Bose 161TM Speakers

Owners Guide October 26, 2001

AM257524_01_V.pdf

Declaration of conformity
We, the offerer, Bose Corporation, The Mountain Framingham, MA 01701-9168 USA acknowledge our sole responsibility, that the product, Kind of equipment: Loudspeaker Type designation: 161 loudspeaker in accordance with EMC directive 89/336/EC and article 10(1) of the Directive, is in compliance with the following norm(s) or document(s): Technical regulations: EN 50081-1, EN 50082-1 Accredited by Bose Corporation 1 May 2001 Bose Products B.V. Nijverheidstraat 8, 1135 GE Edam, The Netherlands Nic Merks, Vice President, Bose Europe Manufacturers authorized EU representative

October 26, 2001

Where to nd
Before you begin. For your records. Setup. Unpacking. Placing your Bose 161 speakers. Choosing speaker cord. Preparing speaker cord. Connecting speaker cord to the speakers. Connecting speaker cord to your receiver or amplifier. Testing speaker connections. Mounting your speakers on a wall. Reference. Cleaning your speakers. Troubleshooting. Technical information. 7

Before you begin

Thank you for purchasing Bose 161 speakers. Their advanced design and quality construction are intended to provide long-term listening enjoyment in your home. Your 161 speakers are engineered to provide quality Bose speaker performance from a simple, elegant design. Unique Bose technologies, including Stereo Everywhere, deliver performance usually associated with much larger speakers.

For your records

Serial numbers are located on the label on the back of each 161 speaker. Serial numbers: __________________ and ____________________ Dealer name: _____________________________________________ Dealer phone: _______________ Purchase date: _______________ We suggest you keep your sales receipt with this owners guide.
2001 Bose Corporation. No part of this work may be reproduced, modied, distributed or otherwise used without prior written permission.

Setup Unpacking

Unpack the carton carefully. Save the carton and packing materials for possible later use. If either speaker appears damaged, do not operate either one. Repack both speakers in the original carton and notify your authorized Bose dealer immediately.
Placing your Bose 161 speakers
Note: Your 161 speakers are magnetically shielded to prevent interference with most television screens. For best acoustic performance, place the left channel speaker on the left side of the room and the right channel speaker on the right, at least 5 feet (1.5 m) apart. (Refer to the label on the back of each speaker.) Make sure the back of each speaker is parallel to the front wall. For rear channel use in a home theater surround sound system, put the speakers near the back of the room, behind or to the sides of the listening area. Attach the supplied self-adhesive feet to the bottom surface of each speaker for greater stability (Figure 1). If you want to mount your speakers using the supplied wall brackets, see Mounting your speakers on a wall on page 6. Figure 1
Locations for attaching rubber feet to the bottom of the speakers
CAUTION: Do not install near any heat sources, such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including ampliers) that produce heat.

Choosing speaker cord

Be sure to use the proper gauge (thickness) of speaker cord. Standard zip cord (2-conductor, 18-gauge [0.75 mm2] wire found at electrical and hardware stores) works for most applications. If the length of speaker wire extends more than 30 feet (9 m) from a receiver or amplier, refer to Wire recommendations on page 7 or contact your authorized Bose dealer for more information. CAUTION: Before making any connections, turn off your receiver or amplier and unplug it from the outlet (the AC power mains).
Setup Preparing speaker cord
Speaker cord consists of two insulated wires. The insulation around one wire is striped, collared, or ribbed. This marked wire is always positive (+). The plain wire is always negative (). These correspond to the positive (red) and negative (black) terminals on the back of each speaker, receiver, or amplier. Be sure to connect each wire to the proper terminal (+ to +, to ). Note: Be sure to cut enough cord to reach from the receiver to each speaker. At the ends of each cord, strip approximately 12 inch (1.3 cm) of insulation from both wires. Twist the bare ends of each wire so there are no loose strands.

