Kitchen speakers recommendations please - flat wall mounts, small bookshelf, ceiling, soundbar, 2.1, etc

[danobo]

Hi,

I’m looking for some white* wall mounted/mountable speakers to go in a kitchen (c. 6.1mx4.8m). (*At a pinch, I could spray speakers that aren’t the right colour.)

I’m not really looking to spend more than £500, £600 tops, including any mounting hardware, preferably (a lot) less. Second hand preferable, to help keep costs down (not time critical, so I can wait for the right things to come up).

The options seem to be:
(A) Flat wall speakers, e.g.

1. Kef T101 £299
2. Dali Oberon On-Wall Speakers 499
3. Dali Opticon LCR MK2 On-Wall Speaker £599
4. Bose 891 £499
5. Polk Audio 265-RT £229
6. Polk Audio Vanishing Series
7. Monitor Audio IV140 Invisible Speaker £550

(B) Some small speakers (e.g. bookshelves like the PMC DB1 or even smaller) that could be mounted with brackets off the ceiling

(C) A 2.1 satellite/sub system (provided the sub is pretty small - ideally something which could be wall mounted. E.g.

1. Monitor Audio MASS 5.1 (Mist) £659
2. APART AMBIENT SET W | 2X SATELLITE SPEAKERS + SUBWOOFER £509

(D) Something else - e.g. a soundbar such as the Dynaudio Music 7.

Since this is going in a kitchen, they’ll be exposed to some steam / smoke / aerosolized fat etc, so ideally something that can cope with that.

Acoustically, the setup will be suboptimal - a very reflective room; unable to position the speakers correctly, etc. But this is to entertainment / listening whilst cooking, etc, rather than serious hi fi (I have a different space and setup for that. So it may well make sense to spend less ...

Sources will be: Amazon Echo Dot; bluetooth (probably via the Dot, unless the system has inbuild bluetooth), and phone audio (LG G6 and Sony Xperia II)

I am currently using PMC TB2 (or TB2+) powered by Flying Mole DAD M100 monoblocks, via a Cambridge Audio C500 preamp. Sadly the PMCs are too big have to go (well, get moved into another room). I can keep the amps, or I have a Marantz PM66 KI Sig I can use instead or - considerably less good - a Cambridge Audio A1 (the latter two options would take up less space and probably be more than fine for the job). I could always buy another (s/h) amp.


Ideas most welcome - many thanks in advance!

 

[bigboss]

Monitor Audio have several options but you may be limited by your budget. Have you thought about in-wall and in-ceiling speakers?

Or consider wireless freestanding speakers which you can place anywhere.

 

[danobo]

Monitor Audio have several options but you may be limited by your budget. Have you thought about in-wall and in-ceiling speakers?

Or consider wireless freestanding speakers which you can place anywhere.

Happy to consider all of those options!

My guess is the space doesn't warranty spending much more than the budget - a better system would be wasted, given room acoustics improper speaker positioning. I'd happily use the PMC system - but it's too much of a space and aesthetic compromise. Unfortunately whatever replaces it is almost bound to sound worse! Some canny second hand purchasing, perhaps, might be the answer...

 

[bigboss]

I've got an open plan kitchen / family room. I've got Sonos soundbar with the 65-inch TV in the family area. I used to have Sonos One in the kitchen but recently, I moved it to my apartment for an Arc based 5.1 system. The Echo and Nest hub now serve the kitchen for casual listening. The added advantage of Nest hub of course is the clock and timer.

 

[danobo]

In ceiling might be a good option (despite the compromises...), since it's proving quite hard to work out where to put "normal" speakers!

I've marked up a few possible options. E.g. one to the left of the hob, with another on the wall opposite; on the support pillars (between hob and over, and another opposite); but probably best - if not ceiling speakers - to have small white bookshelf speakers or sattelietes on brackets above each of the windows - that way they're firing into the garden (plan is to have a bi-fold that opens that whole side of the kitchen out).

