Niles OS3 Original operating instructions
MODEL
OS3
MODEL
OS3
Indoor/Outdoor Loudspeaker.
BLENDING HIGH FIDELITY
AND ARCHITECTURE
®
INSTALLATION & OPERATION GUIDE
®
DS00216A/OS3 Manual 3/1/99 9:21 AM Page 24
CONGRATULATIONS
Thank you for choosing the OS3 Indoor/Outdoor Loudspeaker from Niles.
With proper installation and operation, you'll enjoy years of trouble-free use.
Niles manufactures the industry's most complete line of custom installation
components and accessories for audio/video systems. For a free full line catalog
write: Niles, Catalog Request, P.O. Box 160818, Miami, Florida 33116-0818
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 2
FEATURES & BENEFITS 3
PARTS GUIDE 5
INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS 7
PAINTING THE OS3 12
INSTALLATION 15
OPERATION 18
SPECIFICATIONS 19
WARRANTY REGISTRATION CARD 21
LIMITED WARRANTY 22
DS00216A/OS3 Manual 3/1/99 9:21 AM Page 1
INTRODUCTION
The OS3 marries unparalleled listening satisfaction with the freedom to listen to
music anywhere! You can use them indoors and outdoors (even on a boat).
The extraordinary sonic performance of the OS3 was achieved by harmonizing
unique and proprietary technology with the most advanced manufacturing
methods and materials available.
The OS3 is a two-way speaker in an acoustic suspension enclosure. The cabinet
is shaped to fit neatly into corners or eaves. It is supplied with a swiveling mount-
ing bracket for easy installation anywhere. In addition, our engineers constructed
the OS3's to withstand the stresses and strains of the world outside! Now anyone
can affordably enjoy a concert on the green in their own back yard.
2
INTRODUCTION
DS00216A/OS3 Manual 3/1/99 9:21 AM Page 22
FEATURES & BENEFITS
LONG THROW POLYPROPYLENE WOOFER
The unusually stiff and light polypropylene cone, the butyl rubber surround, the
substantial magnet, and the rigid steel basket are all optimized for large excur-
sions of the woofer. In this way, the five inch cone can create the same deep
bass output of a much larger speaker moving small distances in and out. The
end result is rich satisfying bass from a compact, weather resistant loudspeaker.
WEATHER RESISTANT TWEETER
The 1/2” polycarbonate dome tweeter offers extraordinarily wide dispersion
characteristics, providing installers with greater flexibility when placing the
speakers. The smooth, extended frequency response of this unique tweeter
assures great stereo imaging and remarkable clarity.
TAPERING SHAPE
The cabinet of the OS3 is shaped so that the speaker will tuck discretely away
into corners or under eaves.
RIGID, ACOUSTICALLY INERT ENCLOSURE
The cabinet of the OS3 is composed of mineral filled polypropylene. This
material is extremely non-resonant. All you hear is the music.
LOW DIFFRACTION GRILLE AND FRONT BAFFLE
The grille of the OS3 has hundreds of precisely sized perforations, resulting in
acoustical transparency. The front baffle is gently curved in a radius optimized
for the best sound. Sound waves emanating from the drivers are not reflected
by the surrounding parts of the speaker.
PRECISION CROSSOVER
An electronic dividing network inside the cabinet precisely distributes the
music to the woofer and the tweeter. The two-way design of the OS3’s
crossover provides excellent stereo imaging and low distortion.
FEATURES & BENEFITS
3
DS00216A/OS3 Manual 3/1/99 9:21 AM Page 3
SWIVELING BRACKET
The U-shaped bracket and bracket knobs allow the OS3 to be pointed at the
optimum listening position and locked into place quickly and easily.
EASY THREE-WAY MOUNTING SYSTEM
1. The OS3 can be hung from a nail using the nail hole on the bracket.
2. The bracket can be screwed into the mounting surface using your hardware.
3.The OS3 is equipped with 1/4-20 threaded inserts for OmniMount®
(53 RST-UMK Series) or custom brackets.
STABLE SHELF PLACEMENT
The bracket knobs serve as one of the speaker's feet when the OS3 is placed
directly on a shelf or desktop without the bracket. In addition, two feet are
molded into the base of the cabinet to give added stability.
PREMIUM GOLD-PLATED FIVE-WAY BINDING POSTS
Gold plating gives you a corrosion-free high quality speaker wire connection.
The connectors' five-way design allows you to use any of the most popular wire
terminating methods.
EASY FINGER-SIZED ACCESS
The binding posts are mounted upside down in a molded recess on the back of
the OS3. This prevents moisture from pooling at the connection. The recess is
large enough to fit your fingers, so you can easily loosen or tighten the speaker
connections.
