It's really a matter of aesthetic preference. These flush mounted speakers are hardly noticeable; that is until they're playing. Our Architectural Ceiling Element (ACE) Trimless speakers do not include the 3/4-inch trim you typically see around in-wall and ceiling speakers. The micro flange grilles are attached by extremely powerful magnets that stay put for quick and easy installation. Adds less visual impact on your architectural audio installation.

A Dual Voice Coil (DVC) Ceiling Speaker uses a special voice coil cone design that allows both channels of a stereo system to drive one cone. Sounds complicated but it's not. Basically, a DVC speaker plays both right and left channels through one speaker cone. You get both channels but without the acoustic separation that happens with two speakers. There are places like bathrooms, closets or hallways that just can’t accommodate multiple speakers, so a DVC speaker solves the problem and produces great sound.

Customers often ask us if they need special installation mounting brackets on their OSD ceiling speakers. The answer is no and here’s why. All our in-ceiling speakers feature a dog leg (L-shaped) mounting system that is part of the frame. Before you install the speakers, remove the grille and you’ll see several the mounting screws near the front frame. These screws need to be loosened to activate the dog leg clamps. Use a screwdriver to loosen (turn to the left) these screws and the clamp will come loose. When the speaker is in position in the ceiling, tighten (turn to the right) the screw and the speaker will be secured to the ceiling.

Wiring is not included with in-ceiling speakers so you will have to purchase some. We recommend our OSD Audio CL3/FT4 cable that is UL (fire) rated for in-wall and outdoor speaker installs. This type of cable includes a heavy-duty outer jacket approved for in-wall/in-ceiling installation. The high-quality plastic jacket is also very flexible so it's easy to run the wires inside the wall. As for the gauge, for runs up to 100 feet for background music, 16-gauge will be fine. If the run is approaching or exceeding 100 feet, we suggest 14-gauge wire.

With almost double the shelf life of foam, butyl rubber has been the choice of speaker designers looking to optimize the sound based upon materials that go together. The Surround is just one of the integral parts of the speaker's motor structure. Butyl Rubber gives the speaker more excursion capability featuring a deeper bass with a wider frequency response, and its shelf life is closer to 25 years compared to the foam at 12 to 15 years.

Many customers like to test the sound quality of their new OSD Audio in-ceiling speakers before they install them. Keep in mind, however, that these flush-mount speakers are designed to be used in the wall or ceiling. Uninstalled in-wall/in-ceiling speakers will sound weak and tinny because without the proper enclosure (in this case your house wall) the speaker can’t produce the sound pressure level it needs. If you want to try them out, we recommend mounting the in-ceiling speakers into a box of about 3 cubic ft. or larger; or simply mount them in the ceiling and then listen. This will give you an accurate measure of the sound quality.For a retrofit installation, no construction bracket is needed.