Home Theatre Room - In Wall or In-Ceiling Speakers?

[Benedict_Arnold]

New house (hopefully we'll actually get it this time) will have a media or home theatre room. Not a huge one, about 18 foot x 15 foot, and basically a box to do with as I like.

I'm planning on a 4K projector and a screen, rather than a TV, and a low level cabinet for all the black boxes. 7.1 surround sound. Probably all built-in speakers, with separate floorstanders for proper hi-fi as well, although these could, of course, double up for front duty in the surround sound.

Question is, as far as the other speakers (e.g. rear and surround, possibly subwoofers, possibly front left right and centre) go, do I have the room wired for in-wall or in-ceiling speakers? Assuming the speakers themselves would be of equal merit, which are "best"? I assume the fronts will be in-wall so they fire out horizontally.

Thanks

 

[simonlewis]

Both, have you not heard of dolby atmos ?

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

Now I'm really confused.....

 

[simonlewis]

Let me explain dolby atmos is a new format (you may wish to google) instead of being surrounded by sound you also have sound above you (in the cieling) so 5.1.4 or 7.1.2 for example, the last number represents the cieling speakers.

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

Presumably, then you need a Dolby Atmos receiver to go with all those speakers?

Where does the plasterboard go once all those speakers are in place?

 

[simonlewis]

To answer your first question, yup

And to answer your second, is their no-one that can solve this for you in america. *shok*

 

[simonlewis]

To answer your first question, yup

And to answer your second, is their no-one that can solve this for you in america. *shok*

 

[bigboss]

I have only recently set up my home cinema system with in-wall and in-ceiling speakers. I did a lot of research on this prior to deciding.

Basically, for surround speakers, both would work. But in-wall speakers would work better as they'll be approximately at the same level as the fronts.

I have a 7.1.4 setup with 4 in-wall speakers for surrounds and 4 in-ceiling speakers for Atmos. Atmos is the latest audio codec which employs ceiling speakers for overhead effect, like a helicopter flying over you. The effect is spine tinglingly superb.

Many of the top range AV receivers of 2014 are Atmos enabled. I expect this to filter down to mid range receivers next year.

Read up about Atmos, Auro 3D and DTS-X before deciding on ceiling speaker placements if you do decide to go this route. They all have different speaker setups (DTS-X will come with more information in March) I've decided on Atmos configuration.

 

[bigboss]

Where does the plasterboard go once all those speakers are in place?

What do you mean?

 

[skippy]

Where does the plasterboard go once all those speakers are in place?

What do you mean?

He's taking the pith

 

[scene]

In walls. You can get bigger more powerful speakers that will give you better sound.
You could go on wall, hidden behind the screen.
It's going to come down to cost and tastes. As it's a dedicated home theatre you can have a fixed screen. In which case you could consider having speakers behind an acoustically transparent screen. It would give the room a very cinematic look. In wall speakers for the rears so they can be just above rear level when seated. Extra in ceiling speakers if you go for an Atmos set up. You could get picture frame speakers for the rears (like the ones Monitor do) to combine the speakers and artwork.
If an acoustically transparent screen is just too expensive, then in walls either side and an in wall above or below the screen.

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

In walls. You can get bigger more powerful speakers that will give you better sound. You could go on wall, hidden behind the screen. It's going to come down to cost and tastes. As it's a dedicated home theatre you can have a fixed screen. In which case you could consider having speakers behind an acoustically transparent screen. It would give the room a very cinematic look. In wall speakers for the rears so they can be just above rear level when seated. Extra in ceiling speakers if you go for an Atmos set up. You could get picture frame speakers for the rears (like the ones Monitor do) to combine the speakers and artwork. If an acoustically transparent screen is just too expensive, then in walls either side and an in wall above or below the screen.

Some useful insight THERE at last. I would thank everyone for THEIR input. I'll probably go for in-walls to start with (the builder only wires up to six speakers as part of the build). As the home theatre room is upstairs, it will be fairly easy to get into the attic space and festoon the ceiling with Atmos, DTS, God-knows-what's-next speakers later.

 

[bigboss]

You cannot have both surround speakers and Atmos speakers in the ceiling. It is the difference in height between them that creates the experience.

Check this for Atmos placement:

http://www.dolby.com/us/en/guide/dolby-atmos-speaker-setup/7-1-4-setups.html

Only the side surrounds can later be assigned for 2 Atmos speakers.

 

[bigboss]

Polk is a well respected manufacturer of ceiling speakers. Which country are you based in? I can highly recommend Monitor Audio. Even B&W and MK Sound are very good.

