Recommend some in-wall and in-ceiling speakers?

[consolibyte]

We're moving into a new house, and I'd like to put in:

1. In-wall speakers for the living room (at least 2 front, 2 rear... other suggestions?)

2. In-ceiling speakers for the kitchen


I already have two Onkyo receivers.

Suggestions on in-wall and in-ceiling speakers?

I'm not looking for top-dollar here- if I could keep the living room under ~$850 and the kitchen under $500 for *just speakers*, I'd be very happy. If I can still get good quality for less than that, that'd be even better.

 

[Anubis]

Axiom Inwalls are great and not too expensive

http://axiomaudio.com/in-wall-speakers.html

monoprice also makes inwalls/ceilling which are cheap as hell,

http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=109&cp_id=10837

 

[queequeg99]

We're moving into a new house, and I'd like to put in:

1. In-wall speakers for the living room (at least 2 front, 2 rear... other suggestions?)

Unless you really have no other choice, I would avoid in-wall speakers for your front speakers in the living room. Because you are going for a surround set up in that room, I assume this system won't be solely for background music (i.e. you will be listening to it in a manner that allows you to focus on the sound quality). Even the best in-wall speakers have difficulty matching the sound quality of mediocre free standing speakers. This isn't as noticeable for surrounding speakers, which generally aren't emphasized as much. But it will be for the mains. That's just the nature of the game when the speaker enclosure isn't designed to match the driver.

That having been said, the examples given by Anubis have received decent comments over on avsforum.com (relatively to other in-wall options).

 

[consolibyte]

Unless you really have no other choice, I would avoid in-wall speakers for your front speakers in the living room. Because you are going for a surround set up in that room, I assume this system won't be solely for background music (i.e. you will be listening to it in a manner that allows you to focus on the sound quality). Even the best in-wall speakers have difficulty matching the sound quality of mediocre free standing speakers. This isn't as noticeable for surrounding speakers, which generally aren't emphasized as much. But it will be for the mains. That's just the nature of the game when the speaker enclosure isn't designed to match the driver.

That having been said, the examples given by Anubis have received decent comments over on avsforum.com (relatively to other in-wall options).

Yeah, and while I understand that... I'm not an audiophile. I just want to watch the occasional Netflix movie or DVD, or listen to some music.

I'm not looking for ridiculously expensive movie-theater-in-my-house type sound here.

I'm looking for watches-a-movie-once-a-week-to-chill-out sound.

I'd rather have the space savings in the living room vs. having slightly better sound and big ugly tower speakers in the middle of the floor.

 

[Anubis]

you could do ON wall speakers as well. they have similar limitations that inwalls do but for what you want inwalls sound like they will be fine. Id also recomend getting a Center channel if its for moovis

 

[consolibyte]

you could do ON wall speakers as well. they have similar limitations that inwalls do but for what you want inwalls sound like they will be fine. Id also recomend getting a Center channel if its for moovis

Yeah, I'd rather just have the in-walls, they're pretty easy to put in.

 

[richardycc]

most in walls sound weak, but if you must, you should get ones that have the enclosure built in, like Thiel powerplane 1.2, but it's out of your price range, so the next best things are MTX H625WE or Speakercraft iw-7 one or three (one has Polypropylene Cone Woofer, and three has Au cone woofer). other than the Thiel, I've never heard these speakers, so buy at your own risk....there is a pr of Thiel at audiogon for $920 shipped right now. good deal if I were in the market for a pr of in walls.

 

[Plugers]

Willing to do any DIY? These Aurasound kits would fit your budget and you could close off a .25 cuft space between the studs and make a baffle for them.

EDIT: Width between studs is 14.5" depth between drywall is 3.5" 
putting 2 baffles @ 10" apart to seal off an enclosure in the wall
 will give you .30 cuft. That would give enough room for basket 
displacement and crossover displacement.

 

[consolibyte]

Willing to do any DIY? These Aurasound kits would fit your budget and you could close off a .25 cuft space between the studs and make a baffle for them.

EDIT: Width between studs is 14.5" depth between drywall is 3.5" 
putting 2 baffles @ 10" apart to seal off an enclosure in the wall
 will give you .30 cuft. That would give enough room for basket 
displacement and crossover displacement.

Thanks, I'll check that out... that might be a possibility.