[Alwayswantmore]

Anyone have ACI's in-wall speakers?

I want to put speakers on either side of a 50" plasma in my great room (large room). I already have an ACI Force XL sub. Looking for good quality sound with high WAF. Any comments on ACI or other in-walls appreciated. From what I've read, I'm not encouraged that any in-wall speaker does a great job unless it is containted in a cabinate (and run over $1,000 pair). I'm looking for input from others to determine what to do ???? 

BTW: The system will be run in 2 channel stereo, not surround, so vocal clarity and ability to image well would be a great benefit. Also not looking to do big action films. More interested in drama, so high volume not a big factor.

[Mike Dzurko]

Our B-Flat inwalls do a great job for the money (well under $200pr) , but like all non-enclosed inwalls, are limited by the wall in which they are mounted. 

In the past we offered special versions of speakers like the Panorama and Sapphire which were designed to be mounted into a wall. We are currently working on a new model based on the Emerald XL which hopefully will be available within approx. two months.

Another option would be the Emerald XL. Bracket or shelf mounted next to a Plasma they look great! They are just about the same depth as most Plasmas. The Piano Black is a perfect match to a Piano Black plasma, and the Satin Black is perfect for Plasmas with a matt finish. And a pair sounds superb!

[Alwayswantmore]

Thanks Mike.

Your spec sheet notes: "Fourth order, low Q, rear ported system. May also be used as second order sealed system." Assuming they are on brackets, does that mean I would need to plug the port? Again in a bracket / wall mount application, how well would they image? And how would plugging the port change base response and efficiency? Lastly, assuming they were on the wall flanking a 50" plasma, would their be a small sweet spot, or would the sound  be pretty good across a "u" shaped seating area? Thanks, Kent

Edit: My house will not be completed for another couple months -- so I could wait for your new in-walls. Do you think the new in-wall emeralds will sound better than the standard emerald for my application?

[Mike Dzurko]

Quick question for you: Do you plan to stand mount or wall mount your Plasma?  What I want to know is how far the screen will be from the wall behind it . . .

BTW: PLEASE no calls on the upcoming Emerald Inwalls that I mentioned, info is not yet available at the shop. IF you have questions, please contact me directly.

[Alwayswantmore]

Hi Mike, I'm working "from both ends to the middle" -- meaning that I'm exploring all options, including the media center furniture. I am 80% sure the plasma will go on the wall above a media center sized to hold the components. I might even store the Force XL in the media cabinet for everyday use, and pull the sub out (for floor placement) for movie night.

This will not be my main listening system -- that consists of Wadia CDP / RWA Signature 30 / Omega Compact Hemps and possibly a second Force XL housed in a dedicated listening room. So my goal for HT is to get very clear sound for movies, but keep the price down. My room is large, but we watch movies at moderate volume levels, and I'm not into special effects or boom-boom bass. My component purchases will go something like this:

- Unobtrusive stereo speakers ($500 - $1,000 / pr.)
- Force XL sub (existing unit)
- Integrated amp (I'm thinking something like the NAD C325BEE 50 watt, with soft clipping [Open to suggestions for alternative "budet" integrateds with pre-out / main ins for the sub)
- Something like the new Sony Bluray player (about $500)
- Something like a Panasonic or Pioneer plasma, likely 50" 720p (budget = $2 - 3K ???????)

Thanks, Kent
EDit: BTW, if I could get better sound with the TV placed on the media center, then I would factor this into the final solution. [Some media centers have speaker storage with grills (tend to be close to floor though). I could also pull the speakers out and place them on the media center for movie nights.]

Quick question for you: Do you plan to stand mount or wall mount your Plasma?  What I want to know is how far the screen will be from the wall behind it . . .

BTW: PLEASE no calls on the upcoming Emerald Inwalls that I mentioned, info is not yet available at the shop. IF you have questions, please contact me directly.

[Mike Dzurko]

Kent:

You are going through pretty much the same as I. Difference is I already purchased a 60" Pioneer. Currently it resides on top of a cabinet we had, not ideal but usable. Still deciding whether to have a cabinet custom built, or wall mount , or . . .  and what about the speakers! I'm pretty sure I'll be using Emerald XLs, but like you, haven't decided on mounting. I'm leaning toward using wall brackets and placing them on either side. The Pio is Piano Black and wall mounted it will be very close to the same depth as a pair of Emerald XLs on brackets. I think it will look very good. The XLs only need an inch or so behind them for the port . . .

BTW, you should have no trouble being under budget for the Plasma and I'd definitely recommend considering the 5070HD which can be had for quite a good price. 

Also, consider having the sub in the cabinet, but take the bottom out of the cabinet so the sub can sit on the floor, then you won't have to move it.

