Discrete In-Ceiling Speakers - No Bigger Than ~7" Diameter Grill - Recommendations??

[wildta]

I'm hoping some folks can recommend in-ceiling speakers that are less than ~7" in diameter grill. The wife would like something as discrete as possible and I'm hoping for decent sound even though I'm limited to around 7" or less. I would like to spend around $300 or less--willing to go a bit higher but only if I see the added value. My needs:

• 5.1 set up in living room
• 2.0 in office
• 2.0 in master bedroom
• 2.0 in master bath (one in shower and one outside of shower; none of the speakers below are specified for moisture/outdoor use--still haven't researched shower speakers but if anyone has any suggestions, by all means!)
• 2.0 in laundry/powder (both are really small rooms that are near each other so one channel in each room)
• 2.0 in garage (plan to reuse some old 8" driver Sonance)
• 4.0 outside (2.0 on roof deck and 2.0 for patio area--still haven't researched outdoor speakers so if anyone has any suggestions, by all means!)

Below are some that I found so far. I'm leaning towards Polk 500-LS because they seems to have the best specs/price. The Niles is really interesting due to sheer size. The Polk SC50 is nicely priced with good specs but the thick bezel is a turnoff. I'm impressed with the new Jamo's and how they squeezed a 6.5 driver in under 8" exterior diameter. I like the KEF and Paradigm but the brand label on the grill is a turnoff.

Niles CM4PR
Around $225 w/ 4-5/8" diameter grill
3.5" driver w/ enclosure
70Hz - 21kHz
25 - 100 watts

Definitive Technology DI 4.5R
Around $220 w/ 5-3/8" diameter grill
4.5" driver
35 Hz - 30 kHz
88 dB sensitivity
10 - 150 watts

Polk 500-LS
Around $300 w/ 7-3/4" diameter (a bit too big)
5" driver w/ enclosure
35Hz-33kHz
89 dB sensitivity
10 - 125 watts

Polk SC50
Around $100 w/ 7-1/4" diameter
5" driver
50Hz - 20kHz
88 dB sensitivity
20 - 100 watts
I don't really like the thicker bezel around the grill but it is cheap.

Monitor Audio CWT-140
Around $150 w/ 7-1/8” diameter
4" driver
75Hz - 30kHz
85 dB sensitivity
10 - 50 watts

Yamaha NS-IC400
Around $150 w/ 5-7/8”diameter
4" driver
95 Hz - 40 kHz
85 dB sensitivity
30 - 90 watts

Speakercraft CRS3
Around $135 w/ 5-1/8" diameter
3" driver
80Hz - 16kHz
86dB sensitivity
40 watts

Jamo IC 206 FG (2-way)
Around $225 w/ 7.9" diameter
6.5" driver
68Hz - 21kHz
55 - 110 watts

Jamo IC 206 LCR FG (3-way)
Around $350 w/ 7.9" diameter
6.5" driver
68Hz - 21kHz
55 - 110 watts

Sonance VP45R
Around $250 w/ 6-7/8" diameter
4.5" driver
58Hz - 20kHz
90 dB sensitivity
5 - 70 watts

KEF Ci130QR
Around $130 w/ 7.6" diameter
5 1/4" driver
45Hz - 34kHz
87 dB sensitivity
10-100W

Paradigm AMS-100R
Around $150 w/ 7.7" diameter
6.5" driver
75 Hz - 22 kHz
89 dB sensitivity
15 - 100 watts

 

[TLS Guy]

I'm hoping some folks can recommend in-ceiling speakers that are less than ~7" in diameter grill. The wife would like something as discrete as possible and I'm hoping for decent sound even though I'm limited to around 7" or less. I would like to spend around $300 or less--willing to go a bit higher but only if I see the added value. My needs:

• 5.1 set up in living room
• 2.0 in office
• 2.0 in master bedroom
• 2.0 in master bath (one in shower and one outside of shower; none of the speakers below are specified for moisture/outdoor use--still haven't researched shower speakers but if anyone has any suggestions, by all means!)
• 2.0 in laundry/powder (both are really small rooms that are near each other so one channel in each room)
• 2.0 in garage (plan to reuse some old 8" driver Sonance)
• 4.0 outside (2.0 on roof deck and 2.0 for patio area--still haven't researched outdoor speakers so if anyone has any suggestions, by all means!)

