OSD Audio MK Ceiling Speakers: New Heights for Home Audio

by Mary Ann Giorgio

It was not that long ago when ceiling speakers were typically equated with the phrase, “Clean up on isle six!” You’ll see, and unfortunately hear, ceiling speakers in almost every grocery store and  they do the job they were designed to do. However, don’t confuse these products with home ceiling speakers. They’re both round but there’s where the similarities end.

Many of today’s in-ceiling speakers match the high expectations of even persnickety audiophiles who claim to hear fish breathe 70 leagues beneath the sea. So if you’re shopping for ceiling speakers for a whole house audio system, home theater, or media room, you do not have to settle for “good enough for background music.” Even if you’re on a tight, “owe the IRS”, “kid needs braces budget,” OSD in-ceiling speakers will take your audio experience to new heights.

MK Kevlar Series: It Goes to Eleven

OSD Audio's price-friendly, featured -loaded
 MK850 ceiling speaker with Kevlar woofer

One of OSD Audio’s most popular ceiling speakers is the MK Spitfire Series. Even the top-of-the-line model in the series, the 8” trimless, is priced below $200; yet, these speakers are loaded with components that audio aficionados love to brag about. Premium technologies used in the MK line include Kevlar woofers and  aluminum dome tweeters that provide deep bass and exceptional top-end frequency response. Kevlar is a miracle material designed by mad scientists; the kind that can stop a speeding bullet yet is a light as a cotton ball. Okay, we’re exaggerating but it’s it super strong and super light.

The high strength-to-weight ratio of Kevlar responds really well to sound waves, which makes Kevlar the ideal material for woofers. Although we don’t condone or recommend such behavior, customers tell us that they crank up their MK Kevlar speakers to ear-splitting levels and hear no distortion or coloration in sound.

Kevlar woofers certainly take center stage but the MKs also include a chorus of components that work together to provide stellar sound. This includes butyl rubber surrounds and an advanced crossover network that routes low, mid and high frequencies like an overzealous traffic cop. Both the MK850 and MK650 have front-mounted contour switches that allow customers to tailor frequency response to their room arrangement as well as to compensate for hard and soft surfaces like wood floors, marble and carpet. A speaker should be flexible enough to sound great in any room, right?

In the Kevlar Family

There are three ceiling speakers in the MK Kevlar family. The MK850 ($199.95 pr.) is an 8" 2-way ceiling speaker. It’s a beast with a large woofer that’s perfect for big rooms or rooms with high, vaulted ceilings. Its smaller, but still tough, little Kevlar brother is the MK650 ($129.95 pr.). This is a 6.5", 2-way speaker that can be used to fill  medium to large spaces. We’ll stand both the 8” and 6.5” MKs with Kevlar up to other brands that cost three times more—they are that good!

There’s an Angle

As in family, one sibling marches to the beat of a different drum. Meet the MK670 Angled LCR ($89.50 sold as a single speaker). This left, center, right speaker is typically installed for the front stage of a home theater and is angled 15 degrees. We designed this speaker for rooms where installation is a challenge. Perhaps something is blocking the way like a giant beam and the only place you can fit your speaker is close the wall where reflections can be an issue. Or perhaps you need to install rear speakers far back from the listening area or “sweet spot.” Because the tweeter and woofer are angled, the MK670 can be placed closer to the wall without sacrificing sound quality.   

Meet Cousin Poly Propylene

Okay, you get it, the MK Kevlar ceiling speakers are excellent, but you still owe money to the IRS and your kid still has an overbite. Or maybe you want speakers in every nook and cranny of your house, including the commode and garage, and are worried about going over budget. For those whole house audio warriors, we offer next best thing with the MK840 and 8” 2-way ($119.95 pr). This speaker shares many of the features of the MK850 but is priced lower because it includes a polypropylene cone and titanium tweeter as opposed to Kevlar and aluminum. The more affordable MK840 has slightly lower power handling (175W) compared to the MK850 (200W), but it consistently exceeds customer expectations for the price.

Great Choices for Every Room in the House

So there you have the OSD Audio MK ceiling speaker series. OSD customers love these speakers for whole house audio and home theater applications. The Kevlar woofers are an excellent choice for dedicated home theaters due to their high end components but you can also use them on other rooms in the house if you’re striving for more than “background” music. The MK840 with polypropylene woofer is no slouch either and delivers excellent sound quality at a lower price. Folks often choose this speaker for whole house applications where a lot of speakers are being installed. And finally our unique angled MK670 LCR is often used for the front stage or rear surround sound of a home theater room where placement is not ideal. No matter what model you choose in the MK series, we promise you’ll be spoiled by the audio quality. So much so, you may never walk into a grocery store again!

Building Your Own Home Theater: Asking Experts Can Save Time, Money and Even Marriages!

by Mary Ann Giorgio

Audio/video e-commerce sites are everywhere, and that's not a bad thing. The results have been very competitive pricing on audio/video gear and enticing shipping terms as more websites compete for your dollar. There is a downside to making online purchases that the crew at outdoorspeakerdepot.com recognized a while back. Once a customer has purchased his or her ceiling speakers, amplifier, volume controls, or other gadget, they're pretty much on their own. Unless you're super handy, have a buddy who is super handy, or hire a qualified A/V installer, the job is yours.

Hiring a professional is rarely a bad idea but many people who buy whole house audio equipment are do-it-yourself types ready to build the room they've dream of for years. So what happens when the products arrive and you realize there's no room for the center channel? What do you do if you order the wrong gauge cable or don't really know how to hook up a speaker selector to your amplifier? By then walls may be cut into, rugs pulled up and skeptical spouses (who may not have been fully on board with the project in the first place), are giving you the "I told you so" eye! It can be painful to stop in the middle of a project only to realize you're lost in a sea of installation manuals.

Ask First, Build Later

The best way to avoid such a mess is to arm yourself with knowledge before you start a job. The OSD staff takes calls throughout the day to guide customers, many who find themselves a bit over their heads. Many websites, including ours, load pages of documents, FAQs, and install tips to help customers but these sections can only go so far. The FAQ seems to have every answer except the one you need. You're receiver is a few years old and you're can’t even find the manual. All you want is someone to give you answers and there's nothing quite like getting personal attention from a staff member who knows the product inside and out.

Upload Your Plans—The Learning Center Can Help

Unlike many on-line e-commerce sites, the staff at OSD does not hide from their customers once a purchase is made.  In addition to customer support by phone, we've created a learning center where customers can download helpful documents like spec sheets and manuals, and installation tips. The best part of our new Learning Center is that it allows you to  upload the project plans that will go directly to one of our experts. Your plans may be professional schematics or something you scribbled down on a piece of paper. We'll look at it and within a reasonable amount of turnaround, offer advice on speaker placement, amplification, speaker cable and other pieces to the puzzle so you order the right products. .

The key to a successful DIY is planning and the staff here at OSD is here to help you design the right system for your home and budget. We designed this learning section for all Outdoor Speaker Depot customers because we believe that informed customers make the best purchasing decisions, and those customers come back.  So before you dig in there on your project, feel free to come to us first. We may be able to save you (and your spouse), some future headaches.

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.