5.1 to 7.1 in ceiling question

In ceiling for rear surrounds. Roughly break the room up in thirds (equal distance in between the speakers, and in between the speakers and the wall).

Others will probably prove me wrong but, to my ears, I'd say to stay out of the ceiling.

My neighbor has a 10,000 sq/ft home and was built with only minor concern to cost (slapped it in the middle of 40 acres and has an elevator in it)

I was over there one day and the wife just GLEEMED with smiles telling me "you have to come into the living room and hear our surround sound"

mmm...ok....

Having been there before I feared what I was about to witness.

Turns out their ENTIRE 'surround' system is in their ceiling. Their ceiling is about 12' high. As I sat there, tv in front of me, I felt like the Voice of God was coming from above telling me about the local weather.

Granted, they have ALL of their speakers in the ceiling and that is not what you are asking.

I personally have no desire to go beyond 5 speakers....where do we stop for sound effects? 43,492.1 ?

If I was considering in ceiling speakers, I'd probably first go investigate in wall speakers so I could perhaps bring them down to more in line with my ears. That said, if you must/want to use ceiling, there are some companies that make "directional" (for lack of better word) ceiling speakers that you can aim a little bit.

I was in the same situation when I finished my basement. I put speakers in the ceiling for 7.1 thinking why not and it was my only option. I now never use them. I don't like the effect of the ceiling placement, so I just stick with 5.1 unless the track is really 7.1 I then use them (rarely).

In one of the rooms I finished in the basement, I put speakers in the ceiling for a 5.1 setup. I have a theater next door to the room, so I wasn't looking for a perfect setup here... Just something that sounded decent and was not seen. I do have the tweeters aimed at the back wall.

For a 5.1 setup that I use to watch some TV/movies and game when my daughter want to hang out and play with her toys, I don't mind it at all. It wouldn't be my first choice for the theater, but I'm pretty happy with how mine turned out. Tagging off of an above post, I couldn't imagine having in-ceiling speakers for sound that is 'supposed' to be coming from the TV. I went with in-walls and a center under the TV for the front. If I didn't have a window behind the TV, I would have gone with and in-wall for the center as well.



I liked the in-ceiling as the speakers are hidden.