Ceiling speaker Showdown!

[John520]

Good evening audio nerds,

I currently have a 7.2 setup. I'm rockin' RBH impression series in the front, towers and a full range center channel. SVS prime bookshelves on the sides and back. Time for some Atmos!! I'm looking for in ceiling speaker recommendations to add that heavenly .4.

I think I already know the answer, however. I have been seeing Klipsch's normally $450 CDT 5800 C ll's on sale for $180 everywhere. Just put me out of my misery and assure me mixing horn loaded speakers into my system is not the answer.

I have also considered RSL's 34E MKII, often seen advertised on this site.

According to my wife, my budget needs to stay around $200 a speaker.

What is the perfect speaker I'm not considering?

Thanks in advance guys!

https://www.amazon.com/Klipsch-CDT-5800-C-II-Ceiling-Speaker/dp/B0074WSYXC/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=klipsch%2Bcdt-5800-c%2Bii&qid=1668572296&sprefix=klipsch%2Bcdt%2Caps%2C373&sr=8-1&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.fa474cd8-6dfc-4bad-a280-890f5a4e2f90&th=1

The New C34E MKII Is Now Available!

The C34EMKII introduces audiophile-grade sound and parts to an in-ceiling platform that is suitable for ALL applications; from Atmos and surrounds, to home theater mains and stereo.

rslspeakers.com

 

[TLS Guy]

Good evening audio nerds,

I currently have a 7.2 setup. I'm rockin' RBH impression series in the front, towers and a full range center channel. SVS prime bookshelves on the sides and back. Time for some Atmos!! I'm looking for in ceiling speaker recommendations to add that heavenly .4.

I think I already know the answer, however. I have been seeing Klipsch's normally $450 CDT 5800 C ll's on sale for $180 everywhere. Just put me out of my misery and assure me mixing horn loaded speakers into my system is not the answer.

I have also considered RSL's 34E MKII, often seen advertised on this site.

According to my wife, my budget needs to stay around $200 a speaker.

What is the perfect speaker I'm not considering?

Thanks in advance guys!

https://www.amazon.com/Klipsch-CDT-5800-C-II-Ceiling-Speaker/dp/B0074WSYXC/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=klipsch%2Bcdt-5800-c%2Bii&qid=1668572296&sprefix=klipsch%2Bcdt%2Caps%2C373&sr=8-1&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.fa474cd8-6dfc-4bad-a280-890f5a4e2f90&th=1

The New C34E MKII Is Now Available!

The C34EMKII introduces audiophile-grade sound and parts to an in-ceiling platform that is suitable for ALL applications; from Atmos and surrounds, to home theater mains and stereo.

rslspeakers.com

I keep telling everybody that the design of those ceiling speakers is absurd.

The best solution is a really good full range driver. This one is excellent value. It is the Mark Audio CHN 110. It is well below your budget. The FR is excellent. I recommend you mount them in 0.25 cu.in back boxes for optimal performance and acoustic isolation. Fill the box with Polyfill.

I have four of them mounted like this.

With the white grill on the speakers are unobtrusive.

The results have been excellent. I maintain that is by far the best solution to ceiling Atmos speakers around, and it is highly cost effective. A good full range driver is ideal for Atmos ceiling speakers. I have had hem in for three years now, and the results are excellent. From an acoustic point of view that is a far better solution than those drivers with tweeter and mids stuck in front of the cone, which frankly is a very bad and stupid solution, and certainly not a quality or sensible audio engineering.

 

[flyboylr45]

I use the RBH Si-615 for my Atmos… Nothing wrong with them…

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I use the RBH VM-815 ceiling speakers x 4 for Atmos, and they sound awesome.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Good evening audio nerds,

I currently have a 7.2 setup. I'm rockin' RBH impression series in the front, towers and a full range center channel. SVS prime bookshelves on the sides and back. Time for some Atmos!! I'm looking for in ceiling speaker recommendations to add that heavenly .4.

I think I already know the answer, however. I have been seeing Klipsch's normally $450 CDT 5800 C ll's on sale for $180 everywhere. Just put me out of my misery and assure me mixing horn loaded speakers into my system is not the answer.

I have also considered RSL's 34E MKII, often seen advertised on this site.

According to my wife, my budget needs to stay around $200 a speaker.

What is the perfect speaker I'm not considering?

Thanks in advance guys!

https://www.amazon.com/Klipsch-CDT-5800-C-II-Ceiling-Speaker/dp/B0074WSYXC/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=klipsch%2Bcdt-5800-c%2Bii&qid=1668572296&sprefix=klipsch%2Bcdt%2Caps%2C373&sr=8-1&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.fa474cd8-6dfc-4bad-a280-890f5a4e2f90&th=1

The New C34E MKII Is Now Available!

The C34EMKII introduces audiophile-grade sound and parts to an in-ceiling platform that is suitable for ALL applications; from Atmos and surrounds, to home theater mains and stereo.

rslspeakers.com

I think the Klipsch are fine. But if you want RBH, something like the VA-815 or VM-615 would be great also.

 

[WadeT]

I just read in another thread that we should ditch the ceiling options and go wall. wth? haha

 

[lovinthehd]

I just read in another thread that we should ditch the ceiling options and go wall. wth? haha

Eh? Ditch ceiling for Atmos speakers?

