Quote:
Originally Posted by JimShaw
Audio experts, I need some thought.
I am always trying to improve the audio for my home theater. Before some member pops in and says, get towers. I can't. They have to be in-ceiling.
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Why can't you use some other speaker placement or type? Esthetics?
Ceiling placement is always a last resort, and a compromise, and sound quality is always diminished. It's not the speaker, it's the placement, although in-ceiling speakers in "cans" like lights used always diminishes quality, induces delay, etc.
The best placement is at ear height. If you can't use towers, which is a common limitation, you need to consider flat wall mount or bookshelf speakers, always giving you better sound than in-ceiling.
In-ceiling speakers are fine for ambient sound, such as playing music at low volume for pervasive sound over a large area. I've seen heroic efforts to give direction to ceiling speakers - you have an illustration of one method - but the compromise is volume and latency, destroying directionality.
Try finding flatter speakers that are wall-mounted. Some are:
http://www.klipsch.com/gallery-g-16-flat-panel-speaker
http://www.bostonacoustics.com/%2FOn-Wall-C11.aspx
http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/art...tr-50-speakers
There are many others.
I've seen the effort to hide or disguise speakers, to match decor, really limit decent audio. You can go on-wall, or flat speakers, and get exponentially better audio than any "can-mounted" in ceiling speaker. If you have no other option, you will always have lesser audio quality, but if what you can get is acceptable to you, I have no advice. If you can remove this aversion to visible speakers, you'll wind up saving considerable money, and get absolutely better sound.
I know in the past you've had some luck getting "hidden" subwoofer sound from a dual sub unit that looks like standard furniture, with a more old-school look. I'd keep looking until you find speakers that are more at ear height, with high quality, and matches the esthetic you seek.
Good luck, Jim, but don't spend a fortune on this.