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Telephone: +971564988088

Ceiling, pendant and surface-mount speakers for commercial spaces

Ceiling and wall-mount speakers spread music, announcements and speech evenly across offices, shops, hotels and meeting rooms, without floor cabinets. Most models carry a transformer for 70 V or 100 V lines, so many speakers run from one amplifier channel. This collection covers Bose Professional FreeSpace, DesignMax and EdgeMax speakers, JBL Control ceiling, pendant and in-wall speakers, a d&b audiotechnik 44S flush-mount speaker and Shure networked meeting room loudspeakers, in in-ceiling, pendant and surface-mount formats.

Ceiling speakers are one part of a distributed system. They need an amplifier from Power Amplifiers, and staff control the level in each area with a wall plate from Zone Controllers. For portable or stage cabinets, compare Loudspeakers.

JBL Control 24CT MicroPlus ceiling speakers, with and without grille

How to choose a ceiling or wall speaker

Format: in-ceiling, pendant or surface

In-ceiling speakers such as the Bose FreeSpace FS4CE, DesignMax DM6C and JBL Control 24CT MicroPlus sit flush in a suspended or plasterboard ceiling. Pendant speakers such as the Bose DesignMax DM6PE, DesignMax Luna DML88P and JBL Control 64P/T hang from open or high ceilings; the Control 64P/T comes with 4.5 m of steel hanging cable. Surface-mount models such as the Bose DesignMax DM6SE fix to walls or ceilings with a bracket.

Size, bass and transformer taps

Larger drivers reach lower and play louder. The Bose DesignMax DM3C reaches 75 Hz with taps up to 25 W, the DM6C reaches 59 Hz with taps up to 80 W, and the DM8C reaches 52 Hz at 91 dB sensitivity. JBL rates the Control 328CT 8-inch coaxial at 250 W and the Control 322C 12-inch coaxial at 400 W. Where more bass is needed, the Bose DesignMax DM8C-Sub (38 to 115 Hz) and JBL Control 312CS add in-ceiling subwoofers.

Coverage and placement

Coverage angle decides spacing: wide-angle speakers cover more floor from a low ceiling. The Bose FreeSpace FS2C covers 150°, the JBL Control 24CT MicroPlus 150° and the Bose FS4CE 145°. Bose EdgeMax speakers work differently: they mount at the edge of the ceiling and aim sound into the room, with 90° × 75° coverage on the EM90 and 180° × 75° on the EM180, so fewer speakers cover a large space from its perimeter.

Bose EdgeMax loudspeaker installed at the edge of a ceiling near the corner of a room

Wiring and integration

70 V / 100 V lines or low impedance

Most Bose and JBL models here offer 70 V and 100 V taps plus a low-impedance bypass, for example 2.5 W to 80 W at 70 V on the Bose DM6C and EM180, or a 25 W multi-tap on the JBL Control 24CT MicroPlus. JBL sells several Control models with and without a transformer, such as the Control 322C and 322CT, so check the version. Add up the taps on each line and choose an amplifier channel above the total.

Meeting room speakers

Meeting rooms often use ceiling speakers chosen with the microphone system, so voices from the far end sound clear and the echo canceller has a clean reference. This collection lists the Shure MXN5W-C and SPEAKER1 meeting room loudspeakers, and small Bose FreeSpace FS2C and DesignMax DM3C speakers suit meeting rooms on a 70 V or low-impedance amplifier. Pair them with the microphones and processors in Ceiling & Conference Microphones.

Where ceiling and wall speakers are used

Distributed speakers serve retail stores, restaurants, hotel lobbies and corridors, offices, gyms and places of worship, where sound must be even and the speakers should not stand out; the Bose DesignMax grilles can be painted to match the ceiling. Pendant speakers suit open ceilings in cafes and showrooms, and EdgeMax suits large spaces where the centre of the ceiling is busy with lighting. In the UAE, use the IP55-rated Bose DesignMax SE surface models, which have aluminium grilles, for shaded terraces and other outdoor wet locations; Bose rates the DesignMax and FreeSpace ceiling models for indoor use only.

