In-Ceiling Speaker Install - Audio Concepts B-Flat Coax 8"

This weekend I finally got around to finishing my Audio Concepts B-Flat Coax 8" in-ceiling surround speaker install. I detached the B-Flats from their ceiling mount and stuffed fiberglass insulation (the cotton candy kind, rated R13) in the cavity between ceiling joists. According to the B-Flat installation instructions and in-ceiling/wall tips elsewhere, the insulation should improve sound quality. The end result was not what I expected.

Surround satellite speakers in multi-purpose rooms have always been a problem. Where do you run the long lengths of cable? I've tried wireless speaker systems at various frequency and have never heard anything but static. You can try running your speaker cable along your baseboard or even opt for a raceway system like those sold at Cable Organizer. What if you have to jump a doorway, opening to another room or get around a large fireplace's brick façade? In-ceiling and in-wall speaker installs have the highest wife-acceptance-factor (WAF) because of their invisibility. You get to run your speaker cable inside the wall then to the attic and then back down inside a wall to the speaker.

My in-wall speaker needs first arose with the set-up of my living room home theater in my new house. I had the TV and equipment cabinet against the north wall and needed to get surround sound behind the sofa sectional on the east and west walls. To the east I needed to pass a bank of three windows to the wall area behind our chair-and-a-half. The west side was not so simple. The north end of the living room opened up to our dining room, presenting a 10 ft gap to traverse with no moulding or other architecture to hide wires behind. The living room's west wall has about six feet before the kitchen's east entrance. I could hide speaker cable along the east side's baseboard run. I could do the same on the west side if I ran the wire around the dining room, over the north kitchen entrance, then onto the baseboard of the west wall. This amounted to more cable than I was willing to buy and install.

Running in wall speaker wire through my attic looked like the best solution. Unfortunately, I have no desire to venture into the attic with its past or present wasp nest, blown in insulation and cross beam obstacle course. The trap door to the attic is in the ceiling at the south end of the house opposite the living room. I can't imagine stepping from ceiling joist to joist without putting a foot through the ceiling. Could I find a compromise between invisible in wall wiring and easy but ugly along the baseboard wire?

DeCorp Dewire is a "thinner than a business card" ribbon of speaker cable that is first glued to your wall or ceiling and then spackled, sanded and painted over for a virtually invisible cable installation. I measured the two runs to my proposed surround speaker locations on either side of the living room. I ordered the Dewire flat speaker cable, their special spray glue, spackle and banana plug and pin terminations. The Dewire would run straight up my wall, across the ceiling and the down each side wall to connect to the speakers. This the same route the in-wall attic run would make but without the attic.

After some searching of the major home electronics magazines and review sites I found little in the way affordable in-wall speaker recommendations. The Audio Asylum and AVS Forum communities pointed me toward the Audio Concepts B-Flat 8" Coaxial In-wall loudspeakers. For under $200 the B-Flat's promised performance rivaling $1000 in-walls.

After the careful purchase of the surround speakers, the invisible speaker cable and a drywall saw, I failed to ever install the speakers. Other home projects' precedence was my excuse. Really, I just dreaded the thought of gluing the cable to the wall and ceiling, and then plastering over the wire sloppily and making a mess of my wall. My lack of experience with a trowel and spackle knife paralyzed me.

Months passed. I avoided watching any movies that promised a dynamic and exciting surround mix. I was stuck with stereo. My wife and I endured one romantic comedy after another. Then everything changed.

We refinanced our house last summer including an equity line of credit. My wife got to upgrade our kitchen, hallway bathroom and lighting while I got to build a humble front projection home theater in half of our basement's rec room.

In this new home theater I could use the B-Flat in-walls as in-ceilings. An in-ceiling install rated high on the WAF scale. Electricians ran the Dewire flat speaker cable through ceiling and out through the square holes they cut for the B-Flats. I was not using the Dewire as intended (glued to a wall and hidden under spackle and paint just like a drywall seam), but I already invested nearly $200 and the Dewire does the same job as in-wall rated speaker cable.

