Phantom Sound

Download Click Download for installation instructions on Phantom Sound's Indoor System, PS 1022.

Introduction:
The Phantom Sound Indoor System (PS1022) was designed to meet the following criteria:
1. Extremely high quality audio (30-16,000 Hz +/- 3 dB)
2. Creates a seamless rich sound environment
3. Aesthetically appealing ... your wife will love them!
4. Concealed 10" Subwoofer
5. Easy to install in new or existing homes

The system comes with an in-floor sub-woofer that is concealed as a normal floor heat register along with two satellite speakers that are the same size as an electrical outlet box. Don't let the small size fool you! They utilize a specially designed 2" driver that features a powerful neodymium magnet and a 1" Kapton voice coil for high power handling. The in-floor sub contains a 10" dual voice coil woofer that delivers solid bass that you can feel. The "Big" sound that is produced will amaze you! One system is all you need for a small to medium size room (up to 300 sq. ft.). For larger rooms, or in a room where TV sound is desired, two systems are recommended to achieve a more evenly dispersed coverage. Because the sub-woofer is installed in the floor and the satellite speakers blend in with the electrical receptacles, Phantom Sound is aesthetically appealing and is able to create a seamless sound environment. The big sound that is produced will shock you!

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System Specifications:

Please take a few minutes to read the following information to insure proper installation and performance of the Phantom Sound System.

Parts Inventory:
Your PS1022 System should include the following:
1. 10" Dual voice coil subwoofer
2. Heat register/cover (For in-floor subwoofer) or wall
3. In-floor subwoofer cutout template
4. In-floor subwoofer safety plug
5. Two (2) nail-on satellite boxes (For pre-construction)
6. Two (2) satellite work rings (For existing construction)
7. Two (2) satellite speakers with decora style faceplates
8. Mounting hardware

Installation Tools:
Having the following tools on hand will help the installation process go quicker and easier:
1. Pad of paper, pencil and a tape measure
2. Electric drill/screwdriver and bits
3. Utility knife and/or drywall saw
4. Jig or reciprocating saw
5. Hammer and code approved low voltage wire staples
6. Wire strippers and diagonal cutters
7. Various types and sizes of hand screwdrivers

The following tools are optional but are recommended for existing construction installations:
1. Stud/wire finder (Allows installer to find studs and AC wire locations.)
2. Multimeter (Allows installer to check for shorts, opens and AC voltages.)
3. Base Board Kit (Allows installer to drill wire hole without removing base board.)

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The whole "Phantom" sound concept is based on mounting the satellite speakers at electrical receptacle height (Fig 1.). By mounting the speakers at this level, localizing where the music is coming from becomes more difficult and creates a seamless rich sound environment. When a Phantom Sound System is installed correctly, the listener may walk from room to room and experience full and spacious sounding music. Speaker location is critical to achieve this goal. Listed below are three basic system layouts. Because all installations are different and have unique challenges, use these merely as a guide when laying out your whole house audio system. When surveying rooms for possible satellite and bass unit locations, keep the following in mind:

1. Have a plan. Design and layout the complete system on paper before cutting into walls or floors. It is also a good idea to check local wiring codes before you layout your system. Avoid running speaker wire with electrical wire.

2. Be certain there are no electrical wires, water pipes or heating ducts in the planned installation area.

3. Locate satellites where they will not be behind furniture. Keep in mind that directly under windows, in corners or next to doors make ideal locations for satellites.

4. Position the bass unit along a wall about a 1/3rd distance from the corner.

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One PS1022 system will perform very well in an area of up to 300 square feet (approximately 15' x 20'). This is the typical size of most kitchens, dining rooms, living rooms and bedrooms. Figure 2. shows a basic one system room layout. Avoid putting the satellites on the same wall or directly across from each other on opposing walls. The two satellites should be positioned so that they are the furthest distance in the room in opposite corners. Note: The position of left and right channels is not critical in a single system room layout.