Bose DesignMax pendant loudspeaker in black hanging from a cable

Installation and planning

Ceiling speakers are installed once the ceiling is open, so check the details early:

Ceiling void: back-can depth, such as 144 mm on the DM3C and 223 mm on the DM6C, plus space for tile bridges or rough-in kits.
Weight and safety: the DM8C weighs 9.6 kg and the EdgeMax EM90 10.1 kg; use the safety cable points Bose provides.
Plenum rules: the Bose FS2C is suitable for plenum spaces, and EdgeMax complies with UL2043 for plenum installation.

Speaker brackets come from the speaker maker: Bose offers pan-and-tilt and pole-mount brackets for DesignMax and FreeSpace surface models, and JBL supplies hanging hardware with its pendants. Plan speaker positions with the lighting and air-conditioning layout, and record the tap setting of every speaker at handover.

Ceiling and wall speakers in this collection

The speakers fall into three groups.

Bose in-ceiling and EdgeMax: Bose FreeSpace FS4CE, FS2C, DesignMax DM6C, DM2C-LP to DM8C, and EdgeMax EM180 and EM90, including low-profile EM-LP versions.
Bose pendant and surface: DesignMax DM3P, DM5P and DM6PE, Luna DML88P, FreeSpace FS2P, and DesignMax DM6SE and other SE surface models.
JBL Control and others: JBL Control 24CT MicroPlus, Control 328CT, 227C, 321C and 322C, Control 64P/T pendant and Control 312CS subwoofer, plus Shure and d&b models.

CorporateAV.ae is an authorised dealer of Shure and a supplier of genuine Bose Professional, JBL Professional and d&b audiotechnik products in the UAE. To plan a system, use Request a Project Quote with the floor plan, ceiling height and type, and whether music, paging or both are needed.

Applications and technical planning

Retail and hospitality

Shops, restaurants and hotel lobbies need even background music and clear announcements. Bose DesignMax in-ceiling speakers have paintable grilles and taps up to 80 W, and pendants suit open ceilings.
Explore Power Amplifiers
Large open spaces

Atriums, gyms and open offices with busy ceilings can be covered from the edges. Bose EdgeMax EM180 speakers aim 180° × 75° into the room from the ceiling perimeter.
Explore Zone Controllers
Meeting rooms

Meeting rooms need clear far-end voices from the ceiling. Compact speakers such as the Bose FreeSpace FS2C, with 150° coverage, pair with ceiling microphones and a conferencing processor.
Explore Ceiling & Conference Microphones

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between in-ceiling, pendant and surface-mount speakers?

In-ceiling speakers sit flush in a suspended or plasterboard ceiling, pendant speakers hang on a cable from open or high ceilings, and surface-mount speakers fix to a wall or ceiling with a bracket.

In this collection, the Bose DesignMax DM6C is an in-ceiling model, the DesignMax DM6PE and JBL Control 64P/T are pendants, and the Bose DesignMax DM6SE is a surface model. Choose the format the ceiling allows, then the size the room needs.

What are transformer taps on a ceiling speaker?

Transformer taps set how much power a speaker draws from a 70 V or 100 V line, which sets its loudness. The Bose DesignMax DM6C offers 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40 and 80 W at 70 V, plus a bypass for 8 Ω operation.

The installer chooses a tap per speaker for the level each area needs, then adds up all taps on a line to size the amplifier channel. The JBL Control 24CT MicroPlus has a 25 W multi-tap transformer for 70 V and 100 V.

How does Bose EdgeMax differ from a normal ceiling speaker?

Bose EdgeMax speakers mount at the edge of the ceiling, next to the wall, and direct sound into the room, instead of firing straight down like a normal ceiling speaker. This lets fewer speakers cover a large space from its perimeter.