Below are some that I found so far. I'm leaning towards Polk 500-LS because they seems to have the best specs/price. The Niles is really interesting due to sheer size. The Polk SC50 is nicely priced with good specs but the thick bezel is a turnoff. I'm impressed with the new Jamo's and how they squeezed a 6.5 driver in under 8" exterior diameter. I like the KEF and Paradigm but the brand label on the grill is a turnoff.

Niles CM4PR
Around $225 w/ 4-5/8" diameter grill
3.5" driver w/ enclosure
70Hz - 21kHz
25 - 100 watts

Definitive Technology DI 4.5R
Around $220 w/ 5-3/8" diameter grill
4.5" driver
35 Hz - 30 kHz
88 dB sensitivity
10 - 150 watts

Polk 500-LS
Around $300 w/ 7-3/4" diameter (a bit too big)
5" driver w/ enclosure
35Hz-33kHz
89 dB sensitivity
10 - 125 watts

Polk SC50
Around $100 w/ 7-1/4" diameter
5" driver
50Hz - 20kHz
88 dB sensitivity
20 - 100 watts
I don't really like the thicker bezel around the grill but it is cheap.

Monitor Audio CWT-140
Around $150 w/ 7-1/8” diameter
4" driver
75Hz - 30kHz
85 dB sensitivity
10 - 50 watts

Yamaha NS-IC400
Around $150 w/ 5-7/8”diameter
4" driver
95 Hz - 40 kHz
85 dB sensitivity
30 - 90 watts

Speakercraft CRS3
Around $135 w/ 5-1/8" diameter
3" driver
80Hz - 16kHz
86dB sensitivity
40 watts

Jamo IC 206 FG (2-way)
Around $225 w/ 7.9" diameter
6.5" driver
68Hz - 21kHz
55 - 110 watts

Jamo IC 206 LCR FG (3-way)
Around $350 w/ 7.9" diameter
6.5" driver
68Hz - 21kHz
55 - 110 watts

Sonance VP45R
Around $250 w/ 6-7/8" diameter
4.5" driver
58Hz - 20kHz
90 dB sensitivity
5 - 70 watts

KEF Ci130QR
Around $130 w/ 7.6" diameter
5 1/4" driver
45Hz - 34kHz
87 dB sensitivity
10-100W

Paradigm AMS-100R
Around $150 w/ 7.7" diameter
6.5" driver
75 Hz - 22 kHz
89 dB sensitivity
15 - 100 watts

Forget doing a 5.1 set up with ceiling speakers. Ceiling speakers are OK for background music in the home, and at a push for surrounds. For anything else forget it. In walls are acceptable, discrete speakers best. Ceiling speakers are not capable of decent sound period.

Your wife needs an education.

 

[j_garcia]

None of that is an issue for all of the secondary systems, but for the main system TLS is right on the money. For surround duty, adequate but not optimal. For front stage duty, if you expect decent quality, in-ceiling/wall is a negative Ghost Rider. Your wife may not necessarily need an education, but she does need to consider factors other than what "looks good to HER".

 

[rnatalli]

There are a few good in-ceiling models that would do fine as rear channels, but cost more than you want to spend. I definitely would not use in-ceiling for the three front speakers. I have to disagree with my fellow Audioholics with regards to in-walls up front as I've had good luck with models that include a sealed enclosure.