Figure 3. illustrates a large open area or "Great" room that will primarily be used for music. Two PS1022 systems perform very well in an area of up to 600 square feet (approximately 20' x 30'). Note: Take notice in the position of the left and right channels for each system. This setup provides good stereo imaging for any location in the room.

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Figure 4. shows a typical "Family" room installation where TV sound is desired. This configuration provides a "surround" sound effect to movies, football games and TV broadcasts. Note: Take notice in the position of the left and right channels for each system. We recommend using the TV's built in speakers in conjunction with the Phantom Sound system to achieve a "center channel" effect.

Using a 100 watt per channel receiver with all rooms playing you should see the following results:

Standard Area: Maximum average SPL in the center of the area with a single Phantom Sound system is 88dB plus or minus 2dB.

Large Area: Maximum average SPL in the center of the area with two Phantom Sound systems is 91dB plus or minus 2dB.

Note: These specifications are for average houses and are provided as an achievement guide.

Once you have carefully selected the location of the system, you are ready to install speakers. Because all installations are different and have unique challenges, you will need to be creative when installing your system. Please keep in mind that having the proper tools on hand will make the job go faster and easier. Again, be certain that there are no electrical wires, water pipes, or heating ducts in the planned installation area before you start fitting into the walls or floors.

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The bass unit was designed as an infinite baffle system and will operate properly only when installed in a floor. You will need to have basement or crawl space access to install the bass unit. In certain circumstances, you can mount the bass speaker in a wall using a "cold air return" as a grill.

Please call for special instructions on how to install the bass speaker in applications without basement, crawl space access or in a home on a concrete slab.

When mounting the bass unit in a floor with basement or crawl space access, use the following procedure:

1. Determine the desired location in the room. Make certain this location is along a wall and is centered between two floor joists. From below, place the bass unit in the desired mounting position to make sure it fits properly before cutting any holes. After you are satisfied with the fit and location, mark position lines on the floor joists and remove the bass unit. From underneath, locate the approximate center of the desired opening and drill a small "locating" (1/4") hole. Note: Pull back carpet before drilling or cutting any holes.

2. From above, locate the small hole and using the supplied template and a pencil, mark the location for the opening. Note: Measure the location of existing room registers, so you can match their distance from the wall for a uniform look.

3. Using a jig or reciprocating saw, cut the 6" x 10- 1/2" opening in the floor. Use a fine tooth blade if you're cutting an opening in a hardwood floor. NOTE: DO NOT CUT FLOOR JOISTS!

4. Mount the bass unit from below using the supplied hardware (See Fig 5.). Note: In new construction, cut holes in floors while running wire and cover openings with the supplied safety plug. The safety plug prevents construction workers from falling into the opening and indicates to the floor covering installers what the opening is for. To prevent damage, never install the bass speaker while the house is under construction.

5. Make electrical connections (see System Wiring). When making connections, it is very important to observe proper polarity.

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Again, to achieve optimum performance, it is very important to mount the satellite speakers at electrical outlet height or about 14" from the floor to the center of the speaker. The Phantom Sound system provides satellite mounting hardware for both pre-construction and existing construction installations.

Pre-Construction:
This is the best (and easiest) time to install the satellite speakers. Follow these simple instructions:
1. Determine the desired location in the room. Using a hammer and the supplied nail-on box, mount the box to a wall stud at electrical outlet height (see Fig.6). The box has alignment tabs to ensure it protrudes out from the stud around 1/2" so it will be slightly recessed with the drywall surface.

2. Run 18AWG, 2 conductor wire from satellite location to the bass speaker location. For easier speaker connections, be sure to leave extra wire at both ends.

3. Only after the wall is finished and painted, should you attempt to install the satellite speaker. To prevent damage, never install the satellite speaker while the house is under construction.

