z500c and z600c the midrange is also
part of this angling assembly.
The Direct Axis Extending Tweeter™
The patent-pending Direct Axis Extending Tweeter™
not only maintains the 50° rotation, it can extend ap-
proximately 1" below the ceiling and actually be pointed
toward the listening position. When combined with the
20° angling woofer, up to 70° of acoustic focusing con-
trol is available. However, for times when aesthetics rule
over acoustics, the tweeter can be retracted to a traditional
ush setting. This feature is available on all models except
the z100c and z200c.
No Compromise Construction
We use state-of-the-art parts and materials (glass-lled
structural 6/6 nylon), with section thicknesses much more
robust than other products. This allows us to use me-
chanical designs that enhance the overall acoustic perfor-
mance with no chance of mechanical buzz or rattle.
Acoustic Controls
Bass and treble can be ne tuned to accommodate re-
ective surfaces, corner loading, and personal tastes.
Adjustment is accomplished via the bafe-mounted
treble control (-2dB, 0dB and +2dB) and circuit board
mounted bass jumper (0dB, -1dB, and -2dB).
Selectable Impedance
Speaker impedance can be set depending on your sys-
tem needs—4 ohms where maximum current transfer
and output level is desired; 8 ohms for systems utilizing
multiple speaker pairs where amplier loading is a con-
sideration. (Available on all models except z200c.)
FlexSpeak™: Three Speakers In One!
The FlexSpeak™ dual tweeter and voice coil speaker can
be wired as a single channel of a stereo pair, a single
point stereo speaker, or as a D2 directDiffuser™ for use
as a surround speaker. (Available on Model z200c only.)
See page 9 for details.
Carton Contents
All zc Series models have been conveniently packaged to
coincide with your installation schedule. The sheetrock
cutout template, the Z-Tool™ frame and the contoured
grille (where applicable) are located at the top of the car-
ton. The speaker bafe is located underneath, so that it
can be stored in a safe place until you are ready to install
the rest of the product. We have also included a ush
grille at the bottom of the carton. The z100c and z200c
are shipped with the ush grille only.
This system has been designed so that a “paint shield” is
unnecessary, as any painting should be done before the
actual speaker bafe is installed.
Speaker Placement
Suggestions
For general operation, the zc Series speakers can be lo-
cated anywhere within the listening area. As a rule, it
is best to keep them at least 24 inches away from any
wall boundaries (ceiling/wall/corner). Placing any speak-
er in close proximity to a boundary surface will always
“color” the sound that the speaker produces. Even with
frequency adjustments, only small improvements can
be made to the detrimental effects of boundary reec-
tions. In addition, the more directly under the speaker
you are, the more high frequency information you will
hear. When using two speakers to reproduce stereo, con-
sider where the majority of the room’s occupants will be
most of the time. Then try to locate the speakers where
the listeners will get a reasonable balance of sound from
both speakers.

zc Series Ceiling Speakers 4
Owner’s and Installation Manual 5 
Stereo Speaker Placement
5.1 / 7.1 Speaker Placement
Figure 1 Suggested Speaker placement for Stereo or 5.1 / 7.1 operation.

zc Series Ceiling Speakers 4
Owner’s and Installation Manual 5 
A stereo pair of speakers should be placed at the front
of the listening area, and  the distance apart from the
distance to the seating area if possible. This provides the
best stereo imaging. For example, if the distance from
the seating to the speakers is 8 feet, the speakers should
be 4 feet apart. See Figure 1.
One of the biggest problems of ceiling speakers is that
they sound, “like they are in the ceiling!” We believe
that getting the image down into the room is an im-
portant part of a satisfying listening experience. With
coNEXTion’s patent pending Direct Axis Extending
Tweeter™, 50° no diffraction angling tweeter, and 20°
angling woofer, you have up to 70° of angle by which to
do so. (See page 8 for more info.) We highly encourage
you to use these enhanced features.