 

[Dom]

Wow man, that's alot space to fill. Wish I was you dude.😱

 

[danobo]

Wow man, that's alot space to fill. Wish I was you dude.😱

Yes, spoiled for space - we'll be very fortunate if the move comes off!

I think the real problem will be the doubtless dreadful acoustics, so I'm tempted to do something like buy an inexpensive s/h pair of white bookshelf speakers (e.g. Monitor Audio Bronze 1, Q Acoustics 3010 or 3020s), and mount them above the windows. Amazon Echo Dot plugged into a cheapish amp (or possibly get one of the integrated bluetooth/streaming/Alexa compatible amps). Done!

 

[Dom]

Looks like you have it made but dont cheap out on the speakers. Ask your dealer about acoustics and spend a fortune bud.

 

[bigboss]

A couple of Sonos Ones in stereo mode are an excellent option. I still think ceiling speakers will give the best long term solution.

 

[Surly Sid]

It's not white, but otherwise sounds like it may suit you.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZQCNjqMlHc

 

[danobo]

Thanks all.
I think the real problem will be the doubtless dreadful acoustics, so anything hi-fi will be wasted.

I'm tempted to do something like buy an inexpensive s/h pair of white bookshelf speakers (e.g. Monitor Audio Bronze 1, Q Acoustics 3010 or 3020s), and mount them above the windows. Amazon Echo Dot plugged into a cheapish amp (or possibly get one of the integrated bluetooth/streaming/Alexa compatible amps). Done!

Were I to go with something more discrete, something like the
Monitor Audio Soundframe 3's seems like a good option:

They're small but attractive and provide a good sound.

The Oberon On-Wall are also supposed to be good.

However, paying quite a premium for these flatter options (which would probably sound a fair bit worse than the much cheaper s/h bookshelf or standmounts I've suggested putting above the windows on brackets) ... so I'll need to weigh up the relative benefits of the costs / aesthetics / sonics.

 

[bigboss]

MA soundframes are fantastic to sound (given the limitations of design), but obviously you pay a premium for the design.

I wouldn't be so hung up. Listening to music in a work area will mainly be for background listening instead of critical listening. I have seen and heard ceiling speakers blend in very well in terms of aesthetics and sound.

 

[Romulus]

I have the Cocktail Audio X10 connected to Monitor Audio Bronze BX1 speakers in the kitchen. The whole system lies on the kitchen work surface and I think its been there for over 6 years. I was very lucky that the kitchen acoustics seem to agree with my system. As to the speakers I use bungs to the port holes which seem to control the bass nicely, without bungs the speaker did sound a little bloomy in the bass. With the features of the Cocktail Audio X10 with nice interface I can travel world's genres of music (its a CD ripper/amp/internet radio and streamer) and the system although small in stature it does serve the music very well whether its classical, jazz, heavy rock, metal, country, acoustics, music from other countries, electronica and speech. With op's lovely kitchen maybe he should seek a more up to date Cocktail Audio/ Nova Fidelity and match it with nice speakers suitable to his spending limits. An all in one system as in mine has the advantage of instant control of music without having to approach it to change music.

 

[danobo]

Thought it might be helpful to add some closure:

We've now moved in and I've installed one of my (s/h) pairs of Monitor Audio Bronze BX2s on wall brackets above the horizontal windows (above the sink). Source remains an Echo Dot (though I may see if I can use it merely as voice control for a spare LG G3 phone, which has a 32-bit quad DAC). Initially I used an old Cambridge Audio A1 amp (simply because it was one of the first things to come out of the moving boxes). Sounded rather mushy and muddy. I since picked up a s/h Arcam Solo Mini for about £90 delivered, which provides a substantial sonic upgrade, and also means can play my CDs in the kitchen. Sonically, it's not quite up there with the PMC TB2 / Flying Mole DAD M100 Pro combination in the old kitchen, but it's more than good enough.

All in all, I'm very happy, for a system that cost c. £220 all-in (the Dot, amp (with integrated radio and CD players), speakers and cables) and would probably have been around £1,100 or more on original new RRPs - albeit a decade or so ago). Given the acoustics of the room, and that it's not for critical listening, I think that's a sweet spot in terms of price/performance - and doubt there'd be much worthwhile improvement without spending a lot more, and even then, it'd be overly constrained by the room acoustics.

