Re: In-Ceiling Speakers VERY Mini Review

["mark_harrison_uk2" <mph@xxxxxxx>]

Rob,

Your sense of timing in uncanny. I have just got out the shower...

... a shower full of music ...

... which was also the reason I needed to shower ...

... since I've been up in the loft ...

... wiring up my in-shower Sonance speakers :-)

A somewhat cheaper version that Rob's, but great nonetheless. As Rob=20
says, not to the standard of "hi-fi" speakers, but my shower is
not=20
the ideal listening environment either :-)

Echo Rob's comments about "dream to fit". It was much harder for
me=20
wiring up the speaker cable, which was an awkard run, than it was to=20
actually fit the speaker.

Regards,

Mark

--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, "Rob Mouser" <rmouser@t...> wrote:
> Just down at our workshops spraying the grills to my latest speaker=20
addition. So while the first coat dries I though I would post my=20
findings.
>=20=20
> These units are the Sonance Virtuoso 831DR's.=20
http://tinyurl.com/kylh. I've
already got a barn full of Sonance=20
units and have to say that I am really impressed the quality. These=20
units were destined for my office but when I saw the size of them 'in=20
the flesh' I decided to move my Sonance Symphony 622TR's from the=20
lounge to my office and put these new ones in their place.
>=20=20
> The first thing that will strike you about these units is their=20
size. 12" wide with a 10" cut out. In-side you've got THREE
drive=20
units an 8" Woofer and then pivoted in the middle of that a 4"=20
midrange and 3/4" tweeter. The midrange and tweeter are pivotable,=20
the idea being that you can direct the sound stage at the listening=20
area.
>=20=20
> Now to fit these devils is nearly a two handed job, their not=20
light! My one gripe is that I would have liked to have seen some nice=20
screw down speaker terminals rather than those springy clip thingies.=20
With the QED 79 strand the barn is wired with they just don't feel=20
secure enough. Having said that the same exist on all the other=20
Sonance units I have and nothing has ever moved, just me being fussy=20
I guess.
>=20=20
> OK, so hole enlarged with a pad saw (The existing units were only=20
10" diameter.), cables attached. Pop the units into the ceiling and=20
tighten up the screws . I don't know what other ceiling speakers have=20
but Sonance units are a dream to fit, they have something called=20
Rotolock which are little arms that automatically move outwards=20
gripping the plasterboard surround as you do up the screws. They work=20
fantastically well and clamp the speaker down darn hard to the=20
plasterboard and even at VERY high volumes you get no resonance.
>=20=20
> When I originally put the 6.1 in the living room I build encloses=20
in the roof space between the ceiling joists and then filled them=20
with Rockwool, this I found helps with base response and stops the=20
sound from leaking to the rooms upstairs (Well a little anyway.)
>=20=20
> So what do they sound like? Quite simply.....stunning! OK, they're=20
not to the standard of a good quality set of floor standers BUT for a=20
set of in-ceiling units they are the highest quality I've ever come=20
across. They are rich, detailed and how they achieve a bass response=20
in the way they do defies belief. They acually make ALL the walls of=20
the loung resonate if you turn them RIGHT UP. But theres not a hint=20
of distortion. (For those that are interested they are being powered=20
by a Marantz 5200 Receiver.)
>=20=20
> So if you want audiophile quality sound from a set of ceiling=20
speakers then go for it, its the best I've heard yet.
>=20=20
> As with all things though quality comes at a price. They've got a=20
RRP of =A3820.00. Ouch......
>=20=20
> Oh well first coat will be dry on to the second.....
>=20=20
> Cheers
>=20=20
> Rob
>=20=20
>=20=20
>=20
>=20
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]