In-Wall Loudspeaker Survey: OEM Systems, Definitive Technology, Totem Acoustic Home

Increasingly, it seems consumers want music and home theater systems without large inroom loudspeakers. The solution: in-wall and in-ceiling speakers. As the popularity of in-wall and in-ceiling speakers grows, so does the variety of models offered at every price and performance level. In fact, it appears that almost every manufacturer is trying to capture a piece of this growing segment of the market. One thing is certain: consumers are definitely the winners as in-wall speaker manufacturers compete for market share and continue to improve sound quality.

In this review, we tested speaker systems at three distinctly different price points: the OEM Systems Preference K-5LCRs at $229/each, the Definitive Technology Ultimate In-Wall RLS IIs priced at $650/each, and the Inner Spirits at $1147.50/each from Totem Acoustics.

OEM Systems Preference K-5LCR

OEM Systems is probably not the first name that comes to mind for in-wall speakers, but the two-way, three-driver Preference K-5LCR is likely to change that because of the performance and construction quality it offers. Immediately upon removing the K- 5LCRs from the carton, I was struck by their solid construction and clever and robust mounting system. Each K- 5LCR consists of a main speaker with a rigid ABS baffle plus a separate, twopiece mounting frame, which OEM describes as a “Clamp-Ring Mounting System.” The clamp-ring mount features a two-piece perimeter frame that attaches to the front and rear of the wall cutout for the speaker. Once the frame is secured to the wall, the baffle is inserted into the frame and attached with eight screws. It’s a smart design that maximizes the speaker’s contact with the wall, makes installation easier, and is a better alternative to the typical dogleg clamping system. The baffle has a knockout to add an infrared receiver for remote control of concealed components.

Following installation and a few hours of burn-in, I sat down for some listening. The K-5LCR speakers are very easy to listen to and exceeded my expectations, especially considering their affordable price. They produce a surprising amount of bass, mostly mid-bass, but the two 5 1/4-inch Kevlar mid-bass drivers sounded full even without a subwoofer. In Vince Gill’s “Pretty Little Adriana” from High Lonesome Sound [DTS Entertainment], downmixed to stereo, the mid-bass was full and well defined, even though the lowest bass notes could only be reached with a subwoofer. When combined with my two Morel IS-9A subs, the system sounded great. A back box or enclosure would probably improve the bass response, but overall the system sounded very balanced. While in the country music mood, I listened to the title track from George Strait’s One Step at a Time [DTS Entertainment] and found the acoustic guitar had a sharp attack with very good transient response. Similar characteristics were revealed in the Keith Jarrett composition “Prism” as performed by Carlos Franzetti and The Jazz Kamerata [Chesky Records], where Franzetti’s piano passages had a concise, quick, lifelike attack. The K- 5LCRs have a soft-dome tweeter made of Tetoron, a DuPont material known for its light weight, which no doubt accounts for the speaker’s superior transient response.

Solo female vocalists, always a good test for timbre, imaging and soundstaging, sounded very natural and open on the K-5LCRs. On “Spanish Harlem” from Rebecca Pidgeon’s The Raven [Chesky Records], for example, Pidgeon’s voice had lifelike immediacy and presence, creating a clearly defined sonic image between the speakers. Soundstaging was very good, conveying a sense of the space in which the recording was made. Chesky recordings are known for this quality, but it takes a loudspeaker with good imaging and soundstaging characteristics to resolve the sense of three-dimensional acoustic space.

Each of the K-5LCR’s two Kevlar mid-bass drivers incorporates a phase plug, a part of the driver’s pole piece that extends in front of the cone, reducing unwanted phase distortion and improving midrange clarity. And midrange clarity was evident in all of the recordings I used to evaluate these speakers. Critics may argue about the importance of low phase distortion, or its critical counterpart, proper phase alignment, but I think they are audible and can contribute to a sense of focused and precise stereo imaging. You know good phase alignment when you hear it and these speakers have it. A good example is “This Woman’s Work” from Rachel Z’s Grace [Chesky Records], where the singer’s voice sounds palpably present thanks to a rock-solid sonic image. The same focused imaging can be heard in Freddie Ravel’s Sol to Soul [DTS Entertainment], where Anjani Thomas’ delicate voice is presented with superb airiness and detail, along with a tightly defined center image.

Off axis response is often a concern with in-wall speakers because they cannot be toed-in. To compensate for this, the K-5LCRs feature a pivoting tweeter, but even without moving the tweeter, off-axis response was very good. The speakers also have two baffle-mounted switches for midrange and high-frequency level intended to compensate for various room acoustic conditions. I preferred both switches in the +3dB position for additional presence and detail.

Summary

The performance of the OEM Systems Preference K-5LCR speakers belies their modest suggested retail price of $229 each. Had I not known the price in advance, I would have guessed they sold for more, perhaps as much as $400-$500 each. They are a great value and their sound quality rivals that of speakers costing much more. They are easy to listen to for long periods without fatigue and their balanced sound makes them good for many different genres of music. I do not have the space to describe all of the features and technologies these speakers have to offer, so check out OEM’s Web site for more information. OEM’s Preference K-5LCR in-walls sound good, are well built and easy to install, and they won’t break the bank. What more could you ask?

Definitive Technology UIW RLS II

Definitive Technology is an acknowledged leader in the loudspeaker industry, and a brand that is respected among audio and home-theater enthusiasts alike. The firm manufactures a variety of freestanding speakers, lifestyle, all-weather and in-wall speakers. The UIW (Ultimate In-Wall) RLS II is the company’s flagship in-wall model, with a suggested retail price of $650 each.

Unlike the OEM Systems speakers, the RLS IIs are built with a back box or enclosure, minimizing the performance variances caused by different walls’ structures—a good feature. The enclosure is very solid, inert and heavy, but easy to install and is held in place with ten dogleg clamps.

The Definitive Technology RLS II is a two-way speaker with two 6 1/2- inch mid-bass drivers, two 6 1/2-inch pressure-driven passive radiators, and a 1-inch aluminum dome tweeter in a D’Appolito line array of drivers. This proven design features a vertically symmetrical driver array with the tweeter centrally positioned between the two mid-bass drivers and their associated passive radiators, a configuration thought to promote more even off-axis response compared with asymmetrical driver arrays.

I noticed immediately two characteristics about the RLS IIs: a deep soundstage and sweet, detailed high frequencies. Rebecca Pidgeon’s “Spanish Harlem” was virtually three-dimensional, with a sound field extending well beyond the outer edges of the speakers with lots of depth behind the speakers. Pidgeon’s naturally sweet voice sounded very smooth, complemented by the detail in the percussion instruments in the recording. I noticed the same detail in John Williams’s By Request: The Best of John Williams and The Boston Pops Orchestra [Philips Records], a selection of orchestral film soundtracks. In “March From Midway,” the clarity of the triangle was easily distinguished in the mix, and the full impact of the Boston Pops Orchestra came through beautifully in “1941” from the same disc, as did a deep and broad soundstage.

Although the printed specification for the RLS II indicates that low frequency response extends to 22Hz, the speakers require a subwoofer for full, balanced sound quality. Without the two Morel subs, the RLS IIs exhibited rather tubby and punchy mid-bass, but that was easily corrected with the addition of the subs. When the crossover points were adjusted correctly, the Definitive Technology in-walls blended well with the subwoofers and the tubby nature of the bass disappeared.

The RLS IIs have wide horizontal dispersion, an important characteristic for in-wall speakers, since they can’t be toed-in towards the listening position. Off-axis response remained very good even when listeners were seated well away from the sweet spot.

