SandTrap Blog Notifications > Sign Up Here
What is an Architectural Speaker?
An architectural speaker refers to a speaker installed in the ceilings or walls of your home.
I often refer to an architectural speaker system as car audio for your home;
Both cut a hole and insert a speaker into a wall/panel boundary.
The car audio comparison is not intended as a slight.
An architectural or car audio speaker system can deliver satisfying dynamic audio.
But let’s be clear – they are not in the same league as premium high-fidelity floor-standing
or stand-mounted loudspeaker systems.
My three fundamental speaker guidelines
These are introductory audio rookie guidelines.
• Bigger loudspeakers are better (generally) and more fun than smaller speakers.
• Align the loudspeaker mid-range/tweeter height at the listener’s ear level.
• Place the speaker away from room boundaries.
These are guidelines for a more perfect outcome.
But we don’t live in a perfect world.
Therefore, let’s discuss how to minimize the compromise.
Minimize the compromise
My guidelines are compromised when you do not allocate space for a floor-standing or stand-mounted loudspeaker and choose to install an architectural speaker.
Yet, you can still maximize the architectural speaker choice by minimizing the compromise with the following tactics.
Quality premium custom brand
Choose a speaker constructed with high-quality parts – woofer, tweeter, and crossover.
Select a premium brand such as Dali, Paradigm, B&W, Dynaudio, Origin, etc.
Avoid inexpensive generic-contractor-type speaker brands.
The woofer
Select a speaker with at least a 6-inch or 8-inch woofer.
By Hi-Fi standards, this is still a small woofer.
The small woofer may distort under demanding dynamic conditions.
So, experiment, protect the woofer from loud lower-frequency audio with a high-pass crossover, or select the small option in an AV receiver speaker setup menu.
Redirect the remaining lower-frequency audio to a discretely placed subwoofer.
Near ear level
Select and mount in-wall speakers at ear level.
If that’s not an option install the in-ceiling speakers.
But consider in-ceiling speakers that can be aimed, downward, toward the listener.
The downward aim feature is not perfect. But it can help.
However, if this is a surround sound system place a conventional cabinet-enclosed center speaker at the TV location. A center speaker placed near the ear level can appear to draw the left/right in-ceiling sound closer to the ear level.
Place the speaker away from the room boundary
An architectural speaker obviously forfeits this guideline.
A speaker mounted in a room boundary will add near-field diffraction, compromising stereo imaging.
The boundary location may also excite unwanted distorting room modes.
Fortunately, the high-pass filter or small speaker menu setting may also minimize potential room mode issues. Engage a properly placed subwoofer to reproduce low-frequency bass audio.
Should I install a back box enclosure?
Should you install a back box enclosure?
This question shows up in online web searches.
As a rule, the answer is no, unless specified by the manufacturer to improve performance.
But why not?
An unspecified back box can compromise performance.
More on that in a moment.
Yet, some seek a back box to keep attic insulation from falling into the speaker frame/basket.
A layer of cheesecloth behind the speaker is a good option.
Engineered architectural speakers
Premium manufacturers engineer their architectural speakers for an intended enclosure volume.
I sourced the following information from reputable manufacturers, plus decades of audio experience.
In-wall architectural speaker
Unless the speaker includes an engineered cabinet, better premium in-wall speakers are designed for a sealed enclosure of about 2.79 cubic feet — 2-inch x 4-inch wood studs, 16 inches on-center, and drywall by eight feet high.
This describes typical residential wall construction.
A smaller cavity compromises low-frequency bass performance.
In addition, consider this installation tweak.
Seal the drywall at the wood studs with chalk/adhesive and additional drywall screws.
In-ceiling architectural speaker
Unless the speaker includes an engineered cabinet, better in-ceiling speakers are designed for an infinite baffle enclosure. An infinite enclosure volume equals more than ten times the VAS specification of the woofer. Yeah right, try to find the VAS specification of an architectural speaker.
However, two reputable manufacturer and credentialed techs told me five or more cubic feet meet
the in-ceiling speaker infinite baffle spec. Your attic easily meets this spec. Even a vaulted ceiling, depending on rafter and brace spacing, can meet this spec.
Construction is critical
It should be no surprise.
The construction of a speaker cabinet is important …. critical.
Wood wall studs and ceiling joists are a solid start.
But drywall (paper, chalk, & glue) compromises the enclosure’s rigidity.
Drywall mechanical/acoustical resonance creates distortion — from the mid-bass through the vocal range.
Three construction options.
1. Construct the wall or ceiling surface with hardwood.
2. Construct a wood sub-baffle of medium-density fiberboard (MDF) and attach it to the studs/rafters.
3. Install the SandTrap Architectural Speaker Tuning System.
The 1st option is expensive.
The 2nd option is less expensive and particularly easier if installed before the drywall.
The 3rd, my favorite, is the easiest-to-install and effective option. But I’m highly biased.
I am the creator/owner of the SandTrap Architectural Speaker Tuning System.
My SandTrap received a CEDIA Tech-Starter Award and has been granted a U. S. patent.
My SandTrap minimizes the compromise of distorting drywall resonance.
It rescues the audio you paid at lower time and materials costs.
The SandTrap
Only $69.99 ea.
The SandTrap easily installs through the speaker cut-out.
Your custom architectural speaker simply clamps to the SandTrap.
It reclaims the performance you paid for.
And we have the data to back this claim.
Select our SandTrap Product Specifications Link.
