Minimum depth sealed speaker box fixed to the wall

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pawelp

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Joined 2006
#1
I have an impression that in-wall mounted speakers have very strong advantages, mainly in significant bass boost due to radiation in a smaller sphere fraction and much reduced most audible reflections coming typically from the wall behind. But as I understand there are two main practical problems – 1) proper bass requires volume not practical in wall, 2) it is a significant renovation project. So I have thought if there are significant acoustic compromises if I do a much less destructive 😉 concept which is a sealed speaker box with minimum depth fixed to the wall plus a subwoofer box placed in a suspended ceiling above. The latter I have already submitted and got a nice feedback here https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...ons-in-a-dropped-ceiling.421710/#post-7883856
And in the meantime the former part has flashed on me 🙂
So I would like to ask for your feedback and maybe experience sharing on it, in particular on things like:
1) Do you know if there are such or similar commercial products ?
2) How to assess the impact of the protruding of the box front sth like 10 cm ? These effects of increasing perceptions of distinct reflections change somehow gradually with the protrusion distance but is there some relatively simple intuitive model to roughly assess this impact ?
3) Related to 2) – what importance might the width of the baffle have ? And optionally adding some angled/triangular-shaped side wings to the front ? – that would avoid a single 10-cm step - but again is it more important that there is no step or rather that it it actually becomes a wider baffle ? I guess with a step ther wll be higher fluctuations that look bad to the eye but might not be significantly audible as they probably be narrow-band - so maybe not worth the extra effort ?
There is a simiIar thread with some relevant and useful insights already https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...that-becomes-effectively-in-wall-size.423124/
but I think my concept is a bit different and I am interested in more perspctives 🙂|
 
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#2
As you bring edges closer to walls it has the potential to increase their impact. It's not dissimilar to the way that a large baffle away from the source can reduce the impact of diffraction in certain ways.

On wall can be a very good place for a speaker once you sort out these details. Expect to make a few iterations to adjust for what does and doesn't work.
 
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#5
Hmm.. quite an interesting option as well if not better ? 🙂 Just tweeter direction is a complication but otherwise ... But the tweeter and mids could be on the front part of the soffit ...
It is just it seems somehow less "natural" when the sound comes from above - any experiences with that ?
 
#6
Right, all drivers are and full width should provide sufficient volume for all but true infra subs; Also works well down at the floor for a 'wall of sound' bass and/or for compact HTs where the seating needs to be near the back wall with the infra sub as a seat riser.
 
#7
Perhaps the following approach of a wall mounted omnidirectional (half-sphere) speaker give somes inspiration:
1740660957664.png

The pyramid (tetrahedron) is mounted with its base plane against the wall.
Features of this setup are:
  • Suitable for small listening rooms
  • As with the omnipole, a good “spatial distribution” of sound
  • Only 1 speaker per box “is in direct sight” from listening position, so no comb forming.
  • No single reflection from back wall to listening position (reflection point is in same
plane as the speaker).
Disadvantages are :
- Direct speakers are seen at an angle of 30 degrees. This gives some (1.2 dB) loss plus
a little more at high frequencies due to beamforming.
- Not yet tried (at least not by me)
 
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#8
Between 2 studs with 8 feet height I believe is around 3 cubic feet.
Split in around half around 1.5 to 1.8 cubic if their is a fire break

I think there is many low Qts 8" drivers that would work fine for wall mounted speaker.

Otherwise a corner wedge has potential to suit anything.

Cant think of a commercial product off hand. likely plenty
Diy offers better possibilities for crossover design
Visaton has examples to inspire for wedge corner subs and satellites.
They did the Portrait 2 way Solo Eckbox and corner TL Sub
likely more just a few links I could remember

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#10
For reasonably attainable minimal depth, there are quite a few on-walls. Below is just a few of the - there are more out there. Some of these are ported/passive radiator, but I'm not sure if your description was for a sealed box from an enclosure design standpoint or if you just meant not an infinite baffle/in-wall installation.

MartinLogan Motion SLM XL
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-Q6PBEQVE9Ig/p_839MOSLMXL/MartinLogan-Motion-SLM-XL.html
1740679367253.png


KEF Q4 Meta
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-PdXiEx29D3s/p_991Q4MWA/KEF-Q4-Meta-Walnut.html
1740678955352.png


Focal Theva Surround
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-WWF1x0gHQS2/p_091THSRNDB/Focal-Theva-Surround.html
1740679178523.png


Focal On Wall 302
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-tufi7r0g4Lc/p_091OW302WH/Focal-On-Wall-302-White-High-Gloss.html
1740679005381.png


DALI Oberon On-Wall
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-F8CfuFk9dWU/p_411OBOWOK/DALI-Oberon-On-Wall-Light-Oak.html
1740679069970.png


Sonus faber Sonetto Wall G2
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-8GJLjhD2yY4/p_968SNOWG2G/Sonus-faber-Sonetto-Wall-G2-Wenge.html
1740679132779.png


STEINWAY & SONS MODEL M L/R
https://steinwaylyngdorf.com/steinway-sons-model-m-lr/
1740679243795.png
 
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