For 5.1/7.1 home theater installations, the ceiling speak-
ers should be placed in an array similar to if you were
installing “boxed” speakers. The front three speakers
should be on the same “plane” at the front of the lis-
tening area with the surround speakers mounted at
the sides. For 6.1 or 7.1 installations, the rear surround
speakers should be behind the listening area, and about
half the distance apart from the width of the seating
area. See Figure 1.
NOTE: If you intend to use the z200c FlexSpeak™
in the D2 Surround Mode, please see page 10 for
additional placement instructions.
For home theater installations, we recommend that an
optional subwoofer be included in the system to handle
the LFE track and low frequencies below 80Hz. When us-
ing any of the zc Series speakers with an audio/video re-
ceiver, the speaker selector should be set to SMALL, and
the low pass crossover set to 80Hz.
Speaker Wire
We recommend using 16 or 18 gauge stranded wire. For
wiring runs longer than 80 feet, 14 gauge stranded wire
should be used. Be careful to keep the speaker wire as far
away as possible (at least 18-22") from electrical cables,
holes and j-boxes, in order to reduce potential hum over
the speaker wire.
Installation
Once you’ve determined the locations for the speakers, the
following steps will guide you through the process of in-
stalling any zc Series speakers.
NOTE: A new construction rough-in kit is avail-
able from us. Please refer to the instructions in-
cluded in the kit. If the rough-in kit has been
used, please go directly to Step 2.
Mounting hole specications:
based on ” drywall dimensions
All zc Series 6.5” models:
Diameter 9-7/16”
Depth less than 6”
All zc Series 8” models:
Diameter 11-1/4”
Depth less than 6”
Overall specications:
All zc Series 6.5” models
Diameter 10-5/8"
Maximum Depth 6”
All zc Series 8” models
Diameter 12-1/2"
Maximum Depth 6”
1. Use the enclosed template to cut the appropriately-
sized opening in the ceiling material. Be sure that
the ceiling material can support the weight of the
speaker. Also, make sure that the sides of the open-
ing are at least 1-1/2 inches away from any beams or
studs within the cavity. If it is not, the frame mount-
ing clamps will be restricted in their movement and
may not clamp properly.
2. Be sure that all foreign material in the ceiling is kept
out of the speaker assembly, particularly the back of
the woofer cone. For best performance from your
speakers, lay a batten of berglass insulation be-
hind and around the speaker. Try to keep the same
amount of insulation for each speaker, particularly in
the same room, for consistent bass response.
3. Check the position of the impedance jumper on the
circuit board (not available on the z200c). Choose
the 4 ohm position if you are using an amplier ca-
pable of driving a 4 ohm load and you have only
one pair of speakers connected. Otherwise, use the
8 ohm position. See Figure 2.

zc Series Ceiling Speakers 6
Owner’s and Installation Manual 7 
4. Remove 1/2 inch of
insulation from the
end of each input
speaker wire. Push
down on the terminal
connector and a large
opening will appear in
the shaft of the con-
nector that is capable
of holding up to 10 gauge wire (see Figure 3). Insert
the bare wire into the opening and release the termi-
nal. Be sure to observe correct polarity, connecting the
positive (+) leads to the red terminals and the negative
(-) leads to the black terminals. Also, be sure that no
stray strands of wire touch across the terminals.
Z-Tool™ Frame Installation System
Our “Tool-less” frame fastening system does not require
the use of ANY hand or power tools for its installation
(other than a saw to cut the receiving hole in the sheet-
rock). This system is composed of four elements: a dog,
ratcheted post, dog latch lever and receiver, and the dog
retainer. See Figure 4.
The four rotating, nger-actuated dogs are rotated 90º
around their center hole and slid along the ratcheted post,
capturing the speaker frame against the ceiling. This ratch-
eted post allows the dog to move in just one direction.
To install the frame assembly in the ceiling, follow the
steps below.
1. Rotate each dog 90°. This engages the teeth of the
dog with those of the ratcheted post. See Figure 5.
