The Dayton Audio in-wall speaker distribution center (item# 300-542) was designed for fast and easy installation in new construction and existing homes, offices and commercial buildings. It is designed to be used in conjunction with IMPEDANCE MATCHING VOLUME CONTROLS (items 300-548/549). A diagram showing the entire system setup is shown at the bottom of this page or click here.

The distribution center gives you the ability to connect up to 10 sets of speakers to a standard home/office entertainment center without the need for speaker switching devices. The in-wall design hides the unsightly "bird's nest" of wires common behind large home and office sound systems.

The removable PCB wiring connectors allow you to pre-wire your system during new construction before the drywall stage, reducing the risk of damage to the unit. The connectors make installation fast after construction. Gold plated heavy duty three-way binding posts and the Decora style design make this unit match other components in most high end home theatre installations.

Installation Instructions

1. Select Location Select a convenient location behind your sound system or entertainment center. The most common location is at the same level as the electrical and cable TV outlets in your home or office. CAUTION: Be certain that there are no electrical wires, water pipes, heat or cold air return ducts in the planned installation area before you start cutting into the wall. If there is an electrical outlet anywhere nearby, turn off the circuit breaker to avoid possible injury. Use of an electrical wire finder and/or stud finder (found at most home center stores) may be of assistance.
   
   
2. Mounting Box The Speaker distribution center is made to be mounted into a standard triple duplex electrical box (also found at most home center stores). Mount the box using the instructions provided.
   
   
3. Speaker Wire Use UL approved CMR, CL-2 or CL-3 jacketed speaker wire when possible. Use minimum 16 gauge wire on runs under 100 feet and 14 gauge on runs over 100 feet.
   
   
4. Connector hookup Remove the blue speaker PCB connectors from the back of the unit. Loosen the set screws in the connector. When hooking up the speaker wires to the connectors be sure to observe the correct polarity. This is very important because improper polarity will cause unwanted frequency response aberrations. Leave approximately 6-8 inches of wire length inside the box. For future reference, mark the wires inside the box with their location using a permanent marker. Remove 2" of the jacket from the speaker wire. Using wire strippers remove about 1/4" of insulation from each wire. Twist the strands of wire tightly before inserting them into the connectors (for the best possible connection, you may want to tin the wires if you have a soldering iron available). Insert the speaker wires into the connectors and tighten the set screws.
   
   
5. Panel installation Remove the six 1/4" screws that attach the trim plate to the PCB assembly.
   
   
6. Attach connectors Push the blue connectors with wire attached onto the posts on the PCB. Since all of the connectors are wired in parallel, you may attach the connectors in any order and any combination you like.
   
   
7. Install the panel Install the distribution panel to the triple duplex gang box by gently pushing the wires into the box and mounting the panel to the box using the six 1" flathead screws supplied. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN.
   
   
8. Reinstall wall trim plate With the six 1/4" screws removed earlier reinstall the trim plate.
   
   
9. Install volume controls NOTE Use ONLY impedance compensating volume controls with this speaker distribution panel. Use of standard autotransformer or resistive volume controls will damage your amplifier.
   
   
10. Amplifier hookup The binding posts on the front of the speaker distribution panel will accept up to 10 gauge wire and single or double banana plugs. As with any sound system, always observe correct polarity from the amp to the speakers.

Specifications:

Power Handling: 200 Watts RMS per channel max
Outputs: Any combination up to 10
Input wire specifications: Up to 10 ga (three way binding post)
Output wire specifications: Up to 14 ga (compression quick connects)
Impedance protection: None. Use with impedance compensating volume controls ONLY
Mounting configuration: Standard triple duplex electrical box
Dimensions: 4-1/2" H x 6-1/4" W x 1-3/4" D (depth in wall 3/4")