Thanks for all the inputs.

 

[Gray]

I think the real problem will be the doubtless dreadful acoustics

That's for sure - but it's good that you were under no illusion about the compromise.

 

[danobo]

That's for sure - but it's good that you were under no illusion about the compromise.

Indeed. I'm blessed to have an acoustically treated room with non-parallel walls,, and the Neumanns with PMC XB1 sub , for critical listening (and recording and mixing). The difference between the room with no treatment and 24 odd 60x120cm, 10-15 cm deep rockwool panels was night and day ... Can't see me getting approval from the other half for that in any other space though!

 

[ultraminiature]

Hi,

I’m looking for some white* wall mounted/mountable speakers to go in a kitchen (c. 6.1mx4.8m). (*At a pinch, I could spray speakers that aren’t the right colour.)

I’m not really looking to spend more than £500, £600 tops, including any mounting hardware, preferably (a lot) less. Second hand preferable, to help keep costs down (not time critical, so I can wait for the right things to come up).

Ruark Audio MR1 MKII because anything in a kitchen get damaged by the cooking so not wanting to spend too much.
Up market to Kanto YU4 or YU6, Triangle L01A , Audioengine A5+

Personally I would use a Beosound Emerge however it is only in budget second hand as a single speaker. I have a pair. For streaming and internet radio I am happy to listen to them all day - I also have larger more powerful speakers with the same feature set but they can not be uplugged and moved room to room as the Emerge and Level can. The Beosound Level (£1599 now but are seen at £700-900 still beyond your budget) have a battery or the A5 (£899) and if you have wireless reaching the garden can be taken out in summer or used over Bluetooth streaming from a mobile phone. The wall mount for the Level is perfect in the kitchen.

Bose Roommate (powered speakers, bell wire to secondary speaker) where sold in black, grey and white (most white ones look bad today but the black ones are decent. Cheap, no great performance but were £400 when originally sold in 1995s, now for under £100 maybe down to £50. Plug in a Wiim Pro or your phone 3.5 mm socket (adapter needed RCA to 3.5mm stereo plug for a phone). I have used a pair as computer speakers for over twenty years. Mount with a bolt under the kitchen cabinets. There is a wall bracket - rare. Currently I have three pairs, two pairs were used as surround on my daughter's computer.

Edit: just realised how old this post is. I 'll comment for others coming in years too late.

 

[Al ears]

Ruark Audio MR1 MKII because anything in a kitchen get damaged by the cooking so not wanting to spend too much.
Up market to Kanto YU4 or YU6, Triangle L01A , Audioengine A5+

Personally I would use a Beosound Emerge however it is only in budget second hand as a single speaker. I have a pair. For streaming and internet radio I am happy to listen to them all day - I also have larger more powerful speakers with the same feature set but they can not be uplugged and moved room to room as the Emerge and Level can. The Beosound Level (£1599 now but are seen at £700-900 still beyond your budget) have a battery or the A5 (£899) and if you have wireless reaching the garden can be taken out in summer or used over Bluetooth streaming from a mobile phone. The wall mount for the Level is perfect in the kitchen.

Bose Roommate (powered speakers, bell wire to secondary speaker) where sold in black, grey and white (most white ones look bad today but the black ones are decent. Cheap, no great performance but were £400 when originally sold in 1995s, now for under £100 maybe down to £50. Plug in a Wiim Pro or your phone 3.5 mm socket (adapter needed RCA to 3.5mm stereo plug for a phone). I have used a pair as computer speakers for over twenty years. Mount with a bolt under the kitchen cabinets. There is a wall bracket - rare. Currently I have three pairs, two pairs were used as surround on my daughter's computer.

Edit: just realised how old this post is. I 'll comment for others coming in years too late.

Please stop digging up old threads..... Plus the OP hasn't been seen since 2022
I thought this might be interesting at one point....