Ceiling Speakers Redundant?

  • 25 November 2022
  • 2 replies
  • 42 views

Hi,

My kitchen is a T shape with the bottom/middle section configured as a “morning room” with a TV. The remaining area is supposed to have a pair of Monitor Audio CP-CT380-IDC ceiling speakers but they haven’t been fitted yet. 

I bought an Arc, Sub G3, Amp and a pair of One SLs for my lounge which hasn’t been finished yet and I’m sat here listening to them in my morning room. The trouble is that they’re so good, I’m thinking that there’s no point in fitting the ceiling speakers now!

I’ve had the ceiling speakers (fully enclosed) running from the Amp and they’re good but still inferior to the Arc/Sub (perhaps the Sub makes a significant difference). I might hook up the sub to the same zone as the ceiling speakers for a fair comparison.

I need a soundbar in my morning room anyway so does it sound crazy to use the ceiling speakers elsewhere and just go for another Arc/Sub for both TV and music?

Thanks :)


2 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +18

Hi @phykell 

Welcome to the Sonos Community!

There are no right answers here - it’s whatever you prefer. 

If you really want an outside opinion, then I would say as you’re fitting a TV to the Morning room anyway, yeah, go for the Arc and Sub. One point however - you don’t mention surrounds, so I presume it’s not something you want in that room. Therefore, an Amp with normal speakers on either side of the TV and In-Ceiling speakers in the Kitchen might be an idea for you. All 4 would play together all the time, so you would be able to hear the TV while cooking, or put on some music and not care that it’s in the other part of the T-shaped room too.

You can always buy and test, then return and replace if you’re not happy. Unless you are in Asia, you get 100 days to get a full refund - no questions asked - when buying direct from the Sonos Store.

I hope this helps.

Agree with Corry’s point of view on this, but a few things to add that may help you make a decision.

Ceiling speakers are generally not going to sound as good as speakers set at ear level.  The sound just doesn’t feel like it’s coming from the right location.  However, if you don’t have a clear spot in the room for a listening area, like you might in a kitchen space, then ceiling speakers make sense.  Also makes sense in a bathroom, hallway, etc.  Many people feel like there really isn’t a difference in sound quality (but there is) but really like the aesthetics of ceiling speakers.

The sub does make a difference, so your test is a good one.  However, if the ceiling speakers aren’t place in or near the ceiling, where you plan on installing them, you won’t get a great feel about how they will sound.

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