Thiel DewPoint Technical manual

Coherent Source®
Outdoor Surface Mount Loudspeaker
Owner Information
THIEL
Congratulations on your purchase of the THIEL DewPoint™ surface-mount outdoor loudspeaker. This product is the
result of a dedicated effort to provide very accurate and realistic sound reproduction for outdoor entertainment areas.
We have used very high quality components and taken great care in developing the DewPoint both from a sonic
standpoint and a construction standpoint to increase its ruggedness for outdoor use. Properly set up and used with
good associated equipment, the DewPoint will provide you with a great deal of sonic enjoyment in a wide range of
environmental settings, indoors or out, for many years.
Jim Thiel, Product Designer, THIEL Loudspeakers
™

SPEAKER PLACEMENT
The DewPoint can be placed in a wide variety of outdoor (and indoor) locations on ceilings
and walls provided that it does not receive direct exposure to water. The speaker’s wedge
shaped cabinet and coaxial driver mounting allow the DewPoint to optimize the coverage
area for a variety of speaker placements and listener positions.
Many steps have been taken to provide a high degree of resistance to environmental
extremes. For best resistance to damage, DewPoints should not be exposed directly to water
such as uncovered in a garden. Mounting beneath an eave or under a covered porch are good
examples of recommended placement.
SURFACE MOUNTING INSTRUCTIONS
It is important that the DewPoint be mounted securely to prevent unwanted vibration.
The DewPoint is secured to its mounting surface with two weather resistant stainless steel
screws, one located along the rear edge of the cabinet, and one in the front located under
the THIEL logo. The logo is attached with removable adhesive and is removed by pushing it
from the speaker by inserting a small Phillips screwdriver, or something similar, through the
cabinet’s mounting hole from the back. A mounting template is included with the speaker to
assist in accurately positioning the mounting holes in the wall or other mounting surface.
Tape the template to the mounting surface in the desired position. Drill the two holes in
the positions marked on the template with a 1⁄16" drill bit to a depth of 2 inches. Any holes
in which a wall stud is encountered (where material is continued to be drilled beyond a depth
of approximately 1⁄2") should be left as-is, and the included #6 mounting screws should
be used for these holes. Any holes which do not drill into a wall stud (where the drill “falls
through” after the first 1⁄2" of depth) should be enlarged to 1⁄4" with another drill bit, and the
included molly bolts should be used for these holes. To install the molly bolts, insert the molly
bolt into the wall and tighten the screw until the molly is secure with its flange tight against the wall. Then remove the molly bolt
screw.
Mounting screws are also included for installation on masonry walls. To install using the enclosed, blue coated masonry
screws, the mounting holes on the DewPoint must first be enlarged using a 5/32" drill bit. Proceed with installation as instructed
in the previous paragraph.
Connect the speaker wires to the speaker, position the speaker in place and drive the two screws through the cabinet’s holes
and into the mounting surface using the appropriate type of screw for each hole (either a wood screw or a molly bolt). Replace the
logo by pressing it into the recess in the front of the speaker.
CONNECTING THE SPEAKERS
Speaker wire can be routed through a drilled opening in the mounting surface for a hidden connection. The DewPoint uses
5-way, weather resistant, gold plated binding posts which accept several types of speaker cable termination. Make sure that all
connections are tight.
It is essential for proper performance that all speakers in a system be wired in the same polarity. The speaker’s input
terminals are color coded to facilitate this. The wire connected to the red ringed input terminal of each speaker should connect
to the respective positive (+) output terminals of the amplifier; the wire connected to the black ringed input terminals should be
connected to the respective negative (–) output terminals of the amplifier. The speakers should be connected to the amplifier with
high quality cable to ensure minimal loss of power and proper control by the amplifier.
ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT
The DewPoint is a very high quality sound reproducer and will benefit from use with high quality associated equipment. Since it
is extremely accurate, it will reveal sources of distortion generated elsewhere in the system. For example, distortion resulting from
poor recordings or inferior electronics will be reproduced accurately. Consult THIEL or your authorized dealer for advice as needed.
The DewPoint’s wedge shaped cabinet and
coaxial driver mounting optimize the coverage
area for a variety of speaker placements such
as this outdoor grilling area
a single DewPoint mounted under the eave