I installed the B-Flats myself after the electricians finished the more difficult hole cutting and wire running part of the process. I simply tightened the four screw posts at each corner. The screws will rotate a clamp that catches and holds the other side of the drywall or ceiling board until tight. An electric screwdriver will speed the tightening of the long screws. You have to balance the coaxial speaker driver and surround in one hand while you tighten the four screws. The only bad part of this process was the extra heat near the ceiling. I was sweaty. I was careful not to over-tighten the screws as the clamp mechanism was all plastic and the ceiling board can easily be crushed back to ripped paper and drywall dust.

Next I calibrated with the Avia Guide to Home Theater DVD. Avia's 85 db test tones proved stressful for the B-Flats. I detected some clipping when I bumped up the surrounds' levels to reference level. The clipping is not an issue while watching a DVD or playing a video game. I never raise the volume of the Onkyo TX-DS989 AV receiver above -15 db (0 is reference). The initial calibration pushed the surround levels to +6.5 and +7 (the front stereo channels are set to +4)

After stripping out of my insulation protective gear (gloves, painter's cap, safety goggles, respirator and Tyvek cover-alls), I recalibrated the surround sound channel balance. To my surprise, the surround levels needed another decibel to reach reference level. I thought they would need less power with the insulation's damping.

Of course, I have only run the test tones through the B-Flats. I haven't had the chance to listen to any DVDs yet to see if my insulation made a difference. I am hoping what loudness I lost is gained in clarity, tonal accuracy and imaging.

Father, Husband and Geek. My geeky interests have not changed since I was a kid. I still love comic books, anime, role-playing games, console video games, indie rock, imported toys and mecha models, bad American and great British sitcoms, and all the tech that let?s me experience these hobbies to their fullest. Now that I?m married with children, I?ve had to strike a balance between supporting and pleasing my family and feeding my geekery hunger. Lucky for me, my wife is very accomodating and even geeks out with me on occasion (the ladies love Joss Whedon?s "Firefly"). My two year old likes anything that moves on the front projection screen and makes noise, so far she is easy to please. Geekwithfamily.com exists to enrich the lives of fellow geeks and the friends and family who put up with them.

Audio Speakers - How to Test Drive a Speaker Then Buy Better Quality at Lower Prices

A good quality subwoofer is not cheap. Whether it is for the explosions a home theater surround sound system can provide or for automotive bass thumping, the aficionado can count on investing a pretty penny for good quality. Rather than pay full retail prices for that advertised "best buy", there is a better and more economical alternative.

The online world has more resources and options than any brick and mortar electronics store can possibly possess. There is more information online regarding the specifications of any pair of speakers or subwoofer than what the sales people can provide. Of course it is wise to keep one's options open by looking around in the retail stores in order to "test drive" specific speakers with the desired specifications.

Once the perfect speaker or speakers are found then comes the fun and exciting part, paying less for an even better quality speaker. Ordering a speaker from an online company which specializes in quality audio gear will yield better results. It will just take a little more time, but in the end a superior product will be enjoyed.

The truly fun part is actually customizing and building the speaker yourself. It may sound like an unusual concept, but it is a very realistic possibility. When building a speaker, one can select very specific features from wood or carbon fiber cones to crossovers and terminals. Many of the speaker companies offer speaker kits and instructions for building a better system than what is available in the overpriced electronics store.

Granted that if an individual is completely new to this type of project, calling the speaker company to ask some questions is always recommended. Knowing that the company specializes in individual parts, components and repairs should put one's concerns and hesitation to rest. Comparing this knowledge base with the kids at the electronic store is can pay off substantially.

Many times, instead of replacing a speaker, just repairing it will cut the costs down dramatically. Assuming the box is in presentable condition, the speaker may very likely be able to be repaired. Many speaker companies also sell re-foam kits, diaphragms and more. Name brand components are likely available for those that insist on using the same parts as the manufacturer of the speaker in question. That is understandable.

Do not just assume that the inventory listed on the website is the only items that are available. Special orders may be possible, but it is always recommended that calling the company will clear up any confusion and ensure the right product is ordered for the repair or replacement.

Many websites provide additional information on the topic of purchasing high quality audio speakers and speaker repair. One such site worth visiting is http://www.midwestspeaker.com.

Dan Elliott independently authors articles for WebDrafter.com, Inc. (http://www.webdrafter.com) for search engine marketing. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those solely of the author, and not of any other person, company, or organization. No guarantee or warranty, express or implied, is made regarding the accuracy, fitness, or use of the content herein.

