In-ceiling / In-wall Speakers Buyers Guide: 10 Questions to Ask Before You Buy!

Thinking about buying in-wall or in-ceiling speakers for your home? You're going to love how far these products have come. Before you invest your hard-earned money, however, take a moment to research what you expect out of your new speakers. Wall and ceiling speakers have different applications, depending on the environment they'll be installed. To help you along, the team at OSD has put together 10 important questions to ask yourself before you choose.

1. How  do you plan on using your ceiling/wall speakers, for serious listening or light background music?

There's a big difference. If you're using the speakers in a home theater or media room, invest in speakers that can handle the higher volumes. You'll want to take full advantage of spectacular digital surround sound compression formats like Dolby Digital and DTS. This usually means a larger woofer (6.5 or 8 inches), and higher quality drivers, for example Kevlar or polypropylene woofers. If you crave the kind of audio that will make neighbors six blocks away angry, we have speakers for that too. Just make sure your amplifier or receiver has enough power for the system. Trying to drive 8" Kevlar speakers with a 25-watt per channel amp is like putting a 4-cylinder engine in a Lamborghini; it might move but it certainly won't handle the way it was designed to. If you only want to use the speakers for some light background music while you're bopping around the house, you can get away with fewer and smaller size speakers (5.25" or better 6.5"). Just keep in mind that higher quality components and larger cone sizes will only improve the listening  experience.

2. What type of room will the speakers be installed?

You know how you want to use your new speakers, now consider where you're going to put them.  Not all rooms are created equal. Some rooms are small or oddly shaped which can make speaker placement difficult. Such areas could benefit from our dual voice coil speakers (one speaker provides stereo sound) to get more balanced sound. If the television is positioned in a corner, consider angled (LCR) speakers that allow you to direct sound. If you're building a media room that opens up to the kitchen, your music and movies will compete against chatty people, beeping microwaves, and clanging dishwashers. If there is a lot of background noise or the space is fairly large, go for the largest, highest quality speakers you can afford. Larger rooms (over 20 x 15 ft) with high ceilings and rooms that open up to other areas of the house require larger, more efficient speakers and more amplifier power to output sound at higher volume levels. Installing ceiling speakers with a 5.25-inch cones in a large living room will sound distorted when you turn up the volume, and you will turn up the volume because that poor little speaker isn't design to work with that much air. For larger rooms, go with the highest number and largest size speaker your budget allows (6.5 or preferably 8").

3. Do different rooms require different speakers?

One size fits all doesn’t really apply to in-wall/ceiling speakers because different rooms tend to be used for different kinds of listening. In a family room or home theater, you’ll probably sit in a specific spot to hear music or the surround sound of a movie track at relatively high volumes. In this case, the biggest, best-sounding in-wall/ceiling speakers you can afford, positioned at ear level (inwalls) when seated, will be your best bet.  A kitchen or dining room, on the other hand, is a place where you might want low-key sound distributed evenly throughout the space, so an array of in-ceiling or wall speakers will  work. Rooms that larger than 300 square feet should use at least two pair of speakers. Rooms less than 300 square feet can use one pair of speakers  placed near opposite corners. Smaller areas like a bathrooms or hallways tend to be used for background audio. For rooms like these, a single "stereo" dual voice coil speaker is an excellent choice.

4. Are you installing in-ceiling speakers in damp areas?

For rooms with high moisture such as bathrooms and kitchens, consider Weather Resistant in-ceiling speakers like the OSD ICE800WRS which is specially designed and treated for areas with high humidity.

Kitchens, laundry rooms and bathrooms can be damp areas. Choose speakers specially designed for these rooms. OSD Audio carries multiple models of moisture-resistant in-ceiling speakers with sealed components and powder coated grilles that resist rust.

5. What type of A/V system will powering your speakers?

Whether you are using an existing system or purchasing a new one with the latest surround sound technologies, it is important to know the specifications of your system before selecting speakers. Your amplifier or receiver is what powers the system and it will give you a good idea of any limitations in terms of size and sound. Most receiver and amp manuals can be found online. Things to look for include, how many speakers can your system power, what is the impedance (ohms), and how many watts per channel. Make sure your system can handle the impedance of the speakers and aim for similar wattage. If your system cannot connect the desired number of speakers, consider purchasing a speaker selector and/or another amplifier.

6. Are your speakers going to be used in a multi-channel home theater system?

If you plan on using your speakers as part of a home theater system or other multi-channel audio system, you should take into consideration the quality of the speakers you purchase and the similarity of sound provided by them. All the speakers in a multi-channel system should exhibit similar quality.

For home theater surround sound, purchase the best quality and size speaker your budget will allow. If possible, don't mix and match your surround sound speakers with different brands.

The center channel in particular must be of equal quality to the front speakers as it will be called upon to produce a large amount of the audio in a movie soundtrack. Also, it is important that the center speaker have a similar sound to the front stereo speakers so that they create a cohesive sound field. Mixing and matching speakers in a multi-channel audio system  is generally not a good idea because components and materials can vary manufacturer to manufacturer.

7. Do you have or do you plan to use a digital 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound format such as Dolby Digital or DTS?

