Adding Bluetooth ceiling speakers to your home is a fantastic space-saving way to get good quality audio pretty much anywhere. Ceiling speakers are available for pretty much every room, for your kitchen, bathroom, living room and more.
In this guide we’ll be looking at the best Bluetooth ceiling speakers for home use and looking at some of the commercially available gear on places like Amazon to see how they stack up. All this without any wires in the walls!
Quick answer: the Lithe Audio all-in-one pair is the best choice for most people, with built-in amplification, Bluetooth and bathroom protection. The Systemline E50 kit is the neatest, with a gesture-controlled wall panel and Q Acoustics speakers. Power Dynamics is the cheapest way to get started. All three need a power connection at the ceiling, so read the safety notes below first.
In This Guide
Why you might just love those new ceiling speakers
- Stream tunes from your phone or tablet – Bluetooth ceiling speakers let you connect any bluetooth device and play the audio that they output. Anything from streaming services, YouTube or your own music collection can be played.
- Great for parties! Ceiling speakers are practically made for parties and other social gatherings. Play any music you like, while impressing friends and family with your ceiling installations.
- Never be stuck for something to listen to while cooking – You can install your ceiling speakers anywhere from the kitchen to the bathroom, as long as the speaker is rated for the conditions. Enjoy fab quality audio while you’re chopping those onions.
- Your friends can connect and play their tunes too! Let your visitors get in on the action – take turns playing your latest musical finds through your lovely new ceiling audio.
#1 Choice – Lithe Audio Bluetooth Wireless Streaming Speakers
Type: All-in-one
Number included: Pair
Lithe Audio aim to do at least some of the hard work involved in installing ceiling speakers with their streaming Bluetooth overhead speakers. They are an all-in-one speaker, compete with a built in amp. Once set up, they’ll play anything you throw at them via Bluetooth. There’s on master and one slave speaker included.
Good quality speakers
While most ceiling speakers look pretty much the same once that sleek white grille is in place, it can also hide a multitude of sins. Thankfully, Lithe’s usual quality is out in force with these ceiling speakers and you’re getting a good quality pair of speakers with high quality drivers.
Excellent sound quality
Lithe’s Bluetooth speakers can provide gentle background music in the kitchen, or be cranked up to blast out some serious volume when you need it. They’re suitable up to large rooms, thanks to the powerful punch they hide behind that sleek white facade.
The sound is powerful, loud and, more importantly, well balanced and also detailed for a pair of speakers in this price range. You’ll enjoy a nice deep tone to bass too.
Easy set up, no… really!
Whether you’re comfortable setting up the speakers yourself is something that’s completely up to you. But even if you’re not Mr. or Mrs “I’m Awesome At DIY”, this is one of the easier sets bluetooth speakers for home ceilings to install. The process is made all the more straight forward by very simple and easy-to-follow instructions.
Verdict: Whichever room you’re looking to flood with your tunes, the Lithe Audio ceiling speakers are definitely a good choice. They combine top quality speakers, amp and sound fantastic. We definitely recommend these speakers.
- Good quality components
- Excellent sound quality
- Protection for bathroom use
- Clear instructions
- Compatible with Amazon Echo / Alexa
- Easy to use
- Needs a mains connection in the ceiling, so an electrician may be needed
#2 Systemline E50 Ceiling Speaker Kit
Type: All-in-one kit with control panel
Number of speakers you can connect: 4
Connection: Wired speakers with bluetooth connection
Systemline’s E50 is an all-in-one set of ceiling mounted Bluetooth speakers. The kit comes with everything you need to install the speakers in any ceiling, including all mountings, power and speaker cables.
Good quality speakers
This ceiling kit includes 2 x Q Acoustics Qi 65CB ceiling speakers which deliver fab sound. Once installed you can simply connect to your phones and tablets and play anything you want on from your new ceiling speakers. It supports all modern streaming services too. This set of speakers have a brilliant sound that fills the room.
TV connection
The wall panel has a dedicated input for your TV, and is a good choice if you’ve got a wall mounted at the moment. Installing this ceiling set is straight forward enough. Everything loos stylish once set up from the wall panel to the speakers themselves.
Gesture control panel is awesome
With this kit comes a high-end control panel which is mounted on the wall. It’s a sleek glossy affair which can be controlled through gestures. A wave of your hand will move to next track, for example, or you can adjust the volume by twiddling your finger (for want of a better phrase!) As gimicky as it sounds, it’s actually really easy to use and ideal if you’ve got ‘messy’ hands from cooking or working.
