Answered Low profile, white, on-wall speakers

[DLxP]

I'm in the early stages of planning a discrete system in my living room. The plan is to go for on-wall speakers (can't do in-wall), and they have to be white. I'd also rather spend less than around £800 per individual speaker.

I'm restricted under my TV to a max width of 25cm (or height, ie the distance between the bottom of the TV and a cabinet). The front L/R could be larger. I also want them to be low profile, so under 12cm deep, ideally under 10cm.

With that in mind, my current shortlist of speakers to consider, is:

- M&K MP950
- ELAC WS 1665
- Artcoustic (various)
- Totem Tribe 1
- ATC HTS series

I'm going to measure up again tonight. If there's any chance I could squeeze an extra 4cm of width under the TV, I'd also consider the Dali Opticons.

Am I missing anything I should consider?

I used to own M&K S150 MKIIs, which I loved, so I know roughly what to expect from the MP950s.

Has anyone heard any of the others?

 

[DLxP]

Added ATC to the list. Any others?

 

[Russ 66]

A lot less than your max budget, but there are the XTZ spirit 2 on wall XTZ Spirit 2 wallspeaker - XTZ Sound in Balance
There’s also the Dali Opticon on wall which are supposed to be good DALI OPTICON LCR - An on-wall loudspeaker that offers great sound and flexibility
Fractionally above budget the Dali Rubicon DALI RUBICON LCR – Elegant design and dazzling sound performance

 

[paulw77]

Monitor Audio Soundframe and KEF T series ?

 

[DLxP]

A lot less than your max budget, but there are the XTZ spirit 2 on wall XTZ Spirit 2 wallspeaker - XTZ Sound in Balance
There’s also the Dali Opticon on wall which are supposed to be good DALI OPTICON LCR - An on-wall loudspeaker that offers great sound and flexibility
Fractionally above budget the Dali Rubicon DALI RUBICON LCR – Elegant design and dazzling sound performance

I'd considered the XTZs, having owned Cinema Series speakers in the past. I heard them at Jag's once and was very impressed - they're great sounding little speakers. The one thing that puts me off about them (and some others, like ATC) is that the grille is quite fine, such that you can see black drivers behind it. I'm (with SWMBO's encouragement) trying to be as ultra-discrete as possible with this system, and that's a little off-putting. That said, they'll be next to a 65" OLED, which ain't the most discrete. I'll definitely add them to the shortlist.

The Dalis are out unfortunately. I can't fit them below the TV - 25cm is the max I can fit. I've already installed a plug and brush plate for HDMI etc behind where the TV's going, so the TV can't be moved further up.

Hope you're enjoying the screen still!

Monitor Audio Soundframe and KEF T series ?

Good suggestions, cheers! I might have to have a look at the MAs. I'd slightly written them off as I'm not sold on the frame aspect of the design, but I'll look at them again. They certainly fit the bill though in terms of form-factor.

The KEFs would be perfect, as they're nice and slim. I've heard them though and was unimpressed. They're good for what they are, but they do seem to give up quite a lot in sound quality in return for their ultra-slim profile.

 

[DLxP]

I made a couple of mock-up speakers yesterday to help me - and, importantly, the mrs - visualise what the speakers will look like. It was a very useful exercise as it more or less 100% confirmed that the surrounds and surround backs have to be Artcoustic, colour-matched to our paint (Farrow and Ball Tallow, which is just off white). The surround backs in particular will be in a bay and have to be ultra-discrete. I've attached a pre-plastering image of the bay to give an idea of where they'll go.

My preference is to stick with one manufacturer for the whole install, as doing so tends to help create more coherent surround imaging. That means Artcoustic has the edge at the mo. Problem is, I've never heard Artcoustic speakers, so they're very much an unknown quantity. I'll need to arrange a demo.

That said, I'm not completely averse to having a front three from a different manufacturer. Precisely colour matching the front three is less important than with the surrounds, so white will do. I measured up for MK MP950s yesterday, and made a mock up (see pic) and I think they'd look good alongside the telly.

 

[Rob Sinden]

Go listen to the Kef or Artcoustics and then try the MK's or ATC's.

I think you'll find the difference in sound quality very obvious.

