How To Set Up In Wall Speaker System

In-wall and ceiling speaker placement and installation

For home theater or music

Planning a new in-wall or in-ceiling speaker organisation for your home? A practise-it-yourself install can exist a rewarding experience that also saves you coin. This guide will help you get started.

We'll give you some tips on where to identify your speakers. Then we'll explore a typical installation.

If yous're still shopping for your gear, cheque out our in-ceiling and in-wall speaker buying guide.

A pair of overhead speakers in a kitchen

A pair of well-placed speakers fills small rooms with pleasing background music.

Speaker placement

It'south important to have a clear plan earlier you begin your install. Adept speakers placed in their ideal locations may sound better than fantabulous speakers in the wrong spots.

In-ceiling placement for background music

Planning a system that's mainly for background music? Aim for balanced sound throughout your space. It's amend to have likewise many speakers than too few. If the speakers are too far autonomously, you'll have music playing also loudly in some parts of the room and too quietly in other spots.

Living room with two pairs of overhead speakers

Apply two pairs of speakers for balanced sound in larger rooms. We recommend installing in-wall and ceiling speakers at least 18-24 inches abroad from an side by side wall or ceiling.

Stereo-input speaker placement

Sometimes you want music overhead but have room for just one speaker. The solution? A stereo-input speaker, which plays both the left and right channels of your music.

A stereo-input speaker is a great way to add groundwork music to a small space. Or yous may want several stereo-input speakers in a hallway or an odd-shaped room that's not well suited for stereo pairs.

A stereo-input speaker in a bathroom

A centrally located stereo-input speaker is a groovy fit for the bathroom. It produces both channels of your stereo music source from a unmarried location.

Stereo input speakers in a hallway

Want background music in a long, narrow hallway? Install a stereo-input speaker at each end for counterbalanced audio throughout the space.

In-wall placement for dedicated music listening

Creating a infinite where sitting and listening to music is the primary focus? In-wall speakers positioned at ear level recreate the live sound experience.

Try to identify your left and right speakers the aforementioned distance from each other as they are from your prime listening seat. This gives you balanced, focused sound.

A pair of in-wall speakers

Setting up a music listening room? Infinite your ear-level speakers the same altitude from each other as they are from y'all for the all-time sound.

Speaker placement for home theater

Is your home theater going to be in your living room or family room? Or volition it exist in a media room that's used just for watching movies or sporting events?

The ideal in-wall speaker placement in both rooms is about the same. The height of the left- and correct-channel speakers may vary, depending on what activities have identify in your room.

Speaker placement in a mixed-use room

Say you're entertaining in your living room, and desire to play music for your guests. Y'all desire your forepart and rear in-wall speakers at about ear level when standing. This elevated placement gives yous corking music performance as people are moving around. Information technology also gives you immersive sound furnishings when you sentinel a motion-picture show.

It's tempting to install the in-wall speakers right beside the TV for aesthetic reasons. But your system will audio better if the front speakers are spread out. If you lot can, identify your front left and correct speakers the same altitude apart from each other as they are from your prime viewing seat. This gives you a wide front end soundstage that simulates a theater.

5.1-channel surround sound system

In a mixed-usage room you want your front and rear in-wall speakers at well-nigh ear level when standing.

Placement in a defended theater room

Speaker placement in a dedicated theater room follows the same guidelines as above, except for the speaker top. Since you're non using the room for annihilation else, yous want each speaker at ear level (or slightly college) when seated. This gives yous the best environment sound experience.

Illustration of all ear level in-wall speakers in a theater room

Building a defended abode theater room? Install your in-wall speakers at about ear level when seated for the best sound.

Center channel speaker placement

Dialogue is clearer and easier to understand when your heart channel is at ear level when you're seated. Simply, your Telly looks best when its middle line is at eye level.

Choosing the center channel and TV mounting locations calls for a residuum betwixt the two factors. Decide the height for both earlier installing either 1. You might find taping upward paper-thin cutouts of each helpful for determining the all-time spots.

In nearly installs, the centre channel goes under the TV. Try to leave at to the lowest degree a few inches of space between the acme of the center channel and the lesser of your Tv. This prevents the Boob tube from blocking some of the center channel's sound .

Surroundings speakers placement

If you're using rear environment speakers, confront them toward the front of the room, equally illustrated in a higher place. If you're using side surrounds, aim them toward each other. If your speakers' tweeters tin can swivel, aim them toward your seating position.

Your surround speakers should be spaced about the aforementioned distance autonomously equally the forepart left and right speakers. We recommend installing in-wall and ceiling speakers at least 18-24 inches away from an adjacent wall or ceiling.

Placement for Dolby Atmos® and DTS:X™ overhead speakers

Planning to utilise overhead speakers for special effects? For Atmos systems, Dolby recommends using iv in-ceiling speakers. 1 pair located in front of your listening position, and a 2nd pair behind it. If your organization tin only conform one pair of speakers, mount them slightly in front of where you'll be listening.

Don't worry if your speaker placement isn't perfect. Your Atmos-enabled receiver's auto calibration arrangement will help dial in the audio. Check out Dolby'due south speaker setup guide for a deep dive into Atmos speaker placement.

Illustration of overhead in-ceiling speakers in a surround system

Adding a pair of overhead speaker channels to your arrangement? Identify them slightly in forepart of your seats for immersive sound effects.

