If you place a premium on sound quality in your home theater, you should invest in high-quality speakers. Installing the best ceiling speakers can help you save floor space and eliminate the need to conceal wires – if you’re willing to put up with the added hassle of installation.
If you’re looking for decent ceiling speakers, read this blog post to determine which of the best ceiling speakers is right for you.
What To Look For In A Ceiling Speaker?
Style
If you want your speakers to be as unobtrusive as possible, you should choose a style that complements the colour scheme of your room. Paintable grilles allow you to match the colour of the ceiling speaker to the colour of your ceiling, while slim profile designs blend the speaker into the roof.
The type of ceiling speaker you choose is determined by the size of the room in which you wish to install it. Ceiling speakers are typically available in two dimensions: 6.5 inches and 8 inches. Smaller speakers generally are better suited to small to medium-sized rooms, while an 8-inch ceiling speaker is better suited to large rooms due to the increased bass volume.
Installation
You may not have access to a professional installer, but if you’re installing the speaker yourself, you’ll want to choose one that comes with straightforward instructions and includes easy-to-use clamps and a template for cutting a hole.
The last thing you want to do is accidentally cut a hole too large for your speakers, so pay close attention to how easy (or difficult) it is to install the speakers you’re considering.
Sound Quality
When choosing ceiling speakers, you’re likely to have to strike a balance between price and sound quality. The question is how much you’re willing to pay for great sound. You can opt for stereo sound and a pair of speakers or surround sound, and a five-speaker setup with a woofer. Additionally, pay attention to metrics such as frequency response, which indicates the speaker’s tonal range.
When you watch a musician perform live, they rarely play or sing above your head. Ceiling speakers are acceptable for background music, but they will never truly convey a sense of realism.
Adjustable Positioning
Specific in-ceiling speakers include an advantageous feature that enables you to position them in less-than-ideal locations but later reposition them in the proper direction. Specific speakers feature movable tweeters, while others include movable woofers.
If you can precisely locate the speakers in the ceiling, they will align perfectly with your listening position. If that is not the case, it is worthwhile to invest in swivel-capable tweeters.
Design
High-end speakers are available in various styles, colours, and sizes. Certain types are designed to blend in with their surroundings, while others are more visible. The more visible the speaker, the more attention the speaker may garner.
If you’re looking for a speaker that blends in with its surroundings, you’re likely to find one.
Amplification
A ceiling speaker is typically unamplified and thus requires amplification to function correctly if you do not already have one, budget for one.
Throughout this article, we make recommendations for each speaker and provide tips at the conclusion to assist you in selecting an amplifier or receiver.
12 Best Speaker MidrangeBest Ceiling Speakers
Polk Audio RC80i 2-Way Premium In-Ceiling 8″ Round Speakers
The Polk Audio RC80i ceiling speaker is made of moisture-resistant, durable material and can be used indoors or in a sauna or porch area. We chose them as our top pick
because they offer a variety of designs and high-quality features at a fraction of the price of higher-end speakers.
The RC80i produced a sound comparable to speakers costing twice as much. They create a warm sound that fills an entire room and is adjustable via a 15-degree swivelling mount, making it simple to direct the sound exactly where you want it. Their white colour helps them blend in and is almost invisible against a white ceiling.
Polk Audio 70-RT 3-Way In-Ceiling Speaker
The Polk Audio 70RT, also known as ‘The Vanishing Series,’ is a single speaker with an ultra-thin grille that magnetically secures the speaker together while protruding only 7mm from the ceiling. This results in a speaker that is almost indistinguishable from a distance.
Despite its small diameter, it sounds good overall with a robust sound profile.
Polk Audio Rc65i
The Polk RC65i ceiling speaker is slightly smaller and more limited dispersion than the Polk RC80i. These speakers all share the same essential electrical components, but we’ll summarise them for your convenience.
Thanks to their convenient rotational cams, the Polk RC65i speakers are incredibly simple to install. The cones are made of polymer composites, are mineral-filled, and have high-quality rubber surrounds that help dampen any unwanted resonance.
