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For me a home theater without in-ceiling speakers is incomplete.
Any speaker layout from 5.1 or 7.1 for a surround sound system is good to give you a nice experience at your home. But to truly get the sound experience of professional cinema halls at your home with the Dolby Atmos and DTS effect.
You must install in-ceiling speakers to create that Dolby Atmos aroma in your theatre room.
The surround sound layout surrounds the audio around you from each side and the in-ceiling speakers shower the sound from above. And they both create a Dolby Atmos bubble around you.
Our Top Tested & Reviewed Products At A Glance
The movies and TV shows feel realistic within this sound bubble. This bubble cannot be created properly by floor-standing speakers only.
There is a Dolby Atmos height virtualization feature in many modern AV receivers. The brand claims that it can give you Dolby Atmos height without installing in-ceiling speakers.
But my friend installed in-ceiling speakers in the theatre room and the difference between Dolby Atmos with and without in-ceiling speakers was clear.
We were enjoying the Dolby Atmos better without this feature. We tested this feature with and without in-ceiling speakers but the realism touch was better with the in-ceiling speakers in action.
Now, without taking much time we should deep dive into the reviews.
You need installation help for the in-ceiling speakers that’s why I have included an instruction video for you at the end.
All Products At A Glance – Reviews Of Each Product Is below This Table
| Speaker | Power | Impedance | Back Electronics Condition | Price Range | Ratings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Micca M-8C | 100 Watts | 8 Ohm | Exposed | Under $100 | 4.9 |
| Yamaha NSIC800WH | 140 Watts | 8 Ohm | Covered | Under $300 | 4.8 |
| Silver Ticker 82C | 120 Watts | 8 Ohm | Exposed | Under $100 | 4.6 |
| Polk Audio RC80i | 50 Watts | 8 Ohm | Exposed | Under $300 | 4.4 |
| Goldwood CS-IC83 | 350 Watts Per Channel | 8 Ohm | Exposed | Under $200 | 4.2 |
| Pyle 6.5 | 200 Watts | 16 Ohm | Covered | Under $100 | 4 |
| Yamaha NS-IW280CWH | 60 Watts | 8 Ohm | Covered | Under $200 | 3.8 |
1. Micca M-8C – Best For Dolby Atmos
Specifications
Power: 100 Watts | Type Of Drivers: 2 Way| Sprayable Grill: Yes | Electronics At The Back: Exposed
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Is It For You?
For those who want clear dialogues with good quality mid and high-range sound and a little bit of punchy bass.
Build Quality
The build quality is good and the speakers without grills look premium. The tweeter and the woofer are integrated well and can support each other during the sound very well.
The back electronics are exposed and need protection from the ceiling insulation above.
Sound Quality
The mid and high range is pretty good and the dialogues and sound clarity are amazing. The bass is good and you don’t need a subwoofer for gaming and normal satisfying music.
I tested the Dolby Atmos on it when it was installed. The Dolby Atmos came to live on these speakers.
But keep in mind that every new speaker should be played on high volume or mid-range volume for at least two days after that you have to judge the quality of the sound.
Otherwise, for the first two days, the sound will be flat and a lot of time will be muffled.
Unique Features
The bass of this speaker is a feature that can stand out from the rest.
Detail Review Of Micca M-8C
These speakers are by a very renowned brand called Micca.
The sound is great, the dialogues are clear, and the bass is punchy. You don’t need a subwoofer with this speaker in many applications like playing music and video games but for the best home theatre experience, I will always recommend a subwoofer with it.
I will recommend this for the center channel because the voice and dialogues are very clear but you can use it in many more channels as well. Because the overall sound is pretty amazing at this price range.
The electronics at the backside are exposed so you have to cover it with the insulation above. When I first set it up in my friend’s house. The sound was Muddy and it was not delivering the expected bass.
At this stage, I was so embarrassed in front of my friend because he took me as a home theatre expert. That’s why I went a little further and changed the old outdated receiver with a new updated one. And I chose a power of 100-110 watts per channel for these speakers. The sound quality transformed and it is pretty amazing. But at this stage, the bass was not as expected.
I quickly headed over and enclosed the big electronic area and covered it With a wood baffle. Now the baffle protects the speaker from insulation and the bass is enhanced. Bingo! Win-win.
