Elite Selection: Premier Ceiling Speaker Choices

You should invest in good speakers if you value sound quality in yourhome theater . Installing ceiling speakers can save you floor space and prevent you from having to hide wires - if you’re prepared to put up with the extra hassle of installing them.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Polk Audio RC80i at Amazon $249

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Easiest Installation:

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Polk Audio 70-RT at Amazon $199 $161

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Best Budget:

Pyle PDIC60 In-Wall/Ceiling Speakers at Amazon $60

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Best Sound:

Klipsch CDT-5650-C at Amazon $139

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Best Theater:

Acoustic Audio by Goldwood 3-Way In Ceiling Home Theater Speaker Set at Amazon $150

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Best Splurge:

Bose 791 In-Ceiling Speaker II at Amazon $599

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Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links

If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Best Overall

Polk Audio RC80i

Polk Audio RC80i 2-way Premium In-Ceiling 8" Round Speakers ](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006BMQT/?tag=lifewire-onsite-prod-20&ascsubtag=4142893%7Cn9cec4937bc934db382dce3e3f8b5427519%7CB00006BMQT )

PHOTO: Amazon

$213 at Amazon $249 at Walmart $250 at Best Buy

Pro

• Moisture resistant
• Come as a pair
• Adjustable tweeter

Cons

• Connection clips instead of cylinders
• Non-magnetic grilles

Manufactured from moisture-resistant, durable material, the Polk Audio RC80i can be used indoors or in a sauna or porch area (although they’re not suitable outdoors). We chose them as our top pick because they offer design and sound quality benefits, yet they come at a much lower price than higher-end speakers.

Our product tester Erika found the RC80i had exceptional sound comparable to speakers double their price. They produce a warm sound that fills an entire room and are adjustable on a 15-degree swiveling mount, so it’s easy to make the sound hit precisely where you want. Their white coloring helps them blend in and makes them hardly noticeable on a white ceiling, but you can paint the grilles to match your ceiling if it’s a different color (although the grilles are not magnetic). They also come as a pair.

Channels : L and R |Bluetooth : No |Physical Connection : Push-down spring clips |Paintable/Magnetic Grills : Paintable |Waterproof : Humidity resistant

Easiest Installation

Polk Audio 70-RT

Polk Audio 70-RT 3-Way in-Ceiling Speaker ](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057XVZ72/?tag=lifewire-onsite-prod-20&ascsubtag=4142893%7Cn9cec4937bc934db382dce3e3f8b5427519%7CB0057XVZ72 )

PHOTO: Amazon

$161 at Amazon $199 at Walmart View on Rcwilley.com

Pros

• Paintable grilles
• Good mid tones and bass
• Easy install

Cons

• Pricier than some other Polk options

Known as ‘the vanishing series,’ the Polk Audio 70-RT is a single speaker outfitted with a super-thin grille that magnetically secures the speaker together while protruding a mere 7mm from the ceiling. This makes for a speaker that’s barely noticeable from a distance.

Despite its small diameter, it sounds good overall, with a robust sound profile.

Channels : L and R |Bluetooth : No |Physical Connection : Spring-loaded cylinders |Paintable/Magnetic Grills : Paintable and magnetic |Waterproof : No

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Best Budget

Pyle PDIC60 In-Wall/Ceiling Speakers

Pyle PDIC60 In-Wall/Ceiling Midbass Speakers ](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007LCL90?tag=lifewire-onsite-prod-20&ascsubtag=4142893%7Cn9cec4937bc934db382dce3e3f8b5427519%7CB0007LCL90 )

PHOTO: Amazon

$60 at Amazon

Pros

• Very affordable
• Reasonably good sound
• Easy install

Cons

• No magnetic grilles

Designed for wall or ceiling installation, the Pyle PDIC60 speakers are about as cheap as you can go while still getting a decent ceiling speaker. They come as a pair of 6.5-inch speakers, and while you won’t get upgrades such as magnetic grilles and the sound isn’t as powerful as more expensive speakers, they will still serve as an upgrade over most regular TV speakers. They’re also a good choice for a kitchen or other areas in the home. However, we would not recommend these for someone who wants speakers for a premium home movie theater.

The bass delivered from the Pyle isn’t bad, but it does tend to distort slightly when you crank the volume up to full blast, so it’s best to go with a separate,affordable subwoofer if you want full bass.

Channels : L and R |Bluetooth : No |Physical Connection : Push-down spring clips |Paintable/Magnetic Grills : Paintable |Waterproof : No

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Best Sound

Klipsch CDT-5650-C

Klipsch CDT-5650-C ](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0074WWK3W?tag=lifewire-onsite-prod-20&ascsubtag=4142893%7Cn9cec4937bc934db382dce3e3f8b5427519%7CB0074WWK3W )

PHOTO: Amazon

$130 at Amazon

Pros

• Phenomenal sound
• Gorgeous design
• Quality build

Cons

• Don’t pair well with non-Klipsch speakers

This Klipsch series is a favorite among our reviewers, as the speakers sound so good. The CDT-5650-ii comes at a steep price and is only a single speaker.