 

[Russ 66]

Hope you're enjoying the screen still!

Yep it’s still great, I have now gone for a full set of XTZ cinemas.
How about Procella Procella P5 LCR Speaker

 

[DLxP]

Yep it’s still great, I have now gone for a full set of XTZ cinemas.
How about Procella Procella P5 LCR Speaker

Glad to hear it, and good shout re the Procellas. The P5V look like they'd fit the bill, so I'll definitely add them to the list.

 

[DLxP]

Go listen to the Kef or Artcoustics and then try the MK's or ATC's.

I think you'll find the difference in sound quality very obvious.

Hmmm, that's what I'm concerned about (the Artcoustics that is - the KEFs were never in the running).

The problem is the rear four have to disappear as much as possible. The surround backs in particular. For them, anything beyond about 18cm wide by 8cm deep is too big. Artcoustic nail that. But you're the second person today that's raised questions about Artcoustic....

 

[Seriously Ltd]

Hi Doug,

Hope you are well?

Feel free to give me a call and you are more than welcome to come and hear the 950’s in action. We’ve installed all the variants of the MK950’s for clients in both dedicated and non deducted rooms. They are a fantastic speaker and at £650 each perform way above their price point. As you know I’m currently running IW950’s all round in our demo room in a 5.5.4 configuration.

Best regards

[email protected]

 

[ChrisNic]

Do the speakers have to be mounted low or is something over the TV an option?

MK MP150’s mounted above my TV work well and don’t sound at all odd. Excuse the rubbish it was taken whilst I wait for my dinner and we are mid refurb!

 

[scoobysmiff]

An LCR of XTZ Spirit 6's could work. They are mainly used as a center speaker but if you turn them through 90 degrees you'd get a slim wall mounted mtm speaker that should work well

 

[DLxP]

Hi Doug,

Hope you are well?

Feel free to give me a call and you are more than welcome to come and hear the 950’s in action. We’ve installed all the variants of the MK950’s for clients in both dedicated and non deducted rooms. They are a fantastic speaker and at £650 each perform way above their price point. As you know I’m currently running IW950’s all round in our demo room in a 5.5.4 configuration.

Best regards

[email protected]

Very good thanks - hope all's well with you.

That's very kind mate, thanks. I love what you've done with the room, and have used it for inspiration: I plan to hide one of my subs in a cabinet, similar to what you've done with yours.

Funnily enough, the MP950s are last on my list to demo. I'm fairly confident they'll sound very similar to my previous S150s (the best speakers I've owned). As such they're very much the ones to beat. I suspect at their price point they can't be!

 

[Seriously Ltd]

Very good thanks - hope all's well with you.

That's very kind mate, thanks. I love what you've done with the room, and have used it for inspiration: I plan to hide one of my subs in a cabinet, similar to what you've done with yours.

Funnily enough, the MP950s are last on my list to demo. I'm fairly confident they'll sound very similar to my previous S150s (the best speakers I've owned). As such they're very much the ones to beat. I suspect at their price point they can't be!

Thanks Doug,
They do sound sound the same as the 150 series. They use the same drivers etc but just one pro tweeter. Slightly different dispersion characteristics but can still play to blistering levels and can easily give 105db at the MLP in an average size room.

 

[DLxP]

Do the speakers have to be mounted low or is something over the TV an option?

MK MP150’s mounted above my TV work well and don’t sound at all odd. Excuse the rubbish it was taken whilst I wait for my dinner and we are mid refurb!

View attachment 1046953

I briefly contemplated doing something along those lines but didn't know whether it would work - your set up looks great. However, that option was rejected in no uncertain terms by domestic management!

I've now run the wires through the walls to the points where the speakers will be. See attached pics. The second pic gives an idea of what I'm planning, through the wizardry of cardboard, voice controlled phone photography and MS Paint.

 

[DLxP]

Thanks Doug,
They do sound sound the same as the 150 series. They use the same drivers etc but just one pro tweeter. Slightly different dispersion characteristics but can still play to blistering levels and can easily give 105db at the MLP in an average size room.

Not the same drivers anymore though ... unless a new MP950's on the horizon .... which would be very interesting indeed!

