Jensen speakers - inceiling/inwall

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mailmarshall

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#141388 11-Mar-2014 11:00

Hi

Anyone got any feedback on Jensen speakers - inceiling/inwall. I will need a mix of both due to the way we did our rennovations.

Inwall = EHT 6 OR Elite 101
In ceiling = EHT2

Thanks

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#1002683 11-Mar-2014 11:23

hmm, i work for MailMarshal :)

and I have the EHT8s and EHT4s and the center EHT5.

i think theyre good. EHT4s I have 4 in my masterbedroom as front/backs. i have two EHT8s and 1 EHT5 in my lounge as the front/centers and 4 EHT5s as the surround and back surrounds.

they can get pretty loud, loud enough for music around the house when people are over etc.

installing them was pretty easy. I've had them for a year now.

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Jaxson

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#1002723 11-Mar-2014 12:07

I've got some budget Hills 8" inwalls in my lounge. I'd recommend making a good cavity for the fronts at least, so put some light filling in there, insulation probably so it's not flammable.

I found them to be very non linear, so a receiver that has a microphone for equaliser setup is ideal for these. Expect to use a subwoofer for the real low bass output, and consider ensuring a slightly higher than normal cut off to prevent resonance within the wall panel.

For anyone starting out from scratch, give a lot of thought to layout design to avoid the likes of wall studs falling where you want to insert your speaker

Dunnersfella

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#1004549 12-Mar-2014 20:58

Jensen are cheap - but if you're putting them in the wall you better be pretty darned sure about their performance. Can you listen to them in a demo room first?

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#1004557 12-Mar-2014 21:11

Even the best in-ceiling and in-wall speakers sound worse than free-standing speakers.
And you can't move them.
And it's hard to repair or upgrade them.
And the wiring is a pain.
If you really like music, use a real in-room hi-fi system that you can tweak or upgrade as the years pass. :)

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richms

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#1004561 12-Mar-2014 21:13

Surplustronics had some inwalls which a friend put in their place which has since been sold. Pretty average sounding but all inwalls I have heard have been.

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driller2000

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#1004576 12-Mar-2014 21:35

i know they are less intrusive - but meh ............

but i have never met an in-wall speaker i liked and i doubt i ever will given how crap gib is as a speaker cabinet material

richms

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#1004578 12-Mar-2014 21:37

The expensive ones need a box to go in the wall pre-lining going on, which is usually a big plastic thing that the speaker goes into and should be a lot better, but IMO you cant beat a giant well braced MDF box for your speaker needs. Plus you cant toe in an in wall speaker to get better imaging.

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Jaxson

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#1004625 12-Mar-2014 22:33

With little kids they are awesome, as there are no cables anywhere. Wall mount the TV and then everything is up off the ground :-)

Outright I need to be clear that I'm not saying they're amazing, but I'd rate them about as much as I rate the golfball sized speakers and a certain other brand that does that type of thing also...

Expect gaping holes in your frequency response capabilities, but if you're ok with that I do think they have their place.

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#1004637 12-Mar-2014 23:10

Jaxson: ... Outright I need to be clear that I'm not saying they're amazing, but I'd rate them about as much as I rate the golfball sized speakers ...

Golfball-sized speakers sound terrible - why are you comparing sound quality with them?
If you absolutely must use in-wall or in-ceiling speakers be prepared to spend several thousand dollars just to get "adequate" sound.
For the same amount of money you could get good free-standing speakers or even decent wall-mount speakers mounted above child level.

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smac

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#1004824 13-Mar-2014 12:24

I had to go in ceiling for WAF (don't get me started...) so after a lot of research went with Speakercraft AIM 7.3's. Pivoting tweater so imaging is not a problem. I built full MDF boxes for them.

The sound is great for music, great for movies (even though they are above the TV the sound comes straight at you when set up properly) but for $2.5k it had better be good. I would think that if you can go in-wall the result would be even better because of the positioning.