Verdict: The E50 has everything you’ll need in one kit. There’s nothing we can say about it that’s negative (which makes a change). It’s easy to install, the wall panel is sexy as hell, and the app control / Bluetooth part is spot on. Really good stuff here and well worth a look.
- Great quality speakers and overall sound
- Good aesthetics on both speakers and wall panel
- Hand gestures are cool!
- Easy to use
- Not hard to install yourself
- No USB port
Compare prices on the Systemline E50
#3 Power Dynamics Ceiling Speakers
Type: All-in-one kit with control panel
Number of speakers you can connect: 4
Best Budget Priced Bluetooth Ceiling Speaker
The Power Dynamics speakers are one of the cheaper models on the market and come in 3 different sizes. They are another all-in-one set of speakers, with an active speaker and a passive (both included). They can be fitted pretty much everywhere from the kitchen to the bathroom.
Surprising sound quality
Think you can’t get a decent sound out of cheap ceiling speakers? You might just have to eat your words when you try out these bad boys. Not only is the sound really loud when you need it, but it’s also very clear and has decent bass pumped out too. For a budget pair of speakers, definitely a good sound!
Lack of instructions
One of the downsides of this set of speakers is the lack of any instructions to speak of! While it’s not exactly the most complex bit of equipment to install, it’s an odd choice to not include any instructions in the box.
Design looks better than they feel
Compromises have been made with these budget speakers. Thankfully, not in the sound department. But you’ll notice the plastic construction when you get them out of the box. We urge you not to panic and send them back. Once installed in the ceiling they actually look really sleek and cool. Give them a chance and you’ll probably agree.
Verdict: If you’re hunting for a good budget pair of all-in-one ceiling speakers than the Power Dynamic ones might be the perfect pick. They sound great, they’re as loud as you want to go, and once installed they look really good too.
- Best budget ceiling speakers
- Good clear sound
- Plenty of bass
- Look nice once installed
- Plastic construction doesn’t make good first impression
- No instructions on how to fit
Above: Lithe Audio – Amazon UK
Before you cut a hole: safety and regulations
Ceiling speakers are a simple upgrade in theory, but they involve mains electricity and the structure of your home. A few things to check first.
- Mains wiring. “Wireless” here means no audio cable to an amplifier. All-in-one Bluetooth ceiling speakers still need power, usually from a lighting circuit or a fused connection. In the UK, electrical work in bathrooms, and new circuits generally, is covered by Part P of the Building Regulations, so unless you’re competent and qualified, use an electrician. It’s usually an inexpensive job.
- Bathroom zones. Bathrooms have zones defined by how close a fitting is to water. Only speakers with a suitable IP rating can be used in zones near baths and showers, and the wiring must meet the regulations. Look for speakers designed for bathrooms, and get a qualified electrician to fit them.
- Fire safety. A hole in a ceiling, especially one that separates floors in a flat or a two-storey house, can weaken its fire resistance. Fire-rated speakers or fire hoods (covers that fit over the back of the speaker) restore this protection, and are worth using in ceilings between floors and in flats.
- Insulation. Don’t bury speakers or transformers in loft insulation. Keep insulation clear of any electrical component that gets warm, and check the speaker instructions on clearance.
- Check what’s above. Joists, pipes, cables and ducts can all be hidden in the ceiling. Use a stud finder and a torch through a small pilot hole before you cut.
- Rented or leasehold homes. Check your lease or with your landlord, as altering ceilings may not be allowed.
All-in-one, or separate amplifier and passive speakers?
- All-in-one Bluetooth ceiling speakers like the Lithe and Power Dynamics kits have an amplifier and Bluetooth built into one of the pair (the “master”), with a cable to the other (the “slave”). They’re the easiest option, and ideal for a single room.
- Passive ceiling speakers need a separate amplifier or receiver, wired with speaker cable. This is more work, but you get more choice over the sound, and one amplifier can drive speakers in several rooms.
- Kits with a control panel like the Systemline E50 sit in between. A wall-mounted panel handles the amplification and Bluetooth, and the speakers are wired to it.
Where to place ceiling speakers
- Spread them out. Two speakers in a room work best around a third of the way in from each side wall, and at least 2 metres apart, so left and right channels reach different parts of the room.
- Keep them away from walls and corners by at least half a metre, to avoid boomy bass.