POWER REQUIREMENTS
It is important to have enough power to play at the level you desire without distortion. If high sound levels are desired, the
DewPoints are designed to be used with amplifiers rated up to 200 watts per channel (into 8 ohms). If you play the speakers more
loudly than the volume the amplifier can cleanly produce, the amplifier will produce overload (clipping) distortion. The sound
will become compressed, strained, and in extreme cases, obviously distorted. This distortion is actually non-musical additional
energy, and since it is concentrated in the high frequency region where the speaker is least able to handle it, tweeters can be
damaged in extreme cases.
Keep in mind that sound quality is usually much more important than sound quantity. There can be large differences in the sonic
performance of two amplifiers of equal power, and this is more important than large differences in power. Most everyone will be
happier with a 100 watt amplifier of high sonic quality than a 200 watt amplifier of mediocre sonic quality. For this reason, we
feel there is no substitute for listening in making your amplifier decision.
The question “how much power do I need?” does not have the simple answer most people expect because it is not determined
only by the loudspeaker’s efficiency but also by the volume desired and the size of the listening area. If all three factors are
average, about 100 watts per channel is required. Each factor can raise or lower this amount by about three times.
1) Usually, people who “don’t like music loud” can decrease their power to about one-half. Also, people who like music loud
should increase their power by 2 times or more. Most people fall within a normal range.
2) A speaker with a low efficiency of 84 dB/W-m will require twice the power of an average 87 dB/W-m speaker and one with
a high rating of 90 dB/W-m will require only half the power of an average speaker. The DewPoint is of above average efficiency
(89 dB) and therefore requires less than an average amount of power for average volume levels.
3) Outdoor areas require a great deal more power to reproduce music at levels we typically enjoy inside since outdoor spaces do
not enjoy the amplification of sounds due to build-up of room reflections. For this reason, consider your listening area to be large
when choosing a partnering amplifier. If based on criteria above, you would choose a 100 watt amplifier for indoor use, you may
desire a 200 watt or greater amplifier for outdoor DewPoint installation.
With all this in mind, a person who doesn’t like to play music very loudly and has a tightly confined listening area can get
quality sound with the DewPoint with as little as 50 watts whereas a person who sometimes likes to play loudly outdoors may
need 200 watts or more. Please note that, although DewPoints are capable of loud playback levels, they are not intended to
reproduce concert levels outdoors.
BREAK-IN
The DewPoint, like most speakers, requires a period of playing before they perform optimally. The time depends on how loudly
the speakers are played; more time is required if played softly, less if played loudly. At least 50 hours at moderately loud levels
are required before the speaker is performing near optimum.
GRILLE
The DewPoint’s steel grille has been coated with weatherproofing paint making it impervious to rust. The grille is attached to the
cabinet magnetically and can be removed by gently prying the grille forward and away from the cabinet.
PAINTING THE CABINET
The DewPoint is shipped with an off-white finish. The speaker can be painted any desired
color. Be sure to use paint specified for outdoor use.
To paint the speaker, first remove the grille and insert the included painting mask
to protect the driver. The rim of the mask is tucked between the gray rubber woofer
surround and the white rim of the cabinet’s driver opening. Remove the grille before
painting. Take care to not clog the pores of the grille. Once the paint is dry on both the
cabinet and grille, reattach the grille using the supplied adhesive.
Painting mask installed

12/09
THIEL Loudspeakers
1026 Nandino Boulevard
Lexington, Kentucky 40511-1207
859-254-9427 • [email protected] • www.thielaudio.com
SERVICE
If your speaker system requires service, contact your authorized THIEL Loudspeakers dealer. If you need to contact THIEL
Loudspeakers, service information and technical support is available at [phone], Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Eastern Time or via e-mail at [email protected].
LIMITED 10 YEAR WARRANTY
THIEL Loudspeakers warrants every THIEL DewPoint system against defects in materials and workmanship to the original
owner for a period of ten years from the date of purchase. THIEL will, at no charge, replace any defective part and make any
repairs necessary to ensure its proper performance when the defective unit is returned to us postpaid. This warranty does not cover
damage due to accident or abuse and is void if the unit has been tampered with.
This warranty is automatic and no registration is required. This warranty gives you specific legal rights. You may also have other
rights which are particular to your state.
The following information is for your records.
Serial Numbers______________________________
Purchase Date_______________________________
Purchased From_____________________________
You can also register your warranty online at www.thielaudio.com
THIEL DewPoint CABINET DIMENSIONS
Amplitude Response 75 Hz-20 kHz ±3 dB
Phase Response Minimum ±10°
Sensitivity 89 [email protected] V-1m
Impedance 4 ohms (3 ohms minimum)
Recommended Power 30-200 watts
Size (horizontally oriented) 12" W x 6" D x 21" L
(31 cm x 15.3 cm x 53.7 cm)
Weight 16 pounds
A mounting template is included with the speaker to assist in accurately positioning the
mounting holes in the ceiling, wall or other mounting surface.
THIEL DewPoint SPECIFICATIONS
53.7 cm 21-1/8"
15.3 cm 6"
50.8 cm 20"
45.0°
1.4 cm 9/16"
1.5 cm 9/16"
31 cm 12-3/16"
18.2 cm
7 3/16"
Location of input
connectors on
back of speaker.