Hello. I am very new in the audio world. I am installing a home theatre system in a part of my home I am coverting. I need suggestions on a pair of in-ceiling speakers and a reciever (7.1). I have no idea what to buy, but I want something that will sound good, but not going to bust the budget. I also need two in ceiling speakers for the kitchen (to be connected to the same reciever). I only need this for music and they do not need to be as high quality or as expensive.
Any suggestions on what to get? Size? Brand? Range? Power? and where should I purchase them? All Suggestions welcomed and I thank you for your time. Any reason(s) with suggestions are appreciated.
Well if I were looking at ceiling mounted speakers for a 7.1 system with the price range you suggested I would suggest Polk Audio - RC6s 6-1/2" 3-way speakers for your main unit. They retail for around $90.00. They are the best of the middle of the road ceiling speaker. They offer great performance and are more inexpensive than other comparable sound speakers. They provide 100 watts max output though so if you are thinking of running this system in a larger room you may want to look at either in wall or floor speakers for your mains and utilize these more for surrounds. However for a room less than 170 sq feet these would work fine.
If you want to go even cheaper Accoustic Audio provides some 2-way Kevlar ceiling mounted speakers for just $26.00 each. Be forewarned however that you will get a drop in your midrange from other higher end speakers and the plastic mounts for the speakers may require some caulking around to reduce rattling. On a good note however they offer 250 watts peak with 125 rms output so you get more ability to push power through them.
For the setup you are looking at you would best benefit from a 7.1 channel system with a 2 zone setup. This allows you to run a 7.1 surround in one room while running two mains in another room such as your kitchen. I would suggest the Yamaha AVENTAGE RX-A1020 Home Cinema system. It is a complete AV processor that provides you with extra zone speaker setups and a 7.1 surround sound. The price is reasonable at around $800.00. If you truly want to go all out on a top of the line unit I would suggest the Marantz SR7007 which provides a balanced audio sound with pre/pro capabilities and a full functional media management solution for you with the dual zone application and a 7.2 channel option. This system however would cost you around $1,600.00.
