In-Wall(Pillar?) speakers? (1 Viewer)

[Johnal]

Just looking for some opinions and suggestions with the purchase of 2 in-wall speakers for surrounds. I'm currently using a good ol' HK AVR 7200 with Ascend Acoustic Sierra 1 speakers for my LCR channels. Our living room has us rather limited in our placement of surround speakers. For the time being, "proper placement" of the surrounds for a 5 channel setup doesn't work as we have a window directly on one side of our seating area and no acceptable location on the other side. There are two "pillars" directly behind our seating area and I was thinking of installing some in-wall speakers in them. I've never dealt with in-wall speakers, but I'm guessing I'd need to stuff them with some kind of insulation during the install? I'm also curious as to whether installing them in these "pillars" would end up sounding terrible since they were really designed for walls/ceilings.
While I'm not expecting anything mind blowing in terms of sound quality, I am looking for speakers that wont sound tinny and that can hold their own without a subwoofer (within reason) when working in tandem with my Ascends. I'd say the budget is $325 for the pair, but I have no problem getting something for half that price if the value is there. Likewise, if there's mindblowing quality at $350, I'm willing to listen. Was planning on doing my shopping on Amazon since I have a little bit left on a gift card I'd love to finish off. 8" Rectangle speakers are about the largest I can possibly fit in these things. Here's what I've been eyeballing simply based on the positive reviews:

Micca M-8S 8 Inch 2-Way In-Wall Speakers with Pivoting 1" Silk Dome Tweeter - $44.95 ea
BIC America HT8W 8-Inch 3-Way Acoustech Series In-Wall Speakers - $70 ea
JBL SP8II 8-Inch In-Wall Speaker - $155 ea
Polk Audio RC85i 2-Way In-Wall Speakers - $85 ea
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ArmSC]

Have you thought about using flat speakers instead of in wall units? It seems like it might suit your situation much better than cutting holes in the pillars. What are you currently using for your surround speakers?

 

[Johnal]

Can't say I've ever looked into flat speakers. Currently no surround units in place.

 

[schan1269]

I would buy AA's "meant for this" HTM 200.

 

[Johnal]

I will definitely be considering those, but my wife would really prefer us not having any speakers hanging off the walls. With that being said, I love the AA sound and company so I may push for them if I fall in love with their smaller speakers.In the mean time I'd really like to get some input on in wall options.

 

[schan1269]

Purist viewpoint...You have no in-Wall option, as AA doesn't have one.Your situation...Buy the HTM200 for timbre matching, otherwise...it makes zero difference, unless you find an in-Wall with the very same, exact, tweeter.

 

[ArmSC]

Just for my curiosity how do you plan on getting the wire in the wall? Are you going to run it around the room and then into the pillar with a face plate or terminal cup? I'm just thinking that Schan is right that a pair of stands and the matching surrounds are the way to go if you are particular about the sound. I'm not trying to totally discourage you...I just know once you cut holes that size in the wall you are jumping in with both feet.

 

[Johnal]

We had flat speaker wire laid out under our wooden flooring - I was going to remove the baseboard and run the speaker wire through the inside of the pillar. To be honest, I've never even heard what "good" in wall speakers sound like. The only place I ever hear them is at a mall or business. The pillars are just drywall though -- it'd be some work, but they can always be patched and repainted. I would be pretty disappointed if they sounded bad though. The attached is just a shot of my testing out the flat wire to make sure it was working.

 

[Al.Anderson]

I didn't recommend them because of your in-wall size requirements, but Axiom has both in-wall and on-wall speakers that have a nice neutral sound. They can be purchased ready for painting also, to help match your interior.

http://www.axiomaudio.com/in-wall-on-wall-speakers

 

[Johnal]

Thanks for your response, Al. With the exception of the M0's, Axiom's in wall/on-wall solutions are out of my price range of $325. I plan on auditioning the Ascend Acoustic's HTM-200s within the next week. Admittedly, I'm still curious about the in-pillar option.

 

[ArmSC]

There's only one way to find out how an in wall speaker is going to sound in your location...try it. I would be interested to know what you think about it when everything is up and running. You might absolutely love it.

 

[Johnal]

I might just do that. If I do end up going the route of an in-wall speaker in the pillars, I will probably end up having to play around with insulation as well. Due to the rather unique nature of this set up I haven't found anything definitive on whether or not it may end up sounding boomy. One step at a time, though. =)