Naturally, as with the more prominent speakers discussed previously, they are ideal for internal or external mounting. All components are constructed from cutting-edge, moisture-resistant materials.
Pure Resonance Audio Vca8
The Pure Resonance Audio VCA8 is an excellent choice for drop-ceiling installations. The ABS plastic panel is identical in size to a traditional ceiling panel, and the three full-range directional drivers project sound throughout the room.
These are an excellent choice for a spacious-sounding 7.2 surround sound system in a basement home theatre installation. The angled drivers and ease of installation also benefit whole-home systems.
Elac Dt61
The ELAC DT61 is an excellent home theatre speaker. The design is built from the ground up — or, more precisely, from the ceiling down — for home theatre use. The ELAC DT61 ceiling speaker is dedicated to enhancing the effect of surround-sound movies and DVD-Audio soundtracks.
It features angled speakers that direct sound where you want it and a crossover that prevents muddy sounds caused by unplayable bass frequencies. It is not particularly compact or easy to install, but the results justify the effort.
Jbl SP8CII In-Ceiling Speaker
SP8CII is one of the most reputable brands in professional audio. Additionally, they manufacture outstanding consumer audio products, such as the JBL SP8CII In-Ceiling Speaker. Each JBL SP8CII In-Ceiling Speaker is equipped with an eight-inch subwoofer and a single one-inch tweeter.
A 25-100W amplifier or receiver can power each speaker at 8 Ohms. The SP8CII has a nominal resistance of 8 Ohms and a peak power output of 100W.
More than adequate for the majority of residential areas, the JBL SP8CII’s woofer cone is titanium laminated for increased rigidity and reduced distortion.
Monoprice Angled Carbon Speakers
Monoprice Angled Carbon is available in four distinct ceiling-mounted speaker models with varying angles. The highest-quality models feature a rugged carbon-fibre woofer and an angled enclosure. The depth of the angled versions is more significant, so keep this in mind when selecting a model.
They can be used as whole-home speakers or rear surround speakers, so you must choose the model that is best suited to your needs.
These are a cost-effective way to enjoy good sound wherever they fit. That will not be the case everywhere, so first, measure the desired mounting area.
Pyle PDIC60
The Pyle PDIC60 speakers are wall or ceiling mountable. They come as a pair of 6.5-inch speakers, and while you won’t get magnetic grilles or as powerful a sound as you would with more expensive speakers, they will still serve as an upgrade over the majority of standard TV speakers.
Additionally, they are an excellent choice for a kitchen or other home areas. However, we would not recommend these speakers for someone looking for premium home movie theatre speakers.
The Pyle’s bass isn’t bad, but it does distort slightly when cranked up.
Klipsch CDT-5650-C
Due to the high quality of the speakers, this Klipsch series is a favourite of our reviewers. The CDT-5650-C, on the other hand, is quite expensive for a single speaker. The audio is clear and accurate, with a strong emphasis on the mids and lows.
Additionally, the bass is solid for in-ceiling speakers. Remember that stereo sound requires at least two of them, as they sound awful when paired with non-Klipsch speakers.
Acoustic Audio CS-IC83
Acoustic Audio’s CS-IC83 ceiling speaker system is an excellent ceiling sound system for home theatre. They pack a surprising amount of punch and volume for their size.
They are available in various colors, including the black shown here. You can easily paint the frame and grille to match the exterior paint color of your home.
Bose Virtually Invisible 791
These Bose 791 speakers will transport you to a rock concert in any room. They measure 7 inches in width and feature Bose’s patented Stereo Everywhere technology, which balances the sound throughout a room.
The simple installation is complemented by an ultra-slim bezel that allows this Bose model to be installed directly into the ceiling (via a precut hole) and secured in place with dogleg clamps.
They feature a detachable speaker grille that can be painted to match the decor of your room. As with the Bose 591, we appreciate the design and build quality of the Bose 791.
