Atlantic Technology In-wall Speaker

In-wall loudspeakers can sometimes produce unpredictable results because their sound quality is dependent upon the wall cavity. Typically the volume of the wall cavity does not correctly load or damp the woofer and the wall can introduce rattles and vibrations, which obviously degrades sonic performance. The Atlantic IWCB-626 is a two-way in-wall speaker with a 6” woofer and a 6” passive radiator in a back-box or sealed enclosure. A sealed enclosure removes the wall cavity as a variable, ensures more consistent performance, especially bass, it makes installation easier and brings the sound of in-wall speakers closer to in-room speakers.

The IWCB-626 includes a Directional Vector Control (DVC), a two-position switch that electronically aims the tweeter down 15-degrees if the speaker is installed higher than ear level, such as next to a wall-mounted flat panel television. Also included are a three-position high-frequency level control and a Boundary Compensation switch if the speaker is installed close to a wall or in a corner.

The IWCB-626 is a two-way speaker and the woofer handles most of the midrange. Woofers tend to ‘beam’ in the upper midrange resulting in a perceived dip in midrange frequencies unless your ears are on axis with the woofer. One solution is a pivoting tweeter, although that simply aims high frequencies towards the listener. Atlantic’s solution is to play the dome tweeter about a full octave lower than most, down to 2.0 kHz, well into midrange territory. The tweeter has a wider dispersion in the midrange frequencies resulting in more uniform coverage. When combined with the aforementioned Directional Vector Control, there are a lot of placement options for this speaker.

The construction quality of the speakers is very good. The smooth, coated MDF enclosures are very solid and inert.