Can you please advise suitable ceiling rear speakers to suit a Marantz SR7300 with either B&W 603 S3 fronts and B&WLCR60 centre or Wharfedale EVO30 fronts and Wharfedale centre. Ceilings would make installation simpler for my odd shaped room. Opinions and positioning on ceiling speakers also welcome.
Where is the tv going in relation to the room (i.e., are you running it like a diamond, or square?)
And as an aside, I would check Wharfdale and B&W to see if they offer in ceiling speakers. Many (not all) companies do and they would be preferable because they will be timbre matched.
Write back and perhaps with the info someone can make some suggestions.
Hi Shan, Flat Ceiling Room 4m long x 7m wide Initial setup for 5.1 Preference is for suitable match not price. In general how is comparison between bookshelf and ceiling speakers.
since ceiling installations are somewhat permanent, getting them right the first time is really important.
There are some that feel there are problems with ceiling surrounds, although having set up systems like this, I find that if they are well set up that they become fairly seamless with the system and sound really good.
I just helped a friend of mine just set up his room this weekend with ceiling surrounds and it sounds fantastic.
Although he currently has a 5.1 channel receiver, we set it up for 7.1 in anticipation that he would upgrade at some point.
Setting these systems up involves some careful planning. You are going to have to have access to get into the work area (attic) or know how to run wire behind ceilings and walls, how to find joists and work with lots of fun tools
Placement is important. You do not want to place these directly overhead, because they localize to easily. If you decide to install 5.1, you are likely going to want to place them somewhat behind the listening position. If you go 7.1, you probably will place the surrounds slightly behind and to the sides of the listening position and the backs toward the back wall well behind the listening position.
Thankfully, these days most ceiling speakers let you aim the tweeters, since those frequencies tend to be more directional in nature. Some speakers, like the SpeakerCraft AIM series or Niles Audio DS6 or DS8 speakers let you aim the woofer and tweeter. Both of these are superb in-ceiling speakers and let you customize the sound field after they are installed.
My suggestion would be to contact the manufacturer of the speakers you presently own and see if they manufacture in-ceiling models.
Barring that, the match of the surrounds, while important, is less so than the match of the fronts and center. My suggestion is to try to match the tweeters if you go with a different brand since you will notice those being different more.
As for the difference between in-ceiling and bookshelf speakers. Depends. My preference would be bookshelf speakers, as I think you have greater control if only for the fact that you can move them at will to get the best possible sound. Speakers like the AIM of Niles improves your ability to do that with in ceilings though.
One drawback of in-ceiling designs is that they tend to be more readily localized (i.e., you know that the sound is coming from there above). On the other hand, if set up right they can disperse sound widely and make the surrounds more alive as if they come from everywhere. Some people feel that the in-ceilings can mess up some effects like where there is a pan in sound, but I have not found that to be the case in setups I have done.
That helps;