 

[wildta]

Thanks for the quick responses and your opinions. To clarify a bit, I suppose our balance is leaning towards aesthetics (wife does design) more so than sound but I would still like to maximize the quality of sound as much as possible even though we have chosen to limit the speaker size and type. We chose ~7" or less because we taped templates onto the ceiling of where speakers would be located and thought ~7" still looked aesthetically pleasing. We're mostly into music as background, we watch some TV and we watch very little movies (maybe once every 6 weeks). We're not audiophiles but I still appreciate good sound and want the best bang for my buck with the size limitations we have arbitrarily created.

We would consider a soundbar that might fit above or below the TV. A soundbar would be our only alternative for the front L/C/R since the TV is above the fireplace in a room that's about 23' x 14'--centered on the 23' wall with windows on both sides and no space to do in-wall speakers.

TLS Guy, the pics of your studio look amazing. I bet it sounds amazing as well. How can I get all of that into a 7-8" speaker that costs less than $300? ;-)

 

[crossedover]

Aside from doing in wall for the front channels in the 5.1, look to do a single stereo speaker in the bath and laundry areas like the cm7si from Niles.

 

[TLS Guy]

[QUOTE
TLS Guy, the pics of your studio look amazing. I bet it sounds amazing as well. How can I get all of that into a 7-8" speaker that costs less than $300? ;-)[/QUOTE]

You can't! But thanks for the compliment.

Now I know your wife "does design," I will take the gloves off. My eldest daughter is double qualified as an architect and interior designer. I will tell you this, If she had a client who wanted decent sound and a 5.1 system she would never condemn the client to 7" ceiling speakers! Nor would she start by trying to see what different size circles look nice. With respect, your wife is an incompetent designer and not worth her fee.

The starting point is looking at the needs of the client and getting the very best use of the space. Good designers adhere to the age old principle of form and function. In other words you design the purpose of the room into he total design concept. You never ever start with a preconceived notion of what looks good. That is a recipe for sterile a existence.

Your wife needs to rethink her whole concept of interior design. Her concepts are counterproductive to people living to the full in the spaces they create.

My speakers installed in that room look good. In fact you don't really notice them. Now I know that is a dedicated room, but I also know you can bring decent sound to any space if you don't start by drawing circles in a ridiculous place to instal speakers. It is a ridiculous space, because when you watch your TV the voices will be false gods from on high and you will use the TV speakers.

 

[tacoman98]

TLS, you need a little training in the art of "snark". You could take a stab at someone with a little humor but instead you attack his wife? Low blow.

 

[wildta]

My assumption was that TLS had a few too many brandy's before posting or it's just British humour... bitter and dry. Which one is it TLS? Just joking.

But in all seriousness, I do appreciate TLS's opinion since he's definitely an audiophile and well respected here. The wife comments are just water off a duck's back because I know his basic message: you cannot have "decent sound" with the design parameters we have arbitrarily set. My only argument is that everyone has a different definition of "decent sound" so to put my definition of "decent sound" into perspective, my 5.1 setup goal is to find something that sounds better than a $2k-$3K HTIB but also disappears--that to me is "decent sound" (function) while still meeting the design parameters (form).

So I think I found a company that will meet my balance of form and function (for me). Has anyone here heard of Leon? I'd use one of their custom LCR bars and in-ceiling rears.
Leon Speakers :: Custom Built High-fidelity Home Theater Speakers
http://www.audioholics.com/soundbar-and-satellite-speaker-reviews/leon-horizon-hzoto

Another option is Pinnacle WAFR:
Wafer Series - Only 1.9" Thin!
In-Wall/In-Ceiling Speakers

 

[crossedover]

Also look at the Triad Designer series speakers, I'm pretty sure your wife will like those.

 

[rnatalli]

Triad makes excellent in-wall/in-ceiling speakers if you can afford to stretch your budget.

 

[wildta]

Also look at the Triad Designer series speakers, I'm pretty sure your wife will like those.

Thanks for the recommendation!