Monoprice Black Back Ceiling Speakers 6.5in Fiber 2-Way with Covered Crossover (pair)
Product # 15698
UPC # 889028038031
$89.99
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is that the price for 1 speaker or is that for the pair ?
A shopper
on Feb 14, 2019
BEST ANSWER: This is the price for a pair as it says in the product title.
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- Dave L Staff on Feb 15, 2019
BEST ANSWER: This is the price for a pair as it says in the product title.
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- Dave L Staff on Feb 15, 2019
It was for two I like the speakers they were worth the money
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- Trent S on Feb 15, 2019
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The speaker has a black backing for protection as I understand it, but does the grill also come in black?
A shopper
on Mar 22, 2021
BEST ANSWER: No the grill is white. I suppose you could spray paint it black. There are magnets in the face ring of the speaker and the grill is metal and is attracted to the magnets on the face of the speaker.
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- John R W on Mar 22, 2021
- Purchased on Feb 13, 2021
BEST ANSWER: No the grill is white. I suppose you could spray paint it black. There are magnets in the face ring of the speaker and the grill is metal and is attracted to the magnets on the face of the speaker.
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- John R W on Mar 22, 2021
- Purchased on Feb 13, 2021
Grill is white, you can paint the grill any color you want with spray paint
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- Michael d on Mar 22, 2021
- Purchased on Jul 14, 2020
No. It is white. You can paint it whatever color you want though.
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- Terry on Mar 22, 2021
- Purchased on Mar 9, 2021
Grill comes in white, but can be painted per the instructions
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- Alexander A on Mar 22, 2021
Grill comes in white but you can paint it . Use spray paint
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- Errol A on Mar 23, 2021
- Purchased on Aug 14, 2020
The grills are white and can be painted.
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- Bryan Michael L on Mar 22, 2021
- Purchased on Jan 29, 2021
White only, but you can paint the grill.
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- Taylor G on Mar 22, 2021
- Purchased on Feb 27, 2021
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Do I need a speaker box for these? Are they safe to be in contact with blown insulation?
Ed&Eddy
on Apr 30, 2021
BEST ANSWER: No box needed, though you should use some form of protection to keep insulation out of the works. There are "shower cap" type protectors which are relatively inexpensive. In our house, we simply placed fiberglass insulation down before blow-in.
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- Ian M M on Apr 30, 2021
- Purchased on Nov 3, 2020
BEST ANSWER: No box needed, though you should use some form of protection to keep insulation out of the works. There are "shower cap" type protectors which are relatively inexpensive. In our house, we simply placed fiberglass insulation down before blow-in.
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- Ian M M on Apr 30, 2021
- Purchased on Nov 3, 2020
Personally I would make sure they are in a speaker box of some sort. I would not let the blown in insulation come in contact with the speaker in any way.
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- John R W on Apr 30, 2021
- Purchased on Feb 13, 2021
There is not a back box that I know of that works with these. As for insulation. It’s best for that to be pushed out of the way,
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- Brian L on Apr 30, 2021
- Purchased on Jan 24, 2020
I would recommend a speaker box. I installed mine without a box but I have batten insulation.
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- Bryan Michael L on Apr 30, 2021
- Purchased on Jan 29, 2021
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How well do these speakers work for Dolby Atmos? I have a 5.1 setup and these will make it 5.1.2
Cedric B
on Aug 11, 2017
BEST ANSWER: They are fantastic. You cannot find a better speaker anywhere for that purpose.
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- Nathan H on Nov 19, 2018
BEST ANSWER: They are fantastic. You cannot find a better speaker anywhere for that purpose.
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- Nathan H on Nov 19, 2018
Love my! Take a little to break in, and I installed boxes around them in my attic space because it was easy to get at. I'm currently running these in a 5.1 system and they do a great job. Personally I would spend a little more and get the next size up. The build on these speakers are far nicer then what u pay for. Easy install couldn't be happier. And yes, they would be great for Dolby Atmos!
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- Patrick M on Aug 12, 2017
- Purchased on Feb 18, 2017
The speakers don't care what type of surround you have, it's just noise to them - you need to follow positioning guidelines and match the specs of these to your other speakers.
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- Dan I on Aug 11, 2017
- Purchased on Feb 13, 2017
They work very well. I have four in the ceiling and this setup is great with an enveloping atmosphere. Highly recommended.
