LCi Install Details

phuz

I think I'm finally going to take advantage of my pre-wired house and add in ceiling surrounds to my main room. I'm wondering if anyone has experience installing the LCi line of in ceiling speakers. I've looked at the manuals and other details on polks site, but I'm still not clear on a few things.

Does the speaker mount to the sheetrock, or to the studs? Is the install fairly easy? Cutting sheetrock is no biggie, but I'm more concerned with the mounting. Does anyone have any pics, or other details/experiences?

Thanks.

SCompRacer

They mount on the sheetrock. Just cut the hole in the right place and screw them down. Clamps turn as you tighten the screws and lock on the backside of the drywall. I built ideal-volume enclosures for mine as the ceiling wasn't finished.

This is the only pic I have, other than finished.

nooshinjohn

They should not be mounted into the sheetrock. There should be a rough-in (mounting) kit included with the speaker that consists of a frame that is secured to the joists and the hardware needed to mount the speaker to that frame. The LCi's are heavy and if not properly supported, can make a nasty bump on the head for someone sitting underneath them. I have experience with in-wall setups and such. If you need the help, I am happy to assist.

SCompRacer

nooshinjohn wrote: »

They should not be mounted into the sheetrock.

Polk does not specify that absolute. In the manual they instruct you to ensure the material you mount them in will support the speakers. Show me the math where the load bearing of ½” sheetrock will not support the near 7 pounds for an LCi ceiling speaker. For in-wall’s you would calculate shear forces.

There should be a rough-in (mounting) kit included with the speaker that consists of a frame that is secured to the joists and the hardware needed to mount the speaker to that frame.

Polk sells pre-construction brackets as an option; they are not included. I've never read a recommendation by Polk that you must secure anything to a joist or stud to mount the speaker.

"Pre-construction brackets are used to designate the location of the loudspeaker will be installed in a wall or ceiling. The brackets define the hole the drywall mechanic will cut out. If you're building a new home, pre-construction brackets will make installing your inwall/in-ceiling speakers easier and more efficient. They are not needed if using a Performance Enclosure."

The LCi's are heavy and if not properly supported, can make a nasty bump on the head for someone sitting underneath them.

My in-walls and in-ceiling LCi's have been hanging on/in the drywall for years. They have never loosened or fell out.

nooshinjohn

No need to take offense. I was always under the impression that it was best to use the brackets. When I was living in California, that was the only way we ever installed them. The reason was that we did not want them falling out. Of course, earthquakes may have had a lot to do with that, but when someone was shelling out 50k plus for a job, the details became as important as the finished job. The kits we got back then (15 years ago) came with the bracket kits inluded.

"Pre-construction brackets are used to designate the location of the loudspeaker will be installed in a wall or ceiling. The brackets define the hole the drywall mechanic will cut out. If you're building a new home, pre-construction brackets will make installing your inwall/in-ceiling speakers easier and more efficient. They are not needed if using a Performance Enclosure."

Kind of vague here actually. Are they saying that you need them unless you use one of their enclosures? I guess the legal department fell asleep on this part.:rolleyes:

I am not doubting that it is possible to install them that way, just that it is perhaps not the best way to do it. After going through all that work in your set-up, is there a reason you chose not to use them?

SCompRacer

No offense taken, just being direct. The performance enclosure is an optional and pricey ($249 each) perfect-volume speaker cabinet best installed before the dry wall goes up. The other option was to build an enclosure. With the LCi’s, they provided the dimensions for exact volume enclosures in the manual based on various joist/stud depth.

To me, the pre-construction brackets just makes it easy for the installer to cut the proper size hole quickly using a powered RotoZip. The burden for proper placement lies on the installer of the bracket before the drywall goes up. Since I have faith in my ability and wanted to save a few bucks (brackets are $25-$30 each), I just marked and cut the holes freehand. The bracket would add a rigid layer between the drywall and speaker clamp, and one could argue the load distribution would be better around the clamps. An installer I spoke to at Tweeter said the speaker clamp would break before it would pull through ½” drywall.

If Polk were to require pre-construction brackets, they'd probably sell less in-wall/ceiling speakers.