The installation is super easy. You get a cutout template in the box. You have to mark the cutout template edges and cut a space for the speakers in the drywall and then you don’t need anything else. You just have to screw the built-in mounting tabs and the installation is done. But if you are obsessed with the bass like my friend then you will also need a wood baffle for the speakers.
The grill and the outer edges of this speaker are paintable so they can blend into the surroundings perfectly.
For a cleaner look, you can hide on the ground speakers in the wall too. For that read my best in-wall speakers’ review. After that, you will get a truly immersive surround sound.
2. Yamaha NSIC800WH – Best For Convenience
Specifications
Power: 140 watts | Type Of Drivers: 2 Way | Sprayable Grill: Yes | Electronics At The Back: Covered
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Is It For You?
For Those who want sound with convenience at a good price.
Build Quality
The electronics are covered by Yamaha to protect them from the insulation or any other things above the ceiling that can damage the electronics. You don’t need to create an additional cover for the protection of the speaker.
If you are concerned about the sound spillover to the room above the ceiling, then you will have to create a cover for it to stop the spillover.
The binding posts are gold plated of a high force. It can hold the wires tightly.
Sound Quality
The sound is good and the build quality of the speakers prevents harshness and distortion in the sound even at high volumes. The woofer can catch up to the lower and mid-range quite well.
Unique Features
The convenience, sound, and good price.
Detail Review Of Yamaha NSIC800WH
This is a 2-way speaker by Yamaha with one woofer and an adjustable tweeter. That tweeter can be adjusted according to your sitting position.
The electronics at the back of the speaker are enclosed by Yamaha. This is a very good practice to protect it from insulation or dust. This will increase the longevity of the speaker and you can enjoy maintenance-free audio for very long.
The binding posts at the back of the speaker have force push springs and they are gold plated.
The front grills are paintable and they are magnetic. It can attach to the whole speaker firmly and can be easily removed. The best part of the grill is that it can cover the whole speaker and hence help you to blend the speaker better into the ceiling paint by spray painting it.
You also get a cutout template with these speakers along with a user manual in the box. The cutout template can be used to cut an error-free circular area in the drywall for speaker installation.
When I tested out in my friend’s house. The sound was deep and punchy. It was capable of creating a little bit of bass with it. Although the bass was good for music. But it is not recommended for a home theatre experience. You should have a separate subwoofer in your home theatre.
The speaker was capable of creating good sound on high volume without any distortion and was really good at catching up the lower and mid-range of the sound too. The music was good along with the low range levels and dialogues with it.
For the best experience, you should pair these speakers with the receiver for immersive sound. Read my best receiver under $1000 review to know more.
3. Silver Ticket 82C – Best For Entry Level Price & Bombastic Sound
Specifications
Power: 120 watts | Type Of Drivers: 2 Way | Sprayable Grill: Yes | Electronics At The Back: Exposed
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Is It For You?
For those who want Bombastic Sound on cheap.
Build Quality
The build quality is good and the high-duty magnetic is capable of syncing in properly with the voice coil.
Sound Quality
The sound is great and can’t get harsh on high levels and the loud music doesn’t feel noisy to the ears.
Unique Features
The very affordable price and amazing sound and build quality.
Detail Review Of Silver Ticket 82C
This is the 3rd best 2-way in-ceiling speaker by Silver ticket. Don’t get fooled by the cheap price because the sound quality of this speaker is amazing and can leave many high-end speakers behind.
The overall build quality is moisture resistant and the inbuilt tweeter is adjustable. So you can adjust it according to the position of your sitting area. Then it will shower the audio according to your test.
The magnet is big and very high-duty capable. It is tuned very well with the voice coil and that’s why it doesn’t produce harsh sound on very loud levels.
You get a cutout template and paint mask in the box.
The cutout template process is the same as other in-ceiling speakers. You will have to mark the edges of the cutout and then cut those marked areas of drywall to install the speaker.
The paint mask can be used to cover the tweeter and cone area to protect it while painting the grill. There is also a protector installed behind the grill to protect it from dust.
My friend was so pleased by the sound quality of these speakers installed in the 5.1 speaker layout.
But he emphasized more on the in-ceiling installation. He installed 4 of these speakers in the ceiling. Like front left and right and the rear left and right in the ceiling.
One Centre channel speaker was in front of him underneath the tv with the sub.
But this is not recommended if you want Dolby Atmos audio with complete surround sound effects.