If you will be using one of these digital surround sound formats you may be interested in a subwoofer. The digital 5.1 and 7.1 formats feature a special low frequency effects channel intended specifically to be produced by a subwoofer, although it can be bypassed if you are using main stereo speakers with sufficient bass response. These digital systems also feature full-range, stereo surround channels necessitating good quality surround speakers with similar sound, power and efficiency to the front three speakers (left, center, right).

8. Will you power your speakers with a receiver?

Receivers often do not operate well into low impedance loads. If you will use a receiver with your speakers, look for speakers with a nominal impedance of 8 ohms or higher. You may look at speakers with nominal impedances of 6 ohms, but avoid speakers in the 4 ohm range. If you are interested in speakers with a 4 ohm nominal impedance, you may want to consider investing in a separate amplifier. Otherwise, check your receiver (or the receiver you intend to purchase) to make sure it can operate into low impedances. Adding a separate amplifier can go a long way in improving system performance.

9. What is your price range for the speakers?

Once you know your sound needs/expectations, set a price range to work with based on all the factors mentioned above. As you look for speakers, either individually or as a system, be aware that you may need to spend slightly more for improved quality. Remember, that building a good system on a limited budget may take time. If you are operating on a limited budget, you may be better off purchasing higher quality speakers first and investing in a new amplifier at a later date. You can always build your system up, so start with a good foundation that will meet your long term needs.

10. Are the speakers part of a complete audio system?

If your wall or ceiling speakers are part of a grand audio plan that includes amplifiers, source components, etc.,  map out the budget for entire system? Speakers should make up around 40 percent to 50 percent of your total budget on audio if you plan on putting together a multi-channel home theater system. Each of the speakers should be of similar quality, though the front left and right stereo pair often costs more than the other speakers and may take up around 20 percent of your total home theater audio budget. If you can afford a subwoofer to your home theater--it is a worthy addition to a home theater system.

How's the View from Your Desk? Exploring Computer Desktop Mounts

There's an old cliché that goes something like, “there’s nothing more exhausting than doing nothing.” Sure, being physically active at work or moving around a lot can be tiring but it can’t hold a candle to sitting at a desk all day!  Then, after sitting down for eight hours, many of us climb into our cars and sit for the long drive home. Once you’re home, the sofa’s calls, “Sit down, turn on the TV, let’s see what Tom Cruise is doing now!” It’s a vicious cycle.

We all know that sitting down for long periods of time can take a toll on the body and mind, but hey, that’s the breaks in office work, right? We’re not Russian gymnasts—nope, we’re programmers, customer service reps, graphics artists and accountants and our jobs involve sensibly-priced black office chairs with arm rests and wheels (our chairs even walk for us) perched in front of one or more LCD screens, period!  Every so often we vow to walk during  our lunch break or step away from our screens every hour but we don’t stick to it and have the soar backs and necks, over strained eyes and great-grandma’s posture to prove it.

Okay, enough ergonomic doom and gloom and let’s cut to the chase. If you’re one of the millions of people who sit at a desk all day, there are a few simple things you can do that will help. Buying a well built, ergonomically designed office chair goes without saying but few people actually think about installing a desktop mount for their monitors. Those CRT monster-size monitors you see on old Seinfeld episodes are long gone. Today’s monitors are sleek, thin LCD screens and it’s not uncommon to see two, three or even four screens per station. More often than not, these mounts are plopped on the  desk without much thought given to height, angle, glare, distance from eyes…all factors that can have a huge impact on productivity and fatigue in the work place.  If the mount is too low, set it on top of a phone book. Too high? Raise that Herman Miller chair!  These ergonomic band aids may seem helpful but in the long run, they can cause more problems than they’re meant to fix.

A Paltry Price for What Desktop Mounts Accomplish

OSD Audio Desktop mounts tilt, rotate and swivel to accommodate any desk setup and height can be adjusted to fit an individual's needs.

When the new OSD Audio Desktop Mounts arrived, we immediately installed units in some of our most desk-bound associates, including our receptionist/customer support rep, Casey, who uses two 22-inch ACER LCD monitors.  We installed the TSM-02-C024, and within 10 minutes her work space transformed into a productive, ergonomically-sound station. Suddenly she had more space on her desk, could adjust the height and distance from her chair and screen glare virtually disappeared because she could tilt the monitors down. Before, when customers came in and wanted to see product on the website, Casey had to awkwardly move one of her screens, whereas now she effortlessly moves the mount/screen to the customer. It’s made a difference for Casey who states that her productivity and posture have improved since we installed the mount. Not a bad investment!

It may look a little strange but this sturdy quad  mount can hold up to four LCD Screens.

It’s time to take a good look at your work space and ask yourself, is the screen the right height or are you tilting your neck up or down? Is the screen the right distance or is it too close or too far? Do you have more than one screen at your desk? Ways you can improve your work space ergonomics should include the right chair, the right desk, the right lighting and of course the right desktop screen mount.  One way to check how your work space compares is to visit OSHA’s (Department of Labor) website and follow their ergonomic guidelines. The images are painfully out of date but it still contains excellent information.

OSD Audio carries a full line of affordable study desktop mounts for the home or office. These mounts can tilt, rotate and move screens in ways you never thought possible.