I noticed another characteristic about the RLS IIs: More than has been the case with other speakers I have reviewed, the sound quality of the RLS IIs improved significantly with extended break-in. My initial impression was that vocals in all recordings sounded distant through the RLS IIs, a layer or two behind other aspects of the recordings, but midrange clarity and vocal presence improved dramatically with additional playing time. For example, Diana Krall’s voice in Let’s Face the Music and Dance [Verve Records] at first sounded withdrawn, but displayed much greater (and much more appropriate) presence after several hours of playing—almost as if Krall had suddenly moved closer to the microphone. Similarly, the fully broken- in RLS IIs made Chet Atkins and Mark Knopfler sound downright live on “There’ll Be Some Changes Made” from the guitar duet’s Neck and Neck [Columbia Records]. With increased use, the speakers revealed much greater midrange presence, openness, and transparency. It was evident that the two 6 1/2-inch drivers took additional time to loosen up and the result was worth the wait.

Summary

The Definitive Technology RLS IIs offer a sweet high-end with lots of detail and good imaging and soundstaging qualities. They also have broad dispersion owing to their D’Appolito configuration. When allowed to break-in for several hours, the speakers open up and reveal excellent midrange and vocal characteristics. They do need a subwoofer to reach the lowest octaves of bass, but once a sub is added, they sound superb.

Totem Acoustic Inner Spirit

I’ve reviewed several very good in-wall speakers from various Canadian manufacturers, and the Totem Acoustic Inner Spirits are near the top of the list of my favorites. The company makes a wide variety of highly musical (and highly regarded) floorstanding, onwall and in-wall/in-ceiling speakers and several subwoofers. The Inner Spirits are Totem Acoustic’s latest inwall speaker offering. It’s a rather simple, plain looking two-way speaker, with a 5-inch, long throw DST Revelator woofer (Danish Sound Technology, designed by ScanSpeak) and 1.14-inch SEAS soft-dome tweeter with a shallow wave-guide. The Inner Spirits incorporate a one-piece aluminum enclosure internally laminated with MDF. They are simple to mount in new construction or retrofit installations and are secured to the wall with four aluminum dogleg clamps. But don’t let this speaker’s simplicity fool you; behind its plain appearance is amazing performance. From the start, I heard terrific transparency, openness and detail on almost every disc I played through the Inner Spirits. They sounded remarkable from rock to classical, vocals to instrumentals, and everything in-between.

One of my favorite SACD recordings is Ultimate Mancini [Concord Records] featuring a collection of the late composer’s best work, performed by his daughter, Monica Mancini. Her voice quickly reveals the strengths and weaknesses of a loudspeaker, and in this case, the strengths. Perhaps a better word for transparent is invisible, which is precisely the way the Inner Spirits sounded. They revealed all of the subtle details and warmth in Mancini’s voice that make this a good recording, and those same qualities extended to the orchestra that accompanied her vocals. The harp in “Music on the Way” sounded crisp, distinct, and lifelike.

Similarly, the Inner Spirits brought Renee Olstead’s voice alive on “Taking a Chance on Love” from the artist’s eponymous album [Reprise Records], faithfully reproducing inner details and all of the dynamic and tonal range for which Olstead is known. It’s the accurate reproduction of the harmonics of instruments and voices that make recorded music sound authentic and the Inner Spirits do this very well.

The Inner Spirits presented a broad and almost three-dimensional soundstage that extended well beyond the outer edges of the speakers and that was capable of producing strong, wellfocused center images. In “It Had to be You” from American Songbook II (J Records) Rod Stewart’s voice appeared front and center, and both Stewart’s voice and the brushed cymbals on this track sounded exquisitely detailed. The piano, too, had a sharp, incisive attack, indicating quick transient response. The speakers have wide off-axis response, which is essential for home theater sound given that some viewers invariably wind up sitting off-center from the sweet spot.

Finally, the Inner Spirits offer midbass response that is taut and welldefined, though their low frequency response reaches only to 50Hz. With the addition of my two subwoofers, however, they sounded much fuller.