Connecting speaker cord to the speakers
Locate the terminals on the back of each speaker. Depress the red terminal button (Figure 2), insert the marked (+) wire and release the button. Depress the black terminal button, insert the plain () wire and release the button. Figure 2
Making speaker wire connections Black ()

Red (+)

Connecting speaker cord to your receiver or amplier
Connect the left speaker cord to the left channel speaker output of your receiver or amplier. Attach the marked wire to the red (+) terminal and the plain wire to the black () terminal. In the same manner, connect the right speaker cord to the right channel speaker output. CAUTION: Make sure no loose strands of wire touch across terminals. This could create a short circuit that can damage an amplier or receiver. Secure any loose wires before you plug in the receiver or amplier. Note: If these speakers are used for the rear surround channels in a home theater system, choose the SMALL SPEAKER setting.
Setup Testing speaker connections
1. 2. 3. Center the balance control on your receiver or amplier. Set it for MONO, if you have that option, and turn it on. Place the 161 speakers less than 6 inches (15 cm) apart, facing each other. Play some deep bass passages of music.
The sound should seem to come from a point between the two speakers. The bass should be full and natural. If not, your connections may be reversed, causing the speakers to play out of phase. To correct the problem, make sure the speaker wires are connected + to + and to. Then repeat steps 1 3.
Mounting your speakers on a wall
See the back pages of this guide for a mounting template and mounting hardware information. CAUTION: Do not mount the brackets on surfaces that are not sturdy enough, or that have hazards concealed behind them, such as electrical wire or plumbing. If you are unsure about installing the bracket, contact a qualied professional installer. CAUTION: Do not hang items from the brackets or speakers. The brackets were designed to support the weight of the speakers only. Note: For vertical mounting, mount part A with the hole for screw C at the bottom. Be sure to tighten all screws. Note: For Stereo Everywhere speaker performance, horizontal mounting is required. 1. Hold the mounting template in position and mark holes for the mounting hardware. If you plan to feed wires through the wall, mark the speaker wire pilot hole also. Drill holes for the chosen mounting hardware. Mount bracket part A to the wall and mount bracket part B to the rear of the speaker (Figure 3). Secure the speaker with bracket part B to bracket part A using screw C. To adjust the angle, loosen screw C slightly, move the speaker up or down, and retighten screw C. B

2. 3. 4.

Figure 3
Speaker-bracket installation
Reference Cleaning your speakers
Use a damp cloth to clean your 161 speakers. Do not use harsh chemicals or household cleaners. Do not apply liquids directly to the speakers. If you vacuum the front grille of the speakers, do so carefully.

Troubleshooting

If you experience problems with your 161 speakers, the following suggestions may help. If you need additional help, contact your authorized Bose dealer, or contact Bose directly. Problem
Neither speaker plays Bass or treble is weak Only one speaker plays

What to do

Check the settings on your receiver or amplier. Refer to the owners guide that came with it for instruction on settings. Check the tonal balance setting on your receiver or amplier. Check the balance control on your receiver or amplier. Check the wires connected to the speaker that does not play. Make sure the wires are in good condition and are rmly connected. See page 5. Disconnect the wires from both the speaker and the receiver or amplier. Disconnect the other cord from its speaker, and connect that end of the cord to the speaker that doesnt play. If the speaker still doesnt play, the problem is in the speaker. If the speaker now plays, continue checking for the source of the problem. Disconnect the same cord from the amplier or receiver. Connect it to the other outputs on the amplier or receiver. If the speaker plays, the problem is in the original cord that was connected to that speaker. If the speaker does not play, the problem is in that channel of the receiver.
One speaker still does not play

Technical information

Quality standard: Syncom computer quality control Driver complement: Two (2) 2.5" (6.3 cm) wide-range drivers per speaker Enclosure: Tuned port, molded ABS resin Dimensions: 4.17"H x 10.93"W x 4.98"D (10.6 cm x 27.8 cm x 12.6 cm) Compatibility: Rated 50W IEC; compatible with ampliers or receivers rated 10-100 watts per channel, rated 4-8 ohms Wire recommendations: Based on a maximum frequency response deviation of 0.5 dB. Gauge 18 (0.75 mm2) 16 (1.5 mm2) 14 (2.0 mm2) Length 30 ft (9 m) maximum 45 ft (14 m) maximum 70 ft (21 m) maximum
Weight: 8 lbs. (3.6 kg) per pair, in the carton

Reference

Drilling template

9/16" (13 mm)

2 23/64" (60 mm)

1 3/16" (30 mm)

1/4" (6 mm)

1/8" (3 mm)

Optional speaker cord pilot hole

Wood wall

1/8" 1/4" 1/8" (3 mm) (6 mm) (3 mm)
#10 x 11/2 in. (#10 x 40 mm)

Masonry wall

#10 #10 x 11/2 in. (#10 x 40 mm)

Wallboard wall

1/2" 9/16" 1/4" 1/2" 9/16" (12-13 mm) (6 mm) (12-13 mm)
#10-24 x 3 in. (M5 x 75 mm)
2001 Bose Corporation The Mountain Framingham, MA 01701-9168 USA 257524 AM Rev.01 JN10530