2. Grasp the arm of the dog between your thumb and
index nger and slide the clamp towards the drywall,
making sure it is set rmly against the back of the
drywall. See Figure 6.
3. To fully tighten the frame assembly to the wall, push
the dog latch lever down into the dog retainer’s receiv-
ing latch. Latching the dog latch places a permanent
“spring tension” on the fastening system that elimi-
nates any remaining slack, ensuring that the dog is ful-
ly tightened against the sheet rock. See Figure 7.
To remove the frame assembly from the wall without
damaging either the dog’s ratchet pins or the ratchet
post’s teeth, follow the steps below.
1. Disengage the dog latch from the dog retainer’s re-
ceiving latch by pulling the retainer back, away from
the lever.
2. Rotate the dog latch 90º toward the inside diameter
of the frame assembly, disengaging the dog from
the ratchet post
3. The dog can now slide down the ratcheted post,
away from the drywall.
Angled Bafe Woofer Frame
All of the zc Series speakers feature an angled woofer
bafe. The angled woofer frame bafe is preset from
the factory at its full 20° angle. We believe that this 20°
angle provides the best position option for most installa-
tions. The bafe assembly is easily “pointed” toward the
desired listening area after it is inserted into the Z-Tool™
Frame (see SnapLok Bafe™ section below.)
If your installation doesn’t require a full 20° angle of
the woofer frame, follow the steps below to change
the angle.
1. Loosen the 4 Philips screws shown in Figure 8 one or
two turns. This action slightly disengages the woof-
er frame clamp that secures the woofer frame to the
bafe.
2. Rotate the woofer frame against the bafe by grasp-
ing its reinforcing ribs and twisting (rotating) the woof-
er frame against the bafe. Rotating the woofer frame
Figure 2 Impedance Jumper
Figure 3 Speaker Terminal
Speaker Frame
Drywall
Ratchet Post
Dog
Dog Latch
Receiving
Latch
Dog Retainer
Figure 4 Z-Tool™ Frame Elements

zc Series Ceiling Speakers 6
Owner’s and Installation Manual 7 
in this way changes its angle between the plane of the
bafe and the plane of the woofer. It may be adjusted
to any angle between 0° and 20°.
3. After you’ve nished with your adjustments, re-
tighten the 4 screws, otherwise the system may pro-
duce undesirable buzzes or rattles.
NOTE: You must “pre-adjust” the angled bafe
before you install the system into the ceiling, as
there is no way to make this adjustment after
installation. It is unlikely that you will need to
adjust this angle, as it is rare that the speaker
is placed directly over the listening area. In the
case of a home theater application, placing the
system directly over the listening area is largely
undesirable, as this will “shrink” the size of the
apparent acoustic image.
SnapLok Bafe™
This system incorporates an alignment-free, snap-in re-
tention speaker bafe that allows an unencumbered
359º rotation after insertion, (rotating the SnapLok
Bafe™ continuously beyond 360° may “twist” the
speaker wires out of the connections) and is lockable
to eliminate buzz and rattle, and does not require any
tools to install.
IMPORTANT NOTE: There are three knobs on
the bafe frame (see Figure 9). These are facto-
ry pre-set at the -90° position [with zero° being
where the matching (or mating) rib is located.]
Before installation, turn each knob counter-
clockwise 180°, then back to the -90° factory
preset position in order to insure proper reten-
Figure 5 Dog rotated 90° Figure 6 Dog slid up Ratcheted Post
and against drywall
Figure 7 Dog Latch Lever engaged
in Receiving Latch
Figure 8 Woofer shown positioned in Angled Bafe at
full 20° factory preset and at 0° position.
Woofer Bafe
Rotating Woofer Frame
Woofer Frame
Clamp
Assembly Screws
Woofer at 20° Angle
Woofer at 0° Angle
tion of the bafe during installation. Failure to
do so may cause the bafe to release from the
Z-Tool™ frame while aligning the speaker.

