EMOTIVA AtL-6.5 airmotiv vaulta All-Terrain Loudspeaker User Manual

EMOTIVA AtL-6.5 airmotiv vaulta All-Terrain Loudspeaker

Introduction

Thank you for purchasing our new Emotiva Airmotiv™ Vaulta ATL-6.5 All Terrain Loudspeakers.
The Emotiva Airmotiv series of speakers represents the culmination of years of research and experience in producing home and professional loudspeakers offering both excellent technical performance and superb sound quality.
The Airmotiv Vaulta ATL-6.5 All Terrain Loudspeaker is a two-way loudspeaker that is perfect for use in sheltered outdoor areas like patios as well as in high-traffic indoor areas like restaurants and stores. The Vaulta ATL-6.5 is highly weather-resistant, making it ideal for outdoor areas like decks and patios, while still delivering a true full-range high-fidelity listening experience.
Each Vaulta ATL-6.5 can be mounted vertically or horizontally, and comes complete with a perforated metal protective grill, a heavy duty solid steel Safe-Snap mounting bracket, and mounting hardware. The Safe-Snap mounting system allows you to rotate the Vaulta ATL-6.5 over a +/- 45 degree range in order to optimally direct it’s output to your listening area.
The Vaulta ATL-6.5 is available in both black and white cabinets, with matching grills and mounting brackets, and both the speakers and mounting hardware can be painted if custom colors are desired.
Happy listening!
The Emotiva Team

Features

The Airmotiv Vaulta ATL-6.5 has a long list of features which make it uniquely suited for use in harsh environments like on a sheltered deck or patio. These same features also make the Vaulta ATL-6.5 a great choice for use in high traffic indoor areas like restaurants and stores.
The following are a few of the feature highlights of the Airmotiv Vaulta ATL-6.5:

• True high-fidelity sound quality – The Vaulta ATL-6.5 was designed to tolerate harsh environmental conditions without sacrificing sound quality. Even though they’re designed to survive in harsh conditions, the Vaulta ATL-6.5 delivers clean well-balanced sound like a high-quality home stereo speaker.
• High-performance speaker drivers – The 6-1/2” coated aluminum cone low-frequency driver delivers plenty of clean solid bass while crystal clear high frequencies are handled by the 1” weatherized silk dome high-frequency driver.
• Heavy duty five-way binding posts – accept banana plugs, spade lugs, or bare wire.
• Fully sealed roto-molded composite plastic cabinets – are both durable, and highly weather resistant, with no seams or port openings to allow intrusion of moisture or other contaminants.
• Attractive textured finish and full-depth color – The cabinets on the Vaulta ATL-6.5 feature an attractive textured finish, and the color on the cabinets goes all the way through the plastic, so they’ll continue to look good for a long time.
• Dual-layer acoustically damped cabinets – The cabinets on the Vaulta ATL-6.5 combine a tough outer shell with an inner layer of acoustic damping material to eliminate the cabinet coloration often present in other speakers with plastic enclosures.
• Securely attached, color matched, perforated protective metal grilles – help to protect the drivers from debris and the elements outdoors and from incidental damage indoors. The grills are firmly attached with screws, so they can be easily removed for painting or cleaning, but will never fall off accidentally.
• All exposed surfaces are UV and water resistant – All exterior surfaces of the cabinet, and of both speaker drivers, are treated for both UV and water resistance.
• Strong adjustable mounting brackets – Heavy duty 16 gauge powder-coated steel mounting brackets allow you to mount the Vaulta ATL-6.5 vertically or horizontally, and can be adjusted over a range of +/- 45 degrees, for optimum sound distribution.
• Safe-Snap mounting system – enables you to snap the Vaulta ATL-6.5 into the bracket – and it then remains securely in place while you insert and tighten the mounting screws.
• Nothing extra to purchase – Each Airmotiv Vaulta ATL-6.5 ships with a heavy-duty mounting bracket, protective perforated metal grill, and corrosion resistant solid brass threaded inserts and mounting screws. (Hardware required to mount the bracket to your structure, which will vary depending on your mounting location, is not included.)
• Paintable cabinets and mounting brackets – The Airmotiv Vaulta ATL 6.5 comes in both black and white – with matching grills and brackets. However, both the cabinets and brackets may be painted to match your decor if desired.

