Bookshelves w/Stand or In Ceiling

[dalessandro12]

Ok,

Now I keep going back and forth with front L/R in ceiling speakers or bookshelfs. I installed my surround AIM5 One Speakercraft speakers last weekend and am still up in the air if I want to install the same ones in the front, upgraded in ceilings or go with bookshelves. My main concern with bookshelfs are 1) kids can knock them over and 2) my house is prewired for in ceilings and I think it would be a clean install. I know I could get stands or mounts for the bookshelves but it is another added expense on top of the slightly more expensive speakers (but in the link below, they come with free stands).

http://www.avhifi.com/shop/Speakercraft-AIM-Monitor-One-Bookshelf-Speakers.html

I can get 15% off these and I will timbre match regardless of what speakers I choose. Bottom line is, is it worth paying more for the bookshelves? I did buy a small shelf to mount on top of my DLP for the center speaker but no wires will be seen and would like to keep wires out of the way regardless of what direction I go.

Opinions are appreciated.

 

[j_garcia]

In ceiling for the front 3 is the worst idea ever. For surrounds it is OK because they are supposed to be diffused, but your mains should not be.

 

[dalessandro12]

Well I know it isn't the best idea, but I think having three toddlers that can potentially break them warrant its consideration.

I've taken some measurements of my alcove and can fit bookshelf speakers either on stands or on shelves on the side of the DLP. If I decide to do shelves, does it matter SQ-wise if the speakers are set back further than the TV? I imagine it would still be better than in ceiling.

 

[j_garcia]

Inside shelves isn't a great option either, but if you get sealed or front ported speakers, that will alleviate some of the primary issues. Having them behind the display is also not optimal because the sound will reflect off the sides of the set and presumably the alcove making your imaging suffer a bit, but if that's what you have to do while the toddlers are out and about, then that's the way it will have to be for a while.

 

[sholling]

Honestly I would do bookshelves or towers. But if you must use the esisting wiring you can always use ceiling mounts for up to medium sized bookshelves. I think they look a little funny but I'm not the aesthetics police.

One semi expensive idea that's fascinated me for a while is the idea of placing large bookshelf speakers on top of a matched pair of subwoofers. It's pretty hard for a kid to knock over a squaty 100lb subwoofer. I haven't tried it but I think it would look cool.

 

[dalessandro12]

Well I am leaning toward the bookshelves and from what I can see, it doesn't look like Speakercraft makes large tower speakers (I already ordered the center so need to timbre match to it).

If I order from the link above, they give me free stands that I can test out. What I might do is put dual Dayton Sub120's up front around my TV and the stands behind them so the kids can't get to close. They are sealed speakers and will be inside the alcove, but I think it will be ok. I wanted to put one sub in the front of the room and one in the back, but I'll have to play it by ear (literally).

 

[MidnightSensi]

What about mounting bookshelf speakers on the wall?

Ceiling speakers aren't too bad for background music, but for home theater or any main listening system they kinda suck. If you do, try to get some with very good off-axis response. There are also inwalls that you can aim... I think Triad makes some?

One semi expensive idea that's fascinated me for a while is the idea of placing large bookshelf speakers on top of a matched pair of subwoofers. It's pretty hard for a kid to knock over a squaty 100lb subwoofer. I haven't tried it but I think it would look cool.

That's what I do, although I'm not sure how big you can go before they are no longer considered bookshelf speakers.

Also my grills are metal, which is kid proof. And the speaker connections are Speakon, so a kid would have a hard time pulling them out... and if they did it wouldn't be bad.

I have no kids, so I just realized my system is child proof.

 

[dalessandro12]

What about mounting bookshelf speakers on the wall?

Ceiling speakers aren't too bad for background music, but for home theater or any main listening system they kinda suck. If you do, try to get some with very good off-axis response. There are also inwalls that you can aim... I think Triad makes some?

That's what I do, although I'm not sure how big you can go before they are no longer considered bookshelf speakers.

Also my grills are metal, which is kid proof. And the speaker connections are Speakon, so a kid would have a hard time pulling them out... and if they did it wouldn't be bad.

I have no kids, so I just realized my system is child proof.

The in ceiling speakers are aimible, I was going to aim them to the listening area.

http://www.avhifi.com/shop/Speakercraft-AIM5-One-In-Ceiling-Speakers.html

 

[dalessandro12]

@MidnightSensi - nice setup. Was it easy to route your cables behind the baseboards? I am going to do that when I do the floors in my living room.

 

[MidnightSensi]

The in ceiling speakers are aimible, I was going to aim them to the listening area.

http://www.avhifi.com/shop/Speakercraft-AIM5-One-In-Ceiling-Speakers.html

Yeah, it depends how serious you are. Speakercraft is a good, reliable brand, great for whole house music on a budget. I generally recommend against them for home theater, though.

The cost for inwalls is as much the work of putting them in and running the wires as it is for the speaker. It is possible to upgrade, but, the trouble is much more than say a regular bookshelf. Generally when people try to budget on the inwalls for a main system, they end up spending more later.

I'd recommend looking at Triad for in-ceiling speakers:
http://www.triadspeakers.com/

They will require you to drywall over them, but they are aimed at 45-deg and a very nice sounding speaker with an inert cabinet. The grills are also nice and flush, plus paintable.

If your budget is firm, you could also put in the Speakercraft in-ceiling speakers, and then if you aren't happy later, you could always use them as height channels if your receiver supports that (or will in the future), and then get some larger main channel bookshelf speakers.

@MidnightSensi - nice setup. Was it easy to route your cables behind the baseboards? I am going to do that when I do the floors in my living room.

Thanks! It's actually cleaner now (the cables running down the front aren't exposed anymore). My front wall is actually concrete, so the lower part of the baseboard is actually a painted C-channel. I have system "ADD", also, so all I have to do to run new cables or route something different is pull off the channel, run the cable, and then push it back on. It sort of blends with the actual baseboard.

That channel is actually pretty big because I run very large speaker cables, but a much smaller and lower profile (nicer looking) channel could be used if you use typical 12-14awg cable. The smaller ones blend so well with baseboards that even if you walk right up to them it is hard to tell... mine you can sort of see it isn't part of the baseboard.

That said, while you have any walls open, run cat6 and speaker cables all over the place.

I don't have a picture of it now, but my rears the cables are run through the wall to a nice looking junction plate. Then a jumper cable is used to the speaker. Looks very clean. If you ever did bookshelves wall mounted, having the cables behind the wall in case you need them would be very advisable, then you'd just cut the wall and put a plate there. If you never used them, so be it, the cable itself is cheap while the wall is open.

 

[dalessandro12]

Thanks Midnight

Well, I have some thinking to do I guess. I think I will wait until I get the TV set up and wire the in ceilings spots to my wall plate so everything is connected. I did think about doing the inceilings and adding bookshelves later (the receiver I am looking at does do the 5.1+2) but I'll probably play it safe and wait.

The Triads look nice but I already bought a SC center so need the fronts to timbre match.