For Dolby Atmos and complete surround sound, you must have a 7.1 or 5.1 complete speakers layout on the ground with a combination of two or four in-ceiling speakers. This will give you the perfect Dolby Atmos with surround sound.
But my friend is more into the showering sound from above.
For bombastic and immersive sound you should introduce a preamp to your theater system. Read my this review about the best preamp/processor review.
4. Polk Audio RC80i – Best For Detail Sound Quality
Specifications
Power: 50 watts | Type Of Drivers: 2 Way | Sprayable Grill: Yes | Electronics At The Back: Exposed
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Is It For You?
For those who want sound clarity on mid and high, that can truly create the Dolby Atmos bubble around you.
Build Quality
The build quality is amazing. It has a grill that can be Spray painted and can resist humidity.
But the back of these speakers is open and if you are having blow insulation in your ceiling. Then you will have to protect the back of the speakers from low insulation. Otherwise, the quality of the speakers and the sound get worse with time.
You have to protect every open-back speaker from blow insulations.
Sound Quality
The quality of sound is robust and can give you the feeling of a concert.
Unique Features
The clarity of sound and the convenience of blending into the paint of the ceilings.
Detail Review Of Polk Audio RC80i
This is the 2-way speaker by Polk audio. In the 2 way speaker, you get a woofer to work with low frequencies and a tweeter that will enhance the high frequencies of the sound.
These 2 in this speaker both work in harmony to spread the sound evenly in all directions and not only focusing it only on one area. This functionality is really helpful to enhance the Dolby Atmos capabilities in the audio.
The grill of the speaker is paintable. You can spray-paint this grill to match the color of your ceiling. It will blend in perfectly with the color of your ceiling. It will also give a stunning look to your home theatre room.
It comes with a cardboard cutout template that is of the same size as the speaker.
Don’t worry if you cannot drill the circle perfectly according to the cutout template. The speaker’s casing will cover that up.
My friend installed a pair of these speakers in his theatre room 10 years before and it is still delivering the best.
The sound quality is robust and I felt many more notes in my favorite music that I have never noticed before. I got the feeling of a concert when testing out these speakers.
For detailed dialogues, you must choose the best center channel speaker for your system. Click on the blueish words to read my review about it.
5. Goldwood CS-IC83 – Complete In-ceiling Home Theater Speaker System
Specifications
Power: 1750 Watts for the complete set and 350 per channel | Type Of Drivers: 3 Way| Sprayable Grill: Yes | Electronics At The Back: Exposed
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Is It For You?
For those who want a set of 5 speakers with good sound at an affordable price.
Build Quality
The overall build quality is good but you need additional work to protect the exposed electronics of the speaker from dust and blow-in insulation.
The grill is not made with proper engineering in mind.
Sound Quality
The sound is deep and punchy and can give a little bit of bass too but you will still need a subwoofer for the satisfying bass.
Unique Features
It comes with 5 in packs at an affordable price and good sound quality.
Detail Review Of Goldwood CS-IC83
You get 5 speakers in a pack and they are 3-way but still, they require a subwoofer. The bass of the speakers is good but still, the subwoofer will give a more noticeable effect to the whole audio.
You get the cutout templates for the speakers too. The installation was pretty easy but attaching the grill to the speaker was a hustle. Goldwood truly needs to improve the grill attaching. The grill is paintable that can blend into the paint of your ceiling.
The electronics at the back of each speaker are exposed and that can be damaged if you have a blow in the insulation above your ceilings.
You must have to protect it for the longevity of the speaker and the sound quality maintenance.
My friend bought huge plastic bowls from the store. He drilled a hole in each bowl. He passed through the wire across this hole to the speaker and covered the whole speaker with the bowl from the top. Then attach this bowl to the surface of the drywall with silicone.
Now his speakers are protected from Blow-in insulation.
This 5 in-ceiling speakers pack doesn’t mean that you should install the complete 5 speakers layout in the ceiling. Because for complete surround sound with the Dolby Atmos effect, you should have speakers in the ceiling and as well a complete surround sound layout on the ground. At this point, the speakers will create a virtual sound bubble across you and will give you the best Dolby Atmos quality.
But if you believe in the sound showering from above then you can go with this pack by installing one speaker as a center channel below the TV and 4 in the ceiling but still, you will need one subwoofer on the ground or in-wall or ceiling, wherever you are comfortable with it but you will need one subwoofer.
