Module 1

Everybody loves music and radio, and so it’s great to be a part of something that most people will show a genuine interest in. Whilst there is mass consumer awareness of audio speakers that connect via Bluetooth or WIFI and position on a table or shelf, there is still little awareness on the possibilities of audio systems fitted within the fabric of the house, despite the first commercially available ceiling and wall speakers being available since the early 1980s. Whilst this lack of consumer awareness may be a challenge it should also be seen as a big opportunity to add value to electrical wiring projects by bringing a fresh approach to music and radio enjoyment that can be easily achieved during the 1st fix stage.

Music and radio sources, how we listen.

Listening to music in the 21st century is now a mix of internet based streaming services together with a traditional physical source such as a TV or vinyl playing record player. With fibre internet broadband the possibilities are now very broad, and consumers have a lot of choice on services, subscriptions, audio quality, single room use, multi-room use, single user use or whole family use. Also, in the last 10 years there has been a resurgence in playing music from traditional physical media such as vinyl, CDs and even the compact cassette! The TV is also a popular source of music with options for music videos on demand. TVs tend to have very small poor performing internal speakers, and so there is a requirement to connect the sound to a better performing system.

There can be a lot to take in, especially if you have not been using music streaming services from the internet yourself. The good news is that you can build up your knowledge a step at a time and know that manufactures such as Q Acoustics have knowledgeable support staff always available to help and make suggestions for any project you are working on. The vast majority of people enjoy radio and play music from the internet via a free or paid for subscription, the most popular being Spotify. Radio is now generally played using a digital radio receiver (DAB), a smart speaker (Alexa, Google or Siri) or via a radio App on a smart phone or tablet such as BBC Sounds or TuneIn. DAB radios tend to be small standalone speakers with a display that sit on a table or shelf, simply plug them in, extend the antenna, scan for the stations, store the ones you want as presets and turn the volume up. Smart speakers use voice control to request to play a radio station, also tend to be a small stand alone speaker that sit on a table or shelf and connects to the internet using WIFI. Simply plug in, use the app to connect to the WIFI, add your account and then ask it to play the radio station you wish. By far the most popular method to play music from an app on a smart phone or tablet is via wireless Bluetooth speaker. Most DAB radios and smart speakers will also include Bluetooth for this, simply connect your phone to the Bluetooth speaker, then use the music app to play the audio via the speaker.

Some small DAB radios and smart speakers use a single speaker, other larger speakers may have a separate left and right speaker for stereo sound. Since the late 1960s music has been recorded in stereo and played back with sperate left and right speakers to reproduce a wider sound which replicates what you may hear if listening to a live band or orchestra.

You may already be familiar with these methods of playing music and radio, and it is possible to fit an installed audio system that can be used in exactly the same way but fitted entirely within the fabric of the home with no clutter and a far superior sound performance. With just a little planning, and then a simple installation, the end result is a system that will be used and loved every day, adding a little wow factor to the room in which it is fitted.

The Opportunity

An electrician is in a perfect position to take advantage of the opportunity by recommending a suitable system which can be purchased from a local wholesaler. Money can be made from selling the system, together with charging for the installation itself. You can also use this as the first step in embracing not only music and radio, but also home cinema, garden sound and smart home systems, the possibilities for the future are almost endless.

There is an established track record of installation companies fitting ceiling based installed music systems in the UK over the past 30 years. This shows that there has been consistent consumer demand for such systems which has not changed over the years. The consumer will end up with a high performance system that is easy to use, clutter free and unique without having to spend large amounts of money that used to be the case only 10 years ago. Any new kitchen, bedroom refurb, extension, loft conversion, conservatory or garden building has the opportunity to fit a Q Acoustics installed music system.

Types of installed ceiling speakers

The most popular type of installed speakers in the UK are ceiling speakers. They have been designed to fit into standard plasterboard ceilings, making use of the available void behind, and the space between the joists. Ceiling speakers are very convenient, as they offer a good dispersion of sound, flexible placement and (unlike wall mounted speakers) will not be obstructed by furniture or wall art.

