Bowers Wilkins CCM362 CCM382 Ceiling Speaker User Guide
- June 7, 2024
- Bowers Wilkins
Table of Contents
CCM362
CCM382
Welcome to Bowers & Wilkins and the CCM3 Series
Thank you for choosing Bowers & Wilkins. When John Bowers first established
our company he did so in the belief that imaginative design, innovative
engineering, and advanced technology were keys that could unlock the enjoyment
of audio in the home. His belief is one that we continue to share and it
inspires every product we design.
Unpacking
The CCM3 Series of ceiling mount speakers is designed to offer easy installation and high-quality audio reproduction for discrete custom-install applications. They are particularly suitable for use in humid environments such as swimming pools. This manual describes the installation of CCM3 Series speakers within the conventional stud and sheetrock (joist and plasterboard) ceilings. It begins by listing the contents of the CCM3 series carton:
- Two CCM3 Series speakers
- Two CCM3 speaker grilles
- One aperture template
- Two paint masks
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty information
CCM3 Series Basics
CCM3 Series ceiling mount speakers comprise a baffle carrying the speaker
drivers, crossover circuit and connectors, and a magnetically secured grille.
The baffle is secured in the ceiling aperture by dog clamps that swing
outwards and tighten.
Note: A square grille is optionally available for CCM3 Series speakers.
Contact your local Bowers & Wilkins retailer for more information.
CCM3 Series speakers require ceiling aperture and height clearance dimensions
described in the following table:
| Model | Aperture Diameter | Minimum Height Clearance |
|---|---|---|
| CCM362 | 204mm (8.0 in) | 79mm (3.2 in) |
| CCM382 | 253mm (9.9 in) | 85mm (3.4 in) |
Note: If CCM3 Series speakers are to be installed in “new build”
projects, pre-mount kits and back boxes are available. The use of pre-mount
kits is described in Section 5. Use of back-boxes is described in the separate
CI300 Back-box Installation document.
Before installing CCM3 Series speakers you should ensure that the ceiling
locations chosen are free of obstructions such as pipework, ducting, or wiring
that will interfere with the installation. In existing drywall construction,
use a stud-finding tool to help you map the ceiling construction and a pipe
detector to scan the proposed installation locations.
CCM362
CCM382
Diagram 1
Aperture and height clearance
Positioning CCM3 Series Speakers
The appropriate position for CCM3 Series speakers within the listening
environment will depend on their specific application:
General Background Audio Applications:
For applications where single CCM3 Series speakers are required to operate
independently to provide background audio, they can be located substantially
as installation convenience and architecture dictate. The only acoustic
constraint to bear in mind is that corner locations will result in
significantly emphasized low frequencies and should be avoided.
Stereo Audio Applications:
For applications where a pair of CCM3 Series speakers is to be used for
conventional stereo reproduction, they should be located between 3m (10 ft)
and 5m (16.5ft) apart and a similar distance in front of the listening area.
Try to avoid corner locations for the speakers and to ensure that the acoustic
environment around each speaker is similar.
Note: Different acoustic environments might be, for example, a bare wall and a
heavily curtained window.
Multi-channel Audio Applications:
For applications where multiple CCM3 Series speakers are to be used for multi-
channel audiovisual systems, the front and center speakers should be located
approximately 0.5m
(20 in) in front of the plane of the screen. The entre speaker should’ve been
on the center ineof the screen and the front speakers each laterally within
approximately 0.5m (20 in) of the sides of the screen. Surround channel CCM3
Series speakers should be located just behind and on either side of the
listening position. Try to avoid corner locations for any of the speakers and
to ensure that the acoustic environment around each front and surround speaker
is similar.
Stereo Audio Applications
Multi-channel Audio Applications
Diagram 2 Positioning
Note: Different acoustic environments might be, for example, a bare wall
and a heavily curtained window.
Diagram 2 illustrates the general speaker location guidelines.
Note: The nature of the installation of ceiling speakers means that it is
sometimes impractical to locate them in acoustically ideal positions. In these
cases, they should be located as close as is practical to the ideal positions.
Your local Bowers & Wilkins retailer will be able to offer advice if required.
Note: CCM3 Series drive units create stray magnetic fields. We recommend that
magnetically sensitive items such as CRT screens and magnetic cards for
example are kept at least 0.5m (20 in) from the speaker. LCD and plasma
screens are not affected by magnetic fields.
