Built-in acoustics: description and reviews

High-quality built-in acoustics in the apartment provides excellent sound quality in almost any interior, completely hiding its source. At the same time, the world's leading brands produce such equipment, which in its technical characteristics is not inferior to standard floor systems, but it allows to provide an extremely compact arrangement to give the interior a perfect appearance.

Built-in acoustics can be purchased quite cheaply, which makes it, probably, the best solution for those who are worried about their interior.

What it is?

Such a system is a set of columns that are installed on the technology of flush mounting in walls, the ceiling or on the terrain, if it is a suburban area. The principle of operation of the equipment is extremely simple: instead of installing devices in a standard housing, the column is mounted in the ceiling or walls in almost exactly the same way as standard points of light. If you can correctly choose the right set of equipment, built-in speakers can produce an excellent sound, but the speakers do not interfere with the interior design, as they will be completely invisible.

What is included?

The main elements of such systems include the following equipment:

• Columns. To date, manufacturers offer special landscape, wall or ceiling columns. Also worth noting is a special kind of landscape equipment, called all-weather, and, accordingly, is characterized by the presence of a highly protected enclosure that allows you to safely use the equipment during rain, cold or other similar conditions.
• Subwoofer. A high-quality speaker system can not be called high-grade if it does not have a good subwoofer that will allow you to achieve rich and deep bass. That's why the built-in acoustics of leading brands are always equipped with additional subwoofers, also installed in the ceiling or walls.
• Control equipment and amplifiers. Built-in acoustics in the wall, as well as the standard, must necessarily have a central node in the form of an amplifier, which can be fed from several sources, starting from the mobile device and ending with some AV receiver of the home theater.
• Communications. In order to connect the speakers, a specialized acoustic cable is used, while it, respectively, is also hidden hidden in the walls, under the suspended ceiling or any other surfaces.

What are the advantages?

Many people who care about providing high-quality and pure sound doubt that the built-in acoustics in the wall or ceiling will give the same high-quality sound as the floor system. In fact, it's the other way around. Embedded equipment of leading companies can provide even better sound, especially if the room was originally planned correctly. If we talk about the main advantages that distinguish the built-in acoustics of Dali and other leading companies, we can note the following:

• The presence of special accessories, with which you can achieve the ideal acoustic characteristics of the speakers. For example, the same company Dali offers specialized enclosures with a bitumen-based damper, which completely eliminates the unpleasant rattling of the sound, providing an expressive, bright and clear sound system.
• Ability to ensure the most successful positioning of the speakers. By pre-positioning the equipment, you can get ideal indoor sound distribution parameters, creating a surround sound effect.
• The same loudness is provided throughout the whole object, that is, you can achieve an absolutely homogeneous sound in each room.
• Aesthetics and space saving. Hiding columns, you create harmony in the interior, and also completely eliminate it from any elements that may in the end look not very suitable.

That is why the built-in acoustics, according to users, in the apartment is considered a much more modern and optimal solution that will help you fill the interior with a really high-quality sound.

Features to consider

Quality sound when watching movies is as important as the image itself. In the selection process, you need to understand correctly how the acoustics are distributed. First of all, the best built-in acoustics can have several bands depending on the sound reproduction. The maximum possible number of bands is seven.

They also differ in the manner of installation (in the floor or in the ceiling) and in the installed speakers. At the same time, regardless of how the built-in Acoustics of Monitor Audio and other well-known companies will be mounted, quality equipment is installed equally easily.

What is the difference?

Specialized equipment is characterized by the presence of several types of configuration. Installation can be carried out in walls and ceiling, or devices are placed as evenly as possible around the room with or without wires.

It's also worth noting that the built-in acoustics significantly saves space, while you can choose which ones to use - a closed view or an open one. The latter system in most cases includes a speaker, frame, mountings and protection grilles. In the presence of a suspended ceiling, installation is a bit complicated by the fact that in addition it is necessary to lay a specialized insulating material.

Closed-loop systems provide a much more smooth and clear sound. Modern speakers in appearance resemble ceiling lamps, and therefore are ideal for any interiors. Excellent sound is provided due to a uniform distribution of the front and center channels.

The standard version of Acoustics 5.1 includes speakers that are evenly spaced around the room at the same distance, but the main disadvantage of the built-in home acoustics is that users call the wires, because there are a lot of them, and they need to be hidden somewhere. In most cases, they prefer to hide under the baseboard or simply use additional boxes, but to properly configure such equipment in any case it is better to take the help of a specialist. If you do not distinguish between the subtleties of sound and find fault with them, the built-in B & W acoustics may well please you and with your factory settings.

Wireless Equipment

Wireless acoustics is the most modern solution, which proves to be the most optimal in situations where there is no suspended ceiling or there is no possibility to hide the cable. Of course, if you use built-in acoustics, the ceiling plays an important role, but in some situations the wireless option becomes the only true one, although it has a higher cost. In such a system, the so-called satellites, which are located at the rear of the columns, are innovative, and wires are only suitable for them.