- Centre them over the listening area, such as a sofa or kitchen island, not over the door.
- In a kitchen, keep them away from the cooker and extractor hood, where steam and grease build up.
- Use stereo pairs rather than a single speaker where you can. Stereo sounds much wider and more natural, and is worth doing in main rooms.
Getting the best sound from ceiling speakers
Ceiling speakers mount in the ceiling void, which affects sound. Back boxes or enclosures (sold separately for many models) tighten bass and stop sound leaking into the room above. Loose speaker frames can rattle, so make sure the speaker is properly clamped in place. Finally, sound is aimed downwards, so if you want a more directional effect, look for speakers with angled or pivoting tweeters.
Tools you’ll need
- A stud or joist detector
- A plasterboard (drywall) saw or an adjustable hole cutter
- A pencil and the supplied template
- A screwdriver and a cable stripper
- A torch, for looking into the ceiling void
- Dust sheets, and a dust mask and goggles, since cutting plasterboard is messy
Bluetooth Ceiling Speakers – BUYER’S GUIDE
This quick guide will cover the basics of ceiling speakers and help you pick the best ones for your home!
Bluetooth ceiling speakers vs regular ‘wired’ speakers
Prior to Bluetooth, if you wanted speakers in your ceiling, you’d have to think about running wires from your speakers down to your amp. The great thing about Bluetooth variety is that they offer a simple, all-in-one solution so there’s less work do do. You’ll still need to cut a hole in your ceiling, sadly, but at least there’ll be less to wire up.
Once installed, you can then connect the speaker to anything from an iPad, phone or laptop. You can then send whatever you like up there, from radio stations to Spotify, to something interesting on Youtube. All completely hands free.
You can install ceiling speakers pretty much anywhere
Check you’ve got enough ‘depth’ in the ceiling for the speaker you’re going to be buying.
Pick the quality you’re happy with
You can pay anything from around £20 for a set of cheap ceiling speakers on somewhere like Amazon, right up to £800 and beyond for some serious multi-room kits. Decide what kind of budget you have for your system. Realistically, you can get some cracking speakers for around the £100 mark, so don’t think you have to spend a lot of money to get started.
The number of speakers you’ll need depends on the size of your room
One common question people have when they’re looking for the best speakers for their ceiling is how many do you actually need? Rooms tend not to fall neatly into regular square shapes, so it will vary between settings but as a guide, you can get single ceiling speakers (which can also be stereo) for a small room (around 3m x 3m). For anything else, use these numbers as a guide:
- Around 4m x 4m: A pair ceiling speakers
- Over 4m x 4m: 4 ceiling speakers
Remember that your ceiling speakers will need to be at least around 2m away from one another to create the best flow of sound.
Cutting the right sized hole isn’t as hard as you think
One thing you’ll definitely want to get is a simple drywall saw. This makes light work of cutting a hole in your ceiling. Don’t worry, it’s not as difficult as it sounds. To get just the right size hole in the first place, you’ll need to draw around a template. Most wireless ceiling speakers will have these in the box.
It’s also important to check for joists and make sure you’re not sawing through any other cables or pipes! There’s plenty of good guides on YouTube on how to get this step done with minimal fuss.
Extra hint: Grab an adjustable hole cutter, if you really want an easy time of cutting the hole in your ceiling.
But I don’t have a clue how to wire them in!
Your new Bluetooth ceiling speakers are definitely going to need power. While you won’t need to run wires to an amp, they’ll need to be connected into your home’s power. If this is not something you want to even think about doing, then an electrician should be able to connect your speakers in there cheaply. It’s not a big job and can be retro-fitted into any home.
Ceiling speaker FAQ
Do Bluetooth ceiling speakers need an amplifier?
All-in-one kits have one built in, so you don’t need a separate one. Passive ceiling speakers do need an external amplifier.
Can I connect a TV to ceiling speakers?
Some kits have a TV or line-in input, as the Systemline E50’s control panel does. Others only play over Bluetooth, and you can add a Bluetooth transmitter to the TV. For better TV sound in a living room, a soundbar is usually a better choice.
Are ceiling speakers good for music?
For background music in kitchens, hallways and bathrooms, they’re excellent and completely out of the way. For serious listening, floor standing or bookshelf speakers will sound better. Our floor standing speaker guide covers a budget-friendly alternative.
Can I control them by voice?
Some models are compatible with Amazon Echo devices or have Alexa built in. Others rely on the phone or a wall panel.