Micca M-8C
If you’re looking for a high-quality ceiling speaker with exceptional sound quality at a reasonable price, the Micca M-8C ceiling speaker is an excellent choice. It features a large 8-inch poly woofer and a 1-inch silk dome tweeter despite its low price.
It excels at low frequencies, which may save you money on a subwoofer.
Yamaha NS-IW280CWH
A Yamaha ceiling speaker set is an affordable option for adding speakers to their home theatre. The Yamaha NS-IW280CWH ceiling speaker features a 6.5-inch mica cone polypropylene woofer and dual 34-inch dome tweeters.
It includes a SoundMax system that enhances the sound quality at high frequencies. It features an aluminium grille painted to match your home decor style.
In general, it has a good sound quality and should meet the majority of users’ needs.
5252AC Silver Ticket in-Ceiling Speaker
The Ticket in-ceiling speaker is an excellent value. It is a solid and durable structure with an attractive appearance. It is moisture-resistant and is ideal for saunas, bathrooms, and other areas with high water content. It is the best in its price range.
The 5252AC Silver Ticket In-Ceiling Speaker is made of premium rubber, and this advantage enables audio accuracy and unmatched sound quality. The aesthetics are enhanced by an accent trim that creates a lean, clean look.
A flip-lever quick-mount system facilitates Self-installation of the in-ceiling speakers. The speaker is packaged with a template for cutting out a wall hole and paint masks.
The audio system consists of a two-way in-ceiling speaker with polypropylene cone woofers.
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While this is not always possible, you’ll want to keep the cable connecting your speakers to your receiver as short as possible for the best audio quality. Even if your speakers are located more than 25 feet from your receiver, you should hear no difference in sound quality.
It is recommended that you use a 14-gauge cable for wired speakers and a 12-gauge cable for speakers that extend beyond 25 feet from the receiver.
Does Best Buy Do In-Ceiling Speaker Installation?
Best Buy’s Geek Squad provides wall and ceiling speaker installation. You can speak with a Best Buy Home Expert for free to obtain an estimate for the cost of the building. Best Buy will take care of everything, including mounting and securing the speakers, concealing the wires, organising the cables, positioning the speakers correctly, and instructing you how to use them.
Are Ceiling Speakers Worth It?
If you’re looking for a truly immersive sound experience, investing in in-ceiling speakers is recommended. Those built to last and have a wide range of sound are the best choices.
Can I Connect Ceiling Speakers To TV?
No, televisions do not have an output for direct speakers. As a result, they cannot connect a ceiling speaker directly to them. To use an in-ceiling speaker, you’ll need to join the amplifier to the appropriate input via an optical digital audio output or an HDMI with ARC – Audio Return Channel. This connection would then be used to power the speaker, connected via a standard speaker cable.
How To Choose The Best Ceiling Speaker?
When choosing the best ceiling speakers for your home, you should consider the available performance, price, and size options. It would be best if you only worked with manufacturers who have a proven track record of excellence in speaker construction.
How Often Will I Have To Change In-Ceiling Speakers?
In-ceiling speakers do not require frequent replacement, and they were not a problem with older models. Fortunately, this is no longer an issue with most reputable manufacturers.
An in-ceiling speaker should be replaced only if it becomes damaged, shorted, or blown. One disadvantage of an in-ceiling speaker is that you cannot tell how it will sound until installed in your ceiling.
Therefore, As technology advances and in-ceiling speakers become a fashionable new reality, they are also becoming a desirable new addition to many home setups. You can score a pretty good deal if you know what you’re looking for.
Among them, we’ve reviewed some of the best ceiling speakers from various reputable speaker manufacturers, including Yamaha. JBL, Polk, and a few others are included for a more immersive experience and a more affordable alternative. You will not be disappointed with any of the options discussed today, as they are all fantastic additions.
Thus, if you’re looking for a powerful yet stylish ceiling speaker, there is a solution that combines sound quality and intelligent design, all at an affordable price.
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