The advantage of such acoustics is that it differs in small dimensions, the ability to fit into any interior, saves space and does not require special installation. The amplifier for built-in acoustics is also often installed concealed, and in the walls can be mounted a central or two front channels.

Subwoofer

A standard set of acoustics necessarily includes such an element, and its location will already depend only on the desire of the owner. At the same time, it should be installed there, where the most optimal sound will be provided, and you can learn about it exclusively by experience.

Universal 5.1 system includes four front speakers and one central, in addition to this system, a subwoofer is connected. Such a package is called boxed, and if it also includes an additional subwoofer, the system as a whole rises to 5.2. Of course, there is no limit to the perfection of sound, therefore even today the class of acoustics is constantly increasing more and more, and it is already possible to purchase even a version of the equipment 9.2. If you want to save your money, the acoustics may not be in a boxed version, but in the form of an individual system, but for this it will be necessary to independently choose individual components.

Power

In the process of choosing high-quality acoustics, one needs to pay attention not only to sound, but also to power, since the volume will depend on this parameter. So, the power should be selected not only at will, but also taking into account the size of the room to install the system. If the room is large, the indicator in question should not be low, because you can finally be disappointed in your choice. Also, users are advised to use pedestals with built-in acoustics that provide high-quality sound.

Power, if desired, can be calculated independently, the most optimal option is to select with a calculation of 10 watts per square meter. All products have a nominal power, which is actually slightly less than indicated, depending on the model chosen. For small rooms with a small number of people, built-in speakers can have low power, and it's enough to use 100 watts for the whole room.

Helpful Tips

Independently choosing acoustics, many mistakenly believe that each component must necessarily be from one manufacturer. In fact, professionals often disagree with this opinion, and each company specializes in a certain segment of devices in a specific field. Select the most optimal component can only an experienced specialist who understands all the intricacies of production, while the combination of elements purchased by an unknowing consumer, can give the most unexpected result.

It is especially important to pay attention to the material of the case, and it is best to give preference to the tree. The use of cheap materials ultimately affects the sound of the device.

Also, you need to choose the right cables and they should not be saved if you want to enjoy really high-quality sound. The last factor to consider when choosing is the appearance of the system, as, as the users note, even the built-in acoustics should be liked by the owner with his design and color solution.

Decor

The diffuser makes it possible to convert an electrical signal into sound through air vibrations. In dynamics, they begin to spread directly to the listener and in the opposite direction. The standard set of acoustics includes columns, the design of which is divided into several basic types:

• Standard and common design of the speaker. In this case, the box is tightly closed, but has a hole through which the sound is emitted. In this case, the diffuser in the process of reverse sound movement provides an increase in the resonant frequency. It should be taken into account that the output power of sound waves is reduced, as a result of which such performance is characteristic of relatively simple and cheap acoustic designs.
• Bass reflex speakers are distinguished by the presence of a speaker device with the output of sound oscillations from the outside, for which a rigid tube is installed in the case, tuned to the resonant frequency of the head.
• A column with a labyrinth. From the previous differs in that in the body there are partitions, forming a channel for sound from the rear side of the diffuser. The length of the labyrinth is about half the sound wave of the lowest frequency.

The latter two types provide a significant improvement in the low frequency range of sound, and in cost and performance they look much more attractive compared to the bass reflex subwoofers. It is for this reason that such devices are so common.

Stationary

A built-in active speaker should be properly positioned in space to ensure the best sound reproduction, as experienced users advise. The front speakers should be at equal distance from each other and from the listening distance. It is also worth noting that between the frontal element and the wall it is important to sustain a gap of at least half a meter, and the distance between the columns themselves is at least two meters. In this case, the system 5.1 should be aligned according to the scheme of the rectangle, in the center of which the listeners will be provided, and exactly the same type of acoustics of type 7.1 will be placed. Additional dynamics experienced users recommend to strengthen at the same level with the listener.

The room

The built-in acoustics of Jamo and other well-known companies use such a principle, in which air transmits sound vibrations reflected off the room. Low-frequency sound and vibration can occur not only in the room, but also outside it, and if the walls will reflect well the sound, this will negatively affect its quality. Similarly, good acoustics are provided by the use of partitions with poor insulation.

The most optimal option in this case will be the walls that completely absorb vibration. To arrange such surfaces, mineral wool plates can be used. The worst option, judging by the feedback of users, is the premise of reinforced concrete, as sound waves will reflect and converge right in the center of the room.

Active acoustics

The difference between passive and active systems is the use of an amplifier. Active acoustics provide the possibility to regulate each of the speakers individually, and active dividing filters are used at the input of the amplifiers, which causes a sufficiently wide range of frequencies and excellent sound quality by connecting directly to the amplifier of the speakers. Each speaker has its own volume control, and convenient filtering is also achieved.

The only significant drawback of active speakers is that users need to connect wires to each individual speaker.