As sound travels, it "falls off" or lobes in its journey to the listener's ear. This effect is even more apparent with in-wall speakers, as they are usually mounted further away from the listener's ear, resulting in a slightly muffled sound. Atlantic Technology's IWCB in-wall speakers combat this issue through the use of their DVC (Directional Vector Control) technology, which essentially adjusts for lobing and allows you to electronically aim the sound at your listening position.
High Points
• The Atlantic Technology IWCB in-wall speakers boast an attractive finish, with paintable speaker grilles allow for a more upscale appearance and installation.
• The speakers are truly solid and are easy to install, compared to many other in-wall speakers that can leave you pulling your hair out if you are a DIY home theater or home automation enthusiast.
• These speakers can be placed above or below the seated position and still produce surprisingly good stereo imaging.
• The sound quality of the Atlantic Technology IWCB in-wall speakers rivals costlier in-walls, especially for multi-channel music and movies.
• These in-walls can easily be driven to reference levels with most modern receivers.
Read about the low points of the IWCB on Page 2.
Conclusion
While all in-walls are an exercise in compromise, the IWCB series from Atlantic Technology gets more of the equation right than most in-wall speakers I've encountered. I've heard more musically engaging in-walls in the extreme price category, but none that rock a Dolby Digital or DTS soundtrack quite the way the IWCBs do. For an in-wall-based home theater system, the IWCB must be on your audition list. Do not miss out.
Additional Resources
• Learn more about Atlantic Technologies from HomeTheaterReview.com.
• Read Other High End in-wall speaker reviews from the likes of Noble Fidelity, SpeakerCraft, Sonance, B&W, Paradigm and many others.