6. Pyle PDIC1661RD Pair – Best For Mid-Range Sound & Small Home Theaters
Specifications
Power: 200 Watts | Type Of Drivers: 2 Way| Sprayable Grill: Yes | Electronics At The Back: Covered
Today’s Best Deals
Is It For You?
For those who want speakers to add a nice touch to the background of the music.
Build Quality
The build quality is good, the back of the speaker is covered and the built-in mounting tabs offer convenience to its users.
Sound Quality
The sound is mid-range and fits only for normal home theater owners. The sound can’t satisfy audiophile people.
Unique Features
No feature but the included hook in the box for peeling off the grill is a good idea. I think other manufacturers should also include this for their users’ convenience.
Detail Review Of Pyle PDIC1661RD Pair
These are 2-way speakers by Pyle.
The tweeter is capable of delivering high range quite well and the woofer is catching up with the midrange pretty well.
This is a 2-way speaker. That’s why we cannot expect bass from it but since I have talked about the bass in other speakers that’s why I will throw my point-of-view about the bass of this speaker too.
The base is little to no existence in this speaker. That’s why you will need a subwoofer for all of the applications like gaming music and of course movies.
The electronics at the back are covered, that’s why you don’t need to protect it from insulation.
The installation is pretty easy because you get a cutout template and sticky tapes to attach the template to the ceiling and a hook to peel off the grill from the speaker. Including the hook in the box is very convenient and you will don’t have to run after the nail while peeling off the grill.
The sound is mid-range and good for normal use but if you are an audiophile then you will not like the sound quality. These are best only for giving a nice background touch to the whole audio.
Another good thing about this speaker is that the manufacturer is willing to give you a 30-day full refund guarantee with one year of warranty.
Read about the best wall mount speakers as well. Some will amaze you with their cool features.
7. Yamaha NS-IW280CWH – Best For Rear Surround Sound But It’s very pricey for that
Specifications
Power: 60 Watts | Type Of Drivers: 3 Way| Sprayable Grill: Yes | Electronics At The Back: Covered
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Is It For You?
Those who want good speakers for just rear surround sound. Avoid this speaker if you want it in other places for your home theater sound layout.
Build Quality
Build quality is good and the back electronics are covered
Sound Quality
The sound is lacking at the mid-range and bass. It is only good at high and upper mid-range and it loses crispness on loud music. At loud music, it feels unnatural.
Unique Features
Don’t have a feature that can keep it apart from other speakers on this list and still, it is more expensive than most of the speakers on this list. That’s why the best advice for you is to avoid it and go for another speaker.
This is a 3-way speaker by Yamaha, so a good bass is expected but the reality is different.
The sound is clear and crisp and the bass is little to no existence. But for effective bass, you will still need a subwoofer. This is really good for home theatre and surrounding sound because the sound is crisp.
The back of the speaker is covered, that’s why you don’t need an enclosure for that.
The installation is pretty easy and simple. You get a cutout template with stick-it tapes to stick it to the drywall and draw the line over the edges.
This is a 3-way speaker but cannot be used as a stand-alone speaker. They are the best fit for rear surround sound and the sound quality will be enhanced with the help of an external subwoofer.
The upper-mid and high ranges are good but there is not too little bass and the mid-range is not good quality.
The sound loses its crispness on loud music. The Sound is good if you keep it at normal volume. At least for me, it didn’t help.
Know more about rare speakers from my best satellite speakers’ review. You will know which features decide the position of a speaker.
FAQs
Are in-ceiling speakers good for home theater?
Yes, they are a must if you want to have the taste of the real Dolby Atmos sound effect at your home theater system. In-ceiling speakers create a Dolby Atmos sound bubble around you and you feel fighter jets and bullets like they are passing by you.
Can I use ceiling speakers for surround sound?
Yes, you can use it for surround sound but for the best quality, I will recommend that you install the 5.1 or your 7.1 surround sound on the floor and accompany it with 2 or 4 in-ceiling speakers for the true touch of Dolby Atmos.
What is the most important speaker in a Home Theatre?
The center channel is the most important but doesn’t just rely on it because it is only for clear sounds and dialogues. For the background effects, bass, and Dolby Atmos bubble you need a complete surround sound system.
Helpful Resources For The FAQs To Read More
- This was my opinion. Learn more from this Klipsch Blog. (Resource for the third answer)
