Ceiling speakers as rear surrounds?

[Shaun1985]

Just wondering if anyone has any advice here? I'm wondering if rather than using bookshelf speakers as my rear surrounds I could use ceiling speakers instead?

These would still be avke to be mounted behind the sofa but would you get the surround effect?

 

[BlairH]

So by "rear surrounds" do you mean "side surrounds"? Basically, "side surrounds" are the surround speakers in a 5.1 setup. A 7.1 setup then adds "rear surrounds" to that.

If they're your only surrounds; then it could work, provided you don't plan on adding height channels for Atmost content, etc.

Monitor Audio does some in-ceiling speakers that are explicitly designed for use as surrounds.

 

[Shaun1985]

So by "rear surrounds" do you mean "side surrounds"? Basically, "side surrounds" are the surround speakers in a 5.1 setup. A 7.1 setup then adds "rear surrounds" to that.

If they're your only surrounds; then it could work, provided you don't plan on adding height channels for Atmost content, etc.

Monitor Audio does some in-ceiling speakers that are explicitly designed for use as surrounds.

hi so yes i would be running a 5.1 set up so these would be my side surrounds i guess and no Atmos aspirations as yet so that shouldn't be an issue.

however if they are classed as side surrounds then where would the best placement be? above the viewing spot or slightly behind?

 

[BlairH]

"Side surrounds" are just a name. They can be behind you (and in most cases, are). Generally speaking, your right surround would sit at between bearing 90 to 110 degrees (where "0" is facing your TV. So, at right angle, to just behind would be ideal.

If using in-ceiling, these would just go in the ceiling, superimposed on where you would otherwise put the bookshelf on your floorspace (if that makes sense).

 

[Shaun1985]

"Side surrounds" are just a name. They can be behind you (and in most cases, are). Generally speaking, your right surround would sit at between bearing 90 to 110 degrees (where "0" is facing your TV. So, at right angle, to just behind would be ideal.

If using in-ceiling, these would just go in the ceiling, superimposed on where you would otherwise put the bookshelf on your floorspace (if that makes sense).

Yes that does make sense thanks, dont suppose which are the best speakers to use for this do you?

 

[BlairH]

Yes that does make sense thanks, dont suppose which are the best speakers to use for this do you?

If they're being used as surrounds in a 5.1 configuration, the Monitor Audio C265 FX might work well. These have bipole and dipole modes making for a more diffuse surround effect in a 5.1 configuration (beneficial; as you don't necessarily want to be able to pinpoint the speaker).

I use the non-FX versions as ceiling speakers in my Dolby Atmos setup. Pleased with their performance.

 

[kenshingintoki]

yes but i think most atmos speakers ceiling have a diffuse tweeter to make sound feel bigger but less direct.

so it will not be as good as a dedicated surround. they also aren;t in a sealed enclosure box, will have a less tight dynamic sound.

my experience best surrounds are tripole. u get wide dispersion and direct driver for detail retrieval

 

[kenshingintoki]

honestly tho any speaker will be good surround. a good speaker is a good speaker, get whats in ur budget, fits form factor and placement and timbre matches ur other speakers

 

[Shaun1985]

i have seen the MA C165 i think it is with the directional tweeter, would this be a good surround?

 

[BlairH]

i have seen the MA C165 i think it is with the directional tweeter, would this be a good surround?

Yeah. They're decent.

One of the other posters has suggested tripole. I think that's a good shout, because they're usually pretty small. A wall-mounted MKSound tripole might be a better idea than an in-ceiling surround (which would be a bit of a compromised solution).

 

[Shaun1985]

ok thanks for your guys help however i have just picked up some Monitor Audio RS6 floor standers and an LCR to match which i was going to pair with the ceiling speakers but the BR FX speakers available with them were to good a deal to turn away so i will be going with them!

will have to mount them at height and angle down towards the sofa so hopefully will perform well?

 

[BlairH]

ok thanks for your guys help however i have just picked up some Monitor Audio RS6 floor standers and an LCR to match which i was going to pair with the ceiling speakers but the BR FX speakers available with them were to good a deal to turn away so i will be going with them!

will have to mount them at height and angle down towards the sofa so hopefully will perform well?

Enjoy. I think that was probably the best solution.

No need to angle them down; just flush-mount them to the wall with the included mounts. Rule of the thumb with bi-pole surrounds is ear-height when standing.

 

[Shaun1985]

Enjoy. I think that was probably the best solution.

No need to angle them down; just flush-mount them to the wall with the included mounts. Rule of the thumb with bi-pole surrounds is ear-height when standing.

Yeah unfortunately I can only have one side at that height as there is no wall to the other side, it is not a dedicated cinema room as it is the play room too! Comprising with the Mrs haha hence for them to be mounted from the ceiling and angled down otherwise the kids would have em!