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 8 Practical Tips for Choosing the Right In-Wall Speakers

There are lots of reasons why you'd want in-wall or in-ceiling speakers. They're less obtrusive than conventional speakers. Wiring remains hidden from view. And they can usually be painted to blend with the room and decor. But perhaps the best reason to get them is their incredible sound. Rather than being limited to an individual cabinet, your entire wall becomes the cabinet. Yet with so many choices out there, choosing the right ones for you can be tricky. So we've put together a few ideas:

In-Wall or In-Ceiling

Don't know whether to choose in-wall or in-ceiling speakers? Chances are the room construction will be the determining factor. With in-ceiling speakers, which are usually round, mounting depth typically isn't a major consideration since most homes are built with ample attic space (or space between ceiling and the upper floor). But with in-wall speakers, which are usually square, you're typically limited to depth of 3¾ inches. Still not sure? Bose® Virtually Invisible® In-Wall Speakers can be either wall- or ceiling-mounted, and come with grilles that work in either environment.

Another consideration is how easy it is to run speaker wire to the speaker location. For example, if you're in a home with brick walls, choosing in-ceiling speakers is a given!

Speaker Size

Typically in-wall or in-ceiling speakers come in 3 sizes: 5¼", 6.5" and 8". For most speaker manufacturers, this refers to the size of the actual woofer inside the speaker, not the overall speaker enclosure. The general rule of thumb: the bigger the woofer, the more powerful the sound.

The overall speaker enclosure will be larger. The enclosure not only holds the speaker in place in the wall or ceiling, it also conceals the drywall cut-out (which is smaller than the enclosure size).

Room Size

Another factor to consider is room size. Certainly in larger rooms like home theater rooms, living rooms, dining rooms, etc., you'll want multiple speakers. But what about bathrooms, hallways or walk-in closets, where there may not be enough space for two speakers? That's where you would choose a dual-voice coil speaker, which delivers both the left and right channels over one speaker. For these you may want to consider the incredible-sounding DT Series In-Ceiling Speakers or a lower-cost Dual Voice Coil In-Ceiling Speakers.

Speaker Placement

Another common question we receive is where in the room to install the speakers. Typically, you'll want to install in-wall speakers 6 feet off the floor and at least 2 feet from a corner. You usually have a little more flexibility with in-ceiling speakers, although you'll still want to stay at least a foot from a corner. For small and mid-size rooms, usually two speakers is enough. For bigger rooms or uniquely-shaped rooms (i.e. L-shaped rooms), you may want to consider 3 or more speakers of alternating left/right channels.

The Sweet Spot

If the room has a sweet spot — a primary listening area where you plan on listening to the music, like a sofa or bed — we recommend choosing in-wall or in-ceiling speakers with pivoting tweeters. This allows you to aim the highly-directional, high-frequency sounds towards the listening area.

For even more flexibility, Ready For Knowledge, Inc. offers in-ceiling speakers that allows the entire speaker to pivot towards the listening area, while remaining flush behind the grille.

If the room is in a place where you may move around a lot, like an exercise room or rec room, you'll probably want to spread the sound around the room, and may not need the pivoting function.

Matching Timbre

True sound aficionados will make sure that all the speakers in their home are timbre matched. That means in a "good, better, best" scenario, all the speakers in the house are from the same family, even if the style of speaker changes. The industry leader in this area is clearly SpeakerCraft. For example, their CRS8 One speakers are timbre-matched to AIM8 One, CRS One, MT8 One and MT One speakers. CRS8 Two speakers are timbre-matched to AIM8 Two, CRS Two, MT8 Two and MT Two speakers. CRS8 Three speakers are timbre-matched to AIM8 Three, CRS Three and MT Three speakers. By sticking to a timbre-matched set, you'll have similar sound qualities in every room.

Consider Resale Value

Another element about in-wall or in-ceiling speakers is that they become part of the house. So if at a later date, you decide to move, chances are you're not going to pull them out. But if you choose a name-brand in-wall speaker like SpeakerCraft or Bose, it will add to the overall value of your home, much like Corian countertops, Dacor ovens or other recognized, high-quality brands.

In-Wall or In-Ceiling Subwoofers?

You bet! If the thought of having a giant, black subwoofer box in your family room wouldn't go over well, then take it into your walls or ceiling. For in-wall use, we offer the Audioplex 8" In-Wall Subwoofer. For in-ceiling use, we offer the incredible 1,000-Watt In-Ceiling Powered Subwoofer System.

Ready For Knowledge, Inc. offers these tips so you can enjoy the beautiful music of your SmartHome.


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