Installing speakers in drywall/metal structure
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In my new-build 19x34 great room, I am setting up for a 5.1.4 ht. Planning on using RC80is in the 12’ ceiling. Thing is, it is not the usual wood construction with joists 16”oc. It’s all steel. The roof is supported by 17” I-beams on 5’ centres and from those a grid work of hatchannel every1’ will accept the drywall. Therefore there are lots of metal-to-metal connections and way more airspace than usual up inside, (which also includes 4” of polyurethane spray foam applied to the underside of the roofing panels).
From other finished rooms in the house, I know the ceilings are *drummy*, so I wonder if I have to take extra measures to make sure speakers perform ok (like back boxes, etc). The engineer says owners of similar houses don’t report any complaints with their ceiling speakers, but I thought I would check with audio people. Thx
From other finished rooms in the house, I know the ceilings are *drummy*, so I wonder if I have to take extra measures to make sure speakers perform ok (like back boxes, etc). The engineer says owners of similar houses don’t report any complaints with their ceiling speakers, but I thought I would check with audio people. Thx
Comments
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I would put boxes in for sure. Easier to do now since no drywall is installed. Could even tie em into the joists too. IMO, of course. I installed some in wall speakers this year and had to cut the drywall out to make pseudo boxes in between the 2x4’s, lots of spackling and sanding afterwards!Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD. -
When I was doing the preliminary stuff in the living room, I fabricated some wooden boxes to go over the in ceiling speakers, I insisted in the box and on top of the box.
Another consideration is to buy a speaker already in a box 😜- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit. -
^^^ Insisted.... Or insulated?
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Btw, @Jasper7, nice room! What speakers and other gear are you putting in? Get yourself a couple of good subwoofers...
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Insulated, yes
Go infinite baffle on the subs, rock N roll- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit. -
Thx for the advice. It is in the direction I was thinking too. Id stretch a couple of 2x8s Between the joists and top it with Roxul. The drywall would also attach to the wood as well. I’m leaving subwoofer(s) decision for another day—like when I learn what an infinite baffle is.
Completion is a ways off, but I have a Denon avrx4400h, and a bunch of legacy speakers—large Advents I bought in 1979, a pair of PSB B5s, and the Polk RC80is for the ceiling. Centre channel speaker to be determined—to match the Advents -
Those Advents will not make for good HT speakers. You need something far more dynamic. The Polk RTiA or Signature series would be an excellent choice.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk
