In Wall Subwoofer Wiring

Boston Acoustics SoundWare XS 5.1 (black)

If you like to flaunt your home audio system, you're probably not going to buy the Boston SoundWare XS 5.1 speaker system. That's OK; it's not made for you. But lots of people who don't make home theater their hobby still appreciate a true surround-sound experience and Boston's system delivers that at an incredible size and price. The SoundWare XS 5.1 sounds surprisingly good, and we say surprising because its five satellite speakers feel only a little larger than a baseball in your hand. Combined ... Expand full review

If you like to flaunt your home audio system, you're probably not going to buy the Boston SoundWare XS 5.1 speaker system. That's OK; it's not made for you. But lots of people who don't make home theater their hobby still appreciate a true surround-sound experience and Boston's system delivers that at an incredible size and price. The SoundWare XS 5.1 sounds surprisingly good, and we say surprising because its five satellite speakers feel only a little larger than a baseball in your hand. Combined with its compact 100-watt subwoofer, it's one of the most decor-friendly speaker systems we've tested. Our one nitpick, design-wise, is that the speaker connections are difficult to use, but you'll run into that problem only when you set the system up.

As good as the SoundWare XS 5.1 system is for its size, it can't defy physics. The Pioneer SP-PK21BS sounds much, much better, but it's also a much, much larger speaker system. And even if living room decor is your priority, you should seriously consider the larger (but elegant) Energy Take Classic 5.1 system , which sounds considerably better as well. However, neither of those systems can compete if space is at a premium, and the petite SoundWare XS 5.1 ($500 street price) is an excellent, affordable option with solid sound quality.

Design and features

The cube satellites are incredibly tiny, just 4.43 inches wide, 4.25 inches high and 4.43 deep. Each one weighs just one pound. The speaker's rear is faceted, so instead of being a six-sided cube, the SoundWare XS satellite is a polyhedron. Its 10 "sides" also make it easier to squeeze the wee speakers into corners. If you place it on a shelf the speaker can be angled up or fire straight ahead. Or wall-mount the little guys with the included articulating bracket so you can angle the speakers in toward the listening area.

Since the SoundWare XS satellite's perforated grilles aren't removable, it wasn't immediately obvious that the satellites are two-way designs. Due to their tiny size, there normally wouldn't be enough room to squeeze a tweeter and a midrange driver on the front baffle. Boston's engineers worked around the limited space problem by mounting a .5-inch tweeter on a small bracket in front of the 2.5-inch midrange driver. That's pretty ingenious. We can't say the plastic speaker cabinet is especially well-built, but it doesn't feel flimsy or delicate.

DIY Install In-Wall speakers | Home Theater Creation

Generally, you'll want to choose your speaker locations before buying speakers. If you're still in the process of deciding where to put your in-wall, in-ceiling, or on-wall speakers, or if you want some detailed placement tips, check out our article on in-wall, in-ceiling, and on-wall speaker placement. For tips on placing in-wall or in-floor subs, see our article on home theater speaker placement.

After you've chosen your ideal speaker locations, use a stud finder to locate the studs in that area of the wall or ceiling. We suggest you use a high-quality stud finder than can detect studs, AC cables, and water pipes so that you can avoid these in-wall obstacles. Remember that in-wall and in-ceiling speakers need to fit between two studs or joists (preferably in the middle of that space for the best performance); on-wall speakers need to be drilled into a stud, or into the wall using an anchor.

Always inspect as much as possible without making a hole. Explore your crawlspace or ceiling in an unfinished segment of your basement. Try to detect which way joists run and where empty wall space between studs might be. By inspecting from your crawlspace or attic, you can identify which wall locations are empty of water pipes and electrical wires. However, you still can't know what's behind the wall with absolute certainty. You must be prepared to cut and patch exploratory holes.

To determine if each of your in-wall or in-ceiling speaker locations will work, you'll need to drill a pilot hole in addition to using a high-quality stud finder. This is a small hole, drilled in the middle of where you want to place your speaker. Shut off power in the area where you'll be drilling your pilot hole. Use caution when drilling, so you don't plunge your bit into a pipe or electrical conduit. Next, insert a sturdy wire (such as a bent coat hanger) into the pilot hole, and explore the surrounding area, making sure there's enough room for the speaker. Check the mounting dimensions listed in the owner's manual, including any required brackets, and make sure there's enough space in the wall to accommodate the width, height, and depth. Don't cut any drywall until you've drilled pilot holes and checked all of your desired speaker locations. If one of your locations doesn't work out, you might want to move one or more of the others.

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