Most people prefer their in-wall and in-ceiling speakers heard, not seen. In certain circles, an off-color grille, a conspicuous logo or even a readily visible edge can easily result in an uproar, disappointment and, sometimes, a fired installer.

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Morels SQ-21 in-wall ceiling speaker (left) and Harmony 10 subwoofer (right).  (Click image to enlarge)

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Morel’s Harmony speaker line defies these rules. In a world where ceiling speakers compete to press themselves ever closer to the wall surface, Harmony dares to jut out an inch or so. Morel fashions these speakers in white, matte gray, black and other custom colors; no other ceiling speaker I know of violates the decades-old, all-white dress code. And with their petite 4-inch woofers, Harmony speakers eschew the bigger-is-better mentality that has made large, muddy-sounding woofers a recurring theme in the ceilings of today’s most exclusive homes.

Click here to see the lab measurements.

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Perhaps Morel’s bravest move, though, is wrapping its speaker drivers in a metal ball—one that swivels, no less. The swivel lets you or your installer point the speaker wherever you want to direct the sound. Most ceiling speakers sound tonally accurate only when the listener is standing below them. Unfortunately, since few musical performances take place directly overhead, such a listening position does not deliver a realistic stereo image. Harmony’s swivel design, in theory, makes it one of the few ceiling speakers that can simultaneously deliver accurate sound and a fairly realistic stereo image because it can be pointed across the room at your favorite chair, so the sound comes from in front of you, not above you.
The metal ball serves as more than a swivel, though. Because the ball encloses the back of the woofer, the speaker does not radiate sound into adjacent rooms through the ceiling, nor does it shake the drywall or resonate in the space above the ceiling. Thus, Harmony speakers should perform consistently, regardless of the ceiling construction.

That 4-inch woofer surrounds a 1.1-inch dome tweeter (or high-frequency driver). The dome is made from fabric coated with Acuflex, which, according to an Internet search, has something to do with orthopaedic surgery, golf clubs or thin polymer films (the latter, I presume). The fabric grille fronts for a metal grille underneath. Remove the fabric and the speaker can be painted to match any decor.

Morel offers single-ball and double-ball versions, with rounded or squared bezels, and custom bezel shapes. All models, custom or stock, can be used in a ceiling or in a wall.

I tested the SD20 and the SR35, which differ only in that the SR35 is a double-ball model. (Both are Morel’s top-of-the-line S-series models; the relatively inexpensive H-series line is also available.) As you would expect, the speakers sound quite similar. But their performance differs in one critical parameter.

The basic sound quality of these speakers is excellent. The tweeter, in particular, sounds smooth and refined, producing treble superior to that of most ceiling speakers.

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Close-up of the concentric woofer and tweeter used in all of Morels Harmony in-wall/ceiling speakers.  (Click image to enlarge)

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Some in-wall and in-ceiling speakers incorporate a slight treble boost to compensate for the fact that one seldom listens while standing or sitting directly in front of an in-wall or ceiling speaker. Harmony speakers minimize this problem without resorting to treble enhancement because they can be aimed where you are seated. However, the speakers still sound somewhat soft in the treble, even when swiveled to face the listener. I prefer this sound to bright, boosted treble, but I caution you that you may prefer a more lively sounding speaker.

The mellow-sounding tweeter integrates well with the tiny woofer. Many speakers suffer from a rough, unrefined transition between woofer and tweeter, which unnaturally colors vocals and dialogue. With Harmony speakers, I find this transition essentially inaudible; voices sound clear and natural. Furthermore, the isolation provided by the metal ball keeps the speaker from interacting with the ceiling cavity or the ceiling surface itself, so you hear none of the annoying wallboard resonance that mars the sound of so many in-wall speakers.

My informal panel of office listeners enjoyed the SR35’s sound, but frowned when I switched to the SD20. Why? Because the SD20 produces, for all intents and purposes, no bass. The SR35’s dual woofers are adequate for most applications, but the SD20’s single, 4-inch woofer suffices only in situations where no bass is required—talk radio, for example, or very light background music.

Just as I am ready to write off the SD20 as, at best, a special-purpose speaker, Morel comes to the rescue with the Harmony 10 in-wall subwoofer.

The 10 uses a heavy steel frame to minimize wall resonance, and to hide a single 10-inch woofer. The 10 includes no cross-over to keep middle and high frequencies from reaching its woofer, so your installer must add an electronic crossover of some sort. Such crossovers are readily available, and they are also incorporated into every Dolby Digital-equipped receiver or processor. Morel says it will offer a dedicated amplifier (presumably with an internal crossover) for the Harmony 10 later this year.

The addition of the Harmony 10 changes the sound of the SD20 from anemic to robust. Mating a subwoofer with a tiny speaker, such as the SD20, can be tricky, but the Harmony 10 and SD20 work in concert on my first try. Pop and jazz CDs sound great through this combo, with the Harmony 10 filling in the bass that the SD20 cannot supply. One Har-mony 10 suffices for most music; if you prefer music with deep bass, or want to use the SD20 in a home theater system, use at least two Harmony 10s to enhance your system’s bass performance. With the subwoofer in place, I somewhat prefer the SD20’s sound to that of the SR35, probably because placing two speakers right next to each other, as in the SR35, results in sonic interference as the speakers cancel out each other’s sound at certain audio frequencies.

Morel’s courageous design decisions yield substantial sonic benefits in the Harmony line—and I like the speakers’ visual aesthetics. Will the Harmony speakers work for you? Only your interior designer knows for sure.

DESCRIPTION
In-ceiling/in-wall speaker, in-wall subwoofer.

DIMENSIONS
SD20: 4.5 x 7.8 x 7.8 inches (hwd; mounting depth 3.5 inches).
SR35: 4.5 x 7.8 x 13.8 inches (hwd; mounting depth 3.5 inches).
Harmony 10: 12.6 x 13.4 x 3.8
inches (hwd).

CONNECTIONS
Metal binding posts, which accept bare wire, pins or spade lugs.

COMPONENTS
SD20, SR35: 4-inch woofer, 1.1-inch soft-dome tweeter (two of each in SR35).
Harmony 10: 10-inch woofer.

PRICE/CONTACT
PRICE: SD20: $449 each; SR35: $799 each; Harmony 10: $999 each.
CONTACT: 800-MOREL14