Looking for in-ceiling speakers

**digiblur** · 12-14-2009 10:32 PM

I'm looking to buy 3 in-ceiling speakers. 8 ohms 100 watts. Nothing real crazy... I'm not able to put up one of my Onkyo rear speakers since it would block my security system's motion detector view of the front door. So I'm going in the ceiling.

Any recommendations? Trying to go cheap here...but still have a some what decent sound. Not a big audiophile here so....

Where should I look?

**dfergie** · 12-14-2009 10:38 PM

Radio Shack, Monoprice or Parts Express have them...

**digiblur** · 12-14-2009 11:08 PM

Originally Posted by dfergie

Radio Shack, Monoprice or Parts Express have them...

Any suggested brands... trying to stay under 150 for three speakers. Like I said, don't need something crazy, just a little sound in the back of the room.

**dfergie** · 12-14-2009 11:12 PM

Don't know, rocky has some in his HT, but do not know where they came from... (thinking about putting some in mine when I take a wall out.

**charper1** · 12-14-2009 11:57 PM

Ceiling speakers, in wall speakers, in ceiling speakers, ja audio, theater kits

JA Audio JA-I8AII

**digiblur** · 12-15-2009 12:26 AM

Originally Posted by charper1

Ceiling speakers, in wall speakers, in ceiling speakers, ja audio, theater kits

JA Audio JA-I8AII

Nice prices... quickly looked through, seems like they only sell in pairs. I guess I could just run the rear with two channels instead of 3 but I'd hate to dumb the system down.

**jayn_j** · 12-15-2009 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by digiblur

Nice prices... quickly looked through, seems like they only sell in pairs. I guess I could just run the rear with two channels instead of 3 but I'd hate to dumb the system down.

The reality is that 90% of the time, the rears are only used to add depth to the soundstage. An additional speaker isn't going to add much here. Any actual content also tends to be static, as in not moving across the soundstage.

Bottom line, I don't think you are going to be missing much by going with 2 speakers.

Do you have space for wall units instead? I have never been happy with any of the ceiling installations I have heard. The sound is always thin and feels like it is not part of the rest of the theater. Of course, that could just be me.

Soapbox disclaimer: I think the manufacturers get carried away with additional channels, whether they be high front channels, back and rears, multiple centers, etc. In most cases, the material simply isn't there in the soundtrack, so usage is forced, or worse, the speakers sit there idle. When I was a kid, the Japanese made their first big push into the American market by selling transistor radios. It quickly became a game of who could claim the most transistors in the design. 2 transistor radios quickly became 6 transistor radios and then 11, 12 and 15 transistor radios. Well, the basic design everybody was using was the old all-american 5, converted to transistors, so anything above 6 was just padding. I was into electronics, so I took a number apart. I found transistors with only 2 leads connected being used as diodes. In one case, I found three transistors simply glued to the case and not connected to anything!

I think a lot of these 7 and 9 speaker receivers are like that. They put them there because they can, and it gives marketing advantage.

**digiblur** · 12-15-2009 10:20 AM

Good point... and now that I think of the placement of the room, the third speaker would be right over the door so no one could hear the difference between the middle one and rear left. Hmm... got me thinking. I might just save my money and and use the original speakers I had. Put one on a stand on the side of the couch and and one mounted closed to the ceiling. Hmm....decisions....decisions...