How to Choose a Home Speaker System

Adding a home speaker system to your entertainment or living room will have a big impact on your media consumption. If you're used to only having the sound produced by your television, you'll be amazed at what an immersive experience a speaker system will create. Watching movies, sports or listening to music will be more enjoyable for you than ever before. To choose the right home speaker system, you need to know how a system is set up, your budget and the best brands of home speakers.

Most modern home speaker systems have between seven and nine components. The core component of all home systems is a receiver. All of the speakers in your system will be plugged into the receiver. The receiver will also manage your television and other inputs. Additionally, some receivers serve as a DVD or Blu-ray player. The next three components are the front speakers. These speakers will be placed on the right, left and center of your audio setup. The fifth component is the subwoofer. The sub is the component that will create the huge booms during a war movie's explosions or a drama's shootouts. The last components of a home audio system are the surrounding speakers. A system can have two, three or four surrounding speakers. These are the speakers that give your viewing and listening experience a truly immersive quality.

Before you start shopping for a home audio system, you need to determine a general budget for yourself. Your budget will impact the brands you consider purchasing and how you buy your speaker system. If you have over $2,000 to spend, you will be able to look at the higher end brands of speakers. You will also probably want to purchase your speakers, receiver and Blu-ray player separately. This will allow you to get the best of all three parts. If your budget is between $1,000 and $2,000, you will also be able to purchase those three pieces separately. The difference will be that you will be looking at slightly less expensive brands. Finally, if your budget is below $1,000, you may be considering a package that contains all the pieces of your system. However, you may get better quality at a comparable price by purchasing an affordable set of speakers and combining it with a receiver that plays DVDs or Blu-ray discs.

If you can afford top of the line speakers for your audio system, Aperion and KEF are two of the best brands you should consider. If your budget falls in the middle range, Energy, Mirage and Boston Acoustics all offer high quality but slightly less expensive options. Finally, to get the best sound at the lowest price, you can't go wrong with Fluance. Fluance offers speaker systems for $200 to $300. The difference between Fluance and other bargain brands is that you won't sacrifice sound quality for savings.

With the help of this information, you will be able to choose a home speaker system that takes your home entertainment experience to the next level!

Visit Best In Wall Speakers if you'd like to learn about surround speaker setups that could be hidden in walls. Best In Ceiling Speakers will give you more ideas on in-wall speakers.

Pro Audio Speakers For the Price of a Home Consumer Stereo Speaker Set - How to Achieve This

Quality audio equipment is a highly subjective. Many individuals will have an opinion that varies from the next person of where to find good to high quality audio speakers. Some will almost always default to the local brick and mortar electronics super chain. The average consumer may be willing to settle for this solution not knowing the truth.

There are many brand names throughout the pro-audio speaker world. Some manufacturers have even attempted to carry over their name to the home audio enthusiast, sometimes without sacrificing good quality. Many times, however, the home audio speakers available at the electronics store are constructed with cheap quality parts. Frequently this allows the retailer to advertise the products as a best buy with deep discounts.

There are excellent alternatives to relying on the local retailers. Shopping on the web can yield several advantages. The first step in purchasing an excellent set of audio speakers is to write down the intended environment for which the speakers will be used. Certain materials and speaker specifications may create exceptional sound in a dance club, but be unsuitable in a residential setting.

It is recommended, especially for aspiring bands or disc jockeys, to actually build their own custom audio drivers. Although this may sound intimidating at first, with patience and attention to detail, the average individual can craft a superior speaker set. Of course other factors go into the sound being produced such as the quality of the source and the amplifier.

For those individuals new to the world of speaker repair or speaker kit building there are several good books at the local bookstore which can provide a wealth of information without inundating the reader with overly technical jargon. Many of these same books will have the plans for designing and building the speaker enclosure. The design of the speaker box and materials will have a direct impact on the ability of the speaker to produce rich and full sound in addition to the construction of the speaker itself.

For those do-it-yourself novices and even those who are experienced, many online retailers that specialize in speaker repair kits or individual speaker components are a good resource with which to consult. Frequently the representatives at the online retailer have practical speaker building experience to share with the customer. As competitive as the retail market can be, better service and information can be had from online speaker specialists than what is available from a clerk at the brick and mortar stores.