[Alwayswantmore]

Good advice. I will keep the Emerald's in mind. Nice size and nice price. I am especially interested in the in-walls. Since my purchase is still a few months out, you may have them available by the time I need to put the trigger. Thanks again. Kent

Kent:

You are going through pretty much the same as I. Difference is I already purchased a 60" Pioneer. Currently it resides on top of a cabinet we had, not ideal but usable. Still deciding whether to have a cabinet custom built, or wall mount , or . . .  and what about the speakers! I'm pretty sure I'll be using Emerald XLs, but like you, haven't decided on mounting. I'm leaning toward using wall brackets and placing them on either side. The Pio is Piano Black and wall mounted it will be very close to the same depth as a pair of Emerald XLs on brackets. I think it will look very good. The XLs only need an inch or so behind them for the port . . .

BTW, you should have no trouble being under budget for the Plasma and I'd definitely recommend considering the 5070HD which can be had for quite a good price. 

Also, consider having the sub in the cabinet, but take the bottom out of the cabinet so the sub can sit on the floor, then you won't have to move it.

[Tim S]

How would the ACI In-Wall speakers work as ceiling mount speakers for essentially background music? I am building a house at the moment and am thinking about something like that to pipe music into rooms that will be away from my main system. This would mainly be for background music but I do want it to sound somewhat decent if I'm going to do it.

Tim

[cdorval1]

Hi,

We just installed a pair of the 8" chambered B-Flat Coaxials in our kitchen ceiling--just above and behind the kitchen sink.  They sound great and image well while I'm washing the dishes, and provide excellent background for the whole kitchen.  In my research, they are as good or better than in-walls costing a heckuva lot more.

Good luck!

Craig

[tomagardner]

I have 3 Sapphire XLs now and would love to be able to "in-wall" mount them so they project out from the wall about 4-5". But I bet that would affect their BSC?
I can always use the Sapphires in another room if there are any other ideas.
TIA, Tom

[Mike Dzurko]

I have 3 Sapphire XLs now and would love to be able to "in-wall" mount them so they project out from the wall about 4-5". But I bet that would affect their BSC?
I can always use the Sapphires in another room if there are any other ideas.
TIA, Tom

Tom:

Two problems, you've already mentioned one and the other is that they are rear ported.  I might have some ideas so PM me when you get a chance.

[Alwayswantmore]

Craig, thanks for the lead.

As far as speakers for my TV, I think that I'm going to settle for an inexpensive pair of bookshelves (either PSB or Polk, for about $300/pr.) that are small enough to fit on top of the entertainment center we just ordered. The speakers are inexpensive, and small enough to fit beside a 50" Pioneer Kuro I intend to purchase after our new home is finished (and prices continue to drop over the holidays!). On the otherhand, I've also been looking for a way to get music to my dining room and screened porch, and your post prompted me to look at a few of ACI's products that look like a very good fit / value.

I looked at the B-flats, and liked the look of the product as well as the price. The moderately priced volume control with impedance matching also caught my eye.

Questions for Mike:

1. If I connect two sets of remote speakers to my amp (like ACI B-flats or your outdoor speakers) -- both using ACI's volume controls -- does the impedance change when the volume is turned all the way down on one the remote sets of speakers?

2. I assume you wire both remote pairs in parallel to the amp?

3. Regarding ACI's 14 gauge in-wall speaker cable, I assume the pricing is per speaker and not per stereo run, correct?

4. Again with the in-wall speaker wire, can it be run in an attic in the southeast, where summer temps could hit upwards of the mid-100 degree mark?

Thanks, Kent

Hi,

We just installed a pair of the 8" chambered B-Flat Coaxials in our kitchen ceiling--just above and behind the kitchen sink.  They sound great and image well while I'm washing the dishes, and provide excellent background for the whole kitchen.  In my research, they are as good or better than in-walls costing a heckuva lot more.

Good luck!

Craig

[Mike Dzurko]

Craig, thanks for the lead.

As far as speakers for my TV, I think that I'm going to settle for an inexpensive pair of bookshelves (either PSB or Polk, for about $300/pr.) that are small enough to fit on top of the entertainment center we just ordered. The speakers are inexpensive, and small enough to fit beside a 50" Pioneer Kuro I intend to purchase after our new home is finished (and prices continue to drop over the holidays!). On the otherhand, I've also been looking for a way to get music to my dining room and screened porch, and your post prompted me to look at a few of ACI's products that look like a very good fit / value.

I looked at the B-flats, and liked the look of the product as well as the price. The moderately priced volume control with impedance matching also caught my eye.

Questions for Mike:

1. If I connect two sets of remote speakers to my amp (like ACI B-flats or your outdoor speakers) -- both using ACI's volume controls -- does the impedance change when the volume is turned all the way down on one the remote sets of speakers?