However in saying that, no it will not sound better than standing speakers that cost half as much.......

reven

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#1004838 13-Mar-2014 12:33

Sideface:
Jaxson: ... Outright I need to be clear that I'm not saying they're amazing, but I'd rate them about as much as I rate the golfball sized speakers ...

Golfball-sized speakers sound terrible - why are you comparing sound quality with them?
If you absolutely must use in-wall or in-ceiling speakers be prepared to spend several thousand dollars just to get "adequate" sound.
For the same amount of money you could get good free-standing speakers or even decent wall-mount speakers mounted above child level.

errr i got
- 2x EHT-8, come in a pair around $250
- 2x EHT-4 come in a pair (x2) around $150 each
- 1x EHT-5, around $160

so all up around $710. i wouldnt describe them as "adequate", I'm really happy with them and think they sound great. my parents decided to go in wall after seeing/hearing my speakers.

sure, no one is saying in wall/ceiling are better for sound. but if someone wants in wall/ceiling for other reason (looks, space, no cables for kids) then they're a good option. they do work well (if they were terrible, people wouldn't keep buying/making them).

My parents also got a in wall subwoofer, i have free standing ones, but they have the right place/wall for it. mine it would just shake the house too much.

i love my setup of wall mounted tv, ceiling/wall speakers, smart tv running netflix, plex etc, receiver hidden away. so you really dont see much laying around, and it looks and sounds good.

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#1004921 13-Mar-2014 13:38

reven: ... (if they were terrible, people wouldn't keep buying/making them) ...

I'll bet that many people who buy these speakers haven't listened to good high-end or mid-range conventional speakers in the same room :)
The difference is spectacular.

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reven

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#1004932 13-Mar-2014 13:45

Sideface:
reven: ... (if they were terrible, people wouldn't keep buying/making them) ...

I'll bet that many people who buy these speakers haven't listened to good high-end or mid-range conventional speakers in the same room :)
The difference is spectacular.

no one is saying free standing speakers arent better, we can all agree they are in terms of sound quality. but that doesnt mean in wall/ceiling speakers are bad. in fact some are good, i think mine are very good.

for most people (the people who actually want in wall/ceiling speakers), in wall/ceiling are excellent.

i have an open plan living space, basically a large L shape area with my lounge, dining, kitchen, family room in the one area. i wanted rear, surround speakers, and well i could do free standing speakers (and I didnt want free standing speakers), so by doing in ceiling for the surround/rear speakers and in wall for the front/center speakers, i lost no floor space, i have them mostly hidden away (in wall fronts are the only ones you really see), and they sound great.

most weekends im playing pandora through them while mucking around outside.

so to the OP, yes i personally think the jensen speakers are great and i wouldnt want free standing speakers for my house (just my personal preference).

Sideface

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#1004941 13-Mar-2014 13:56

mailmarshall: Hi

Anyone got any feedback on Jensen speakers - inceiling/inwall. I will need a mix of both due to the way we did our rennovations...

Before you make holes in your house, you need to make a very basic decision - do I want Home Beautiful, or do I want the best possible sound for my budget?
There is no "right answer" - it's all down to individual preference :)

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jonathan18

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#1004954 13-Mar-2014 14:05

Sideface:
Jaxson: ... Outright I need to be clear that I'm not saying they're amazing, but I'd rate them about as much as I rate the golfball sized speakers ...

Golfball-sized speakers sound terrible - why are you comparing sound quality with them?
If you absolutely must use in-wall or in-ceiling speakers be prepared to spend several thousand dollars just to get "adequate" sound.
For the same amount of money you could get good free-standing speakers or even decent wall-mount speakers mounted above child level.

I reckon that no-one should never assume that another person has the same priorities, critiera, budget etc (even ears!) as you! For many (and WAF has been mentioned, as have children), the clean look (including the lack of cables) is clearly of more importance than the sound compromises of in-wall speakers.

It reminds me of a similar thread a few years' back on audioenz, where it was totally apparent that some (ie, the child-less participants!) just didn't get the grim possibilities that can eventuate from having AV equipment at a child-friendly level, and therefore the compromises one has (logically, in my mind) to make to avoid these.

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