In-ceiling or Mounted Outdoor Speakers for Balcony

[wasabijim]

Hello, 

I'm planning a music solution for a 3x6m upstairs balcony. Should I go with in-ceiling speakers or mount outdoor speakers in their place? 

 

it's just for light duties and background music. the balcony is part of the kitchen and dining open space. its high up so will dominate the houses adjacent to that corner of my block.

I'll run speaker cables back through the roof and wall to an outlet i can plug the B-speaker outputs from an amp into.  

 

I'm thinking 2-way outdoor speakers on ceiling brackets at the balcony's edge firing back into the space. but in-ceiling units might offer a cleaner look and be less trouble in the long run. 

 

thoughts? recommendations? Any Big Daddy's tip of the day for young players? 

[Baldrick123]

Assuming a plasterboard ceiling I'd go in-ceilings given your needs and application. Neat, trouble free, and should keep the sound constricted to the area in question enough. Plenty of brands and price-points to choose from.

[KRSDarwin]

In 2011 I put in a Paradigm Stylus 470-SM (cost $550) for our garden area and ran it from a Denon AVR as Zone 2.  Can play anything including Spotify and Tidal via Roon.  Has been excellent. The eaves help with the acoustics. 9 years later in 2020 still working perfectly. 

[Kaynin]

I avoid in ceilings wherever possible, the sound is siloed straight down.  On ceiling will give better audio performance.

[Jebediah]

+1 for Paradigm outdoor speakers. Very happy with mine. 

[wasabijim]

thanks for comments and suggestions

thoughts on placement? 

 

it seems firing out from the in/outside boundary wall is preferred. it would keep the cable runs shorter, maybe add some bass boost if nestled into the wall/ceiling corner (handy considering outdoor units don't go that deep), and avoid messy reflections. 

[KRSDarwin]

Paradigm booklet for the Stylus models provides the following:

[Kaynin]

I went either side to the seating position, just like headphones.  Offers stereo to people facing in to the home, or away.  Have always been happy with this decision.

 

[blybo]

I'm using Krix Tropix and been very happy with them in our alfresco for 8 years now. Easily mounted on the wall or a timber beam as @Kaynin has done. Mine are into the brickwork with a bit more space to breathe, but birds do like to sit on top of them when we aren't home, so I've bought some "pest" spikes from bunnings, but haven't fitted them yet

[wasabijim]

those Krix units look good 

 they're on the shortlist 

 

thanks for suggestions and info

 

 

[Powerglide]

Here's some advice, don't get Bose 151 SE 

 

probably their best feature is my biggest issue, still working since 2004! 

 

Really their best feature is the size of the sweet spot, installed similar to @Kaynin my 25sqm area is mostly in stereo, don't understand how they do it? unfortunately the depth and lack of bass let them down when cranked up. They are not that bad at low levels, but I heard some Yamaha's twice as nice for half the cost. 

[Lil Caesar]

Another fan of the krix tropix - an Australian solution that just works.  Images speak a thousand words.... though only one speaker is visible you get the point....

Edited May 26, 2020 by Lil Caesar

[Kaynin]

13 minutes ago, Powerglide said:

probably their best feature is my biggest issue, still working since 2004! 

 

That's funny!  From their website - "Tested to withstand snow, rain, salt and extreme temperatures"...you've got another 16 years to go...

[Guest DrSK]

On 25/05/2020 at 7:18 PM, Kaynin said:

I avoid in ceilings wherever possible, the sound is siloed straight down.  On ceiling will give better audio performance.

Depends on the directivity pattern. Some 'ceiling' speakers are just standard speakers stuffed into a ceiling mount. 

[Kaynin]

2 hours ago, DrSK said:

Depends on the directivity pattern. Some 'ceiling' speakers are just standard speakers stuffed into a ceiling mount. 

Makes no difference, always louder for people directly underneath vs those standing away.  Bracket mounts disperse the sound evenly.

[Guest DrSK]

9 hours ago, Kaynin said:

Makes no difference, always louder for people directly underneath vs those standing away.  Bracket mounts disperse the sound evenly.

Only in the same way that standing next to the bracket mount is louder than when standing further away. 

 

But some ceiling mounts do have a wider dispersion pattern than others so you can get a more even sound rather than ones that are just standard speakers. I've spent time comparing them at trade shows and use spec them where they are needed. Some are also steerable in their directivity. There are specific directivity patterns and responses for room edges, corners and middle of the ceiling. 

Edited May 29, 2020 by DrSK

[Kaynin]

3 hours ago, DrSK said:

Only in the same way that standing next to the bracket mount is louder than when standing further away.   No, it's very different.  Bracket speakers fire at an angle that any ceiling speaker cannot achieve.

 

But some ceiling mounts do have a wider dispersion pattern than others so you can get a more even sound rather than ones that are just standard speakers. I've spent time comparing them at trade shows and use spec them where they are needed. Some are also steerable in their directivity. There are specific directivity patterns and responses for room edges, corners and middle of the ceiling.   I've lived with directional in-ceilings and bracket mounted speakers for 8 years.  Chalk and cheese.  I'd never apply ceiling speakers, directional or otherwise, when I can use bracket mounts in the first instance, hence my advice to the O.P.  Anyway, we'll likely have to agree to disagree on this one.

 

[petetherock]

Since it's light use, what about a totally different solution?
Wireless speakers via BT?

A simple UE Megaboom will set you back < $150. They can be paired too.

 

[Guest DrSK]

2 hours ago, Kaynin said:

 

Not sure we're disagreeing. 

 

Depends on what look is permitted. I was just pointing out that not all ceiling speakers are equal, the badly designed ones however do just beam straight down and aren't really ceiling speakers. 

 

Good uses of them, probably beyond requirements here, is where you want good coverage over a large area for ambience without having it too loud anywhere which can be achieved with multiple pairs and a clean look. 

[wasabijim]

On 30/05/2020 at 12:22 PM, petetherock said:

Since it's light use, what about a totally different solution?
Wireless speakers via BT?

A simple UE Megaboom will set you back < $150. They can be paired too.

 

 

I do this for adhoc listening 

You need to consider the source and how much usage time you need it for. Its going to chew through your phone battery and I'm not clever enough to block message notifications interrupting the music. I've used an old phone to stream Spotify on the wi-fi then bluetooth this to the UE unit. 

 

[The Rock Puppy]

I have zero knowledge about the difference in audio quality between the two options, but I would lean towards bracket mounted speakers rather than in ceiling speakers simply because if, sometime in the future, you want/need to change things around, it would be easier to repair a couple of screw holes rather than repair two big holes in the ceiling.