So ceiling speakers, how do they work? I apologise for those of you who recognise the ICP reference – it just makes me laugh. But on a more serious note, over the last 100 years speakers have become a part of our lives and increasingly so. For the most part people hardly notice them unless they are either 1. sounding bad or 2. getting in our way. This is a well-known fact for most live sound engineers – usually the only time they are noticed is when the sound is bad i.e. distorted or feedback. If the sound is good or even great nobody really notices. It is the same with home speakers (unless you’re an audiophile). For most of us the main concern is that the speakers don’t sound bad and you don’t trip over them or the associated cabling.

As technology has advanced, miniaturisation has occurred – think about the old gramophone horn speakers and compare them to laptop speakers. Unfortunately though not all things benefit from being made smaller, and speakers are one of these things. The way speakers work is basically by an electrical signal being introduced to a magnet and coil on the back of the speaker, which causes the coil to move. The coil is attached to a speaker cone which vibrates with the coil, causing the air to move. This air movement is called a sound wave. The problem with smaller speakers is they cannot move a lot of air, especially when it comes to low or bass frequencies.

I know what you’re thinking, “you have a website about ceiling speakers and you’re telling me that small speakers are no good??” Well, yes and no. What we want to do with sound systems is to identify the applications and then design the system for it. Ceiling speakers do not have to be small and do not necessarily have to produce large amounts of low frequencies when set up as part of a complete system.

Varieties of Ceiling Speakers

The available types of ceiling speaker vary just as much as any other type of speaker. But just like other speakers it is the positioning and quality that create the difference. The simplest type to install will simply fasten to a wall or ceiling. Place the speaker in an appropriate location and use screws to fix it in place. But it you want to get that hip minimalist look that can be achieved with modern technology you should really consider in ceiling and in wall speaker systems. The best time to do this is either during construction or a remodel, but with a bit of work in ceiling and wall speakers can be retro-fitted.

• Flush Mount speakers are the most common. Most have paintable grills and there is a system that can be plastered over, to allow the speakers to blend into your interior design. There are also in wall subwoofer speakers that have a cabinet which is hidden in the wall below the speaker.
• Flush Mount Aimable speakers. These are becoming more common and are a good choice if optimal speaker positioning is not available. The sound from these speakers can be directed or aimed in certain directions to help achieve a more balanced sound stage. This is achieved by movable tweeters (high frequency) and sometimes even movable driver speakers.
• Motorized Drop speakers. These are a pretty special speaker system for the ultimate in ceiling speaker bling. When not in use they are retracted into the ceiling. When in use they lower from the ceiling to either a preset position or by remote control. Often these speakers can be hooked into your home automation system and preset for different seating positions.

Placement of Speakers

Placement of speakers for optimal sound can be a bit of an art, but there is also a science to it. To adequately cover this subject here would make this article way too long so I will just address a couple of points.

For 5.1 and 7.1 systems

• Do not put the centre speaker in the ceiling. In or on the wall at the same height as your head when sitting works well.
• Front left and right: I prefer not to put in the ceiling but if you have no choice then make sure they are aimable. The front L&R in surround sound systems are normally used as the main speakers when the receiver (amp) is in stereo mode, so if you like listening to music, floor-standing or in wall will be a much better option. This will allow the sound to be directed towards you.
• Put the sub below the TV. This does not need to be exactly centred. Putting the sub in a corner is an option if the room is not too big – this will actually give you a slight increase in bass as well.
• Rear and Side speakers can go in the ceiling or wall. Aimable is better if it is within budget.

For Stereo and 2.1 systems

• There are a lot of options depending on the room and the purpose. This will be covered in a future post.

As technology advances the quality of speakers will continue to increase. Our goal here at Ceiling Speakers HQ is to keep you informed of these changes and bring you the best tips for installation and prices.