For the what hifi team

[admin_exported]

You never seem to cover in wall speakers for home cinema, why is that as if its going to sound good and is almost invisible compared to even small style speaker packages it seems its an important option for home cinema fans. I understand fitting may be an issue but judging on some of the jobs undertaken by our forum members, fitting some in wall speakers should be a breeze.

 

[Andrew Everard]

The basic reason is that they're a PITA to test, as they obviously have to be built into a wall or ceiling before you can listen to them. But we're been having discussions about ways of testing them, as we're aware that they are growing in popularity.

 

[Anonymous]

It was rather obvious really but never thought about that issue, hope you figure a way round it cause would be interesting.

 

[bigboss]

But also remember that the sonic quality of a speaker is also dependent on the cabinet it's enclosed in. What Hi-Fi may come up with an alternative to test the in-wall speakers, but the sound they hear is likely to be different to the sound you hear, due to different ways walls are made.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Indeed, which is another reason why we're thinking long and hard about how best to test them. An obvious solution would be a substantial wooden box lined with sound dispersing material, and with interchangeable face-plates into which different speakers can be mounted - this is how speaker drive-units tend to be measured in isolation.

But given that CI speakers will be mounted in a wide variety of wall and ceiling types, such a test-rig will only give part of the story...