Looking for great ceiling speakers to use with Sonos play:amp

DuncG

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Hi guys,

Looking for some help and advice as completely new to the world of ceiling speakers. Basically we're looking to get a couple of Sonos play:amps for a couple of our rooms and connecting these to some decent ceiling speakers as we're looking for discreet but great sounding music.

I've been looking a Monitor Audio CT268 IDC and CT280 IDC's but not sure if I should be looking at 3 way speakers for complete music range and if so what size speakers will do for the room size. So the room is a dining room so not really any soft furnishings. It's about 20ft by 20ft with 10ft height. So...

Should I be looking at the larger speakers?
If so would two speakers do per room?
Do I need 3 way for the best music depth?
And do you have any comments on the best speakers for the job? (I'm really struggling to get ceiling speaker demos and the last ting I want to do is buy and install something that's not going to good enough for anything but background music)

Oh and budget around 200 - 300 per speaker...if that's what's needed....

Thank you in advance for any great advice.

Many thanks
Dunc
 
Ceiling speakers are never going to give the deepest bass so depending on your expectations you could be disappointed. I have the CPC BR which are similar to the 268 and although they sound good with music they do not go particularly low. So they are good for the use I have them for which is background music in the kitchen but they are not as good as a set of standmounts if you want to do some serious listening.
Also what is above the rooms you will install them in? Even with the enclosed back you still get sound leakage into the room above which may or may not be an issue for you.
 
I know my Sonos ZP120 amp has a pre-out for a subwoofer.

It might be an idea to buy some decent 2 way ceiling speakers and connect a small discrete subwoofer in the corner out the way to add a little low end. You'll never get an in-ceiling to go very deep, I've tried the B&W in-ceiling with the 8" driver and although it did sound very good indeed it still didn't go very deep and that was in a 19 x 12ft room with 8ft ceilings.

Take a look at the B&W range of in-ceiling speakers and also give KEF a look.
 
Hi,

Thank you both for your help with this. Ok, maybe I'll try and find somewhere that will demo B&W or Kef. I'm a bit concerned about buying (and cutting holes) without hearing first.

Arcam_boy - With the B&W's with the 8" driver...would you say this gave you more than just background music? Also were these 2 way?

To be honest I'm struggling to understand if it's worth going for 3 way over 2 way...or would the difference achieved still not as much as getting a discrete sub?

Thanks again for your time and advice.
Duncan
 
Hello.

I wouldn't really say more than back ground music just a little more bass extension. I guess its all down to expectations, one being how much bass you want and two being what sort of level of music reproduction you want from in-ceilings. I wouldn't personally want to do any serious listening using in ceilings as they don't really offer any stereo imaging and the sound is much to spread out.

I'm on my phone at the moment so its kit easy to link to the in-ceilings I had (B&W ccm665's) which were a 2 way design with a pivoting tweeter.

If you can I'd highly recommend listening to a few sets. Most carry through the manufacturers typical sonic signature if you're familiar with the kef / b&w sound etc.

Hope you get sorted mate.
All the best
Mark
 
Also remember if you want only one speaker in a room then you need a single stereo speaker and not buy a pair of ceiling speakers and just one of them.
 
Hi all,

So ceiling speakers don't sound like they give me what I'm looking for...background music and possible sound bleed to rooms above...

...what about in wall speakers? Are these better for sound or am I just looking for something that's never going to be good enough and end up with holes in my walls/ceilings??

Many thanks
Duncan
 
In wall speakers suffer the same problem with a lack of bass, for their size, like ceiling speakers. They can be more directional as at least the sound can come from a sensible height instead of from above. The other issue with in wall speakers is that once in you have then pretty much fixed the layout of the room since the speakers will be installed and focused around a particular point. This is fine if you never plan to change the layout of a room but you never know what or when you may need to change in the future. Standmounts/floorstanders may not be as discreet but they are more flexible and may well give you a better sound for the money you have.
 
Thanks PSM1.

....and also thank you Steve,

These look good. Would you say the sound is good enough to listen to music at volume or is this more for background/easy listening? Would this replace a replace a stereo with floor standing speakers?

Thanks again for the info.
 
Not sure about that mate but I guess that's the compromise, it's plenty loud enough for me but I wouldn't say I was an audiophile.
 

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