Devilish21ca

In-ceiling speakers need boxes?

hey folks; I'm installing a new home theatre in the bedroom (it's where we spend most of our time) as part of a reno. I have all the components picked out for that (Panasonic 58" plasma, Onkyo SR805 reciever, Definitive Mythos speakers). Here's the dumb question:

My wife wants a second zone in the (big) walk-in closet, and in the bathroom. She'd also like them to be in-ceiling speakers. Now, we have blown insulation above the ceiling. We aren't really looking for high quality speakers for this, it's just really background music. I've had my electrician tell me they need enclosed boxes (above, obviously) and the salesman/installer at Best Buy tell me they are fine to have the blown insulation just sitting around them. I find this hard to believe!

Any opinions out there: Do I need boxes for the speakers, or - given that we aren't expecting much from them - does it matter?

Thanks,

David Sheedy

JohnRice

Re: In-ceiling speakers need boxes?

If the ceiling speakers are just raw drivers with open backs, they need boxes. If they are sealed boxes with just two inputs and nothing else exposed, they don't, but I would make sure the bare wire isn't exposed to contact from the insulation.


You're putting a 58" Plasma in your bedroom?

They flutter behind you, your possible pasts.
Some bright-eyed and crazy, some frightened and lost.

Devilish21ca

Re: In-ceiling speakers need boxes?

Well, it's a BIG bedroom...

Seriously; my wife and spend most of our time there (reading, computer, couch, etc.) so if I'm going to see movies with her, that's going to be the place.

And it's 14 feet from headboard to TV, so I figure it'll work out okay.

(And yes, I get that question a lot).

We have a 42" plasma in our basement, with a SonyDAV900 HTIB, that we use for working out, or visitors to watch.