(Pocket-lint) – Ceiling and in-wall speakers give you all the benefits of room-filling sound while remaining out of the way of your furniture and out of sight. 

Whether you’re looking to install them as part of a home cinema surround sound setup, or you just want to discreetly have music filtered in all around you, these speakers have the potential to provide a more immersive and tidy experience.

Naturally, though, there are some things to consider before you jump in. Installing architectural speakers requires precision and a layout that both matches the room size, your furniture and perhaps your TV setup, too.

Plus, like every area of the industry, these kinds of speakers vary dramatically in their asking price and audio quality.

To help you navigate the niche realm of ceiling speakers, we’ve compiled this list of some of the very best to consider. 

Best ceiling speakers you can buy today

Polk Audio

Polk Audio RC80i

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Polk is a solid name when it comes to home audio, and the RC80i is a great example of how you don’t have to break the bank to install a household name into your setup.

In this set of two speakers, you’ll find an 8-inch dynamic balance woofer and a 1-inch tweeter, with the polymer cone and composite driver baskets helping provide balanced output with superb detail.

Like other models on this list, the rubber seal also prevents moisture from sneaking in, while installation is relatively simple out of the box.

Sonos

Sonos In-Ceiling Speakers by Sonance

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Sonos provides an intriguing high-end option, joining forces with architectural speaker brand Sonance to give users all the benefits of its multi-room audio in a ceiling speaker.

Designed to work with the Sonos Amp for Trueplay – which takes into account the size, construction and layout of the room and tunes the sound accordingly – and also with the wider Sonos range, it’s a great solution for those already embedded in the company’s ecosystem.

For those who want a more basic experience, or simply don’t care too much about the Amp and Trueplay integration, there are definitely other excellent-sounding options to consider.

Goldwood

Acoustic Audio by Goldwood CS-IC83

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For those who want to fill out their ceiling with these flush-mounting speakers, Goldwood’s CS-IC83 set is definitely one to consider. 

Five speakers are included in the set, each featuring an 8-inch woofer, 13mm dome tweeters and three-way passive crossovers in order to improve fidelity.

As they go, this Acoustic Audio set is also relatively straightforward to install. You receive a handy cutting template in the box, with the speaker’s four clamping clips sitting on the edge helping it stay locked in place once it’s all set up.

Amazon

Amazon Basics 6.5″ Round In-Ceiling In-Wall Mounted Speakers

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Those who want to remain on the entry-level end of ceiling speakers should keep this Amazon Basics pair in mind – the sound is respectable and the flush design is a breeze to install.

Packed inside each speaker (there’s also an 8-inch pair to consider) is a two-way system featuring a 6.5-inch composite woofer and a 1-inch tweeter, helping provide detailed audio reproduction and clear stereo separation between the two.

In the box, much like other models, you’ll also receive a template for your ceiling cut-out, as well as painting masks in case you want to spray them a different colour.

Micca

Micca M-6C

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Like other budget options, Micca’s M-6C comes with very strong sound capabilities, proving that you don’t need to spend wild amounts to bolster your home audio setup.

It offers two-way sound, with the 6.5-inch woofer and 1-inch tweeter assisted by a 6dB crossover and compensation network. This makes them a perfect complement to your home cinema setup, with the low-end frequency response proving excellent. 

They can also easily be painted, giving you a bit more flexibility when it comes to blending them into the room.

Klipsch

Klipsch R-1650-C

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Klipsch has plenty of in-wall and ceiling speakers for you to consider, but the R-1650-C is a great place to start looking.

It’s by no means the cheapest speaker on this list, but it is one of the most well-rounded in terms of audio output. It packs in a 6.5-inch woofer, 1-inch tweeter – both helping to provide clear, room-filling treble and midrange sound.

The mounting clamps on the underside also make it a very simple install, while the grill can be painted to match the space, too.

Writing by Conor Allison. Editing by Dan Grabham.