 

[DLxP]

An LCR of XTZ Spirit 6's could work. They are mainly used as a center speaker but if you turn them through 90 degrees you'd get a slim wall mounted mtm speaker that should work well

Great idea, thanks - another for the list!

 

[DLxP]

Slight update: I've decided against mounting surround backs in the bay. Their location wasn't ideal, as it would have been too close to the back of the sofa. They would've been a bit of an eyesore too.

The solution: CS29s behind the sofa. I've used these behind a sofa before, for similar reasons and to very good effect. A bit of a compromise, but as it's a sitting room which I share, that's inevitable. The attached pic shows where the speaker point in the bay currently is, and where I'll be relocating it to. The hole is where a 2x RCA point will be, for subs. Domestic management is pleased with the solution (brownie points acquired, to be saved for elsewhere in the room at some point).

The benefit of doing this is I'm slightly freed up in what I can do with side surrounds. They still have to be low profile and small. Anything the size of the MP950s/Elacs/Procellas (which are all almost identical sizes) is out. The SUR95Ts might be OK, although at 188mm deep they're a bit too prominent. That may be where I spend said brownie points.

 

[Seriously Ltd]

Not the same drivers anymore though ... unless a new MP950's on the horizon .... which would be very interesting indeed!

No, the same as the MK2 version. No plans to update the 950 at this present time.

 

[Seriously Ltd]

Slight update: I've decided against mounting surround backs in the bay. Their location wasn't ideal, as it would have been too close to the back of the sofa. They would've been a bit of an eyesore too.

The solution: CS29s behind the sofa. I've used these behind a sofa before, for similar reasons and to very good effect. A bit of a compromise, but as it's a sitting room which I share, that's inevitable. The attached pic shows where the speaker point in the bay currently is, and where I'll be relocating it to. The hole is where a 2x RCA point will be, for subs. Domestic management is pleased with the solution (brownie points acquired, to be saved for elsewhere in the room at some point).

The benefit of doing this is I'm slightly freed up in what I can do with side surrounds. They still have to be low profile and small. Anything the size of the MP950s/Elacs/Procellas (which are all almost identical sizes) is out. The SUR95Ts might be OK, although at 188mm deep they're a bit too prominent. That may be where I spend said brownie points.

We’ve often used the 950’s as Surrounds as do I in my own system.

The new S150T has a shallower profile now so more room friendly.

 

[DLxP]

The new S150T has a shallower profile now so more room friendly.

The M&K option has now extended its already growing lead.

 

[ChrisNic]

Slight update: I've decided against mounting surround backs in the bay. Their location wasn't ideal, as it would have been too close to the back of the sofa. They would've been a bit of an eyesore too.

The solution: CS29s behind the sofa. I've used these behind a sofa before, for similar reasons and to very good effect. A bit of a compromise, but as it's a sitting room which I share, that's inevitable. The attached pic shows where the speaker point in the bay currently is, and where I'll be relocating it to. The hole is where a 2x RCA point will be, for subs. Domestic management is pleased with the solution (brownie points acquired, to be saved for elsewhere in the room at some point).

The benefit of doing this is I'm slightly freed up in what I can do with side surrounds. They still have to be low profile and small. Anything the size of the MP950s/Elacs/Procellas (which are all almost identical sizes) is out. The SUR95Ts might be OK, although at 188mm deep they're a bit too prominent. That may be where I spend said brownie points.

CS29’s are great, I have a pair in the living room and will have a pair in my more dedicated room when it’s finished. In the dedicated room there is bay and I’ve run cables under a new floor so I can have faceplates on the wall.

Unfinished but gives you an idea (my house is full of unfinished projects currently....)

 

[ChrisNic]

 

[DLxP]

CS29’s are great

I completely agree. I'm not sure why they didn't occur to me earlier; it's an obvious solution in hindsight.

I should really mark this thread answered - I can't see myself going any route other than M&K now...

(my house is full of unfinished projects currently....)

You and me both!

I see you're mounting a projector in the bay. I'm planning to do the same myself (the long-term plan). Our bay has a flat roof, which at some point I'm going to have changed to a pitched roof, providing the perfect opportunity to install a projector lift