Critique My Inwalls Choices

[New2ML]

I am building a new house, and have searched high and low for the best option for inwall or onwall speakers. I have listened to as many as I can find. Following is my selection.

Voyages for L&R
Passage for center
Tickets for rears.

All to be mounted horizontally.

A difficulty in the room is that all speakers simply must be mounted higher than optimum ... above doorways in the rear, and a bit higher than that in the front. The tweeters that can be aimed are one feature that causes me to go with these choices. Seating area will be roughly 12 or 14 feet back from the front wall.

Opinions and comments?

 

[LOGANLOVE]

you should do a voyage for you center also. then passage for rears.

 

[Rich]

Is this mostly for movies, or also for music? I can't imagine you will get very good sound with your main left and right speakers mounted horizontally and up high. Since your requirements force you to mount all the speakers so high, you may be better off from a cost/performance standpoint going with the Helos in-ceiling speakers all the way around.

 

[DaVinci Media]

I would try to get all Voyages for Left, Right and Center, and passages for rear if within budget. If not Tickets are ok for rear, but dont skimp on the center. We have used the Voyage Passage combo in some pretty high end theaters and they sound fantastic. Make sure you use a Descent i with them to get the best blend.

Where are you located? Maybe we can help you out with the purchase.

 

[New2ML]

I would try to get all Voyages for Left, Right and Center, and passages for rear if within budget. If not Tickets are ok for rear, but dont skimp on the center. We have used the Voyage Passage combo in some pretty high end theaters and they sound fantastic. Make sure you use a Descent i with them to get the best blend.

Where are you located? Maybe we can help you out with the purchase.

Everything is a tradeoff of course.

Dimensions come into play. The front wall has a fireplace in the center, with the TV to be mounted over it. To the left is a built-in bookcase, with the left to be mounted above. To the right is a doorway, with the speaker to be mounted above. The entire wall to be trimmed in wood / raised panel and so forth. Any way you slice it, squeezing in speakers in a manner that looks decent but sounds good is a challenge. Even with the 10 ft. ceilings I'll have.

My local dealer was pushing Frescoes, but black onwall speakers set on the surface of raised panel molding would look like hell.

I was planning to use a Grotto for the sub. Is that an issue?

Bigger / better / more expensive speakers are always better, but my home construction is already way over budget. At some point you just have to say "enough".

I have a dealer. I'm located in MD. But thanks for the offer.

 

[New2ML]

Is this mostly for movies, or also for music? I can't imagine you will get very good sound with your main left and right speakers mounted horizontally and up high. Since your requirements force you to mount all the speakers so high, you may be better off from a cost/performance standpoint going with the Helos in-ceiling speakers all the way around.

I have not been able to listen to a Helos, but it is hard for me to picture an in-ceiling speaker aimed mostly down but angled a few degrees toward a listening area, as being better than an inwall sized many times the size of the ceiling speaker, aimed mostly out toward the listening area with a tweeter that can be aimed right at it. What am I missing?

 

[DaVinci Media]

I have not been able to listen to a Helos, but it is hard for me to picture an in-ceiling speaker aimed mostly down but angled a few degrees toward a listening area, as being better than an inwall sized many times the size of the ceiling speaker, aimed mostly out toward the listening area with a tweeter that can be aimed right at it. What am I missing?

The Helos 100 is designed to be used as an LCR or Surround. It has a switch for spot or wide dispersion of the tweeter. Because of this it is actually more flexible for installations than the ticket. The ticket tweeter is also fixed so you cant move it to aim at the listener, the Helos can be rotated in the cavitiy to turn the tweater towards the listener. If the Helos will work for you, it could easily give you better sound than the ticket as a surround.

 

[New2ML]

The Helos 100 is designed to be used as an LCR or Surround. It has a switch for spot or wide dispersion of the tweeter. Because of this it is actually more flexible for installations than the ticket. The ticket tweeter is also fixed so you cant move it to aim at the listener, the Helos can be rotated in the cavitiy to turn the tweater towards the listener. If the Helos will work for you, it could easily give you better sound than the ticket as a surround.

Wow, Shawn that is great info. Many thanks for that advice.

As I think I mentioned, I have not been able to hear a Helos so have been flying blind on that option.

I have heard the Voyage, and was impressed. I have heard the Passage in less than optimal conditions, and it struck me as being a nice speaker, but not as nice as the Voyage (little wonder, at half the price). I have not heard the Ticket... the use of them was an act of faith, but apparently misplaced faith.

Thanks again for the info and advice.