Many websites provide additional information on the topic of audio speaker kits and repair. One such site worth visiting is http://www.midwestspeaker.com.

Dan Elliott independently authors articles for WebDrafter.com, Inc. ( http://www.webdrafter.com ) for search engine marketing. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those solely of the author, and not of any other person, company, or organization. No guarantee or warranty, express or implied, is made regarding the accuracy, fitness, or use of the content herein.

A Low Cost Home Theater Speaker Review

When it comes to home theater equipment it's easy to spend lots of money very fast. Since the surround sound speaker systems needed for a true home theater experience are made up of 6 speakers including the subwoofer, they can be a substantial part of the cost all by themselves. However, price is not always the governing factor in whether a speaker system is high quality or not. In fact, sometimes the best surprises come in inexpensive packages. Here is a home theater speaker review on the Athena technologies Micra 6 home theater speaker system:

One of the biggest challenges to home theater equipment buyers is in the installation of the the products that they buy, and the speaker system can be the most problematic of all since there are more wires that run farther distances than any other component in the surround sound setup. Happily, Athena makes the installation as painless as possible by providing the speaker wires in the box already, and a very clear wiring diagram that should be able to be used successfully by even the most technically challenged among us.

If you wish to mount your speaker setup to the wall or hang them from the ceiling they have already thought of that too and included handy swivel mounting brackets for that kind of job.

The system itself consists of satellite speakers that are small and stylish enough to blend in with almost any surroundings and yet capable of great sound in an average size room. Of course, if your listening area is in a very large room you may have trouble filling it up with sound, but that is to be expected at this low price level.

The 8 inch subwoofer is adequate and blends well with the other speakers in the system without overpowering them. All in all, the sound is very impressive from a speaker system that is so inexpensive.

The best part of this whole system is it's cost which is under $400 on some online sites. And considering how easy it is to spend thousands on a home theater surround sound speaker system, that figure is very easy on the pocketbook. So if you want to step up to a surround sound experience for your home theater system, but just can't afford the big bucks right now, consider this home theater speaker review of the Athena Micra 6 and see if it doesn't fir the bill.

Thad Pickering writes on many consumer related topics including audio and video. You can find out more about surround sound setup and surround sound installation by visiting our Home Theater website.

Custom Built Audio Speakers - Speaker Kits Online Allow One To Build Their Own Drivers For Less

Designing and building a speaker box or enclosure is usually not a consideration of the average individual. Unfortunately this means that the majority of music listeners are settling for sub par quality audio. Surprisingly, building a speaker enclosure is not really at all difficult.

Most households will have the basic tools to construct a great quality speaker box. Those individuals who have a modicum of skill with power tools will be able to complete a project such as this in half the time of a novice. The key is to take time to measure and make the necessary cuts of the wood. There is a recommended order to building any audio speaker.

The first step is to purchase the audio driver, or speaker, itself. Without the speaker, one will not know how large the speaker enclosure or speaker hole should be in order to obtain optimum sound. There are several different varieties of speakers and the materials from which each speaker is made. An example would be whether to order a speaker with a wood cone or paper cone. Depending upon the desired audio being played, an individual will prefer one over the other. When ordering a set of audio drivers, it is normal for even experienced audiophiles to ask questions of the company for technical information.

Other necessary components, needed beforehand, will be crossovers and terminal connectors. Many online speaker retailers will have complete prearranged speaker kits. MDF or medium density fiber board is an ideal type of board from which to construct a speaker enclosure. These boards are available in 4' X 8' sheets. A word of caution: these sheets are very heavy and will require additional help to transport them easily and safely. There are several other materials needed.

Wood screws with a minimum length of 2 ¼" are recommended. While a Phillips head will work well enough, a square drive, or Robertson head, will help to prevent the stripping of the screw head and possibly damaging the wood. A countersink for recessing the heads of the screws will need to be used in order to achieve a finished product. Wood glue for securing the joints will be required as well.

