Considering Speaker Kits (1 Viewer)

I'm looking for a HT/audio design speaker to go on the wall (not within a couple of feet but on it) and wanted to stay within $1000/pair. There are lots of speaker designs that are good within a couple feet of a wall but not so many meant to go right up against one. I also don't want to buy some software and components and figure out a design. I want either finished speakers or a very complete kit so I just do the woodwork. I'm seriously looking at the North Creek MTM Okara II-C upgrade speakers and the North Thunder Subwoofer. There aren't so many up against the wall speaker kits (that I've found anyway) but there's probably a lot more choices of subs that would do a good job. What do you think?

I also looked hard at the BESL Series 2.5 LCR speakers as they look great and seem to fit the bill and the builder has a good rep....but I think that they just blow my budget too much. Sigh...

I would post links to make it easy to look but this site won't allow me to do that because I don't have 15 posts.

Anyone have any thoughts?

Well, I haven't heard either of the speakers you mentioned, but I don't think you could go wrong with either one.

Have you considered inwalls?

I've thought about inwalls but not too seriously...there's just not a lot of flexibility with them...not that you CAN'T repair walls and put a new hole somewhere else if the placement isn't what you wanted/change your mind...but it's not easy to do either like moving a speaker off this shelf and onto the next one.

Well, I doubt you'll find a speaker that performs excellently against a wall but you may find some that peform acceptably against a wall. I'd concentrate on sealed or front ported designs and just find a pair you like or that are rated well if you trust that.

If it is mostly home theater then it won't make a ton of difference, if it's critical music listening you are mostly concerned about then you'll have to make sacrifices.

It's hard to say how much or if I'll lose by the speakers being against the wall since these speakers (and I'm sure some others that I didn't find) were designed with that in mind. I guess there's always trades to be made but these speakers will be primarily for HT. Since these guys - North Creek and BESL - are both kit makers, I was hoping that someone had made a kit by them...even if they hadn't made the exact same speakers. I did find the LDSG site and they recommended both of these makers.

Well, they are not a kit but the ACI emerald on-walls are in your price range and I think they are exactly what you are looking for. I've heard the normal emeralds and they are incredible. I understand that the on-wall versions give up little.

http://www.audioc.com/speakers1/emer...emeraldonw.htm

North Creek certainly designs some nice speakers.

There's no magic to having speakers near to or in-wall. The only thing necessary is to have little or no baffle step compensation in the crossover. Note that virtually any speaker can be modified to function this way.