In Ceiling Speakers - The Good News

Ceiling mounted speakers gained popularity in the 20's and 30's for use in department stores and theater lobbies. Their main benefit is inconspicuousness (mounted in a ceiling, only the speaker grille is visible from below, and it's usually painted to match the ceiling which masks from view).

Today, many people utilize in ceiling speakers to accomplish whole-house audio and intercom systems. Having your speakers mounted in the ceilings, out of the way, frees up valuable floor space and makes your audio system virtually invisible.

In Ceiling Speakers - The Bad News

Ceiling mounted speakers are great for some applications. However, if you are a true audiophile, you will find some shortcomings. Once they are installed, in ceiling speakers cannot be moved without major work. Also, it's nearly impossible to have a pair of ceiling speakers provide accurate soundstage and imaging compared to properly configured tower or book shelf speakers. If your main concern is getting music into a room, and you are not concerned with these issues, a good in ceiling speaker may fit your needs.