What Are the Different Types of in-Ceiling Home Theater Speakers?

There are many different types of in-ceiling home theater speakers that are very similar to the wall-mounted types, including center channel, surround, and subwoofer speakers. In fact, some in-ceiling speaker designs use adjustable angle tweeters to direct the sound into the listener's ears. Specialized speakers, called stereo input, are also available for small rooms that cannot fit a typical home theater system.

In-ceiling home theater speakers must be able to fit within the building's small construction spacing, especially if the structure has more than one floor. Most manufacturers will note which of their speaker models have an in-ceiling designation; the speaker will be installed flush against the ceiling's internal supports with a round grill covering the exposed surface. Many homeowners paint the speaker grill to match the ceiling's color shade to strategically hide the speaker system.

The center channel speaker should be installed directly above the television. This speaker provides crisp dialogue during a movie or television show. To generate the best sound from in-ceiling home theater speakers, it is imperative that consumers choose a high quality center speaker.

A complete home theater system normally has four surround speakers; two that are positioned to the left and right sides of the television, as well as two speakers behind the viewers. For an in-ceiling installation, these speakers should be tested at different positions on the ceiling before permanent holes are cut to install them. This position testing will allow the homeowner to hear the best sound output without causing any damage to the room.

Many manufacturers add an additional feature to in-ceiling surround speakers, called swiveling tweeters. Once installed, the individual tweeters inside the in-ceiling home theater speakers can be manually moved to point in any direction for the best sound quality. Tweeters provide the high frequency sound waves for voices and melodies during a movie or while playing music.

Although most subwoofers are positioned on the floor because of weight, many speaker manufacturers are creating lighter subwoofers for in-ceiling applications. Homeowners may want to experiment with different positions for this speaker type; subwoofers provide the low bass tones in music and during movie action scenes. As subwoofers produce a deep bass sound, some people may prefer to install them near the television or behind the viewers.

Stereo input in-ceiling home theater speakers are specialized devices that combine center channel, surround, and subwoofer sound levels into one assembly. Small rooms or long hallways are good areas for these speaker types so that listeners do not miss any part of their movie or music selection. These speakers have adjustable tweeters as well to customize the device for almost any room.