Ceiling speakers for surround sound systems?

[Griff Boy]

Hi,

I'm just starting to look at fitting out my new tv/sound system in my lounge and I need some advice on the speaker type and locations.

The room is 6.5m x6m

It will have a 50" plasma mounted on the wall in a false fireplace/mantle
I am fitting an onkyo reciever with feeds from sky hd and a blue ray player to the tv
I will also add a Sonos zone player to the system.

The question is I am planning to fit two ceiling mounted speakers for the rears, and a in wall centre speaker under the tv, also a separate sub woofer. The issue is the front speakers. Can I use a pair of in ceiling speakers for fronts, or will it badly affect the surround sound quality? Swmbo doesn't wall floor or bookshelf speakers as they are too visible.... So it has to be built in.

I mainly will use the system for tv and movies, plus some music on occasions.

Any advice on which speaker would be best for this type of install or is it best to rethink the fronts totally?

Cheers in advance

[Driller]

Is it possible to fit in walls L & R? You will get a much better soundscape by doing this as the speakers will be at ear level rather than firing down. Some handy makes are Atlantic Technology, Monitor Audio, Speakercraft and Sonnance but there are tons of them out there.

You'll find that for the same quality of sound you'll pay a large premium for inwalls/inceilings though.

No chance of getting some good looking floorstanders past the missus?

[VEX]

Try the Monitor Audio Radius HD270 as an amazing pair of floor standers that get the WAF.

Alternatively, yes ceiling speakers can work and it really depend how much you want to spend as to what performance you will get out of them.

However if you have never had a surround sound system then it will still knock you socks off. Even at the cheaper end (RRP £200) you do get directional tweeters which will allow you to focus the main sound at least towards the listening location a little. At the higher end the whole baffel (spelling) can move.

HTH

V.

[NorthDave]

Hi Mate

You could look to swap the centre under tv speaker for something like the Artcoustic DF-Multi? This would in effect give you all three channels in one speaker and you could even have it made to the same size as your TV.

[Griff Boy]

NorthDave said:

Hi Mate

You could look to swap the centre under tv speaker for something like the Artcoustic DF-Multi? This would in effect give you all three channels in one speaker and you could even have it made to the same size as your TV.

Now thats a good idea, sounds worth investigating.

Current plan is to mount two in wall speakers either side of the mantle and not fit the in ceiling fronts.

After a visit to my local specialists Ive been reccomended the following the following:
CUSTOM FIT SPEAKER (PAIR) Make: B&W Model no.: CWM6160
bw speaker centre 1
RECEIVER BLACK 1 Make: ONKYO Model no.: TXNR609-B
4G 50" 3D PLASMA BLACK Make: Panasonic Model no.: TXP46ST30
subwoofer light oak Make: B&W Model no.: asw610
panasonic 3d glasses x 4 (active)
3D BLU RAY BLACK Make: Panasonic Model no.: DMPBT110

What do you reckon?

[VEX]

Hi dave.

Think we bump into each other on AVF as well. Just about to take artcoustic on myself,looking forward to good nose around CEDIA soon.

DF Multi is a good call or the little psudo sound bar that they do.

V.

[dan5oclocksmith]

I'm using Anthony Gallo Nucleus speakers, with the rears ceiling mounts and the front three all flush mounted into the wall - works well, and pretty discreet.