zc Series Ceiling Speakers 8
Owner’s and Installation Manual 9 
To insert the Speaker Bafe assembly into the frame, fol-
low the steps below. See Figure 9.
1. Carefully insert the bafe assembly into the frame with
a simple, linear motion. No pre-alignment is required.
2. After insertion, make sure that at least two of the
knobs have maintained the -90° position before you
remove your hand, or the bafe may release from
the frame. Before you attempt to re-orient (point the
bafe) toward the listening area, it’s a good idea to
make sure that all three of the locking knobs are in
the –90° position to ensure smooth rotation of the
bafe inside the Z-Tool™s frame.
3. After positioning to the desired angle, rotate the
knobs fully clockwise until you feel them “lock” into
place at the zero° detent (when the knob’s nger
gripping rib aligns with its matching rib on the baf-
e). The speaker is now fully installed!
To adjust the angle of the Tweeter or Tweeter/Midrange
assembly, follow the steps below.
1. Turn the locking ring counterclockwise and angle
the Tweeter or Tweeter/Midrange assembly to the
desired angle.
2. Turn the ring clockwise to lock the assembly in
place.
Direct Axis Extending Tweeter™
One of the most important features of the zc Series
products is the proprietary patent-pending Direct Axis
Extending Tweeter™. We highly recommend the use of
this feature for best results.
NOTE: This feature is not available on the z200c
and z100c.
The extending tweeter, in concert with the 50º angling
tweeter system, enables the tweeter to be placed in a
position that allows the listener to be “directly on-axis”
with the tweeter, even when the listener is at an extreme
angle to the speaker system. To engage the extending
tweeter system, follow the steps below. See Figure 11.
Knob at -90°
position
Knob in locked
position
Figure 9 SnapLok Bafe™ Knob positions
* On the 8” three-way models z600c/z500c, this feature
includes the midrange driver as well.
Tweeter Assembly
Locking Ring
Figure 10 Adjusting Tweeter or Tweeter/Midrange
assembly. Assembly for the z400c and z300c shown.
Removing the Bafe
After installation, if you have need to remove the bafe
from the Z-Tool™ Frame (for example, you desire to read-
just the woofer control on the back of the circuit board),
simply turn the knobs counterclockwise 180° and the
bafe will release. Be careful to secure the speaker be-
fore unlocking the knobs. To reinstall the bafe, before
re-inserting in frame, make sure that you have rotated
the knobs back to the -90° factory preset position and
re-trace the steps above.
50° No Diffraction Angling Tweeter
and Midrange*
All zc Series Models, except the z200c which has a 20°
no diffraction angling tweeter, feature a 50° no diffrac-
tion angling tweeter that enables it to be pointed to-
wards the listening position, and be locked into position.
See Figure 10.
Tweeter Assembly
Tweeter Post
Tweeter Post
Locking Ring
Figure 11 Adjusting height of Direct Axis Extending
Tweeter™. Assembly for the z400c and z300c shown.

zc Series Ceiling Speakers 8
Owner’s and Installation Manual 9 
1. Turn the tweeter post locking ring counterclockwise
to unlock the assembly.
2. Gently pull the top of the tweeter post to the desired
extension (full extension is approx. 1").
3. Turn the locking ring clockwise to lock it into position.
By making the tweeter system extendable (as opposed
to being xed in an extended position), you have the op-
tion of retaining a more conventional “ush” installation
if necessary.
A Note On Grilles
All models (except the z200c and z100c) are shipped with
two grilles. One “contoured” grille is designed to be used
when the Direct Axis Tweeter system is in the extended
position. This grille will protrude slightly from the ceiling;
however, it also yields the best acoustic results. For those
occasions when the installation is more aesthetically sen-
sitive than acoustically, and the Direct Axis Extending
Tweeter is not utilized, we include a ush grille.
Please use care when installing either of these grilles on
to the speaker. If required, the grilles can be cleaned with
a dampened soft cloth. If you need to paint the grilles,
be sure that the holes remain unobstructed before the
paint is dry.
