best way to mount bookshelf speakers

[LOUMFSG]

I am looking for advice on the best way to mount bookshelf speakers (in this case, BIC DV-62si's, which weigh about 15 lbs. each). I've seen some which require attaching a screw to the back of the speaker - is this recommended? Is it easier to attach to the wall or ceiling? Thanks in advance.

 

[CaliHwyPatrol]

I have the Polk Audio RTi4's as my surrounds and I just took the screw that they came with and put it into a stud. They hang just like a picture. Ceiling mounting would involve actually attaching something to the speaker, mine just hang there and I can take them off readily.

~Chuck

 

[hopjohn]

If your speakers have threaded inserts (not sure if yours do or not) you can use several different speaker mount designs which take advanatage of them. If they do not, there are also speaker mounts that clinch the speaker from the sides or from the front and back so you don't have to put holes in your speaker cabinets. Cieling and wall mounting are about equal in difficulty so it is more a matter of preference. Keep in mind you'll probably need to mount into a stud for speakers of that weight.

 

[tejax]

Check this photo http://cgd.sdf-eu.org/ht/bt5.jpg
Where are the cables?
The on support mounted speaker is a kef q1 which weights 6.4kg (14.1lbs)

 

[mulester7]

Check this photo http://cgd.sdf-eu.org/ht/bt5.jpg
Where are the cables?
The on support mounted speaker is a kef q1 which weights 6.4kg (14.1lbs)

.....looks very good, Tejax, where are the cables?.....

 

[tejax]

Well, I'm not a native english speaker so I might have some difficult describing. Look at the ceilling-wall transition: there is a standard ladder-effect. Immediately below that "effect" I glued the racks (the plastic conducts where the cables are). As the effect, the wall and the racks are all white, and the depth of the "effect" is the same as the rack depth, you almost don't notice the rack (you just think the whole thing is the "effect"). If you look careful, you'll see the rack below the "effect" however.

 

[mulester7]

Well, I'm not a native english speaker so I might have some difficult describing. Look at the ceilling-wall transition: there is a standard ladder-effect. Immediately below that "effect" I glued the racks (the plastic conducts where the cables are). As the effect, the wall and the racks are all white, and the depth of the "effect" is the same as the rack depth, you almost don't notice the rack (you just think the whole thing is the "effect"). If you look careful, you'll see the rack below the "effect" however.

.....Tejax, I went back to the picture and used reading glasses up close and saw nothing....splended job, my man....of course I really didn't need the reading glasses, as if....hey, I'm not a native English speaker either....great job....sometimes a little thinking improves the WAF, doesn't it?......

 

[brian32672]

Check this photo http://cgd.sdf-eu.org/ht/bt5.jpg
Where are the cables?
The on support mounted speaker is a kef q1 which weights 6.4kg (14.1lbs)

Yeah, that looks great.. How about the rest of your system, have you posted pics over in members systems?
Just start a new thread Titled My system, or something like that.
This way, others can get ideas on how to put up bookshelves etc...

EDIT:: For LOUMFSG, you may want to look at members systems area, to get ideas on how you may want to put yours up.

 

[majorloser]

I did something a little different.
Since I was able to pre-wire the room prior to drywall, I installed 5-way binding posts with a Decora switch plate for each speaker where I wanted then in the room. Then I made frames out of 1" x 2" wood (2" side toward wall). Painted them to match the speakers. The frame is mouted to the wall with anchors and the speaker is hung from the frame utilizing the speakers mounting hole. The extra space gave me room for the wire between the speaker and the wall binding posts.

I reallize I could have left an unfinished hole behind the speakers for the wire and hung the speaker directly over the hole, but this gave me a tighter fit to the wall and helped to distribute the weight of the speakers to multiple points on the drywall instead of just one anchor.

The wall plate and the 5-way binding posts also give you options in the future if new speakers require a mount off the surface of the wall.

 

[tejax]

Bah, I have the room unfinished yet. The a/v system is complete, but there's a lot of stuff missing. I do not feel comfortable starting a thread announcing it! But if you guys want to take a look at everything, including the "making-of" (sic) just access the base url (http://cgd.sdf-eu.org/ht/) and browse the pictures. The gp* series are the most recent and the racks are visible there.

