Beolab 14 as ceiling speakers?

16 replies

I'm considering a pair of Beolab 14 satellites as rear ceiling speakers(+ receiver 1 to make them wisa)  in a 5.1.2 set-up for dolby atoms / dts:x. They are great because of the builtin amp and there is no need to make wholes in the wall. However from the pictures I've seen the sound seems directed forward instead of downward. I also can't find their full specifications(i.e. Effective frequency range) either . Does anyone know if they sound nice in the ceiling ?

Use the flat wall mounts? Just need to hide the cable somewgere.

Use the flat wall mounts? Just need to hide the cable somewgere.

Thanks for the heads up. Indeed the amp is built-in the subwoofer not the satellites. I guess I have to just wait for some active/wisa ceiling speakers for a while...

Hi

Take a look at my set up using a set of BL15 mounted in ceiling as surround speakers.

They work wirelessly using T1  - the amplifier is also in the coffered ceiling and is connected to T1 via two Receiver 1's and "V" connection.

Just a thought.

The manual says that the receiver/T1 must have line of sight. How do you aconplish that if the receiver 1 (I assume)is in the ceiling ?

Looking at my note, I think I left out a few important details.

 

When you buy the BL 15 you get the Amplifier 1 with it, so this is not an extra item.

Normally the BL 15 is sold with the BL 16 (sub), however, that is not mandatory and they will sell them separately.

The " V" connection is critical for wireless transmission - it is single PL RJ45 from each of the Receiver 1 into a single PL RJ 45 input at the amplifier.

That is the only way to make this work.

Assuming you dedicate PL2 on your T1 for the rear surround speakers,  your connection then goes from the " Rear surround pre-amp" on your Marantz to the PL2 on the T1 and then by WISA to the two Receiver 1/Amplifier.

A thought had just occurred to me if you really like the 14's. The Amplifier 1 is also sold as a separate and your may be able to connect the passive 14's to the amplifier 1 and get the same results as with the BL 15, but not sure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Line of sight is a relative concept- to me it means not around corners or in another room.

So, in my set up the T! is across the room in a cabinet on the floor .

The amplifier 1 is in the coffered ceiling and I was able to connect the electricity from one of the recessed lights we have.

Distance is about 15 ft across the room and of course about 10 ft in height difference.

It really has worked flawlessly.

And Ihave to say it is a bit of a conversation piece when the motorized speaker comes out of the ceiling by about 45 degrees.

MM,as always, is totally correct.

The ultimate connection from the amplifier to the speakers has to be wired.

However, given that everything is in the ceiling it does not matter - at least in my particular case.

 

 

 

 

Any idea if it's possible to set-up beolab 16 somehow just to augment the pair of beolab 15? I see that beolab 15 range ends at 130Hz which I think would be localized if it's redirected to the main subwoofer.

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