Acoustic Controls
All zc models include both bass and treble controls.
The treble control is mounted on the front of the speak-
er bafe (See Figure 12).
It is a three position
switch that allows for
0dB/+2dB/-2dB settings.
The woofer control is
located on the back of
the speaker’s PC board,
and uses jumpers to se-
lect 0dB, -1dB, and -2db
settings (see Figure 13).
NOTE: The z200c
model has two sets
of woofer control
jumpers with set-
tings for 0dB and
-2dB. See page 10
for details.
These adjustments should be set, if possible, in con-
cert with the consumer. While some adjustments can
be made for room interaction by the installer, it is usu-
ally preferable to guide the customer through the pro-
cess with music, for their personal tastes. The SnapLok
Bafe™ system makes it easy to remove the speaker for
the bass adjustments.
FlexSpeak™
(Model z200c only)
The z200c is a unique speaker that can be used in a va-
riety of installations. The speaker is factory pre-set to the
D2 directDiffuser™ mode, with spatially enhanced out-
of-phase tweeters, for a dipole-like effect in surround
installations. However, this dual tweeter/dual voice coil
speaker is easily turned into a single point stereo speaker,
or as a traditional single channel (for example, one half
of a stereo pair). See Figure 14. This is accomplished via
jumpers on the speaker’s circuit board.
Figure 12 Tweeter Control
Figure 13 Bass Control
Jumpers
Single
Channel
Stereo
Mode
D2
Surround
Mode
Same signal
from both
tweeters
Tweeters
output
separate left
and right
signals
Single surround
channel output
from each
tweeter out of
phase
Figure 14 Diagram of various FlexSpeak™ operation
modes

zc Series Ceiling Speakers 10
Owner’s and Installation Manual 11 
Single channel mode
Use this mode when the speaker will play a single channel
of information (as either the left or right channel of a stereo
pair of speakers). When used in this mode, both tweeters re-
produce the same signal.
Stereo Mode
In Stereo mode, each of the woofer’s dual voice coils and
the tweeters receive their own signals. The result is stereo
reproduction from a single speaker. This is particularly ad-
vantageous in distributed audio systems where there is a
desire to have stereo sound in many rooms, but with as
few speakers as possible.
D2 directDiffuser™ Surround Mode
D2 directDiffuser™ mode puts the two tweeters out of
phase with each other. The result is a non-localizable
sound source that helps re-create the surround eld in-
tended by the movie’s director. Since the goal of home
theater is to get you “lost in the movie,” a diffuse sur-
round eld often works best. When used in the D2 mode,
the best location for these speakers is in the ceiling to the
sides of the primary listening location, with the tweeters
facing towards the front and back of the room (see Figure
15). You can also place the speakers slightly forward or
behind the primary listening position, keeping the tweet-
er orientation as noted above. Make sure to angle the
tweeter assembly towards the listening position.
Figure 15 Tweeter orientation for D2 surround mode
Listening
Position
Front and Back of Room
z200c Jumper and Operation Settings
There are four sets of jumpers on the z200c circuit board
that need to be set.
IMPORTANT: Depending on the sound mode
(Single channel, Stereo or Surround) you intend
to use, these settings must be made before in-
stalling the speaker bafe.
Each voice coil of the
woofer has a two posi-
tion jumper 0db and -
2db (see Figure 16). This
will reduce bass energy
if required. These jump-
ers should be moved to-
gether to the desired po-
sition for the best effect.
The Tweeter phase control is capable of reversing the po-
larity of one tweeter in respect to the other and is marked
SUR/NOR. Both of these selectors MUST BE SWITCHED
together using the attached jumpers to change modes
(see Figure 17).
Figure 16 Bass Control
Jumpers for z200c
Figure 17 Tweeter Phase Control
The Mono/Stereo input selector switches the input
mode. Both of these selectors MUST BE SWITCHED
together using the attached jumpers to change modes
(see Figure 18).
Figure 18 Mono/Stereo Input Selector