You can get fantastic in-walls from some highly regarded companies. Paradigm, Triad, etc.
Will your wife ever let you listen to music/movie by yourself? Will she ever leave the house for wine with her friends, or for her volunteer work for the local symphony, and allow you to invite your brother and friends over for a movie night?
Also, keep in mind that when women don't like the loud volumes, it's not always because they're being "girlie" and "wimpy." Often times it's simply because they have better taste and are more discerning. Women tend to have better hearing than men. Most people's systems have lots of distortion at high volumes. The speakers aren't sensitive enough at all frequencies to be cranked up when only fed 120 watts-- they'd need 400 watts to not clip the amp, etc. When you're more sensitive to distortion, the odd-order harmonics become like fingernails on chalkboards. When the system has effortless dynamics, you'll hear about guys cranking it up without realizing how loud it was, until look on a meter.
If you take your wife to a movie that has a well-regarded sound system (like one of the good IMAX theaters (some are crappy upgraded theaters)), or a good live concert, or orchestra, and she enjoys that, then it's the setup that's at fault, not her tastes.
Will your wife ever let you listen to music/movie by yourself? Will she ever leave the house for wine with her friends, or for her volunteer work for the local symphony, and allow you to invite your brother and friends over for a movie night?
Also, keep in mind that when women don't like the loud volumes, it's not always because they're being "girlie" and "wimpy." Often times it's simply because they have better taste and are more discerning. Women tend to have better hearing than men. Most people's systems have lots of distortion at high volumes. The speakers aren't sensitive enough at all frequencies to be cranked up when only fed 120 watts-- they'd need 400 watts to not clip the amp, etc. When you're more sensitive to distortion, the odd-order harmonics become like fingernails on chalkboards. When the system has effortless dynamics, you'll hear about guys cranking it up without realizing how loud it was, until look on a meter.
If you take your wife to a movie that has a well-regarded sound system (like one of the good IMAX theaters (some are crappy upgraded theaters)), or a good live concert, or orchestra, and she enjoys that, then it's the setup that's at fault, not her tastes.
