Can I install Any speaker "in wall"?

Ok, this is sorta related to another post, but can be treated independently.

I have a bonus room. Dimensions are 16.5 x17 (basically square)
I am mounting a 108 screen on one wall.
That wall is an interior wall that has a large walk in closet on the other side, with easy access.
I have cut a hole in the wall and built a box/rack mount to place my receiver/dvd/games systems. It is well ventilated.

My plan "was" to buy a 5.1 surround system, and install the front 3 speakers "in the wall" so that the entire wall was flush. Since i have the large closet behind, running wires/power/cabling was very easy to set up...and no one uses that closet.

I have now learned that even though my screen is labeled acoustically transparent, there is NO SUCH THING. So, lets say that i am no longer going to put my speakers behind the screen like i planned.

My question is, is it ok to install any speaker in the wall (for example, an Energy C-100 center channel and bookshelf set) ? Do "in wall" speakers have to actually BE specialty "in wall" speakers, or can i put any regular satellite or bookshelf speaker in the wall with it sounding close to optimal?

I haven't cut the speaker holes yet, so i can still mount them on the wall or get stands if i need to, i just think it would look a lot sleeker with them in the wall itself, and getting to the backs of them to connect/move/test is no problem.

Advice, comments? This may be a really dumb question, because i can't find anything anywhere on the internet at all addressing this specifically. Thanks in advance!

Re: Can I install Any speaker "in wall"?

Yes, you can make any speaker an 'in wall' speaker. But it will probably impact the sound. How much of an impact is speaker dependent though. Why? Because quality speakers have their crossover designed to work with a speaker baffle of a certain width. When you install the speaker in-wall, the baffle becomes extremely wide. This change is sound is usually in the mid low area of the frequency range. Baffle Step Diffraction

Some speakers are designed to be placed against a wall so these can probably be mounted in-wall without much impact to the sound quality. Or if you have really crappy speakers you may never notice the change.

If you are dead set on in-wall speakers then buy some in-wall speakers. The Dayton lines from Parts Express get great reviews and are resonably priced.

-Robert

Re: Can I install Any speaker "in wall"?

Thanks for the input. I am seriously considering doing just that. I had my heart set on the C-100's, but i really wanted to flush mount my speakers.

Appreciate the comment!