# Hidden Speakers



## bruceburnsav (Jul 6, 2010)

Hello - Quick question 

I am redesigning my home theater, and am tired of either a choice between ugly/bulky loudspeakers or sonically impaired in-walls. Does anyone know of a good hidden speaker company/product? And I mean completely hidden, as in, not even a visible grille.

Thanks!

Bruce


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## drdoan (Aug 30, 2006)

Welcome to the Shack, Bruce. Have fun. Dennis


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Welcome aboard Bruce! There are many options but at a cost. Do you have room to do an acoustically transparent screen? You can place all your front speakers behind the screen and out of sight.


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## bruceburnsav (Jul 6, 2010)

unfortunately, no. I already bought my television. I was interested in getting a screen, but it's hard finding a screen/projector combination that works in daylight - and I don't always want to watch TV in the dark. 

I have already checked out one hidden speaker company, Solid Drive. My neighbor has Solid Drive outdoor speakers (the ones shaped like rocks), and also Solid Drive in his kitchen and dining room. However, I found the sound to be fairly disappointing (especially for the price). I was just wondering if anyone had experience with other hidden speakers? I still love the idea of hearing and not seeing (it does add a real level of "magic" to the house).


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## Guest (Jul 12, 2010)

I've "heard" that in-wall speakers can be improved by attempting to create a in wall box to at least simulate the right enclosure, but a tunned box is always going to be the best.

I'm not aware of anything invisible on the market. In-walls with painted grills seem to be the best sleeper install available.

I hope someone can prove me wrong on that. :rofl:


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## bruceburnsav (Jul 6, 2010)

Yeah, I definitely agree about the back-box. I have used them in the past, and they do make a significant difference for in-walls.

I just did a little google searching and came across these companies, anyone "hear" of them? Amina, Stealth Acoustics, and Lucidity.


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## salvasol (Oct 31, 2006)

Never heard of them... but looking online, those are in-wall speakers (not sure if that's what you're looking for).

I did a search...looooong time ago, I found some products but web page is gone. I did find this new page http://www.araccessories.com/accessoryspeakers/ and I'm sure is the same company (before was audiovox products).

I build some boxes to hide my speakers... but I used them for maybe a month (I changesd my speakers).

I think your best option is to DIY something to hide the speakers.


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## Prof. (Oct 20, 2006)

I've seen Stealth Acoustics (well I haven't really because I had to shown where they were in the room!) and heard them..
They are completely invisible in the walls..no grills or anything to show, it just looked like a completely plain plaster wall, and they sounded quite good as well .


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## nova (Apr 30, 2006)

Hmm,.. you could look into something like Masquerade Speakers. Don't have any idea how they sound though...

EDIT: Visit Masquerades' website with caution... several anti-virus red flags are going off.


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## eugovector (Sep 4, 2006)

More on Stealth Acoustics from my frequent co-host Jim Addie of Platinum Home Theaters:

AT screen no longer necessary! Now, their speakers aren't the world's finest, but not bad, and with a bit of Audyssey, could be good. We sell them, just installed a half dozen in a house. They also have a sub! Serious high end sound, no...but if front projection, painted screen and no visible speakers is the goal, not a bad compromise. One strong point is good wide dispersion, almost 180 degrees. The speakers are not killer expensive either. Part of our line of "invisible" systems, which also includes Artcoustics, which I'm auditioning on the trip before I rave. The aren't invisible, but can look like artwork, so the still vanish as speakers.


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## bruceburnsav (Jul 6, 2010)

thanks for all the help! I'm definitely going to be kept busy this next week looking over all of your suggestions. I have a mutual acquaintance in the A/V business in California, and he also mentioned stealth acoustics, but said he had some contacts in the area who could shed more light on the invisible speaker market. On a bright note, though, I received my new Denon AVR-4810CI A/V Receiver. It's going to be a hard day at the office!


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## eugovector (Sep 4, 2006)

Just keep in mind that there will be compromises that you can't overcome. If at all possible, the more visible you can make your speakers (Grills, in wall boxes, protruding slightly from the wall) the more performance you'll get and the more money you'll save.


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## Matteo (Jul 12, 2006)

I listened to these at the CES show, and they weren't bad. I wouldn't ever use them for a dedicated theater room or anything, but they work fine for multizone systems and listening to music around the house.
http://www.aminatechnologies.com/speakers/aiw-prod.html

Never heard of these, but looks cool
http://www.invisiblestereo.com/html/behind_the_scenes.html


Matteo


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## Spuddy (Jan 2, 2010)

Why don't you just get some good-sounding floor speakers and hide them in plain view as something else? Flower pot on a pedestal over here, foot rest over there, small end table, etc., be creative! This way will give you much greater leniency on choosing quality speaker sound while still being able to keep them out of sight


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## Owen Bartley (Oct 18, 2006)

They may have been covered in the above, because I can't remember the name of the company or product, but I do remember reading about on-wall speakers that were disguised as paintings quite a few years ago. They aren't invisible, but can look completely like something else, and the paintings were pretty customizable I think.


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## fitzwaddle (Aug 25, 2010)

Another option would be to flush mount (recess) quality in-walls (Triad, Hsu), and hide them behind acoustically transparent fabric wall covering (GOM FR701).


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## nholmes1 (Oct 7, 2010)

I've used stealth acoustics and sound advanced before them, both are decent at doing what they are intended to do, provide sound while being invisible. I have done up to 20 pairs in a home before for background music and they excelled at that. 

That said I wouldn't put them in my home for a theater setup as they are rather inefficient and they are also a little rolled off on the high end. They both have a compensation circuit which should be purchased that helps with the frequency range but still aren't what I would consider a true hi-fi speaker.


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## Andre (Feb 15, 2010)

I will have to agree with holmes. The steath and Solid Drive speakers systems are great for whole home audio. But for nice HT I couldn't bring myself to do it. There are many bulky yet beautiful floor speakers out there, Sonus faber for instance. In-walls that are not sonically impared and their grill almost have a art like quality? Take a look at the Martin logan Architectural Series


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## benbo (Jul 27, 2010)

I may be showing my age but about twenty five or so years ago I remember a guy coming into a stero shop wanting to trade a pair of McIntosh mono blocks along with, I believe, a pair of Pioneer speakers that hung on the wall and looked like paintings. If I recall, the grill cloth could be changed so as to present a different picture from time to time. 
This event stuck in my mind beause he was trading the package in on a Marantz receiver. I cried all the way out of the stereo shop. I cried for two reasons, I coud not afford the mono blocks on my salary, and the shop owner had a look on his face that let me know that he knew it wasn't an even swap. Well you live and learn. Ben


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

Paradigm makes some awesome in-walls that have backboxes, however they come at a premium cost. I believe they are the Millenia series.:T


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## GranteedEV (Aug 8, 2010)

RBH Sound. They have paintable in-wall speakers that'll go head to head with any other speaker in the same price range and have a very respectable showing.


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