There are various sizes and styles available, as well as different mounting options. We have kept things very simple at Q Acoustics which will give you a suitable option for every type of room and environment in the home without an overwhelming number of options. Our most recent range of ceiling speakers include the new quick fit mechanism which allows you to fit the speakers without any tool in about 30 seconds once the hole is cut and cable in place. All our quick fit speakers are ‘two-way’ in that they have a separate woofer and tweeter which separately produce the lower frequencies and higher frequencies respectively. This design will reproduce all audible frequencies evenly, as the size of drive unit for lower frequencies needs to be larger than high frequencies and so it is better to have one of each. In this case the speaker contains what is known as a ‘crossover’ where some electronic components split up the incoming signal into high and low bands and then connect to the correct drive unit.

QI65CE - These are our standard easy fit stereo pair of ceiling speakers and are always sold in pairs so that you can fit a left and right speaker for stereo sound. The emphasis is on absolute sound quality, unique Q Acoustics engineering, discreet looks and a quick, easy to fit mechanism at a competitive price. These speakers require a 212mm diameter cut out in the plasterboard and a minimum depth of 99mm. A zinc coated white magnetic grill is included which can be fitted after the speaker has been fitted and tested. These speakers are perfect for kitchens, dining areas, living areas and bedrooms and perfectly match the Q Acoustics range of installed audio systems.

QI65C WE – These are our IPX4 rated easy fit stereo pair of ceiling speakers and are also sold in pairs so that you can fit a left and right speaker for stereo sound. The Ingress Protection for water (IPX4) makes them suitable to fit in bathrooms, kitchens or shower rooms where IPX4 rating is a requirement. A rubber seal and coatings have been applied to obtain the IPX4 rating whilst maintaining superb sound quality and the same Q Acoustics engineering, discreet looks and easy to fit mechanism. These speakers also require a 212mm diameter cut out in the plasterboard and a minimum depth of 99mm. The magnetic grilles have a zinc plating before the powder coated paint finish to achieve a resistance to corrosion in wet and humid conditions.

QI65C WE ST – This is our IPX4 rated easy fit single speaker, designed especially for smaller rooms with limited ceiling space preventing the use of our stereo pair speakers. This single speaker includes a dual tweeter (produces the high frequencies) and so is still capable of stereo sound from a single speaker. These speakers also require a 212mm diameter cut out in the plasterboard and a minimum depth of 99mm. Again, the magnetic grilles have a zinc plating making them resistant to corrosion if used in a wet and humid environment.

QI80CE - These are our larger easy fit stereo pair of ceiling speakers and are always sold in pairs so that you can fit a left and right speaker for stereo sound. The emphasis is on superior sound quality, offering better acoustics in the mid-range and lower frequencies compared to the QI65CE. These speakers give a greater depth of sound performance, with only a slightly larger grill on the ceiling. These speakers require a XXXmm diameter cut out in the plasterboard and a minimum depth of XXXmm. A zinc coated white magnetic grill is included which can be fitted after the speaker has been fitted and tested. These speakers are perfect for kitchens, dining areas, living areas and bedrooms and perfectly match the Q Acoustics range of installed audio systems.

Considerations for placement and installation of ceiling speakers

Fitting ceiling speakers to achieve a good even sound in the desired listening positions is straightforward, but a few things should be considered prior to 1st fixing cables.

Ceiling construction – Ceiling speakers require a minimum depth behind them and a plasterboard type material to clamp onto, so check this is suitable. Also Q Acoustics ceiling speakers require 212mm diameter cutout, with a little space around for the clamp fittings, so check the space between the joists.

Ceiling location – You should avoid placing the speakers in corners close to the wall, as this will significantly change the sound making it boomy. Think about where people will be when listening to the speakers and place them centrally to this, ideally 1.5m – 3m apart to give a good stereo sound. People do not tend to sit down exactly between ceiling speakers and seriously listen, but rather on their feet moving around a kitchen, or sitting dining, socialising, working in a home office etc. Also, consider other fittings in the ceiling such as downlights, pendants or smoke detectors and keep in line with these.

Distance to amplifier system – Q Acoustics installed systems are all located in the same room, and provided with enough speaker cable to connect to the ceiling speakers. Check the length of cable provided against the desired position and if you need longer lengths of cable, then order a longer length or drum that you can also use in the future. Avoid excessive lengths of speaker cable greater than 30m, although this should not be the case when fitting Q Acoustics systems.