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- Eddie C on Aug 11, 2017
- Purchased on Jan 31, 2017
The speakers sound great but I am not using them in the way you want to
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- Margaret T on Aug 11, 2017
- Purchased on Feb 12, 2017
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Can the black back cover be removed?
A shopper
on Nov 15, 2018
I don't see any way to remove it but really, why would you want to remove it? If you don't want the back then they have speakers with no backs that could be used. This particular speaker has worked excellently in my ceiling in several rooms.
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- Nathan H on Nov 19, 2018
Don’t know. I didn’t need to so I never looked at the back that closely. Their in my ceiling now so they are not coming down. Why do you want to do that?
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- blaczko on Nov 16, 2018
Not sure! They are already installed.
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- Gina A on Nov 15, 2018
- Purchased on Oct 22, 2018
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How would these Black Back speakers perform in damp locations like bathroom audio (near or above a shower)?
A shopper
on Dec 18, 2016
BEST ANSWER: Hello, thank you for your question. We would not recommend installing these speakers where they will come in direct contact with moisture. Instead, we would recommend product # 8555 as they are constructed with a polypropylene/mica speaker woofer cone and PEI tweeter, which are resistant to water.
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=8555
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=8555
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- Jeff M Staff on Jan 17, 2017
BEST ANSWER: Hello, thank you for your question. We would not recommend installing these speakers where they will come in direct contact with moisture. Instead, we would recommend product # 8555 as they are constructed with a polypropylene/mica speaker woofer cone and PEI tweeter, which are resistant to water.
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=8555
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=8555
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- Jeff M Staff on Jan 17, 2017
No way would I use these in a damp location. First, they are not rated for that but second, the cone etc. may be made of a material that in and of itself is water resistant but NONE of the other parts are and there is no real seal between the front and back side of the speaker. I wouldn't even attempt it.
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- Nathan H on Nov 19, 2018
The metal grill would eventually rust and cosmetically would maybe need to be changed but performance wise would have no affect on the speaker. These are excellent speakers in terms of quality and performance.
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- Guest on Dec 20, 2016
- Purchased on Nov 18, 2016
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Do you recommend these speaker for surround sound setup?
Antrapment
Antrapment
A shopper
on Feb 26, 2017
BEST ANSWER: I have these setup as front and rear in ceiling for a 5.1 system and they are fantastic. I did have to run them for about 48 hours at a low volume to break them in but after that, you can barely tell the difference between these and my B&W which were fantastically more expensive. ($1200 per speaker)
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- Nathan H on Nov 19, 2018
BEST ANSWER: I have these setup as front and rear in ceiling for a 5.1 system and they are fantastic. I did have to run them for about 48 hours at a low volume to break them in but after that, you can barely tell the difference between these and my B&W which were fantastically more expensive. ($1200 per speaker)
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- Nathan H on Nov 19, 2018
Yes. Prior to switching to a Dolby Atmos setup, I had used these as in-ceiling rear surrounds and they sounded nice and clear on movies and music. Now I have them as front and rear in-ceiling atmos speakers and they still sound fantastic for movies.
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- Eddie C on Feb 26, 2017
- Purchased on Jan 31, 2017
Yes, the speakers sound great and were easy to install a.
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- Donald F on Feb 26, 2017
- Purchased on Dec 11, 2016
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Description, Specs, and Manual do not mention the dB switch on the bezel of the speaker. Is this switch to reduce the volume (dB) of the speaker or is it non-functional? Has anyone heard a difference when adjusting the position of the switch?
A shopper
on Sep 5, 2019
BEST ANSWER: The switch is a high frequency attenuator. It is there to compensate for different rooms. Lots of carpet and drapes will call for the switch set to the "0" position. If you have tile floors and big glass windows you may want to turn the highs down a bit to minimize reflections.
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- Dave L Staff on Sep 9, 2019
BEST ANSWER: The switch is a high frequency attenuator. It is there to compensate for different rooms. Lots of carpet and drapes will call for the switch set to the "0" position. If you have tile floors and big glass windows you may want to turn the highs down a bit to minimize reflections.
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- Dave L Staff on Sep 9, 2019
I have noticed no difference in mine at either setting. I have 4 of these in a finished drywall ceiling over the listening area in a 7.1 system. Break-in period is complete, and I have received tons of compliments from friends. They sound bad ass.
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- Ron S on Sep 6, 2019
- Purchased on Dec 10, 2018
I have not tried to adjust the switch, but expected it to control the tweeter more so than the overall speaker itself. That's based on my experiences with other speakers.