 

[WadeT]

Eh? Ditch ceiling for Atmos speakers?

What if you're running top mounted add-ons (A90 def tech) to floor speakers for atmos already? Do you still mount ceiling speakers or go r/l of tv on wall? That's my current predicament.

 

[lovinthehd]

What if you're running top mounted add-ons (A90 def tech) to floor speakers for atmos already? Do you still mount ceiling speakers or go r/l of tv on wall? That's my current predicament.

Well I wouldn't run bouncy speakers myself, but if I really wanted Atmos I'd mess with my ceiling (which I really don't want to do, too much work in my place). I wouldn't combine the two types, tho.

 

[WadeT]

Sounds good I'll mount them on the sides on TV

 

[TLS Guy]

Sounds good I'll mount them on the sides on TV

Eh!

 

[WadeT]

Eh!

So, no speakers on side of tv? My current setup is L/R floors with A90s, center, 2 subs (frt/back) and two ceiling mount rear surround.

 

[everettT]

I keep telling everybody that the design of those ceiling speakers is absurd.

The best solution is a really good full range driver. This one is excellent value. It is the Mark Audio CHN 110. It is well below your budget. The FR is excellent. I recommend you mount them in 0.25 cu.in back boxes for optimal performance and acoustic isolation. Fill the box with Polyfill.

I have four of them mounted like this.

With the white grill on the speakers are unobtrusive.

The results have been excellent. I maintain that is by far the best solution to ceiling Atmos speakers around, and it is highly cost effective. A good full range driver is ideal for Atmos ceiling speakers. I have had hem in for three years now, and the results are excellent. From an acoustic point of view that is a far better solution than those drivers with tweeter and mids stuck in front of the cone, which frankly is a very bad and stupid solution, and certainly not a quality or sensible audio engineering.

The have a kit available with the box using the smaller driver, the CHN 50, for a reasonable price. Not sure it going up in size makes too much difference, maybe you can tell more than I can, but they look like they can take a 110/120hz crossover nicely.

MarkAudio Tozzi One Kit- Pair

MarkAudio Tozzi One Kit- Pair

www.madisoundspeakerstore.com

 

[TLS Guy]

The have a kit available with the box using the smaller driver, the CHN 50, for a reasonable price. Not sure it going up in size makes too much difference, maybe you can tell more than I can, but they look like they can take a 110/120hz crossover nicely.

MarkAudio Tozzi One Kit- Pair

MarkAudio Tozzi One Kit- Pair

www.madisoundspeakerstore.com

They do. Mine are in 0.25 sealed enclosure and cross at 120 Hz. They take plenty of power, and are very good. On white noise you can tell they are matching the other speakers perfectly.

These speakers in my view make the ultimate Atmos ceiling speakers for home use, and save you a lot of money. They save you money and improve performance over those ubiquitous absurd ceiling speaker designs. I would never ever include ANY of those commercial speakers in any home AV room I had a hand in designing. They should all be put in the category of expensive junk.

 

[TLS Guy]

So, no speakers on side of tv? My current setup is L/R floors with A90s, center, 2 subs (frt/back) and two ceiling mount rear surround.

One common mistake is to put the front left and right too close together. You need a good center and that means not horizontal MTM.

If you have ceiling speaker already, then make those part of the Atmos set up, and do not use them as surrounds. Follow the Dolby set up protocol.

 

[TLS Guy]

I use the RBH Si-615 for my Atmos… Nothing wrong with them…

There is everything wrong with them. They have a tweeter on a pretty wide mounting bracket stuck right in front of the cone. In my book that classifies them as an absurd design.

 

[flyboylr45]

There is everything wrong with them. They have a tweeter on a pretty wide mounting bracket stuck right in front of the cone. In my book that classifies them as an absurd design.

Does it matter though that they’re less than ideal? Gene just had an interview with a guy who mixes Atmos movies and he even said that the Atmos channels are encoded with less bits than the bed channels. He went as far as saying that if you were to mute the bed channels, you’d be less than impressed. They‘re there for object placement. So while I agree with you that they’re less than ideal, for Atmos channels, does it really matter?

 

[TLS Guy]

Does it matter though that they’re less than ideal? Gene just had an interview with a guy who mixes Atmos movies and he even said that the Atmos channels are encoded with less bits than the bed channels. He went as far as saying that if you were to mute the bed channels, you’d be less than impressed. They‘re there for object placement. So while I agree with you that they’re less than ideal, for Atmos channels, does it really matter?

For movies I can see it may not matter. However I do not watch a lot of movies, I do however use the Dolby upmixer to up mix 2 channel to 7.2.4. This does an outstandingly good job of recreating ambient spaces like RAH, other concert halls and cathedrals etc. So it is essential that all my speakers be excellent, other wise the illusion would be lost. I have recently acquired my first true Atmos audio disc of the organ in the Cathedral in Vienna on the DGG label. The resulting realism in this room is outstanding. If the ceiling speakers were poor, I'm sure the illusion would be lost as the ambient sound would not match.
Those Mark Audio drivers, have an astonishingly even mid band response that extends into the high band. They don't break up, until close to 20K, and that means they don't beam and have excellent dispersion. They are a perfect speaker for the ceiling Atmos application.
Lastly, why poor more for a lousy speaker, when you can get a much better one for far less?