How Ceiling Speakers Work - Are they worth it?

Audio content is more accessible today than it has ever been. Streaming giant Spotify currently provides over 100 million tracks and 5 million podcasts, with Australians on average listening to nine hours and fifteen minutes of streamed content each week. While most of those nine hours are during the daily commute, streaming at home is on the rise. In a world of new builds and modern luxuries, installing a ceiling speaker system in your home or retail space has never been easier or more affordable.

Wireless Bluetooth ceiling speakers

Two main types of ceiling speakers

Bluetooth

Ideal for smaller spaces like garages, home offices, rumpus rooms or bedrooms, Bluetooth ceiling speakers are easy to install and are a cheaper alternative to large ceiling speaker systems. The only drawback is the limited range. Due to the amplifier size, only three passive speakers can be connected to the active speaker making for a maximum of four speakers in any one system.

A typical Bluetooth ceiling speaker setup will include a master speaker which plugs directly into a power outlet in the ceiling space, with up to three passive speakers providing additional sound. The master speaker will include a built-in bluetooth enabled amplifier, allowing a user to wirelessly stream directly from their smart device. With a range of 10m, the bluetooth signal will automatically connect and disconnect whenever you enter or exit the room, with no need to manually adjust settings each time.

Basic wiring diagram for Bluetooth speakers

Standard Ceiling

Available in sizes typically from 2" to 10", standard ceiling and surface mount speakers require an amplifier to provide power as well as an audio source. Most modern amplifiers include Bluetooth, AM / FM radio and USB inputs allowing for a range of options depending on your setting. Cafes, Restaurants and retail settings benefit from the ease of radio while offices and homes tend to utilise the flexibility of Bluetooth.

Standard ceiling speakers with rimless grille

The advantage of standard ceiling speakers is the range and flexibility is far greater. With a high-quality, multi-channel amplifier, large warehouses and multi-level homes can be wired back to a single control centre, taking on both indoor and outdoor, in-ceiling and wall mounted speakers.

Basic wiring diagram for standard speakers

In-Ceiling vs Surface Mount

Your speaker choice will generally come down to surface type or location. In-ceiling speakers are installed by cutting a hole in the gyprock or tile, then slotting into place and allowing the top of the speaker to sit in the ceiling space above. For a typical indoor setting, this provides a neat finish with all cabling sitting within the ceiling space.

For concrete, vaulted or inaccessible ceilings, surface mount speakers are ideal. They sit directly on any hard surface and can be positioned almost anywhere with just a few screws to fix them into place.

One main advantage of surface mount speakers is the waterproof and weatherproof option, making them the perfect choice for all outdoor areas. These can be run in conjunction with in-ceiling speakers for complete coverage of your space.

Outdoor wall mount speakers

Why choose ceiling speakers over a conventional bluetooth speaker?

Have you ever tried listening to a podcast at home while cleaning or moving between rooms only to miss out on crucial parts of the story? Or have you ever had a party and found the atmosphere is lacking outside or in an area where the music won't reach?
Ceiling speakers can provide consistent sound throughout your home no matter what room you're in or moving to, even in your backyard or outdoor space. The top three reasons you need ceiling speakers in your home or business are:

1. No batteries or charging cables
Forget about changing batteries or recharging your speaker every few hours, ceiling speakers run directly from mains power so all you need to do is switch it on and start streaming.

2. Sound coverage
When positioned correctly, ceiling speakers can provide consistent audio coverage throughout your space. Installing speakers in every room of your home or business allows you to move around freely without missing a thing.

3. Ambience
It's been proven by retailers across the world that playing the right music at the right time can relax and boost the mood of customers, leading to more time and ultimately more money spent at any particular shop. Cafes and Restaurants both adopt this theory, but it is also true in the home. When listening to our favourite music or podcast, it instantly increases our mood and overall wellbeing, even making mundane chores more bearable. 

Home speaker setup

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