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- Brian W on Sep 6, 2019
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Is there a back enclosure that would work with these speakers? I prefer the magnetic grill of the black back version vs the PID 4104 version. I also prefer the lower frequency response compared to the Alpha series for this particular location, otherwise I'd just get the Alpha series since there is a back enclosure kit for that model.
Tim P
on Jan 19, 2017

Monoprice Black Back Ceiling Speakers 6.5in Fiber 2-Way with Covered Crossover (pair)

Monoprice ABS Back Enclosure (Pair) for PID 4104 8in Ceiling Speaker

Monoprice Metal Back Can for 8-inch Ceiling Speaker with Brackets (pair)
BEST ANSWER: Standard speaker measurements can show frequency response as -3db and -10db. At one point we wanted to show the conservative number as -3db, 70Hz. Since almost all of our competitors use the better looking -10db, 50Hz, our team decided to use the 50Hz on the graphic. My -10db rating was still in the text. Both the Black Back and Alpha 8" ceiling speakers have the same low frequency range of 50Hz @ -3db and 7-Hz @ -10db. The Alpha series with the backcan will give you the performance you need with the more stylish magnetic grill. Thank you for bringing this issue up, we will correct the description so no one else is confused.
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- Dave L Staff on Feb 3, 2017
BEST ANSWER: Standard speaker measurements can show frequency response as -3db and -10db. At one point we wanted to show the conservative number as -3db, 70Hz. Since almost all of our competitors use the better looking -10db, 50Hz, our team decided to use the 50Hz on the graphic. My -10db rating was still in the text. Both the Black Back and Alpha 8" ceiling speakers have the same low frequency range of 50Hz @ -3db and 7-Hz @ -10db. The Alpha series with the backcan will give you the performance you need with the more stylish magnetic grill. Thank you for bringing this issue up, we will correct the description so no one else is confused.
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- Dave L Staff on Feb 3, 2017
No there is not. My were installed in the attic. I had the space to build my own boxes out of wood in order to keep out the blown in insulation. Love, love, love these speakers!
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- Patrick M on Mar 9, 2017
- Purchased on Feb 18, 2017
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does the tweeter pivot?
A shopper
on Mar 5, 2017
BEST ANSWER: Yes it does! Just got my up and running, and they sound pretty dam good. Still have a large break in period left on them, but for the price these speakers have exceeded my high expectations. The tweeter can articulate 15 dagrees in any direction you deem necessary!
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- Patrick M on Mar 9, 2017
- Purchased on Feb 18, 2017
BEST ANSWER: Yes it does! Just got my up and running, and they sound pretty dam good. Still have a large break in period left on them, but for the price these speakers have exceeded my high expectations. The tweeter can articulate 15 dagrees in any direction you deem necessary!
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- Patrick M on Mar 9, 2017
- Purchased on Feb 18, 2017
Tweeter is fixed, does NOT pivot.
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- David W on Mar 5, 2017
- Purchased on Nov 25, 2016
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What is the dimensions of the front of the speaker? I have 6" in which to put the speaker.
Kevin S
on Feb 3, 2017
BEST ANSWER: Thanks for your interest in this ceiling speaker. The cutout dimension is 7.9" with an overall dimension of 9.8"
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- Dave L Staff on Feb 9, 2017
BEST ANSWER: Thanks for your interest in this ceiling speaker. The cutout dimension is 7.9" with an overall dimension of 9.8"
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- Dave L Staff on Feb 9, 2017
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What is the mounting depth for the 6.5-inch model #15698?
A shopper
on Feb 6, 2017
BEST ANSWER: You roughly need 3.5 inches.
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- Patrick M on Mar 9, 2017
- Purchased on Feb 18, 2017
BEST ANSWER: You roughly need 3.5 inches.
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- Patrick M on Mar 9, 2017
- Purchased on Feb 18, 2017
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What is the mounting depth for the 6.5" Black Back Model #15698?
New User U
on Feb 6, 2017
BEST ANSWER: Mounting depth for the 6.5" Black Back is 4.6".
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- Dave L Staff on Feb 9, 2017
BEST ANSWER: Mounting depth for the 6.5" Black Back is 4.6".
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- Dave L Staff on Feb 9, 2017
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Where is the speaker manufactured?
A shopper
on Sep 13, 2017
BEST ANSWER: Not real sure, but this is a great set of speakers, build quality exceeds expectations at any price point. Highly recommend.
