Hidden speakers

[Philsy]

Hi

my wife's always grumbled about my hifi and it's become gradually less intrusive, currently consisting of an Arcam Solo in a cabinet and a pair of compact Castle speakers.

however, our living room is about to get a major makeover and I know my wife will want to lose the speakers completely. So, what can I do? Our walls are dry lined so I did wonder about hiding speakers in the cavity and wallpapering over them. I've seen American speakers that can be hidden like this. Or is there another cunning and wife friendly solution?

I enjoy good sound quality but these days rarely get the chance to sit and listen seriously to music, so I don't mind too much if the quality is slightly compromised. I usually listen via Apple Music and an Airport linked to the Solo.

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Cheers

Phil

 

[ifor]

Have a look at the B&W Custom Install series. There will be others, but it's a good place to start.

 

[Q5]

http://www.ceilingspeakers-uk.co.uk/shop/in-wall-speakers

 

[davedotco]

Have you been scheduled for a visit to the vet?

Buy a nice pair of speakers that suit the room, I use a slim pair of floorstanders in piano black, Mrs DDC thinks they look fine, pick something that works for the both of you.

 

[thewinelake.]

Judging by another thread - how about a Zeppelin?

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

Kef 300 series, but you'll probably need a sub to go with them.

Mount them in recesses in the stud walls or use them as floorstanders.

Wouldn't recommend wallpapering over speakers, whether the paper is glued to them or not. If the former it'll probably mess up the speakers. If the latter someone will probably punch a hole in the paper sooner or later. Either way, I can't see it doing the sound much good.

Or do as Waldo Frey (sp) did in GoT, get another one

 

[Superaintit]

I woukd listen first if the build in speakers suit you soundwise. If not, stick to what is important to you. I would audition first on my own, preselect 2 or 3 options -1 hidiously big. Take your wife on a second audition with the promiss she can select the colour and chooce of wood. Pay for it with your own savings and compromise by letting the hidiously big box go. It's a hard life ;-)

 

[andyjm]

Hi

my wife's always grumbled about my hifi and it's become gradually less intrusive, currently consisting of an Arcam Solo in a cabinet and a pair of compact Castle speakers.

however, our living room is about to get a major makeover and I know my wife will want to lose the speakers completely. So, what can I do? Our walls are dry lined so I did wonder about hiding speakers in the cavity and wallpapering over them. I've seen American speakers that can be hidden like this. Or is there another cunning and wife friendly solution?

I enjoy good sound quality but these days rarely get the chance to sit and listen seriously to music, so I don't mind too much if the quality is slightly compromised. I usually listen via Apple Music and an Airport linked to the Solo.

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Cheers

Phil

Speakers need to be line-of-sight to stand a hope of a stereo image. Papering over them won't work, and ceiling and in-wall mounted speakers are at best a compromise - and very expensive for halfway decent ones. They are really aimed at the AV room surround sound market.

I am afraid there really isn't an alternative to separate 'box' loudspeakers for a decent stereo experience. I have usually found that purchasing a new handbag for Mrs M smooths the way.

 

[bigboss]

They are really aimed at the AV room surround sound market.

I would disagree with the "surround sound" comment. My AV setup is entirely in-wall and in-ceiling, and the sound is significantly superior to Monitor Audio Radius HD speakers I had previously.

It is possible to get very good performance with in-wall speakers. The issue is, lack of demo facilities to audition. I took a chance and have been rewarded with excellent speakers. They're brilliant for music too.

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

They are really aimed at the AV room surround sound market.

I would disagree with the "surround sound" comment. My AV setup is entirely in-wall and in-ceiling, and the sound is significantly superior to Monitor Audio Radius HD speakers I had previously.

It is possible to get very good performance with in-wall speakers. The issue is, lack of demo facilities to audition. I took a chance and have been rewarded with excellent speakers. They're brilliant for music too.

+1 on in-walls, provided you're prepared to install them properly, which usualy means boxing them in within the walls and using decent speaker cables, not flat twin and earth, co-ax or doorbell wire. And, or course, they have to be good in-walls to begin with.

As for in-ceilings, unless you're accustomed to listening to music lying flat on your back in the middle of the living room, well...

Our in-ceilings in the media room are for surround sound only, and those to be installed in the living room, dining room and downstairs patio (wires were put in by the builders, and I have bought the speakers but have yet to actually get around to (i.e. get permission to) put them in) will be for "musac" level listening / background only.

 

[Electro]

These PMC wafers would do the trick they are in wall or on wall, they can also be used in ceiling.

Not cheap but they are proper loudspeakers.

http://hifilounge.co.uk/pmc-wafer-1-iw-speakers

http://hifilounge.co.uk/pmc-wafer-2-iw-speakers