I'm hoping some folks can recommend in-ceiling speakers that are less than ~7" in diameter grill. The wife would like something as discrete as possible and I'm hoping for decent sound even though I'm limited to around 7" or less. I would like to spend around $300 or less--willing to go a bit higher but only if I see the added value. My needs:
[*]5.1 set up in living room
[*]2.0 in office
[*]2.0 in master bedroom
[*]2.0 in master bath (one in shower and one outside of shower; none of the speakers below are specified for moisture/outdoor use--still haven't researched shower speakers but if anyone has any suggestions, by all means!)
[*]2.0 in laundry/powder (both are really small rooms that are near each other so one channel in each room)
[*]2.0 in garage (plan to reuse some old 8" driver Sonance)
[*]4.0 outside (2.0 on roof deck and 2.0 for patio area--still haven't researched outdoor speakers so if anyone has any suggestions, by all means!)
[/list]
Below are some that I found so far. I'm leaning towards Polk 500-LS because they seems to have the best specs/price. The Niles is really interesting due to sheer size. The Polk SC50 is nicely priced with good specs but the thick bezel is a turnoff. I'm impressed with the new Jamo's and how they squeezed a 6.5 driver in under 8" exterior diameter. I like the KEF and Paradigm but the brand label on the grill is a turnoff.
Niles CM4PR
Around $225 w/ 4-5/8" diameter grill
3.5" driver w/ enclosure
70Hz - 21kHz
25 - 100 watts
Definitive Technology DI 4.5R
Around $220 w/ 5-3/8" diameter grill
4.5" driver
35 Hz - 30 kHz
88 dB sensitivity
10 - 150 watts
Polk 500-LS
Around $300 w/ 7-3/4" diameter (a bit too big)
5" driver w/ enclosure
35Hz-33kHz
89 dB sensitivity
10 - 125 watts
Polk SC50
Around $100 w/ 7-1/4" diameter
5" driver
50Hz - 20kHz
88 dB sensitivity
20 - 100 watts
I don't really like the thicker bezel around the grill but it is cheap.
Monitor Audio CWT-140
Around $150 w/ 7-1/8” diameter
4" driver
75Hz - 30kHz
85 dB sensitivity
10 - 50 watts
Yamaha NS-IC400
Around $150 w/ 5-7/8”diameter
4" driver
95 Hz - 40 kHz
85 dB sensitivity
30 - 90 watts
Speakercraft CRS3
Around $135 w/ 5-1/8" diameter
3" driver
80Hz - 16kHz
86dB sensitivity
40 watts
Jamo IC 206 FG (2-way)
Around $225 w/ 7.9" diameter
6.5" driver
68Hz - 21kHz
55 - 110 watts
Jamo IC 206 LCR FG (3-way)
Around $350 w/ 7.9" diameter
6.5" driver
68Hz - 21kHz
55 - 110 watts
Sonance VP45R
Around $250 w/ 6-7/8" diameter
4.5" driver
58Hz - 20kHz
90 dB sensitivity
5 - 70 watts
KEF Ci130QR
Around $130 w/ 7.6" diameter
5 1/4" driver
45Hz - 34kHz
87 dB sensitivity
10-100W
Paradigm AMS-100R
Around $150 w/ 7.7" diameter
6.5" driver
75 Hz - 22 kHz
89 dB sensitivity
15 - 100 watts
[*]5.1 set up in living room
[*]2.0 in office
[*]2.0 in master bedroom
[*]2.0 in master bath (one in shower and one outside of shower; none of the speakers below are specified for moisture/outdoor use--still haven't researched shower speakers but if anyone has any suggestions, by all means!)
[*]2.0 in laundry/powder (both are really small rooms that are near each other so one channel in each room)
[*]2.0 in garage (plan to reuse some old 8" driver Sonance)
[*]4.0 outside (2.0 on roof deck and 2.0 for patio area--still haven't researched outdoor speakers so if anyone has any suggestions, by all means!)
[/list]
Below are some that I found so far. I'm leaning towards Polk 500-LS because they seems to have the best specs/price. The Niles is really interesting due to sheer size. The Polk SC50 is nicely priced with good specs but the thick bezel is a turnoff. I'm impressed with the new Jamo's and how they squeezed a 6.5 driver in under 8" exterior diameter. I like the KEF and Paradigm but the brand label on the grill is a turnoff.
Niles CM4PR
Around $225 w/ 4-5/8" diameter grill
3.5" driver w/ enclosure
70Hz - 21kHz
25 - 100 watts
Definitive Technology DI 4.5R
Around $220 w/ 5-3/8" diameter grill
4.5" driver
35 Hz - 30 kHz
88 dB sensitivity
10 - 150 watts
Polk 500-LS
Around $300 w/ 7-3/4" diameter (a bit too big)
5" driver w/ enclosure
35Hz-33kHz
89 dB sensitivity
10 - 125 watts
Polk SC50
Around $100 w/ 7-1/4" diameter
5" driver
50Hz - 20kHz
88 dB sensitivity
20 - 100 watts
I don't really like the thicker bezel around the grill but it is cheap.
Monitor Audio CWT-140
Around $150 w/ 7-1/8” diameter
4" driver
75Hz - 30kHz
85 dB sensitivity
10 - 50 watts
Yamaha NS-IC400
Around $150 w/ 5-7/8”diameter
4" driver
95 Hz - 40 kHz
85 dB sensitivity
30 - 90 watts
Speakercraft CRS3
Around $135 w/ 5-1/8" diameter
3" driver
80Hz - 16kHz
86dB sensitivity
40 watts
Jamo IC 206 FG (2-way)
Around $225 w/ 7.9" diameter
6.5" driver
68Hz - 21kHz
55 - 110 watts
Jamo IC 206 LCR FG (3-way)
Around $350 w/ 7.9" diameter
6.5" driver
68Hz - 21kHz
55 - 110 watts
Sonance VP45R
Around $250 w/ 6-7/8" diameter
4.5" driver
58Hz - 20kHz
90 dB sensitivity
5 - 70 watts
KEF Ci130QR
Around $130 w/ 7.6" diameter
5 1/4" driver
45Hz - 34kHz
87 dB sensitivity
10-100W
Paradigm AMS-100R
Around $150 w/ 7.7" diameter
6.5" driver
75 Hz - 22 kHz
89 dB sensitivity
15 - 100 watts