Swiveling tweeters?

[ctb_24]

I'm considering in-ceiling and in-wall speakers for my home theater. I realize that these are a compromise. The question is whether or not I should purchase speakers with swiveling tweeters (many models) or even the speakercraft set-up in which the entire speaker can angle toward the optimal listening position. Is this feature a gimmick, or does it really improve directional sound quality? The folks at Axiom Audio seem to think it is not only a waste of money, but actually impacts negatively on sound quality:

http://www.axiomaudio.com/archives/October2005.html

Anyone out there use in-ceiling and in-wall?

Any thoughts or input?

 

[jcPanny]

Inceiling speakers

In my experience, you get much less performance for the money on in-ceiling type speakers. For example, a high end speakercraft speaker might have comparable performance to a less expensive bookshelf speaker wall mounted and pointed at the listening position. Also keep in mind that the Dolby sound track is mixed for surround channels that are on the sides of the listening position, not above you head.

Inexpensive inceling speakers, however, are great for the background music in a whole house system.

If you are considering Axiom, their QS8's mount flush with the wall and would make a great surround speaker paired with bookshelf, floorstander, or their in-wall speakers up front.

 

[ggunnell]

CTB, it's not a gimmick. Most tweeters are pretty directional -- it's a function of frequency, the higher the frequency the more a tweeter tends to 'beam'. In really large home theaters, just as in halls and auditoriums, multiple drivers and/or dispersal horns must be used so every seat gets high frequency sound.

I agree with jcPanny: try to avoid ceiling mounted speakers.

 

[ichigo]

I think Ian at Axiom forgot what a tweeter is for. It crosses over usually at 1.8 to 2.2KHz, with 4-6KHz being the most audible band in our hearing. Unless he is talking about a 3-way system (which Axiom doesn't sell anyway), a swivelling tweeter makes sense, because it IS playing the midrange.