Speaker location options - none ideal

[syspig]

Unfortunately, speaker placement took a back seat to aesthetics and views in our new home under construction. I've a pair of ACI Sapphires that can only be installed as follows:

- Bottom of speaker @ 84" off ground, 18' separation

- Speakers sitting on floor, any separation up to 18'

- Any height, but only 5'6" of separation in an 18' wide room.

Tilt up/down can be accommodated, but nothing else. They'll be installed in a 18' x 45' great room, ceiling is almost 16' at the peak. Music only.

Obviously, not an ideal listening room setup - but I'm about to enter the pre-wire stage, and need to get speaker wire in the wall. No locations for in-wall speakers, but in-ceiling would work - but I've got to believe the ACI's would sound better, even in non-ideal locations.

Any suggestions?

[blackraven]

Can you put a shelf's on the wall for the speakers to sit on? Putting the speakers up high can work if reasonably placed and tilted down. I have a friend that does this and it sounds pretty good although not ideal.


In ceiling speakers can sound pretty good if you don't go cheap. Especially if you add a subwoofer which can be in wall or just about any where in the room. And 2 subs would be even better.

You may want to place wires in ceiling just in case you decide to go that route if the Sapphires do not work out.

Good Luck

[syspig]

A shelf would be used for the 84" high option, but there's just nowhere else in the front of the room lower other than the floor.

Is there short list of higher end, good sounding ceiling speakers? I just assumed they'd all be pretty inferior to a decent box speaker, but perhaps not. Aesthetically, they would work much better.

I do have a decent sub already incorporated into the room design - also an ACI. No room for a second one, though.

[Mr Peabody]

I'd say it would depend on how you plan to listen. If sitting and wanting to do some critical listening I'd go with a floor placement. You should be able to come close to a decent triangle set up with your listening position being the top point of the triangle.

I'm not familiar with your speaker but shelf mounting on a wall can't be good. If this is just background type listening then hiding the speakers in the ceiling may work but being vaulted could prevent good dispersion of sound around the room.

If it will work there are on-wall speakers, they are more flat to be placed on the wall and don't require a hole for the back of the speaker. Although not cheap, Monitor Audio has a line of these you can even put a print or picture on the grill.

Most major speaker companies carry both in/on-wall and ceiling speakers. Some companies like Artisan specialize in them.

If not too late, there's even in-wall subs

[blackraven]

Martin Logan Architechtural series speakers are in wall and in ceiling and they are not cheap.

Current MartinLogan Products (http://www.martinlogan.com/product-list.php#architectural)

PSB, one of my favorite speaker brands make in ceiling/wall speakers-

In-Wall/Ceiling Speakers (http://www.audioadvisor.com/products.asp?dept=51)

I still would not rule out a shelf if you can have decent placement and good isolation under the speaker. Either way, the speakers are going to be above ear level. It's not optimal but you have to pick the lesser of 2 evils.

Other options are buying other bookshelf speakers that are made to go on the wall with a speaker mount.

If you go in ceiling or in wall, don't skimp on the sub. Get a higher end musical sub. or better yet dual subs. There are some wireless subs and wireless modules to convert a sub to wireless. Martin Logan and Velodyne make some nice musical wireless subs.

Powered Subwoofers at Crutchfield.com (http://www.crutchfield.com/g_12300/Powered-Subwoofers.html?tp=187#&nvpair=FFBrand|MartinLogan)