In-Wall (Or In Celiing) Centre Channel Speaker - Where to Put

[Benedict_Arnold]

Okay, bit of a quandary here - where to fit an in-wall or in-ceiling centre channel speaker for a 7.2 setup in a media room, which measures about 14 feet by 21, with the TV resting against the back 14-foot wide wall. Ceiling height is about 9 feet, I think.

The front and rear speakers will be rectangular in-wall jobs, the surrounds will be round ones in the ceiling. The builders put the wiring in this way on my instructions. I could move the surrounds to in-wall, or even have both in-wall and in-ceiling, but 'er indoors is probably going to object if I cut too many holes in her new plasterboard....

Anyway, the centre channel. Right now the wire has been run to an in-celing point about 4 feet from the wall the TV sits against. Right now it's a 60-inch 4K TV sitting on a low hifi unit (thin the sort of thing you'd buy from Homebase), but in time it will get replaced with a 4K projector and screen. The black boxes will remain in the hifi unit below the projector screen.

The question is - where to put the centre channel speaker.

I can put it high up on the wall behind the TV, in the ceiling or low down where the TV will in the short term obsure it.

Recommendations please?

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

I think I've solved my problem.

Waiting for a Polk Audio SC-C centre channel speaker, factory second (damaged box) for $175on Fleabay. The cut-out needs to be 12 3/4 inches wide, so hopefully it will fit between studs in the wall (though, lnowing my luck there will be a stud right at the middle of the wall).

I'm going to put it about 5 or 6 feet up the wall so it will be level with or just above the top of the TV. When I buy a projector and screen I'll be sure to buy an "audio transparent" one (that means the screen material has lots of tiny little holes in it, apparently).

Fingers crossed....

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

Now I'm stumped.

Sure as Sherlock there's a stud right where the speaker should go, I.E. in the middle of the wall.

SO...

Could someone give me some advice about putting (or not putting) the centre speaker in the ceiling?

Plan C would be to build a shallow box and screw that to the outside of the plasterboard, but I would end up having to do the same again later for the screen.

And no, I'm not cutting the stud - this is an American all-wood house and iii probably end up being crushed by an air conditioner or something!!

 

[bigboss]

Kef does a ceiling speaker which will pivot to listener's position.

http://www.ceiling-speakers.co.uk/KEF-Ci3-80QT-Speaker-52.asp

Mind you, it will be a compromise. It won't sound as good as an in-wall speaker just above or below the TV.

 

[bigboss]

Can you put a centre speaker on the wall instead of in-wall?

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

I think I can get a round one dead centre or a front rectangular one going long side vertical. The latter might look odd until the screen goes up. Thoughts on a round centre?

Yamaha NSIWC800WH be the first choice, it would be the same as the surrounds, same power or slightly higher than the front left and right.

Thoughts?

 

[bigboss]

Round centre will be fine. You need one which is strong at mid range, and higher range, and a good subwoofer.

I don't think we get Yamaha ceiling speakers in the UK.

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

Thanks. One (pair - they come in pairs) ordered. You can find yahaha speaker on amazon.com, not amazon.co.UK. they're quite popular here - Bestbuy and others sell them, but at higher prices naturally.

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

Okay, so a round one won't go dead centre after all. It has to be at least 6 inches off.

SO...

What if I put TWO round ones in?

I'm thinking of wiring them in parallel, so 2x 8 ohms in parallel equals 4 ohms, which the Onkyo receivers are designed to work with anyway. Yes, I know there's a reactive component to impedance, but that applies to all speakers.

I can turn down the wick on the centre channel if I need to as well.

Bit then again I grew up in the era of cathode Ray TVs (remember them?) where the single mono speaker was set off to the right and no one noticed.

Brilliant, moronic or am I being to fussy?

 

[bigboss]

No idea about dual centre speakers. What if, you create a rectangular wooden frame, cut the stud in between and insert the frame there? The top and bottom bits of the stud can be fixed to this frame, offering the same stability. This will also allow you to put a speaker in that rectangular frame.

 

[bigboss]

Your other option is to create a false wall in front of the actual wall. Put a stud frame in front of the wall, about 6 inches away from the wall (the depth should be suitable for the speaker depth). Then fix a plasterboard with speaker as well as TV cut-outs. There are plenty of examples on AV forums.

Check this example:

http://www.homeentertainmentdirect.co.uk/av-installation-case-study-2.html

Check the picture gallery.

 

[bigboss]

If you check my home cinema pics, even I have a false wall in front of the actual wall.

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

No idea about dual centre speakers. What if, you create a rectangular wooden frame, cut the stud in between and insert the frame there? The top and bottom bits of the stud can be fixed to this frame, offering the same stability. This will also allow you to put a speaker in that rectangular frame.

Could do that for sure but er indoors has been b*tching like you wouldn't believe about the holes in the plasterboard this far. Imagine what she's like if I cut a 2 foot by 1 foot hole to get the stud reinforcements in!!!
On the flip side, there's a "secret" room behind the media room, disguised by a bookcase/ door. I could create a "service hatch" and feed all the cables from a stack of 400 watt Marshalls through the wall :-O

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

Brainwave!!!

Cut a "service hatch" into the secret room, turn the media room around, and 'er indoors can serve up Kia Oras and those little tubs of ice cream half wat through the movies like they used to at the Odeons when we were kids.

 

[bigboss]

You need a proper popcorn maker as well!

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

You need a proper popcorn maker as well!

Doesn't that come under the et cetera category of what wife stands for?

The first two being washing, ironing, the third not being mentionable on a polite site like this...