Stealth Speakers

Never seen it any cracking happen on any in-wall product, even solid drives. Although it could easily happen if you floated more than 1/32" of mud over the diaphragm.

I really don't like the sound, design or the installation method involved with the Stealth Acoustics speakers...not to mention the serviceability.

Did my fair share of all types of invisible speakers. Never had any call backs. Once I saw a plasterer bury a few with one coat. Always wondered how they sounded.

Shame I never had a chance to listen to the system once installed.

Big Shoe said:

Did my fair share of all types of invisible speakers. Never had any call backs. Once I saw a plasterer bury a few with one coat. Always wondered how they sounded.

Shame I never had a chance to listen to the system once installed.

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Yikes, Stealth is really specific about how they are to be installed. You have to have the speakers sit proud of the wall by a 1/16" then float mud from the edge out. The idea is to get no mud what-so-ever on the diaphragm of the speaker, then after you have the edges looking good you skim over the entire thing and practically sand every bit off. The final skim is just to blend in the paper material on the face of the diaphragm with the rest of the wall.

Still if I'm desperate for the hidden sound and I don't care about looks I'l use solid drives. Stealth speakers are time consuming to install, non-serviceable, so-so sound quality and subject to picture hooks.

I spoke to the store owners yesterday and they said to try to keep the compound off the centers as best as possible, but that they've seen guys go right over the whole thing with multiple coats and never had any callbacks regarding cracking or anything.
I made sure to ring out from the centers in a CYA attempt.
I think they sound good enough, but if it were my house I think I'd probably pass. I'm in the camp that things speakers are really cool looking.

Easy Gibson said:

I spoke to the store owners yesterday and they said to try to keep the compound off the centers as best as possible, but that they've seen guys go right over the whole thing with multiple coats and never had any callbacks regarding cracking or anything.
I made sure to ring out from the centers in a CYA attempt.
I think they sound good enough, but if it were my house I think I'd probably pass. I'm in the camp that things speakers are really cool looking.

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If you put multiple coats across the diaphragm you can kiss your top end good bye.

I figured it would negatively affect it somehow. Did my best to not come anywhere near them.

Very frustrating job. Just painted and I'm still not entirely satisfied with my work. Chatting with y'all between 2nd and 3rd coats of paint.

I don't think I'd deal with them again unless I was the original installer.

Easy Gibson said:

This is my first adventure with Stealth Speakers. Pretty neat.

I'm not the installer though. I was contacted by a showroom to feather out a couple edges that were showing.

Have any of you guys that have worked with them experienced anything with the sound vibration disturbing the spackle over time? The guys at the store assure me that it's not an issue, but it's all I kept thinking about as I tried my hardest to keep the mud off the middle of the speaker.

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Spackle? :laughing:

Alright you, shoo. Go on, geet.

When ever anyone says spackle it doesn't bother me anymore. I've realized it is a very common term for Easterners.

So to be fair with them, I go with the flow. :thumbsup:

Only after joining this messageboard did I learn that it's very uncommon to call joint compound spackle. I've been doing it my whole life. I thought everybody did it.
When you picture a spackle bucket, you picture a 5 gallon bucket, not a 1 pint container, right?

A pint

I figured if I put it in units of beer you drywall guys would understand.