In Wall Speakers for dedicated Home Theater (1 Viewer)

[Larry Rico]

I posted this in the speaker thread also. Sorry for the cross post.

Briefly, I am building a new home that will include a dedicated home theater in the basement. I plan to use in wall speakers for the front three, and in wall or wall mounted speakers for surrounds (sides and rear.)

This will be a front projection system. I will mount a perforated screen, and would like the front speakers to be behind the screen.

Anybody have some good advice here? Recommendations on manufacturers or mounting, dampening?

I have a "little one" now. That's why I wanted to avoid floor mounted speakers.

 

[gregstaten]

I'd recommend going with Triad's InWall speakers. They have three different speakers available at three different price points. I'm going with the Triad InWall Silver Surrounds myself. Check 'em out.
-greg

 

[Brian Corr]

You didn't mention a budget but you may check out:
http://www.triadspeakers.com
http://www.jamesloudspeakers.com
http://www.calaudiotech.com
These are more on the high end. Otherwise you can go with the "main" brand in walls, like sonance, niles, russound, parasound, etc.
Another option is to use bookshelf/sat speakers that are wall mounted. I recently finished up a dedicated HT for a client and we did this across the front and for the surrounds.

 

[Ben L C]

I too would recommend Triad. I am currently using their Triad Gold LCR's inroom speakers. Sonically there is nothing different between their in-wall and in-room speakers. The speakers are built like a tank. Triad spends a considerable amount of time desinging the enclosure of their in-wall series. They are a fully enclosed enclosure with some seriuos bracing. Triad speakers are pretty efficient and don't need tons of power. But when they have the power behind they are very dynamic. Good luck in your search.

 

[Vic Goel]

I'd also suggest checking out the B&W in-wall lineup. I have a system using six B&W in-wall speakers and it sounds quite good.

 

[Greg_R]

The Paradigm Studio in-walls are worth an audition as well...

 

[Larry Rico]

These are some great replies! Thank you all for sharing your knowledge with me.

I am familiar with many of the speaker brands you mentioned, but not with the Triad. I will check those out!

If any of you have done this, or are installers, are there any considerations for the amount of space behind a drywall and the cinderblock wall? Should that space be filled with an acoustical padding? I guess that would only be for acoustic reasons, since it's just dirt on the other side of the cinderblock.

It seems the Triads have solved that issue by fully enclosing their speakers...

I failed to mention I was going to use a floor standing subwoofer. I am aware that some subs exist for in wall installation, too.

 

[Ben L C]

Triad has different depths of enclosure, depending on what speaker you go with. For example, You could get a Triad In-wall Gold 10 LCR. The 10 gives you the depth of the speaker itself that you will need. They also have a 6 which needs 6" of clearance. If the speaker you end of going with does not have a solid backbox you can surround the speaker with an open cell foam. This will help to keep the sound from spreading through the walls and put the sound where it is inteded on going.

Triad does a full line of in-wall subwoofers. Built to the same specs as their in-room. I have heard their silver in-room and it is spectacular.

Ben

 

[Larry Rico]

I went to the Triad website and printed out some information. I didn't see any pricing, and I suspect these are expensive speakers (they seems so well built.) No dealer around here carries them. Does anybody have an idea about the Triad in-wall pricing? Bronze, Silver, Gold?

Also, what brands or models would you recommend in an "expensive" category, and what would you recommend in a "moderate" category? I will stay away from the lower priced speakers, but I do want to use seven (plus my subwoofer) and I need to develop a speaker budget expectation.

 

[Bill Lucas]

Larry,

The Triad InWalls speakers are arguably the cream of the inwall crop. They start at $700 a pair for the Bronze satellites and the Omni Silvers and go up to $4400 a pair for the InWall Siver Monitors. The InWall Bronze subwoofers start at $1400 each. They are all outstanding performers and use (again arguably) the best drivers made.

Bay Audio also makes highly regarded inwall speakers that start at a lower price point than the Triads. I don't have the pricing at home with me so I can't give you specifics.

If you can afford them, I'd go with the Triads. The performance is extremely predictable. The canot be said for plate mounted inwalls that use the acoustics of the stud bay. Regards.

 

[Ben L C]

Bill,

Have you heard the new Bronze speakers that they released in Jan. I was curious about how they sounded. Have a heard a lot of buzz about them. I am really curious about the dipole surrounds. Any info you have would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Ben

 

[Larry Rico]

The Triads sound like truly exceptional in-wall speakers.

Two questions: what is the pricing for the Bronze line, and does any other manufacturer make an in-wall speaker that is enclosed, like the Triad, and not a plate speaker?