4. Make electrical connections (see System Wiring). Using wire cutter/strippers, separate the two conductors and remove about 1/2" of insulation from each wire. Twist the strands of wire tightly before inserting them into the spring loaded terminal. When making connections, it is very important to observe proper polarity.

5. Install the satellite speaker using a hand held straight blade screw driver. Be careful not to crack the grill by over tightening the screws.

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Existing Construction:

Before cutting a hole for the satellite speaker, make certain there are no obstructions in the wall. A stud / wire finder is a very useful tool in determining this.

1. After you have found a suitable location, use the plastic work ring as a template and lightly trace on the wall the cutout opening (approximately 2-1/4" x 3-3/4"). Again, the cutout opening should be at electrical outlet height or about 14" from the floor to the center of the opening. Make sure the marked cutout area is square with the wall so when the satellite is installed it will be straight up and down.

2. If the wall is made of drywall, simply cut the marked area with a drywall saw. If the wall is made of plaster, you will need to drill holes at the four corners of the marked cutout area and use a drywall or keyhole type saw to remove the lapboard and plaster.

3. Run 18AWG, 2 conductor wire from each satellite location to the bass speaker location. For easier speaker connections, be sure to leave extra wire at both ends. If possible, drill a wire hole up from the basement or crawl space area into the interior wall cavity directly below the satellite location. Then simply feed the wire up though the hole and out the cutout opening in the wall. If this is not possible, Labor Saving Devices has a device called the Base Boar Zit Kit. It was designed to drill under the base board and up into the wall cavity without having to remove the baseboard. The wire then can be ran under the baseboard and down though the floor to the bass speaker location.

4. Install the work ring into the wall cutout as per the manufacturer's instructions (see Fig.7)

5. Make electrical connections (see System Wiring). Using wire strippers, separate the two conductors and remove about 1/2" of insulation from each wire. Twist the strands of wire tightly before inserting them into the spring loaded terminal. When making connections, it is very important to observe proper polarity.

6. Install the satellite speaker using a hand held straight blade screwdriver. Be careful not to crack the grill by over tightening the screws.

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The system should be connected as shown in Figure 8. Basically the satellites are connected in parallel with the bass unit. Looking at the sides of the bass unit you will find 2 sets of terminals. When making connections, it is very important to observe proper polarity. Make certain you connect the positive "+" leads to the "red" terminals and the negative "-" leads to the "black" terminals.

When connecting a satellite speaker to the bass unit, take the red "+" lead from the satellite and connect it (twist together) to the red "positive" lead from the receiver. Next, insert the twisted red leads into the "red" input terminal on the bass unit. Now, take the black lead from the satellite and connect it (twist together) to the black "negative" lead from the receiver. Insert the twisted black leads into the "black" input terminal on the bass unit. Repeat this procedure for the other satellite (channel).

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The wire between each bass unit and the home receiver or distribution panel should be at least a 18 AWG 4 conductor cable for a distance of up to 50 feet. For longer runs, we recommend using 16 AWG. Use 18 AWG 2 conductor cable between the satellites and bass unit. Note: If you are using volume controls, you should run 4 conductor cable from the distribution panel to the volume control and from the volume control to the bass unit. Avoid running speaker wire with electrical wires! You should use code approved low voltage wire staples to neatly attach your wires to floor joists and wall studs.

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The whole "Phantom" sound concept is based on mounting the satellite speakers at electrical receptacle height. By mounting the speakers at this level, localizing where the music is coming from becomes more difficult and creates a seamless rich sound environment. When a Phantom Sound System is installed correctly, the listener may walk from room to room and experience full and spacious sounding music. Speaker location is critical to achieve this goal. If you plan on using several speaker systems on a single amplifier you will need to provide impedance protection. There are a number of ways to create a whole house audio system. Listed below are just a few of them. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. Choose the right system for your application.

