Parasound cst 80 r owners manual

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PARASOUND

Custom Series In- Wall and In-Ceiling Lo udspeakets

Congratulations on your purchase of Custom Series In-Wall loudspeaker system and thank you for your
selection of Parasound. Custom Series loudspeakers are designed to provide you with high-fidelity
audio reproduction in a wide variety of applications. Please take a few minutes to read these instructions
thoroughly to make the installation easier and to insure the best performance of your new loudspeakers.

Precautions

If you have any doubts about your ability to properly install in-wall loudspeakers, you should consider '
the services of a custom installer. If you plan to install them yourself, always use good quality tools to
save time and make the installation go more smoothly.

All Custom Series loudspeakers mount into a standard 2" x 4" (or greater) stud depth walls. Determine"
the final location of both left and right speakers before cutting any holes since changes to one speaker
may affect the other either aesthetically or acoustically. Look for pipes, wiring or any other conflicting
material that might be damaged before beginning the installation.

Prewiring

Before you purchase loudspeaker wire, check local building codes to make sure that the wire is rated to
comply with applicable local safety codes such as UL or CL-2. Use only stranded wire no thinner than
AWG 16. For runs longer than 100 feet, we recormnend minimum of AWG 14 or AWG 12. When
pulling wire, take care not to pull the wire too fast to prevent stretching the wire or scorching the
insulation from excess friction. Leave 2 to 3 feet of excess loudspeaker wire at both ends; it is easier to
trim off excess wire than to splice additional wire. When securing the wire inside the walls, be careful
not to pierce the insulation with nails or staples.

For best performance and easier troubleshooting, always "home run" wiring when installing multiple
speakers rather than connecting from one speaker to the next. When connecting multiple speakers, make
sure that the power amplifier is capable of adequately driving the combined impedance of the speakers.
If not, you may need additional amplifiers or an impedance protection device that are often built into
loudspeaker selection boxes.

Pre-Drilled Hole for Infrared Receivers for Models CSlT-255A, CSlT-265A, CSlT-280A

These models have a 1/2" hole in the bezel to accommodate an infrared receiver such as the popular
Xantech Video Link model 490. The hole can be easily accessed by removing the rubber bushing from
the rear of the bezel. If you plan on hiding an infrared receiver behind the loudspeaker grille, be sure to
pre-wire a three conductor control wire along with the speaker wire.

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Preparing the Wall or Ceiling Cutout

Confirm that there is at least 1 1/2" of clearance between each edge of the planned cutout and adjacent
studs or joints. Fasten the supplied cardboard template to the wall or ceiling with tape or thumbtacks.
Check again for equal distance of both speakers from the ceiling or floor. Use a level or the inwall
template's self levelling feature to insure that the template is fastened correctly. Next, trace around the
perimeter of the template. Before making the final cutout, make a small 6 inch test cutout" in the center
of the pencilled outline. Reach inside the test hole to verify that there are no obstructions in the way of
your planned cutout.

Before cutting the hole, first score the drywall with a razor knife. Next, use a keyhole saw to complete
the cut. Remove remaining debris from the edge of the hole. Insert the loudspeaker without the
mounting bracket into the cutout to make sure it fits easily without forcing.

Secure the speaker wire to a stud near the cutout so its weight will not tug on the terminals of the
speaker after it is connected. This will also keep the wire from dropping behind the wall before you have
a chance to connect it. Before connecting the wire to the terminals, make sure the speaker wire runs
through, not around, the speakers metal mounting bracket.

We recommend that you add a blanket of sound absorbing material behind the woofer to reduce sound
transmission into the adjoining room and to prevent reflections bouncing back against the woofer cone._
To further isolate sound from the adjoining room and improve bass response, you may consider
installing a separate cabinet between the studs.

Installing Custom Series Loudspeakers in Walls and Ceilings
Remove the grille gently pulling the grille frame away from the frame. Set the grille aside for now.

Parasound Custom Series loudspeakers employ mounting swing-arms
(mounting dogs) that will automatically swing out when the mounting
screws are first turned clockwise (see drawing). After they swing out,
the arms will then clamp against the drywall from behind the wall.

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Tighten all the bolts evenly. This securely clamps the wall between
the speakers molded frame in front and metal bracket behind.
Avoid using excessive force to prevent deforming the drywall or
cracking the speaker's mounting frame.

Any sound leakage from behind the molded frame can be blocked
with foam weather-stripping directly behind the plastic speaker bezel.

Treble Adjustment for Models CSIT-255A, CSIT-265A, CS/T-280A

If you are installing your Custom Series loudspeakers in a "live" room or mounting them on-axis to the
listening position, it may be desirable to adjust the output level of the tweeter to reduce brightness.
Certain Parasound Custom Series loudspeakers come equipped with a treble adjustment control that
allows you to attenuate the tweeter level from 0 dB (flat) to -3 dB or - 6 dB. Once you have installed the
loudspeakers, use a slotted screwdriver or small coin to adjust the treble level as necessary.

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