What is the Best Location for In-Wall Speakers?

In-wall speakers enable you to create the luxury interior design you are looking for. High quality sound and a permanent audio solution all without wires showing, invisible speakers are ideal for a seamless finish and crystal clear sound.

In this article, we will explore in-wall speakers further and discuss the best location to install them.

What is a Hidden Speaker?

An in-wall, hidden or invisible speaker is a discreet audio solution that is cut and mounted into the wall.

What is the Best Way to Hide Speakers?

They can be mounted in almost any environment and there are a number of ways speakers can be hidden:

1. Certain specially designed concealed speakers, such as the JBL C83, can be plastered over and painted, so the speaker is not visible.
2. More typical in-wall speakers come with grilles that can either be painted to match the surroundings or left to blend into a white wall.

How Do Invisible Speakers Work?

In-wall speakers work in the same way as traditional ‘box’ type speakers. They act in pairs to create a stereo experience and are most often wired up using speaker cables. These speaker cables are then run back to your amplifier (‘amp’). The amp is then linked to your whole house music system and/or your home theatre system, either internally or through another device called a streamer.

These systems allow you to control your audio from multiple devices; whether it’s a remote, dedicated touchpad, or mobile app. With these, you can change the music or adjust the volume at the touch of a button, stream your favourite artists, enjoy your favourite films or create a relaxing atmosphere that surrounds you completely with the best audio quality.

How Far Apart Should In-Wall Speakers Be?

Although this depends on the size of your space, there is a general rule of thumb that in-wall speakers should be less than 2 metres away from each other. They should be installed in pairs with around 2m between each speaker and ideally at least 1m away from adjoining walls.

Along the length of the room, any additional pairs should be placed at a similar distance: around 2m from the first pair. If the space is quite small, one dual tweeter speaker, such as a JBL Dual Tweeter model, should be positioned in the middle of the ceiling. Also, for larger spaces, it is often better to have 4 speakers rather than 2 larger ones, to make sure these are spread out evenly.

When installing in-wall speakers for your home cinema or TV system, you should consider your seating area as the most important place – this is where you will be enjoying the entertainment after all. Your pair of speakers should be mounted around 2m apart either side of the screen, aiming towards your seating area. If you’re creating a home cinema, you should install at least three speakers at the front around the screen (left, centre and right or “LCR” in speaker language) and two at the back facing the screen. It’s important to remember that most home cinemas require a subwoofer to create the best action-packed experience.

How High Should Wall Mounted Speakers Be?

In addition to working out the spacing between speakers, it’s also important to consider the height of them too. This depends on the purpose of the speakers and what kind of room they will be installed in.

For spaces that will entertain guests and host social events, in-wall speakers are best placed at around ear level when standing. This will enable music performances to be enjoyed no matter where people are standing or sitting in the room. If this space is also used to watch TV, this placement will be beneficial for surround sound and immersive effects.

For spaces dedicated for watching TV and films, such as a home theatre, it’s important to consider both the location of the screen and the location of the seating area. Generally, the front speakers should be at ear level when seated, one either side of the screen and one underneath as the “centre channel”. The surround speakers should be slightly above ear level and behind the listener. The subwoofer can be placed anywhere in the room, but it’s typically best to experiment with placement to find the spot that delivers the best bass response.

High Quality In-Wall Speakers from IMP

IMP are the exclusive UK distributor for the JBL Architectural range, one of the world’s most finely tuned speaker offerings. From invisible loudspeakers to architectural audio, their range includes models that work both inside and outside, with flexible fixing orientations and for home theatres.

The JBL Architectural Range offers a choice of in-wall speakers to cater for most budgets and desired sound quality. The JBL Concealed range combines patented technologies for immersive sound that is completely hidden from view.  

Take a look at our JBL in-wall speaker range today or get in touch with us to discuss your invisible speaker requirements.