The audio is crisp and accurate, with the highlights being the mids and lows. There’s also a surprising amount of bass, which is unexpected for in-ceiling speakers.

Remember that you’ll need to buy at least two for stereo sound, as they don’t sound good paired with non-Klipsch speakers.

Channels : L and R |Bluetooth : No |Physical Connection : Spring-loaded clips |Paintable/Magnetic Grills : Paintable and magnetic |Waterproof : No

Klipsch’s New Flexus Sound System Is Now Available

Best Theater

Acoustic Audio by Goldwood 3-Way In Ceiling Home Theater Speaker Set

Acoustic Audio by Goldwood 3-Way In Ceiling Home Theater Speaker Set ](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DDYB5O0?tag=lifewire-onsite-prod-20&ascsubtag=4142893%7Cn9cec4937bc934db382dce3e3f8b5427519%7CB00DDYB5O0 )

PHOTO: Amazon

$150 at Amazon $150 at Walmart

Pros

• Come as a set of five
• Thin, paintable grilles
• Good value

Cons

• Push-down clip connections

The Acoustic Audio CS-IC83 is a decent set of five solid entry-level home theater ceiling speakers.

As with most ceiling speakers, you’ll want to add a separate subwoofer if you like booming bass.

The paintable frame and grille offer easy installation and the flexibility to change the look to match your home’s paint coloring.

Channels : L and R |Bluetooth : No |Physical Connection : Push-down spring clips |Paintable/Magnetic Grills : Paintable |Waterproof : No

Best Splurge

Bose 791 In-Ceiling Speaker II

Bose Virtually Invisible 791 In-Ceiling Speaker II ](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013WQIDAW?tag=lifewire-onsite-prod-20&ascsubtag=4142893%7Cn9cec4937bc934db382dce3e3f8b5427519%7CB013WQIDAW )

PHOTO: Amazon

$599 at Amazon $599 at Walmart $599 at Adorama.com

Pros

• Come as a pair
• Blend well into ceiling
• Magnetic grilles

Cons

• Pricey

The Bose 791 speakers are 7 inches wide and have Bose’s signature Stereo Everywhere technology for balancing the sound in an entire room.

The easy installation pairs with an ultra-slim bezel that makes this Bose model drop right into the ceiling (via a precut hole) and is secured in its position with dogleg clamps. They have a detachable speaker grille that can be removed and painted to fit your room’s decor. As with the Bose 591, we appreciate the Bose 791’s design and build quality.

Channels : L and R |Bluetooth : No |Physical Connection : Spring-loaded cylinders |Paintable/Magnetic Grills : Paintable and magnetic |Waterproof : No

What to Look For in a Ceiling Speaker

Style

If you want your speakers to be as discreet as possible, choose a style that matches the color of your room. Paintable grilles let you match the ceiling speaker’s color to that of your ceiling, while thin profile designs help the speaker blend in.

“The size of the room where you want to install a ceiling speaker will determine your chosen type. Ceiling speakers come in two different sizes: 6.5 inches and 8 inches. The smaller speakers typically work well in small to medium-sized rooms. An 8-inch ceiling speaker is better suited to spacious rooms, as the bass volume is higher,” says Sylvia James, Designer atHomeHow .

Installation

If you’re paying for professional installation, this isn’t as big of an issue. Still, if you’re putting these ceiling speakers in yourself, you want to choose a model that has simple instructions and provides for easy mounting, with dogleg clamps and a template for cutting a hole. The last thing you want to do is accidentally cut too large of a hole for your speakers, so pay attention to how easy (or difficult) installation is on the speakers you’re interested in.

Sound Quality

When choosing ceiling speakers, you’ll probably have to balance price and sound quality. The question is, how much are you willing to pay for a great sound? You can choose stereo sound and go with just a pair of speakers, or go with a full surround sound setup with five speakers and a woofer. Also, pay attention to metrics such as frequency response, which indicates the range of tones the speaker can produce.

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FAQ

• Will the distance of your speakers from the audio source affect your sound quality?
  Yes—while it’s not always possible, you’ll want to keep the cable tethering your speakers to your receiver as short as possible for the best audio quality. However, your sound quality won’t suffer much unless they’re 25 feet or more from your receiver. For any wired speakers, you should use a 14-gauge cable and potentially use a 12-gauge cord for any speakers extending past 25 feet from the receiver.
• Does Best Buy do in-ceiling speaker installation?
  Best Buy does offer wall and ceiling speaker installation throughGeek Squad . You can consult with a Best Buy Home Expert for free to get an estimate of how much the installation will cost. Best Buy will do everything from mounting and securing the speaker, concealing the wire, organizing the cables, correctly positioning the speakers, and showing you how to use them.

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