Specifications

Driver Complement

• High frequency driver: 1 inch treated silk dome; water and UV resistant.
• Low frequency driver: 6-1/2 inch coated aluminum cone; water and UV resistant.
• Cabinet type: Sealed.

Electrical Specifications

• Efficiency: 89 dB (2.83V/1m).
• Recommended Amplifier Power: 25 watts – 150 watts.
• Nominal Impedance: 4 Ohms.
• Frequency Response (typical in-room): 49 Hz – 20 kHz (+/- 3 dB).
• Connections: Heavy duty gold plated brass five-way binding posts.

Mechanical

• Dimensions (speaker): 16-1/2 inches x 8-1/2 inches x 8 inches.
• Speaker: Textured seamless roto-molded composite plastic with full-depth color and inner acoustic damping layer.
• Grill: Perforated powder coated steel; attached securely with six screws.
• Mounting Bracket: 16 gauge powder coated steel; tilts +/- 45 degrees.
• Mounting Screws: Large diameter solid brass mounting screws with large plastic caps.
• Color:

Available in black or white.
Speakers come with color-matched grills, mounting brackets, and hardware. Speakers, grills, and mounting brackets are all paintable if desired.

• Weight (speaker alone): 11-1/2 pounds.
• Weight (speaker, mounting hardware, and protective grill): 14-1/2 pounds.

Package Contents / Inventory

• (1) Airmotiv Vaulta ATL-6.5 speaker.
• (1) Matching grill.
• (1) Matching mounting bracket.
• (2) Large diamenter solid brass mounting screws with large plastic caps.
• (2) Rubber washers (fit between speaker and mounting bracket).

Note: Speakers will be shipped with grill and mounting bracket attached.
Note: Hardware for attaching mounting bracket to structure to be supplied by user.

Mounting Dimensions and Clearances

THE AIRMOTIV VAULTA ATL-6.5 IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE RELIABLE SERVICE UNDER HARSH CONDITIONS. However, if possible, it’s still best to choose a location where rain or debris will not directly strike the front of the speaker.
REMOVE THE PEEL-OFF ADHESIVE FROM THE INCLUDED RUBBER WASHERS AND STICK THE RUBBER WASHERS TO THE INSIDE OF THE BRACKET ON EACH END AS SHOWN IN THE DIAGRAM.
BE SURE TO LEAVE PLENTY OF CLEARANCE TO INSERT THE NUTS AFTER SPEAKER IS INSTALLED IN THE BRACKET. PLEASE USE THE INCLUDED MOUNTING BRACKET FOR BOTH VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL MOUNTING.
FOR BEST SOUND QUALITY AIM THE FRONT OF THE SPEAKER TOWARD THE MAIN LISTENING AREA.
Once bracket is securely mounted, snap the speaker into the bracket.
The bracket will hold the speaker securely in place while you insert the nuts.
Finger tighten nuts firmly to prevent the speaker from changing position.

Choosing A Location For Your Speakers

Weather Resistance
The Airmotiv Vaulta ATL-6.5 was designed from the ground up to be highly weather resistant. However they will still perform their best, and have the longest possible service life, if sheltered from direct exposure to extreme weather conditions. If possible we recommend mounting the ATL-6.5 under a balcony or eave, or under a deck or porch overhang, or on a relatively sheltered area on a wall or beam.

• DO NOT ever submerge your ATL-6.5 .
• DO NOT direct the stream from a garden hose or power washer into the front of the speaker or directly at the grill.
• Always mount the ATL-6.5 either vertically or tilted slightly downwards so that water will drain off the front of the speaker.
• If you are using the ALT-6.5 indoors avoid using strong cleaning solvents on the cabinet and avoid spraying cleaning fluid or solvents directly into the front.