 

[majorloser]

Well, I'm not a native english speaker so I might have some difficult describing. Look at the ceilling-wall transition: there is a standard ladder-effect. Immediately below that "effect" I glued the racks (the plastic conducts where the cables are). As the effect, the wall and the racks are all white, and the depth of the "effect" is the same as the rack depth, you almost don't notice the rack (you just think the whole thing is the "effect"). If you look careful, you'll see the rack below the "effect" however.

To those who may not understand, the "effect" I assume you are referring to is the crown molding along the ceiling. Crown molding is an excellent way of hiding cables around a room. They also make molding material out of foam with special pieces for corners and joints to elliminate mitered cuts. Can get expensive if you have to work with a large room.

 

[Tom Andry]

Well, I'm not a native english speaker so I might have some difficult describing. Look at the ceilling-wall transition: there is a standard ladder-effect. Immediately below that "effect" I glued the racks (the plastic conducts where the cables are). As the effect, the wall and the racks are all white, and the depth of the "effect" is the same as the rack depth, you almost don't notice the rack (you just think the whole thing is the "effect"). If you look careful, you'll see the rack below the "effect" however.

I think this is what he means is:

My room has crown molding. Immediately below the molding I glued cable tracks (plastic conducts where the cables are). The crown molding and the tracks are both white, and the depth of the molding is the same as the cable track so you almost don't notice the cable track (you just think the whole thing is the crown molding). If you look carefully, you'll see the track just below the molding however.​

Seems like a good clean solution and a lot easier than installing new crown molding.

 

[tejax]

My room has crown molding. Immediately below the molding​

Yeah, that's it. I did not extend the molding, I glued cable tracks along (I call them "racks" wrongly before, I guess). And to be honest, I don't even know how to say "crown molding"s in portuguese, my natural language!

 

[Tom Andry]

I call them "racks" wrongly before, I guess.

Not wrongly, just less clear. Half of my wife's family is foreign and I'm used to translating from broken English to whatever the heck it is I speak. Glad I could help. "Rack" has a lot of meanings and I just wanted to make sure that everyone understood you. It's a great solution, especially here in Florida where crown moldings are everywhere. If you could post a link to the type of cable tracks (which, by the way, is probably not the correct term for them as well), that may be helpful.

 

[tejax]

...If you could post a link to the type of cable tracks

I used exactly this model:
http://www.abn.ru/catalog/legrand/20x12-5.shtml
http://www.cedeo.fr/cat_cedeo/moulures.htm

Couldn't find online references elsewhere, even on the Legrand site (the maker of this product), but the russian site seems detailed, including the pieces to be used on corners and terminations. Each "cable track" has 2.10m (6.8ft) long and 20mm wide x12.5mm depth. I was able to place 4x2 cables of 2.5mm^2 section inside (hard work!!).

 

[booyah24]

Check this photo http://cgd.sdf-eu.org/ht/bt5.jpg
Where are the cables?
The on support mounted speaker is a kef q1 which weights 6.4kg (14.1lbs)

Tejax, or anyone else for that matter, what speaker mount is shown in the photograph? I've been looking for a set of speaker mounts for my kef q1's and have not been able to find anything. Any ideas?

 

[tejax]

That's a btech bt77: http://www.b-tech-int.com/BT77.html

The main feature of the bt77 -- a "shoe" like support -- is the side grips. The speaker is placed on the support and those grips and pushed/pressed hard against the sides of the speaker. This works best on rectangular boxed speakers. The Q1, as you know, is curved, therefor only some area of the grip (not all) will sustain the speaker. I was a little afraid at start that it might not hold, but however it had been steady for several months now.

This the only good solution to wall mount the q1, don't requiring drilling or makeing holes on the speaker, that I've found.

 

[3db]

Use these to mount my PSB Image 1Bs to the wall.

No driiling into the speaker cabinet is required

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0665000FS10007784&catid=

 

[trevorgray]

I guess this project all depends on your budget and the weight of the speakers. I went to Home Depot (or the Blue Home Depot would work just as well) and bought a product that allows you to mount a shelf on the wall without brackets. It is a pretty neat little product that is like a half circle with the one of the lips protruding out a little bit more than the other. You cut your bracket and wood to the exact length you need and then paint and anchor to your wall. I am not very handy, but was able to accomplish the feat without any problem. I was using this in my old house for my rear Bose 301's which aren't the biggest speakers, but definitely not the smallest bookshelfs out there - I can't imagine drilling holes anywhere in any of my speakers.

I have to admit it isn't as eye pleasing as the other examples, but effective nonetheless.