WEATHER RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION
The hardware is made of stainless steel or brass, and the binding posts are plat-
ed with gold. The bracket and grille are made of aluminum for the ultimate
rust-proof construction.
The enclosure itself is shatterproof. The OS3’s components are weather-resis-
tant, UV-resistant, salt water corrosion-resistant, and immune to damage from
temperature extremes (-50 to over 200 degrees Fahrenheit).
FEATURES & BENEFITS
4
DS00216A/OS3 Manual 3/1/99 9:21 AM Page 20
PARTS GUIDE
a
c
e
e
b
b
f
d
d
h
g
PARTS GUIDE
5
DS00216A/OS3 Manual 3/1/99 9:21 AM Page 5
a. Bracket
b. Nail Hole
c. Wire Hole
d. Screw Hole
e. Bracket Knob
f. Grille
g. Cabinet
h. Baffle
i. Binding Posts
j. Threaded Inserts
j
i
PARTS GUIDE
6
OS3 Parts Guide
DS00216A/OS3 Manual 3/1/99 9:21 AM Page 18
INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS
TOOLS AND MATERIALS REQUIRED
• A wire stripper
• A pencil
• A level (optional)
• Three screws or bolts suitable for the mounting surface
• The proper screwdriver for your mounting hardware
• A drill bit of the right size and type
• An electric drill
WIRING
The OS3 connects to your receiver or amplifier using 2-conductor speaker wire
(See Figure 2). For most applications, we recommend using 16 or 18 gauge
wire. For wiring runs longer than 80 feet, we recommend 14 gauge wire. The
binding posts of the OS3 will accommodate up to 12 gauge wire directly.
Larger sizes can be accommodated using spade, banana, or pin connectors.
When you run wire inside walls, outdoors, or in marine installations, special
jacketing or conduit is required for a trouble-free installation and conformation
to the local and national building codes. If you are not sure of the correct wire
jacket or type of conduit to use, consult a professional audio/video installer,
building contractor, or the local building and inspection department.
TECH TIP
Wire size is expressed by its AWG (American
Wire Gauge) number. The lower the number, the
larger the wire, i.e. twelve AWG is physically larger
than fourteen AWG.
INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS
7
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INCORPORATING A VOLUME CONTROL
It’s possible to control the volume of the sound at the speaker location. Plan to
wire the system so that each pair of speakers has its own volume control. Niles
makes a wide range of indoor and outdoor volume controls. Consult your local
Niles dealer for more information. Volume controls are connected in line with
the speaker, so you must connect the wire from the amplifier to the volume con-
trol and then from the volume control to the speaker (See Figure 3).
RECOMMENDED AMPLIFIER POWER
We recommend an amplifier with a power rating of five to sixty watts per chan-
nel for optimum performance (Niles makes a line of high-performance ampli-
fiers. See your local Niles dealer for more information). Ironically, most speak-
ers are not damaged by large amplifiers but by small amplifiers. If you are play-
ing at high volume, a small amplifier will run out of power very quickly. When
an amplifier runs out of power it creates damaging “clipping” distortion. A large
amplifier will play at the same volume without distorting. See the section
"Operation"for more information about clipping distortion.
Figure 2
Wiring directly from a receiver or
amplifier
Figure 3
Incorporating a volume control
INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS
8
DS00216A/OS3 Manual 3/1/99 9:21 AM Page 16
PLACING THE OS3 FOR THE BEST SOUND QUALITY
The OS3’s dispersion pattern is very broad. The speaker is very sensitive and
will handle a lot of amplifier power. This allows good sound quality over an
extremely large listening area. However, if a single pair is positioned to provide
coverage of a very large room or patio, you will have “hot spots” of loud sound
when you are near the speakers. The best way to avoid hot spots for a large
space is to use several pairs. A good rule of thumb is a pair of speakers for
every 200 to 400 square feet of listening area. Your local Niles dealer is a good
source for advice on speaker placement for your particular installation.
When using more than one pair, it is usually best to alternate a left channel and
then a right channel, so that you never have a "left next to a left".
The position of the speakers and the environment around them play a very
important role in how a stereo image is created. You should experiment to find
the very best position for your speakers. Here are some guidelines to make the
process quick and easy.
Speaker
Placement
Zone
Speaker
Placement
Zone
10'5'
10'
INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS
9
Figure 4
Illustration depicts the
optimum placement zone for a
listening distance of ten feet.
DS00216A/OS3 Manual 3/1/99 9:21 AM Page 9
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