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Figure 9 shows a typical four room whole house audio system. This type of system allows the user to independently control the volume level in each room. The volume controls provide the impedance protection while the four room distribution panel allows quick and easy connection to any home receiver. This system can be expanded to up to ten rooms by using the distribution panel and additional volume controls for each room.

This type of system (Fig. 10) creates seamless sound distribution from room to room and is considered the preferred method. If you have larger rooms and plan on using multiple speaker systems in one area, you should use this type of system to ensure that the levels are the same. The lnwall Speaker Switch provides the impedance protection and allows the user to listen to any one or all (up to 7 pairs) speakers simultaneously.We recommend using a receiver that has a "RF" remote control or an "IR" repeater system so you can control the system from any room in the house. Note: Figure 10 shows a typical master bedroom (or basement) setup using a separate audio amplifier system. By using the Impedance adaptor, the master bedroom (or basement) system can operate with or independent of the main system.

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The PSWB system is very simple and easy to install but careful considerations must be made to achieve maximum performance. The PSWB unit may be installed in walls or ceilings made with a variety of materials, ex. drywall or wood. Plaster as found in older homes will be more difficult but not impossible.

The speaker is designed to be used in an infinite baffle - that is - the larger the area behind the speaker the better. Ceiling speaker mounts often will have the space problem behind the speaker solved but heat loss consideration must be made.

Since this bass system actually uses the drywall for the system some inherent structural problems may arise. These would include pictures, light fixtures, heat registers or even the drywall itself making extraneous noises. The PSWB system as stated before is designed as an infinite baffle system so there should be a low pressure area behind the speaker which reduces some of the aforementioned potential problems.

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New Work
No rough in wiring is used. It is recommended to bury the wire and take a measurement of the wire location - being sure not to lose the measurement. It is best to install the wire just prior to dry wall installation so no wires, pipes or other hardware are installed after you leave your "pre-wire" job.
If there is drywall on both sides of the wall, it is a good idea to drill 4 or 5 one inch holes in each stud of the adjacent stud cavity.

Walls without insulation should have insulation added. Easily done in new work. Old work - stuff insulation through the 10" x 10" hole that is cut to install speaker.

1) Using "spacer ring" temporarily install the "spacer ring" with two of the white #6 sheet metal screws supplied with the "air grill." Make sure the location is where you want it and square on the wall. You'll just screw into the dry wall - the ring is just being held as a template. Use a 7/32" drill and run the drill through the (8) counter sink holes in the square spacer ring.

2) Cut the square hole out of the dry wall using the inside of the ring as a guide.

3) Install the lower half of the black baffle using (2) 2" 8 x 32 screws loosely by inserting baffle through hole and aligning holes.

4) Repeat step 3 for top baffle. Then install remaining (4) screws and secure all light screws.

5) Hook up wires to speaker and install speaker using same size (8) 2" x 8 x 32 screws.

6) Remove temporarily installed sheet metal screws.

7) Install metal grill so louvers are angled down using the (4) sheet metal screws.

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1) Wall material must be 1/2" thick minimum, 1 1/4" max.

2) Depth behind wall 3 1/2" minimum

3) Area behind speaker free and clear.

4) Use as much "free air" behind speaker as practical.

Use a stud finder to establish the area between the studs. A minimum of 12" is required between the studs. It is recommended to mount speaker lower. (receptacle height)

In old work one must be careful not to cut into the AC wires behind the walls. This is especially true since we are locating the speaker the same height as the AC outlets and the AC romex must be dressed above or below the magnet structure when the speakers are installed.

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One PSWB in a room should be mounted near the center of the room. Clear insulation away from work area. Insulation must not be allowed to enter the rear of the speaker so if loose insulation is used a protective blanket over the speaker. When using loose insulation, a protective covering should be put over the speaker before replacing the loose insulation.

The PSWB may be mounted in a push-out ceiling but be sure to support the weight of the speaker by using a plywood band behind the tile pad or suspending the speaker via wire from the ceiling.

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