Any suggestions re SMALL inwall speakers?

[Bill F]

I'm in the midst of a massive remodel, and am upgrading from my college-era Klipsch Heresys to built-ins. In the living room I'm installing seven ceiling AIM8 threes, and in the bedrrom I was planning to install five RBH MC-6s that I got on this site a few months back.

The sheetrockers were here yesterday, and last night I placed my cardboard templates on the new walls in the bedroom and... dang! The wall opposite the bed is going to look like nothing but speakers! As a guy, that's fine, but I've got a wife...

Now the issue isn't that the MC-6s have a big wall-print - the rectangles are about 7.5" x 11". The problem is that the door is also in that wall, and thus the remaining wall span is 9 feet. And since I'm trying to follow two placement "rules"
A) Keep them at ear-height, and
B) Keep them at least 1 foot from corners]

With three front speakers, I've taken over the wall.

Help!

The sound in the bedrrom doesn't need to be great - I just want to enjoy DVDs properly. Any suggestions for a set of five SMALL in-walls that sound OK (and that I can find for $100 each or less...)?

Thanks!

Bill in SF

 

[Highbar]

I'm a renter so I've never looked at in-wall or in-ceiling speakers but I have an idea for you. Have you already installed the ceiling speakers? If not why not switch it up and use 3 of the in-walls in the living room and 3 of the ceiling speakers in the bedroom? Not going to be perfect sound but from everything I've heard you'd get better sound in the living room that way, since the fronts would be in front of you instead of above. I'm guessing this is going to be where you'll watch more TV and movies. Then in the bedroom you'd have a free wall and still have surround. It's just a thought, that way you wouldn't have to get anything new or sell anything you already have.

 

[lsiberian]

Are in walls a must?

The reason I ask is I assumed things about my speakers with my fiancee only to find I was wrong and she preferred what I liked from an aesthetics point of view. Personally I find in-walls to be ugly unless you have a non white wall. Even then I think well built speakers look better.

Please don't shoot me, but you can always ask her what she thinks of the KEF 2001.2 series. It comes in black or silver and is very low profile. They go in a set for around 450 or so on ebay. You could also look at the KEF 1000s either speaker is capable of filling a small to medium sized room very well. And they are on clearance. They are very small light and can be place anywhere. I would reccommend at least giving it a go on the KEFs they are really awesome surrounds.

For In Walls the tSc's(The Speaker Company) have had a good review from AH.

 

[Bill F]

Hi Highbar,

I can't use the in-walls in the main room since the walls that the seating will face are mostly glass. But I could race out and grab small aimable in-ceilings, and use them in the bedroom... Drywall tapers aren't here til tomorrow, so I've got today to gouge the new drywall and move wires as needed...

Hi Isiberin,

You might be right that the KEF eggs on the dresser opposite the bed might be more attractive than three medium-sized grills in the wall. But in-wall/in-ceiling seems like such a clean solution, so, per your suggestion, I'm going to check out The Speaker Company for something smaller.

Does anyone have any opinions on other smaller built-in speaker models?

Bill

 

[lsiberian]

KEF eggs would definately sound better than tSc in walls. IMO

Plus you don't cut into your wall. These speakers are going 450 for a full set on ebay atm. you can beat that. The only thing I worry about is the eggs overpowering a small bedroom. You will definately want to watch the volume level if you get them. The 1000s may be the safer bet. KEF does have in-wall/ceilings too. But I'm not read up on those.

Looks can be easily improved with the right colors and wall textures. If the walls are white then they probably won't look any worse with speakers on them.