It is highly unlikely that slapping some wood together to form a box will achieve a good sound. There are several calculators available online for calculating the size of the speaker box. It is important to realize and take into account that the thickness of the wood will need to be accounted for with the measurements produced by a speaker box calculator. There is also an almost endless supply of designs on the internet to further guide the individual

The above steps are not all inclusive, but will serve as a basic starting point from which to proceed. When all is said and done, the total cost of a custom made set of speakers will rival that of a standard speaker set being sold in the major electronics stores offering their lowest price as a best buy. The important thing to realize is that if the individual building the speakers takes the necessary time to make sure that all measurements are accurate and all joints are solidly made, the finished product can be of much higher quality than what is found in the bid brick and mortar stores.

Many websites provide additional information on the topic of audio speakers and drivers. One such site worth visiting is http://www.midwestspeaker.com.

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Dan Elliott independently authors articles for WebDrafter.com, Inc. ( http://www.webdrafter.com ) for search engine marketing. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those solely of the author, and not of any other person, company, or organization. No guarantee or warranty, express or implied, is made regarding the accuracy, fitness, or use of the content herein.

Home Audio Speaker Placement - Better Performance Through Better Design

Whether investing a large amount of your savings or a small part of your budget on your home theater, your speaker placement will play a big role in the sound quality and sonic performance in your home theater room.

The instructions that come with your speakers will give you recommendation for where to place them within a room but below are a few things to consider as you begin setting up your new home theater speakers.

CENTER CHANNEL SPEAKER

This speaker's main purpose is to anchor sounds on-screen, like dialogue.

Tips for placement of the center channel speaker:

1. Center it directly above or below your television.

2. If you place it above the television, the front edge of the speaker should line up precisely with the front edge of the television. This will cut down on any kind of sound "bouncing around" inside the television cabinet.

3. The tweeter of this particular speaker should be at the same height as the tweeters of the front speakers. If you can accomplish this to within 24 inches, that will allow for the best sound quality.

4. The front speakers and this particular speaker should be spaced the same distance away from your planned listening position.

FRONT SPEAKERS: BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT

These speakers have two distinct purposes. They reproduce stereo music sound while also handling a movie's soundtrack.

Tips for placement of the front speakers:

1. Find your optimal listening position. Now space the two front speakers at points in the room that are equal is distance to that position, with one to the left and one to the right. The front right, front left and center channel speakers should all be approximately the same distance from where you are sitting, with the tweeters of each directed at your ears. Don't just eyeball this and get an approximate distance, as even an inch variation in the distance of the speakers can make a noticeable difference in your home audio system's sound quality.

2. These speakers' tweeters should be even to your ear level when seated in the optimal listening position. Smaller home theater speakers can be mounted on the wall or placed on a speaker stand. Floor standing speakers normally have this covered in their design.

SURROUND SPEAKERS

The purpose of the surround speakers is to provide low and high level sound from other parts of the room, creating a movie theater feel in your home theater. The surround speaker placement will depend on the size of your home theater, the shape of the room, and the space needed for the actual speakers. Be creative and experiment with the placement of these particular speakers throughout the room.

Tips for placement of the surround speakers:

1. Place the primary pair to the right and to the left of your optimal listening position. This can be done in line with your position or just behind it. When placement to the side is impossible, or when you have a surround system with more than two surround speakers, you may wish to place the speakers behind the listening position, with the sound being directed toward the front of the room.

2. These speakers should be placed at approximately ear level when you are in a standing position.

3. Experiment with the aiming of these speakers when mounted on the walls. Sometimes good results can be achieved when you point them up at the ceiling or back at the rear corners of the room.

SUBWOOFER

A home theater subwoofer provides your home audio system with all the low bass frequencies needed for a movie theater, surround sound experience. However, it is one of the least difficult to position. In most cases, you can position your home theater subwoofer anywhere in your home theater and still get good results.

There is no one "perfect" placement for any given home theater speaker. No two rooms' acoustics will be the same, all speakers will have various sonic characteristics, and no two ears will hear any given sound identically. This doesn't mean you will never achieve the best sound quality from your home audio system. All it means is take the advice given and modify it when you actually install your home theater speakers to accommodate your specific needs.

~Ben Anton, 2007

Ben Anton lives in Portland, OR.
Learn more about the benefits of in-wall home theater speaker placement at Ronny's 5th St. Audio Vision, a Eugene-based home theater retailer and installer.