Acoustic Considerations
In order to deliver the best possible listening experience the Airmotiv Vaulta ATL-6.5 should be aimed as closely as possible at the ear of the listener or at head height at the center of the listening area. Think of the pattern of sound as resembling the area illuminated by a floodlight – and you want to illuminate as much of the area where your listeners will be as possible.

• If you are mounting the ATL-6.5 at head height consider angling them in towards the listening area.
• If you are mounting them under an eave, or high up on a wall, mount them horizontally and angle them downwards so they face towards listeners.
• If you are mounting them indoors, in a public venue or restaurant, avoid mounting the speakers directly above a ceiling fan. (Sound passing through the blades of a rotating fan will sound distorted and unpleasant.)

Strength And Mechanical Considerations

• Be sure to choose a location and mounting surface that can safely support the weight of the ATL-6.5. The mounting brackets we provide with the ATL-6.5 are extremely strong, but they will only be as secure as the surface they are attached to and the hardware you use to secure them. Be sure to use screws of a sufficient number and length to securely support the weight of the ATL-6.5 and its bracket.
• AVOID mounting the ATL-6.5 directly in front of a heater or heating vent and avoid blocking critical infrastructure like sprinklers, alarm sensors, and lighting fixtures.
• BE SURE TO LEAVE SUFFICIENT CLEARANCE TO ROTATE THE SPEAKER IF DESIRED AND TO INSERT THE MOUNTING SCREWS LOCATED ON THE ENDS AFTER THE SPEAKER IS INSERTED INTO THE BRACKET.

Mounting Your Speakers

Running Your Speaker Wires
It is usually simpler to run your speaker wiring after you choose the location for your speakers but before you mount the speakers. The Airmotiv Vaulta ATL-6.5 is a standard passive loudspeaker so you will need to run a two- conductor speaker cable from your amplifier or audio source to each one. The ATL-6.5 is equipped with five-way binding posts that can accept either bare wire or a variety of standard speaker connectors. In order to ensure good audio performance we suggest using 16 gauge or heavier stranded copper speaker cable that is rated for in-wall and outdoor use. (For wire runs over about 50 feet we recommend using a heavier gauge, such as 14 gauge, for absolute best audio performance.)
When you install wires always be sure to leave plenty of extra length to allow for adjustment or repositioning of each speaker after it is connected.

Mounting The Bracket
THE AIRMOTIV VAULTA ATL-6.5 AND ITS MOUNTING BRACKET TOGETHER WEIGH ABOUT FIFTEEN POUNDS. BE SURE TO ATTACH THE MOUNTING BRACKET TO SOMETHING THAT IS CAPABLE OF SAFELY SUPPORTING THIS MUCH WEIGHT. REMEMBER THAT, IF MOUNTING THE ATL-6.5 OUTDOORS, WIND AND WEATHER CONDITIONS MAY PUT ADDITIONAL STRAIN ON THE MOUNTING SYSTEM.
BE ESPECIALLY CAREFUL IF YOUR SPEAKERS ARE BEING MOUNTED ABOVE HEAD HEIGHT WHERE THEY COULD FALL AND STRIKE SOMEONE.
We recommend using multiple long screws, reaching into underlying studs, or multiple anchors of appropriate type for the mounting surface you have. The solid steel mounting brackets provided with the Vaulta ATL-6.5 are very strong, and offer a variety of mounting holes and slots, for maximum mounting flexibility. The bracket is strong enough to allow you to mount your Vaulta ATL-6.5 speaker with a few screws at each end, or several screws grouped at a single end, as long as you’re careful to take the strength of your mounting surface into consideration.
The Vaulta ATL-6.5 can be mounted vertically or horizontally. The speaker can then be adjusted over a +/- 45 degree tilt range once it is inserted into the bracket.
BE SURE TO LEAVE SUFFICIENT CLEARANCE TO INSERT AND TIGHTEN THE MOUNTING SCREWS LOCATED ON THE ENDS AFTER THE SPEAKER IS INSERTED INTO THE BRACKET.
BE SURE TO LEAVE SUFFICIENT CLEARANCE TO ROTATE THE SPEAKER IF YOU WISH TO DO SO. YOU SHOULD LEAVE A MINIMUM OF THREE INCHES ON EACH SIDE TO ALLOW ROOM FOR ROTATION.