2. I assume you wire both remote pairs in parallel to the amp?

3. Regarding ACI's 14 gauge in-wall speaker cable, I assume the pricing is per speaker and not per stereo run, correct?

4. Again with the in-wall speaker wire, can it be run in an attic in the southeast, where summer temps could hit upwards of the mid-100 degree mark?

Thanks, Kent

Hi,

We just installed a pair of the 8" chambered B-Flat Coaxials in our kitchen ceiling--just above and behind the kitchen sink.  They sound great and image well while I'm washing the dishes, and provide excellent background for the whole kitchen.  In my research, they are as good or better than in-walls costing a heckuva lot more.

Good luck!

Craig

Kent:

#1  The controls allow you to switch jumpers depending on how many sets of speakers you're using. The impedance stays pretty steady to the rec.

#2 Yessir

#3  Price of wire is per foot, you'll need to double it

#4  The inwall wire is UL listed and if the attic was 200 it would be okay.

[Alwayswantmore]

Thanks Mike. My home is still under construction, but I am doing research and planning (and dreaming) for when the time comes. Answers appreciated!

[Mike Dzurko]

Thanks Mike. My home is still under construction, but I am doing research and planning (and dreaming) for when the time comes. Answers appreciated!

Sounds like you still have the walls open. I'd highly recommend running LOTS of wire and or wire runs any place you think you might want them for future use. For extra rooms, surround sound, for possible projectors etc.

We bought a new house this summer, love it, but it is going to be a lot tougher to run wires now, after the fact. So run all the wire you can now . . .

[Alwayswantmore]

Thanks Mike. My home is still under construction, but I am doing research and planning (and dreaming) for when the time comes. Answers appreciated!

Sounds like you still have the walls open. I'd highly recommend running LOTS of wire and or wire runs any place you think you might want them for future use. For extra rooms, surround sound, for possible projectors etc.

We bought a new house this summer, love it, but it is going to be a lot tougher to run wires now, after the fact. So run all the wire you can now . . .

Hi Mike, unfortunately our builder has zero tolerance for any homeowner modifications prior to close, so I'm in the same boat as you.

It's been fun doing the research (and dreaming) about how the music and video will be set up in the new house. But I am more than ready to move in and get on with my life.

[Alwayswantmore]

Mike, one more question:

B-Flat Round Coax 6.5's chamber mounted in my ceiling would be covered by sprayed-in insulation (in the attic). Once you get past the insulation, the attic is wide open and subject to temperature and humidity extreams. Are B-Flat speakers designed to withstand this type of environment?

The house will have a covered screened-in porch. Could I put an ACI volume control on an external wall (under the screened lanai) away from direct rain, but open to outside temperature and humidity extreams?

Thanks again. Kent

[Mike Dzurko]

Mike, one more question:

B-Flat Round Coax 6.5's chamber mounted in my ceiling would be covered by sprayed-in insulation (in the attic). Once you get past the insulation, the attic is wide open and subject to temperature and humidity extreams. Are B-Flat speakers designed to withstand this type of environment?

The house will have a covered screened-in porch. Could I put an ACI volume control on an external wall (under the screened lanai) away from direct rain, but open to outside temperature and humidity extreams?

Thanks again. Kent

Sorry Kent, that's two questions, I can only answer one    On the first one, no problem, there are thousands of B-flats in just this sort of environment.  Some installers have been putting dozens of them in each house, including attic installations for years.  #2, as long as it stays dry from any direct precipitation you should be okay.

[Alwayswantmore]

Thanks Mike. You have greatly simplified my plans for getting music to the two area where I really wanted it. The competitive approach I was considering were considerably more expensive, and they likely would have sounded inferior to the alternative you've presented. Take care, Kent

[ColdForged]

Here's a bit of an odd tangent on this. I have a kit of ACI Sapphire IIIs that I've been (hardly) working on for quite a long time. The enclosures are almost complete but I never got access to a router table to route the rounded edges so I never glued them up. As such, the whole thing is sitting morosely in the garage. Fast forward to this weekend with the wife and I picking up a 50" plasma that no longer fits in the entertainment center and the thought of wall-mounting the panel pops up. Then the obvious jump to possible in-wall speakers, which naturally led me to think of my neglected Sapphire kit.

What kind of shenanigans would I need to pull in order to pull this off? Is it feasible? They're designed for a rear-ported, slanted baffle setup which somehow makes me think that I'd have to do something with the cross-overs to have any hope of coming out with something that didn't sound like poo. Thoughts? The baffles are complete so I could certainly mount them on the completed baffles, but before I make any holes or go any further -- like cutting off the sloped portions of the baffles -- I figured I'd test the waters .