Hiding 5 speakers in a room is obviously a very attractive proposition, but it is important not to lose sight of what this whole exercise is supposed to be about - good sound quality. You wouldn't buy a Ferrari and drive it with the hand-brake on, so it's sensible to get the most out of the (considerable) investment you are about to make. In-ceiling systems can end up sounding disappointing, if you don't pay enough attention to detail - the laws of physics can be tampered with, but not completely rewritten! In order not to throw the baby out with the bathwater, there are several golden rules that should be adhered whenever possible.

Firstly buy bigger speakers; secondly spend 50% more than you would on conventional 'box' designs. Then there is the crucial issue of positioning. Whilst ceiling-mounted speakers make great rears, I'm afraid they're not ideal for use as fronts or centres, unless you place them in the wall, rather than the ceiling. This is because the three front speakers in a system should all ideally be at the ear height of the seated listener. Higher is OK for rear 'effects', but when it comes to pinning action and dialogue to the screen, having sound coming from six feet above your TV, is far from ideal. The final rule is that you must back-up your five speakers with a decent subwoofer - as shown in our systems below.