Installing The Speaker In The Bracket.
Our Safe-Snap mounting system allows you to mount the bracket first. Then, once the bracket is securely mounted, you can snap the speaker into the bracket. The speaker will remain securely snapped into the bracket while you install the mounting screws and tighten them to prevent the speaker from tilting or moving.
EVEN THOUGH THE VAULTA ATL-6.5 WILL REMAIN IN PLACE ONCE SNAPPED INTO THE BRACKET YOU MUST INSTALL AND TIGHTEN THE MOUNTING SCREWS ON THE ENDS TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE FULLY SECURE AND SAFE TO OPERATE.
Each Vaulta ATL-6.5 includes one mounting bracket, two mounting screws, and two rubber mounting washers. Remove the peel-off backing from the adhesive on the rubber washer and stick the washer TO THE INSIDE OF THE METAL BRACKET before installing the speaker in the bracket. When installing the speaker in the bracket the rubber mounting washers fit over the raised cylinder on the end of each speaker – so the washer is BETWEEN THE BODY OF THE SPEAKER AND THE BRACKET. Each mounting screw is then inserted into the end of the speaker through the hole in the mounting bracket and securely finger tightened. (See picture below.)

Connecting Your Speakers

The Airmotiv Vaulta ATL-6.5 has a nominal impedance of 4 Ohms and can be easily driven by any amplifier with an output power of between 25 watts and 150 watts per speaker.
Most modern audio amplifiers and distribution systems or volume controls are designed to work with speakers between 4 Ohms and 8 Ohms and will work just fine with the Vaulta ATL-6.5.
If you wish to run two or more Vaulta ATL-6.5’s from a single amplifier channel they may be wired in series. (Placing two 4 Ohm speakers in series on a single channel will present an 8 Ohm load to the amplifier; placing three in series will present a load of 12 Ohms; both of which are easy for most modern amplifiers to drive.)
BE SURE TO OBSERVE POLARITY WHEN CONNECTING YOUR SPEAKERS TO YOUR AMPLIFIER OR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. ALL GOOD QUALITY SPEAKER WIRE IS MARKED IN SOME WAY SO YOU CAN TELL WHICH CONDUCTOR IS WHICH. CONNECT THE BLACK TERMINAL TO (-) AND THE RED TERMINAL TO (+).

 Changing The Color Of Your Speakers

The Airmotiv Vaulta ATL-6.5 is supplied in a choice of black or white. The speaker cabinets have an attractive textured finish, with color that goes all the way through the plastic, so they are extremely tolerant of minor scratches and scuffs, and are treated to resist both UV light and moisture. The steel brackets and aluminum grills have a tough matching powder-coat finish.
However, if you wish to change the color to match your decor, both the cabinets and the brackets and grills can be painted using appropriate paint. (We suggest using a self-priming paint rated as appropriate for plastic on the cabinets. Latex interior paint does not adhere well to plastic.)
When painting the grills, please remove them first, to avoid getting paint on the speaker drivers, and apply paint carefully, in multiple thin coats, to avoid filling up the perforations in the grill with excess paint.

Emotiva Audio Corporation Limited Warranty

Emotiva Airmotiv Vaulta ATL-6.5 Loudspeakers are covered by a three-year non- transferable limited warranty. For detailed information about the warranty, and instructions on how to request warranty service if you ever need it, please refer to the following link (or click on the QR code):

www.emotiva.com/warranty

For more information about the AIrmotiv Vaulta ATL-6.5, or information about other Emotiva products, please visit our website at:

www.emotiva.com

Emotiva Audio Corporation
135 Southeast Parkway Court
Franklin, TN 37064 www.emotiva.com

References

• Home Audio Systems, Speakers & Accessories – Emotiva Audio Corporation

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