Installing CCM3 Series Speakers
To install a CCM3 Series speaker proceeds as described in the following paragraphs:
-
Using the supplied aperture template, mark a cut line on the ceiling. Check the cut line defines the correct aperture diameter. Cut along the line with an appropriate tool to create a round aperture in the ceiling.
Note: Ensure that there is enough free space internally adjacent to the aperture for the dog clamps.
Note: To reduce the possibility of the ceiling buzzing or rattling, adhesive mastic can be applied between the studs and sheetrock in the vicinity of the speaker aperture. -
If the speaker cable is already present in the ceiling space, pull the cable down through the aperture. If speaker cables are not already installed this should be done at this stage. It is likely that you will need o gain access through the floor above to route the cables through the ceiling space. Leave enough spare cable through the aperture to ease connection to the speaker, but not so much that it is likely to buzz or rattle when pushed back up into the ceiling space. Approximately 1.0m (3 ft) is appropriate.
Note: Always use high-quality, low resistance speaker cable. Low resistance is especially important if the length of cable from the amplifier to speaker exceeds 5m. Your local Bowers & Wilkins retailer will be able to offer advice on speaker cable selection if required. -
Now connect the speaker cable to the spring terminals on the side of the baffle. Ensure that the speaker connection polarity is correct: the cable connected to the positive terminal on the amplifier should be connected to the red spring terminal on the frame. Similarly, the cable connected to the negative terminal on the amplifier should be connected to the black spring terminal on the frame. Diagram 3 illustrates the cable connection.
Note: If an
amplifier is already connected to the cable it should be switched off while
connections are being made to the backbox. -
With the speaker connected to the cable, it can be inserted into the ceiling aperture. Ensure that the four dog clamps are rotated inwards so that they can pass through the aperture, then lift the speaker up so that the flange is flush on the ceiling. Take care that the connection cable does not become trapped anywhere.
To secure the speaker user a Phillips screwdriver inserted through the dog- clamp access holes in the front of the speaker. Take great care that not to damage the speaker drive units with the screwdriver. Engage the screwdriver with each dog-clamp screw in turn and tighten them. Diagram 4 illustrates inserting and securing the speaker.|
Note: If the ceiling is to be painted
after the speakers have been installed, the supplied paint mask should be
used. -
The grille can now be fitted. The grille is held in place magnetically so simply needs to be aligned with the groove in the frame flange where it will click into place. Diagram 5 illustrates fitting the grille. The CCM3 Series speaker is now installed and ready for use.
Using a Pre-mount Kit
Custom install pre-mount kits enable the locations of in-ceiling and in-wall
speakers to be defined before the sheetrock (plasterboard) is fitted to the
studs (joists). Routing and cutting of speaker cables are also made easier
using pre-mount kits. A pre-mount kit PMK) comprises a plastic molding that
defines the aperture size of the specific speaker model, two perforated metal
straps, and four plastic clips.
To use a PMK, first, attach one strap to each side of the molding using
plastic clips. The PMK assembly can now be attached to the stud work by
nailing the metal straps to the studs so that the plastic molding is located
at the appropriate position.
When the sheetrock (plasterboard) is subsequently fitted (marked on the
outside to denote the position of the pre-mount kit) the PMK plastic molding
serves as an internal cut guide that significantly eases cutting the speaker
aperture.
Diagrams 6 to 9 illustrate the PMK installation.
Using a Back-box Kit
Custom install back-box kits comprise a fire-proof box that can be fitted
behind in-wall or ceiling speakers before the sheetrock (plasterboard) is
fitted to the studs (joists). As well as enabling compliance with fire
regulations, back-boxes also help optimize speaker performance by providing a
defined acoustic loading volume. A minimum clearance depth of 140mm from the
outer stud (joist) plane to any rear obstruction is required to fit a back-
box.
Back-boxes incorporate holed side flanges that are intended to be nailed to
adjoining studs (joists). All the nail holes should be used to help minimize
the risk of the flange vibrating against the stud (joist) when the speaker is
in use.
Speaker cable is bought into back-boxes via sealing glands. Once the cable has
been brought through the gland, and the gland tightened, fire-retardant
sealing mastic should be used to seal the assembly. Ensure that a generous
length of cable is available in the backbox before the gland is sealed. A
cable clamp adjacent to the gland provides cable strain
relief.
When the sheetrock (plasterboard) is fitted over the backbox a generous bead
of fire-retardant sealing mastic should be applied to the backbox flanges in
order to seal the assembly and minimize the possibility of vibration when the
speaker is in use.
Diagrams 10 to 12 illustrate back-box installation.