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- Patrick M on Sep 14, 2017
- Purchased on Feb 18, 2017
BEST ANSWER: Not real sure, but this is a great set of speakers, build quality exceeds expectations at any price point. Highly recommend.
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- Patrick M on Sep 14, 2017
- Purchased on Feb 18, 2017
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Is the price listed per each speaker and it is sold only in pairs? It looks like its 77.55/pair. However when I try to add 1 to my cart, it shows up as 2 at double the amount.
Michael P
on Apr 5, 2018
What size hole do I need to cut in order to install these into the ceiling?
Michael P
on May 19, 2018
What's the cut hole size for theres speakers?
A shopper
on Apr 27, 2020
Can the monoprice 6.5 inch rough-in bracket fit these speakers? PN 24761
A shopper
on Jul 26, 2020
How do these Black Back speakers compare to the Alpha series and the Amber series? I do like that these have less wasted space in the housing which means that the overall cutout and size of the speaker is about 1" smaller. I don't want to sacrifice sound quality but I do wish they did not make the housing so big on the other two.
Stephen B
on Jan 24, 2021
How do these compare to the Alpha and Amber series?
Stephen B
on Jan 24, 2021
Is there an option for black grills?
New User U
on Mar 22, 2021
Reviews
4.7 / 5.0
30 Reviews
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Rated 5 out of 5
Tough to beat for the price...
Installed these in my ceiling of the man cave media area for a 7.2 system - combined with slim line 10" woofers and two in wall rectangular from Monoprice. People that hear my system probably think I spent 5x what I did. Sound is fantastic
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Rated 5 out of 5
Impressive
I have a living room space that's about 16'x14'. I'm using 2 front full-range towers a center and a subwoofer. I went with the 6.5-inch Blackbacks for Atmos dedicated speakers. I originally purchased the 8in and felt like it would be a bit of an overkill so returned them for the 6.5in. I know most go with the larger speakers because they want more bass out of them but I rely on the sub for that and knew Id be building the enclosure around them to help support the bass function. The reality is, non-boxed in-ceiling speakers are incredibly inefficient no matter what. To counter this, I built a 12in 5 sided wood enclosure and lined with sheetrock for fireproofing purposes. Also added a piece of insulation inside the box for dampening. In the attic, I placed the opening of the box over the speaker hole in the ceiling and sealed all 4 sides of the box down with a fire-retardant foam seal. to fill in any air gaps and to secure the box in place. Drilled a small hole for the speaker wire and resealed. To sum it all up. I'm running the atmos speakers at 80hz and handles tons of bass on their own. I was also very happy the tweeters have a 25-30 degree pivot to point to the listening area. Very happy.
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Rated 5 out of 5
Impressive
From the order entry to shipping to installation to listening, this has been a pleasurable experience. Very happy with the sound quality and even happier at the price point of these. I have a blown in ceiling and these were exactly what I needed.
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Rated 4 out of 5
Good Stuff
Very strong speaker, sounds great and will definitely
Purchase again..
Purchase again..
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Rated 5 out of 5
Review request too quickly
Dont know since they arent here yet
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Rated 5 out of 5
Terrific Speakers !!
Still breaking in, packaging was incredible. Simple install and I think you would be hard pressed to monoprice dollar for dollar.....cant be done Thank you
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Rated 2 out of 5
Disappointed
Not good. Expected much more. Unfortunately you get what you pay for. These are ok for low background music but nothing more.
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Response from Monoprice
I'm sorry to hear that, please feel free to contact us at reviews@monoprice.com with a detailed summary of the issue you are experiencing and our knowledgeable Technical Support staff would be more than happy to assist. Thank you
November 12, 2017
Curtis G
Staff
Rated 5 out of 5
Sound great!
For what these are and what I use them for I couldn't be happier. They have a nice closed back which lets less insulation creep in from my attic. I have 6 of these in a 7.1.2 environment. They are used for surround and Atmos channels. They do what I need them to do. There were really simple to install. No complaints here!
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Rated 5 out of 5
Great sound at a great price!
When we recently moved to a new house, I thought I would install Infinity in-wall speakers again, but found out they were discontinued. My search for new speakers covered dozens of companies but I settled on the Monoprice speakers based on reviews on-line. I couldn't be happier with my purchase. They put out as much sound as my old Infinity speakers at a fraction of the price. The sound is clear with great depth on the lows. Easy to install. Very impressive!
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Rated 4 out of 5
You will never find a better sounding speaker with these types of material. For my money.......The BEST!
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