I am having a new semi-detached house built and considering having my rear speakers built in the walls on the ground floor. I've been looking at the Acoustechs HT-8W for this.

I am just wondering whether the sound would travel more through the walls. Since one of the walls is adjacent to the kitchen, would my dishes be jumping around and rattling?

Would my neighbours or those sleeping upstairs be more disturbed by the sound than if I mounted the speakers on the WALLS instead?

Is there some insulation I could put around to prevent this?

Sorry for the noobery, it is my first new house and a chance to get my HT right from the start. Thanks!

You can install insulated enclosures for your speakers.

Here is an example on an installers site. Option at bottom of page.

http://shopping.e-sassi.com/view_options.php?bID=9&catID=3

I am not associated with this company.

i can comment on this kinda first hand. I did in wall right, left and center. My bedroom is on the other side. Before I put some insulation in i could hear everything like I was standing in my living room. I used standard insulation, and its a little muffled. I tried several places about some sound absorbing material to no avail.

I ordered these: http://www.wood-tech.com/images/sc/chamber2.jpg
They will be here Tuesday. I hope to have them installed by next weekend. I will let you know the outcome w/ just the insulation and those things.

By the 1st week of April I will have the bedroom rocked and I will know how good they sound.

I am having a new semi-detached house built and considering having my rear speakers built in the walls on the ground floor. I've been looking at the Acoustechs HT-8W for this.

I am just wondering whether the sound would travel more through the walls.
Yes, it certainly would. Better would be in-wall speakers which are enclosed (are sold with back boxes). Better yet would be wall-mounted speakers.

- Terry

Great, thanks for the response guys. I guess I wasnt crazy to think this. Anybody else have in-walls?

I have both in-walls and in-ceilings in the new home but I haven't heard them yet to weigh in on the discussion. I'm hoping this upcoming weekend I will finally get them in use and I'll let you know my thoughts. (I did buy back boxes for them but my AV company didn't use them and just did their own insulated boxes saying their way was better so hopefully their right).
Cheers

I have in-walls in my HT and in-ceiling in the adjacent game room. The in-walls have back boxes and I put ultratouch insulation in the walls and ceiling. When I play music though both zones you can hear the music very easily above the in ceilings but the in-walls are almost silent from the room above.

If you are worried about sound leakage get speakers with back boxes and then insulate.

Two more notes, I did say "almost silent" and I tend to listen to movies/music at loud levels, but not ear-bleedingly loud.

I have decided to not go for the in walls and put in a Mirage Nanosat 5.1 system. Anybody with an awkward smallish space should seriusly consider this setup.

They really spread the sound nicely and it won't matter so much where you sit and not so critical where they are placed either. The 5 speakers and subby go for $800 US.