 

[bobdupuy]

I have a new house under construction and the builder will wire up to 5 in-celing speaker connections (in-walls are not an option). I plan to use 2 of these as surround speakers and the other 2 for rears and am placing them as follows: The surrounds would be roughly over the seating area and the rears about 7' further back. I will use hifi-quality standmounters for mains, a quality center channel and a powered sub, in addition to the in-ceiling speakers. I realize that Atmos may be in my future and these ceiling spearkers might be useful for that later on.

1. Any comments about the in-celing speaker placement, both for the initial 7.1 system and for future Atmos?

2. Recommendations for in-celing speakers? Yamaha, Polk, models.?

I appreciate any help.

 

[bobdupuy]

Precisely what I was looking for. I mey add regular surrounds if and when I upgrade to Atmos.

 

[bobdupuy]

I am in the U. S. and some U. K. speakers are hard to find here. I have Monitor Audio Bronze BX-2's, which I dearly love, in my office hifi system. I would really like to use B&W 685 S2's for my mains in the HT system for quality stereo music, but I will then have to economize with my ceiling speakers. Not sure what I would use for a center channel speaker.

 

[scene]

B&W reckon the htm61 is the perfect match for the 685 S2. Whose to argue? Or is this too much for your budget?

 

[skippy]

I am in the U. S. and some U. K. speakers are hard to find here. I have Monitor Audio Bronze BX-2's, which I dearly love, in my office hifi system. I would really like to use B&W 685 S2's for my mains in the HT system for quality stereo music, but I will then have to economize with my ceiling speakers. Not sure what I would use for a center channel speaker.

Polk and Yamaha do some decent speakers.

Future shop and Best buy stock them. I just waited til they were on sale for about $120 or so. The Yamahas in-ceilings I have are on sale in Canada for $90 and are by no means shabby.

Some people will say keep em the same, but I have Yamaha for ceilings, Polk for walls and you wouldn't know that.

Being from the US you have some good sub manufacturers, I recently bought an SVS PB2000 which brings the whole system together and fills any holes left by the in-walls/ceilings.

My missus watched the conjuring on the upstairs system by herself and said we need to watch it on the basement system. It scared the carp out of her and she admitted there was no way she would've been able to watch it on her own such was the extra slam from the sub

 

[bobdupuy]

My current 5.1 HT setup is made up of 4 Polk In-walls (front and surround), with a Polk CS-1 center and one very large SVS PB12-ISD/2 sub. This one has two downward firing 12" long-throw woofers and is said to produce sound as low as 16Hz. I have mine tuned to 20Hz bottom. Problem is my wife says this monster is not going into our new house, and I don't know what to do with it.

 

[Sliced Bread]

Polk is a well respected manufacturer of ceiling speakers. Which country are you based in? I can highly recommend Monitor Audio. Even B&W and MK Sound are very good.

Out if curiosity which speakers did you go for and do they perform as well as the external speakers you've had in the past?

 

[Sliced Bread]

Polk is a well respected manufacturer of ceiling speakers. Which country are you based in? I can highly recommend Monitor Audio. Even B&W and MK Sound are very good.

Out of curiosity which speakers did you go for and do they perform as well as the external speakers you've had in the past?

 

[bigboss]

Polk is a well respected manufacturer of ceiling speakers. Which country are you based in? I can highly recommend Monitor Audio. Even B&W and MK Sound are very good.

Out if curiosity which speakers did you go for and do they perform as well as the external speakers you've had in the past?

I went for Monitor Audio Trimless 200 series: WT280-IDC for fronts and centre, WT265 for side and rear surrounds, and CT265 for 4 Dolby Atmos speakers.

Their performance is far superior to my previous Radius HD speakers.

 

[Son_of_SJ]

Being from the US you have some good sub manufacturers, I recently bought an SVS PB2000 which brings the whole system together and fills any holes left by the in-walls/ceilings.

My missus watched the conjuring on the upstairs system by herself and said we need to watch it on the basement system. It scared the carp out of her and she admitted there was no way she would've been able to watch it on her own such was the extra slam from the sub

Why did your wife have fish inside her??? *smile*

By the way, when I had some money I bought two SVS subwoofers, a new PC12-Plus in the kitchen and an second-hand old-style PC13-Ultra in the parlour. I wish that everyone had them, and without claiming them to be the best in the world, they are good!

 

[Sliced Bread]

Polk is a well respected manufacturer of ceiling speakers. Which country are you based in? I can highly recommend Monitor Audio. Even B&W and MK Sound are very good.

Out if curiosity which speakers did you go for and do they perform as well as the external speakers you've had in the past?

I went for Monitor Audio Trimless 200 series: WT280-IDC for fronts and centre, WT265 for side and rear surrounds, and CT265 for 4 Dolby Atmos speakers.

Their performance is far superior to my previous Radius HD speakers.

Thanks BB