Multiple speakers – Larger areas may require two pairs of speakers to fill the space with sound rather than one pair. This is typically the case for open plan kitchen / dining or larger living / family spaces. You want to fill the space as evenly as possible and so may need to fit one pair in the kitchen area and one pair in the dining area for example. In this case an additional pair of identical speakers can be purchased, or a system pack with four speakers rather than two. You will probably need additional speaker cable for this.

Larger ceiling speakers – If your customer is interested in achieving the best possible sound from their Q Acoustics installed audio system, then you should consider offering the QI80CE stereo pair speakers. These have a larger (8”) bass / midrange drive unit so have a better low end and midrange frequency performance. They are only slightly larger than the QI65CE on the ceiling but offer a much bigger sound.

Sound leakage to floor above

Do bear in mind that although most of the sound will be projected to the floor below the speaker, a proportion does also travel upwards to the floor above. You can limit this by adding a fire hood (see below) or adding an acoustic barrier made from absorbent materials above the speaker such as sound plasterboard

Fire Hoods

In some cases a fire hood is required to meet building regulations where a fire barrier must be retained between habitable floors. Cutting plasterboard to fit a ceiling speaker will put a hole in the fire barrier and so must be replaced with a certified fire hood to maintain the barrier. If in doubt it is always recommended to fit one for piece of mind, which can be obtained from Q Acoustics. The hood also acts as an acoustic barrier and can prevent some of the upward sound to the floor above.

Speaker cables

All Q Acoustics ceiling speakers are passive, in that they need to plug into a amplified source such as a Q Acoustics E120 DAB / Bluetooth HIFI music system. You will need to use speaker cable to connect the speakers to the amplifier. All Q Acoustics installed system are provided with a standard length of speaker cable, and so you can use this at 1st fix if you have purchased the system in advance. If you need to 1st fix prior to purchasing a system then you should purchase a drum of quality installation speaker cable such as QED 16/2, available from most electrical wholesalers.

Speaker cables are generally two core stranded copper with positive and negative markings. Make sure you are consistent in making the connections at the speaker (red = positive, black = negative) and the amplifier where the speaker plug connections will need to match the markings on the amplifier system. If you connect a speaker with the wrong polarity, it will still work but will be out of phase with the other speaker resulting in loss of bass sound and a strange special sound with no focus when listening equally between the speakers. If you do this, simply reverse the wiring connection either at the speaker or amplifier to correct the fault. When stripping back the copper be careful not to have too much bare copper, otherwise it may short out the amplifier if exposed beyond the connectors which would cause the amplifier to shut down.

Pivoting tweeter and EQ switches

All Q Acoustics stereo pair quick fit speakers have a pivoting tweeter and also a three position EQ switch. The pivoting tweeter can be adjusted to point the high frequencies towards a specific listening position. Lower frequencies are less directional, and so do not benefit from being pivoted in the same way. If there is no specific listening position, then the tweeter can remain in a downward neutral position.

The EQ switch can be adjusted to alter the high frequency, either neutral (0), boost (+) and reduce (-). The switch is located on the front baffle so can be adjusted after the speaker has been fitted.

Other suitable speakers

Q Acoustics installation amplifier system can be used with other speakers, not just ceiling speakers. Your client may already have some speakers they may wish to use, or the ceiling construction may not be suitable to fit ceiling speakers.

Wall mounted speakers – most standard passive wall mounted speakers with a bracket can be used with all Q Acoustics installation systems. You can use the same speaker cables provided with the system and 1st fix them to the suitable wall positions rather than the ceiling and wire the positive (red) and negative (black) in the same way.

In wall speakers – Q Acoustics do manufacture a range of in wall speakers, without the quick fit mechanism. If you have stud wall construction, then the considerations are very similar to fitting ceiling speakers, taking note of the cut out dimensions and depth. You can use the speaker cable provided with any Q Acoustics installation system and connect in the same way.

Bookshelf speakers – These are perfect if the ceiling is not accessible and there is not much wall space, but some shelving where they can sit, or even on top of some kitchen units if there is space above. Q Acoustics manufacture some excellent bookshelf speakers which will work very well with all the installation system and can connect in the same way.

Technical support

Q Acoustics is able to support and help you in many ways. It’s very important to us that you have confidence in specifying, fitting and commissioning our installation products by creating these training modules. However, we realise not every project is the same, as so we are always available to give advice on new projects or support if you have any questions or problems.