Speakers for whole house audio

[mmano1]

Hi, I am doing a major remodel and looking for some help on identifying in-ceiling speakers for a whole house audio distribution. I see a lot of info for home theater but nothing on whole house distribution.

I need to find about 8 pairs of good quality in-ceiling speakers to install in my master bed, master bath, office,bonus etc for audio distribution. Appreciate any help on what might be a good fit for this, i.e. speakercraft, polk's, etc.

Thx

 

[InTheIndustry]

There is a lot to consider....

There is a lot to consider when doing whole house audio. Tons and tons of choices for your dollar. I have found that in terms of value a company called TruAudio offers excellent in-ceiling speakers. I like Tru's products better than B&W to be honest. They are a great value, but only available through custom installers.

If you want something a little different sounding BG's in-ceiling's are very nice too. A lot depends on location and budget. How high your ceiling's are will dictate what size driver to go with for the woofer. Jamo makes a good line-up as well.

In my experience, the big trick - and I mean BIG - is to either build yourself or buy the back boxes to use with the in ceiling speakers you choose. I know that most of them are designed "infinite baffle" but my experience is that a back box makes a big difference. Call the manufacturer and ask them what their recommended back box size is. Even the ones who make "infinite baffles" will usually tell you to use a back box.

If you aren't going to use them for critical listening $300 a pair fro Tru or Jamo will get you good sound. The Jamo 6.5B MSRP are $300 a pair. They are pretty nice when used in 8' - 9' ceilings. If you just want some back ground noise then a $150 pair or less could do the trick. There are literally hundreds of models available in that price range.

It just depends on your budget and room.

 

[mike c]

JBL soundpoint series (available in 6" and 8" sizes both circular and rectangular)

Sonance speakers

 

[annunaki]

RBH makes some great in-wall/in-ceiling speakers speakers. They are a great value. Niles and Sonance are decent as well.

 

[W8N4AFREAK]

Whole house audio speakers

Depending on the whole house audio system you are installing should determine the speakers.

If you are using an ABus system you can save yourself some cash on the speakers. Most ABus systems put out a wopping 7.5W per channel. If your going with the old twistie knobs then you can beef them up a-bit. But its not worth it. ( I suggest sticking with something like Russound or On/Q speakers that are designed for whole house audio.)

Just remember Whole House audio is designed so you don't need to blast the speakers in any room. With one exception, outdoor speakers. Spend a few extra bucks on them. I like Klipsche AW series, they will anger neighbors for blocks.


PEACE

 

[mmano1]

Thanks for all the feedback. I am not using the ABus system but planning on using the traditional system but haven't picked my actual wholehouse amp/receiver yet, but I need to install my in-ceiling speakers before we blow insulation and tape/texture my drywall.

I don't see a whole lot of info on speakercraft in this forum. Is there a bias against speakercraft on this forum?

Thanks

 

[AVRat]

Nothing against Speakercraft except maybe pricing. The older models were generally more expensive. They now have smaller driver models that may be more price competitive. Haven't seen any pricing yet. But really, they are an excellent performer.

 

[ttowntony]

The Polk's In-wall/ceiling are GREAT all around speakers. I highly recommend them and do the majority of the time. With three different price ranges, it offers something for every budget. Yes, they sound fantastic when installed correctly....loud and clean! As for audio distribution, I would recommend the Niles 12 channel receivers......As good as it gets IMHO.

If you would like to discuss in greater detail on why I recommend, please feel free to send me a private message.

Good luck!

 

[danglerb]

Mediocre sound in every room just has zero appeal to me. Maybe if i had an elevator in my house, or something in a bathroom, otherwise I prefer silent or good sound.

I think Speakercraft is a decent company, I used to know the guys pretty well, but haven't talked to them in years. I doubt brand is going to make a huge difference once you get used to the sound of whatever you choose.