Featured Reviews & Articles

Getting sound into commercial spaces isn't as easy as it sounds. Not everyone utilizes a drop ceiling. In fact, not everyone has a ceiling that even remotely resembles a flat surface. Tannoy recognized this, particularly in light of the new wave of architectural design sweeping our airports, churches, malls and other social, transportation and retail gathering areas. The OCV Series of speakers are designed to look like a pendent that is suspended, near-invisibly, from the ceiling in order to cast sound down from above without requiring a flat or recessed installation. The speakers are very nearly a piece of art themselves and are available in either a 6" or 8" coaxial configuration.

Those of us that have not only a need for in-ceiling speakers, but a desire for something that has been designed to sound as good as possible, the new Designer Series In-Ceiling speakers from Paradigm are enticing. Looking at the improvements they've made in the different lines, it is clear that they are thinking about the specific use of the speaker (from the improved output and clarity of the top of the line Guided Soundfield Models to the improved performance and longevity under any condition of the Marine Models). Add to that the overall improvement of the Designer's Series ability to go unnoticed with their smaller bezel and Paradigm is really trying to give you what you want.

We reviewed hands-on the new CM Series Ceiling Mount Loudspeakers from Niles and found them to be excellent - both in quality and ease-of-installation. Rather than simply update over time, Niles continues to innovate, and their latest model was revealed this week at the Hilton. It's the compact CM4PR. The CM4PR is the company’s first-ever compact ceiling mount loudspeaker and it comes with only a four-inch footprint. It's Niles' first small, designer-friendly loudspeaker to deliver its signature audiophile grade performance while being able to locate itself in aesthetically pleasing, unobtrusive areas.

Earlier this year we did a video review of the Boston Acoustics Voyager 7 Outdoor Speakers and found them to be excellent in both sound and design. The company didn't waste any time in releasing 5 brand new models in the Voyager Series and these are also geared towards the Indoor/Outdoor/Marine crowd/ The new speakers weren't part of our recent 2011 CEDIA Expo Show Coverage, but that's because nobody from D&M was there that we could find (Denon, Marantz, Boston Acoustics, etc). The good news is that these new speakers will be ready for release in September and include the same great products as before, but with updated model numbers (40/50/60/70/Metro II).

Niles has introduced a new line of cost-effective ceiling mount loudspeakers featuring the same unique combination of design aesthetics, advanced technology and installation versatility found in the company's 3rd generation DS Directed Soundfield Ceiling-Mount Loudspeakers. The new CM Architectural Loudspeakers are designed to continue to provide deliver Niles' performance sound quality while blending even more discreetly into any environment. This is largely due to the speakers' paintable, low-profile, magnetically-attached grilles.

Looking for a sub that you don't have to look at? The Bowers & Wilkins ISW-3 sub can be placed in a wall, floor, ceiling or even installed in a cabinet in your kitchen. The ISW-3 has a small (2" by 12"), slotted grille that looks like an HVAC vent, dual 6.5" Paper/Kevlar cone long-throw drivers in a balanced design eliminating transmission of vibrations through the enclosure and into the surrounding walls, and a -3dB point in the mid-20's. With the external amp, the setup will run you $2k. The question is, how much is it worth to you to have a sub that you can't see?

If you have a client that likes the B&W sound (and there are lots of them) but don't want to spend a ton of cash on a speaker for their bathroom, the CI 300 series is an easy up-sell. The performance promises to be more than good enough for distributed audio or perhaps even as rear speakers in a surround sound setup. With an affordable price tag and the B&W name, these are sure to be winners. Of course, when a company is known for quality high-end audio, it's are usually NOT known for low-cost offerings. Be prepared to be surprised as B&W's newest in-wall/in-ceiling speakers are retailing for $300-$400 a pair.

One category of speakers that is often overlooked is ceiling mounted speakers for whole house audio applications. Integrating audio into both new construction as well as existing homes has become common, and for this article we will take a look at KEF's custom installation Ci Series in-ceiling speakers. Our project home consists of a dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, great room, dining room, master bedroom, master bathroom and back porch. After a few discussions with one of KEF's product line reps, we decided on several different models for each room or "zone" of the house. The home we installed the speakers in had very easy access to the attic above each room, making installation a pretty straightforward process for this project. The back porch does not have ceiling access, so we opted for a pair of bracket-mounted Ventura 6 weatherproof speakers.

Everybody seems to like speakers. I personally obsess about them. Maybe there are speakers better than mine. If so, I have to find them. But what about outdoors? Nobody seems to take into consideration good sound when you're in your backyard grilling or throwing a Super Bowl party. Well we do... well, I do... and when it came time to review the Boston Acoustics Voyager 7 speakers - I had just the spot. Up until these I had been running planter speakers - those are speakers that are cleverly hidden underneath a planter. Great product - different review. In any case, the emphasis with those was on style. With THESE speakers, Boston Acoustics is all about quality. I mean these are the largest outdoor speakers in their Voyager line. The Voyager 7s have an exceptional bass response for a bookshelf speaker and they are more than just the typical boom and sizzle solution, I mean they truly sound well-balanced. There seemed to be a tad of emphasis around the lower mid-range, but it was pleasing to the ears. When played loud, the tweeters aren't terribly fatiguing and they really project into a wider area, so these speakers are perfect for that backyard party.