Ceiling Speaker Installation
Getting the best performance from your ceiling speakers
The following information is a short guide to Installing ceiling speakers. Reading through the information before attempting speaker installation will ensure you get the best performance from your ceiling speakers, there is also a short video with even more tips below:
Precaution
Turn off all system power before connecting speakers.
Always wear protective eye wear when using tools.
Wear gloves when working with fiberglass loft insulation.
Necessary Installation Tools
- Drill
- Drill Bit ¼’ ~ ½’
- Stiff Wire (coat hanger or fish tape)
- 1’ Flat Bit (use if drilling through studs)
- Gloves
- Phillips Screwdriver
- Wire Strippers
- Plasterboard Saw
- Pencil
Step 1 – Choose Speaker Placement:
Ceiling speakers may be used in new or existing ceiling or wall installations to reproduce stereo music. In the following sections, we’ll discuss a number of tips and techniques to help you plan the installation and achieve the best sound performance from your speakers.
Step 2 - Check For Obstructions:
If an obstruction is found behind the plasterboard in the proposed location, you will need to choose a different location for the speaker. Before installing Ceiling speakers in pre-existing plasterboard, check for joists or any other obstructions, such as metal pipes, which are hidden from your view.
Stud Locator:
The easiest, most efficient way to detect obstructions behind plasterboard is to use a stud finder. At each proposed speaker location, use the stud locator to find an open space. Try to centre each speaker between the joists. Slide the stud locator horizontally and vertically across the ceiling or walls to locate the joists or any other obstructions.
Step 3 – Cut Speaker Openings:
At each speaker location, use the cardboard template to trace a cut line onto the ceiling or wall.
At each location, drill a small hole in the plasterboard at the centre of the outline.
Bend a piece of stiff wire (e.g. coat hanger) about 6 inches from the end at a 90 – degree angel. Insert the bent end into the hole and rotate the wire to check for any obstructions. If you hit anything, patch the hole with plasterboard filler and choose a different installation location.
Using a fine – Plasterboard saw, carefully cut out each opening.
When finished cutting, remove plasterboard scrap from hole.
Step 4 – Connecting Speakers:
Strip the speaker wire with a pair of wire strippers.
Carefully strip off 50mm of the outer jacket. This will reveal the conductor contained inside – two conductors for 2 conductor wire; four conductors for 4 conductor wires.
Conductors are protected by a plastic, colour-coded insulation jacket that must also be stripped. Carefully strip 15mm of insulation off the conductors that you need. This will expose the copper wire contained within. You are now ready to connect the wire to your speaker.
When connecting wires, observe the proper polarity of your amplifier (+) to (+) Red conductor (-) to (-) Black conductor also make sure that the left channel of the amplifier is connected to the left speaker, and the right channel is connected to the right speaker. For surround Sound, connect the speaker to the appropriate channel on the amplifier or receiver.
Now connect the (-) and (+) conductors cables to the corresponding (-) and (+) speaker terminals. Gently pull on the wire to verify a secure connection.
Step 5 – Installing the Speakers:
The easy and fast clamp installation procedure found on most ceiling speakers, allows you to simply clamp your speaker in place. Remove the grill by gently pushing one of clamp legs toward the front of the speaker. They should lie in the full clockwise position so that all clamps lay within the speaker cutout.
Insert the speaker into the cut hole bringing the outer edge flush with the ceiling/wall. Use a Philips screwdriver to tighten the four screw heads located around the front edge of the speaker. This will automatically rotate the clamps behind the plasterboard and securely grip your speaker flange to the ceiling/wall.
When you notice resistance in the tightening of all four screws the speaker has been successfully sandwiched between the plasterboard and the speaker flange. The clamps provide a tight fit and prevent unwanted vibration.
The screws should not be tightened so far that the flange bows, this will make the grill hard to fit. If this occurs, back off the tension on the screws a little.
Gently push the speaker grill into the speaker baffle.
Step 6 - Final Adjustments:
Most of todays ceiling speakers have an adjustable tweeter arrangement, which directs sound toward or away from the listening area to achieve a desired effect. Press on the outside plate to aim the tweeter so it fires at a desired listening area.
NOTE: Do not press the tweeter itself. Doing so may damage it and cause a distortion or poor
performance.