Preparing for the installation

Making sure you accept the right tools on hand helps ensure a smooth installation. Below is a list of the tools used in a typical install. Check the owner's manuals of your speakers to see if anything else is required.

drywall saw
utility pocketknife
wire stripper
level
stud finder
screwdriver
masking record
pencil
measuring tape
drill and bits
Shop Vac®

Use UL-rated wire for your in-wall or in-ceiling speakers

It's important that you utilize speaker wire that's approved for in-wall runs. You want UL-rated wire that'southward labeled CL2 or CL3. Bank check out our in-wall wiring guide for more info.

Confirm your speaker locations with a stud finder

Afterwards you map out your speaker locations, make sure there's enough space in the wall or ceiling to adapt them.

Place any potential hazards behind the wall or ceiling. Use a high-quality stud finder that tin find metal pipes, Air conditioning wires, and other obstacles hidden behind your walls.

Photo of stud finder being used.

Self-installing? It's worth investing in a high-quality stud finder that can find obstacles hidden behind your walls. (Photo courtesy of Zircon.)

Practise a thorough check behind the walls

Try to inspect as much as possible without making a pigsty. See if yous can observe which fashion joists run and where empty wall space between studs might be.

Y'all're looking for wall locations that are empty of pipes and electrical wires. Yous may not know what'southward behind the wall with accented certainty, so you might have to cut and patch exploratory holes.

Start with a airplane pilot hole

In an existing room, you'll desire to drill a pilot hole to determine if each of your speaker locations will work. This lets y'all explore the space behind the wall or ceiling to make sure at that place isn't anything there.

Before you brainstorm, turn off the ability in areas you'll be working to avoid electric shock. Then drill a pocket-size hole in the middle of where you want to place your speaker. Use circumspection when drilling so you don't plunge your bit into a piping or electrical conduit.

Illustration of pilot hole being tested.

A pilot hole lets you explore the space backside the wall to make sure in that location isn't anything surprising at that place.

Explore the surface area

Insert a sturdy wire (like a bent coat hanger) into the pilot hole. If there might exist power lines behind the wall near your pilot hole, wrap the exploratory wire with electric tape.

Explore the surrounding expanse. Make certain in that location'due south enough room for the speaker, and that there's nothing in the manner. Check your speaker'south mounting dimensions to make sure there'due south enough space to arrange it.

Confirm your speaker locations before you cut

Don't cut any drywall until you've drilled pilot holes and checked all of your desired speaker locations. If 1 of your locations doesn't work out, you might desire to move one or more of them.

Use rough-in brackets to map out your speaker locations

Rough-in brackets are very helpful if you're working with new construction. They're also useful if yous're renovating an existing room where the onetime drywall has been removed.

These brackets mount between two studs or joists. Your drywall hanger will cut the speaker holes for you.

Rough-in bracket being installed.

Crude-in brackets let y'all easily mark where each speaker will go before the wall goes upward. They also give your speaker a sturdy bracing betwixt two studs.

Go on the sound where you lot want it

Your speakers may have another room located next to them. Consider in-wall or in-ceiling speakers that take a dorsum-box to limit the sound that leaks through. Back-boxes amend bass response by providing a sealed enclosure effectually the speaker. They also keep grit and dirt out as well.

Installing your new speakers

Cutting drywall and mounting the speakers

In this video, Crutchfield A/Five adept Norm gives footstep-by-step instructions. We encourage a thorough viewing since he goes into detail nearly the entire installation process. Later you cheque it out, scroll down for some additional tips.

Beware of the grit

Cutting into drywall and plaster creates a off-white amount of dust. Encompass any furniture virtually your installation before y'all begin your work. It'due south helpful to have someone hold the vacuum hose under the drywall saw equally you cut. This eliminates a lot of the grit clouds that are generated during installation.

Plaster and board walls

If your house has plaster-and-lath walls or ceilings, installing your speakers volition be more complicated. Plaster tends to crack and crumble easily, so you should be prepared to do some bear upon-upwardly piece of work.

Running in-wall wire could exist particularly challenging. It may exist worth running out-of-wall wire, and using carpets, cabinetry, and other spaces to hide it. Come across our article onhome A/5 cable management for more than ideas.

Driblet ceiling installation

Installing speakers in a drop ceiling is different than a normal drywall installation. Driblet ceiling panels often aren't strong plenty to support the weight of in-ceiling speakers.

Reinforce where the speaker is mounted with a large slice of plywood above the cream panel. Mount it to the cross braces, so cut the speaker opening into both the plywood and the drop ceiling.

For high-quality pressboard drop ceilings, you'll be able to cut directly into the sturdy ceiling panels.

Fine tuning your speakers

In one case your speakers are installed, yous're gear up to make whatsoever last adjustments. If you have aimable tweeters, direct them toward your seats before installing the speaker grilles.

Check for tone controls on the speaker. If the speaker is within a foot of a corner, ready the bass controls to the "minus" or "cutting" position. If the room doesn't accept a lot of upholstered furniture to absorb sound, set the treble control to the minus/cut position.

Larn more about room acoustics and treatments hither.

Personalized advice from our squad of experts

Have questions about planning your new system? Our expert Advisors know the gear inside and out. Contact us today.

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