The EdgeMax EM90 covers 90° × 75° and the EM180 covers 180° × 75°, both from 45 Hz to 20 kHz, with taps from 2.5 W to 80 W at 70 V. Each weighs 10.1 kg and complies with UL2043 for plenum installation.

Which ceiling speaker gives the most bass?

Among the full-range Bose DesignMax ceiling models, the DM8C reaches lowest, down to 52 Hz, with 91 dB sensitivity. The DM6C reaches 59 Hz and the DM3C 75 Hz, and the Bose EdgeMax models reach 45 Hz.

For deeper bass, add an in-ceiling subwoofer: the Bose DesignMax DM8C-Sub covers 38 to 115 Hz with taps up to 150 W at 70 V, and the JBL Control 312CS is a 12-inch in-ceiling subwoofer rated at 400 W.

Can these speakers be used outdoors in the UAE?

Only the outdoor-rated models. The Bose DesignMax DM6SE and other DesignMax SE surface models are rated IP55 for outdoor wet locations and have an aluminium grille against corrosion, so they suit shaded terraces and pool areas.

Bose rates the DesignMax and FreeSpace in-ceiling models and the EdgeMax models for indoor use only. Check each model's rating, and in direct sun allow for the heat on the cabinet and cable entries.

How many ceiling speakers does a room need?

The number depends on ceiling height, the speaker's coverage angle and how even the sound must be. Wide-angle models need fewer units: the Bose FreeSpace FS2C and JBL Control 24CT MicroPlus cover 150°, and the Bose FS4CE covers 145°.

Speech needs closer spacing than background music. For large rooms with a busy ceiling, Bose EdgeMax speakers at the perimeter can replace a grid of downward-firing speakers. A layout from Bose or JBL design software confirms the count.

How deep is the ceiling void needed for a Bose DesignMax speaker?

The back can sets the depth: 144 mm for the Bose DesignMax DM3C, 223 mm for the DM6C and 240 mm for the DM8C, with back-can diameters of 203 mm, 287 mm and 340 mm.

The JBL Control 24CT MicroPlus is shallower, at 105 mm from the back of the baffle. Check ducts, beams and lighting in the void before fixing positions, and allow for tile bridges or rough-in kits where Bose lists them.

Are Bose ceiling speakers suitable for plenum spaces?

Some are rated for it. Bose states that the FreeSpace FS2C is suitable for use in plenum locations, and the EdgeMax EM90 and EM180 are UL1480A listed and comply with UL2043 for plenum-space installation.

A plenum is a ceiling void used for air return, where building codes limit the materials that may be installed. Confirm the requirement with the building's fire and MEP consultants for each project.

What JBL Control ceiling speakers are in this collection?

The collection includes the JBL Control 24CT MicroPlus, a compact 150° background music speaker with a 115 mm woofer, and the Control 227C, 328CT, 321C and 322C coaxial ceiling speakers with compression drivers, rated 150 W, 250 W and 400 W for the 227C, 328CT and 322C.

It also lists the Control 312CS 12-inch in-ceiling subwoofer, rated at 400 W, and the Control 64P/T pendant, which has a 100 mm full-range driver and works at 8 Ω or on 70 V / 100 V lines. JBL lists the Control 12C/T as discontinued.

What brackets are used for surface-mount speakers?

Use the speaker maker's own bracket. Bose offers a surface-mount pan-and-tilt bracket and a pole-mount bracket for DesignMax and FreeSpace surface models, and JBL supplies hanging hardware with its Control pendants, including 4.5 m of steel cable on the Control 64P/T.

In-ceiling models fix with their own mounting arms, such as the 3 QuickHold spring-loaded arms on the Bose DesignMax DM6C, and each has safety cable points.

For help confirming the technical requirements for your project, contact CorporateAV: Call +971 56 498 8088, WhatsApp +971564988088, or email info@corporateav.ae.

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Ceiling & Wall-Mount Speakers

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