There is a kind of quiet that only an uncluttered room knows. No cabinets, no cables, no device asking for attention. And then, when you want it, music. Not from a corner, but from the room itself.
That is what built-in speakers do. They disappear into ceiling or wall and leave only the sound. At Brussee, an official Bang & Olufsen dealer since 1995, we advise on systems like these and our specialists take care of the installation. This guide covers what to check before the first cut is made.
Contents
- What built-in speakers actually are
- Ceiling or wall: what suits where
- Five things to check
- The Bang & Olufsen Celestial range compared
- Start small, upgrade later in the same cut-out
- The grille: the only thing you see
- Palatial: built into the wall
- New build or renovation: the right moment
- Frequently asked questions
- Personal advice in our showrooms
What built-in speakers actually are
Built-in speakers are loudspeakers mounted in a cut-out in the ceiling or the wall, so that only a flat grille remains visible. Mounted in the ceiling they are called ceiling speakers or in-ceiling speakers; in the wall, in-wall speakers. They are almost always passive: they receive their signal and power from an amplifier placed elsewhere in the house, out of sight.
The result is sound without furniture. For a kitchen, a hallway or a living room where the interior comes first, that is often exactly the intention.
Ceiling or wall: what suits where
Ceiling speakers distribute sound evenly across a room. You hear much the same everywhere, without an obvious source. That makes them the natural choice for background music, for rooms where you move rather than sit, and for open-plan kitchens where the sound should travel with you.
In-wall speakers sit at ear height and radiate towards you. That gives a clearer stereo image and sound that comes from the front, as with a television or a fixed listening position. For a discreet home cinema, the wall is therefore the logical place.
In practice it is rarely one or the other. Many homes combine in-wall speakers around the screen with ceiling speakers in the rest of the house.
Five things to check
1. Mounting depth
This is the measurement most often forgotten, and the one that most determines what is possible. Above a suspended ceiling or inside a stud wall, space is limited. Within the Celestial range, mounting depth runs from 89 millimetres for the BOC62 to 188 millimetres for the BOC106. So measure what you have first, and choose afterwards.
2. Cut-out size
The cut-out size is the diameter of the hole. For the Celestial models with a 6.5 or 8 inch woofer that is 222 millimetres; only the BOC106 requires 264 millimetres. It seems a detail, until you read what it makes possible in the section on upgrading.
3. Woofer size
A larger woofer reaches deeper into the bass. The BOC62 with 6.5 inches starts at 48 Hz, the BOC82 with 8 inches at 38 Hz, and the BOC106 with 10 inches reaches 28 Hz. For background music in a hallway the difference is modest. For a living room where the ceiling speakers are the main system, you hear it immediately.
4. Two-way or three-way
A two-way system divides the sound between a tweeter and a woofer. A three-way system, such as the BOC86 and the BOC106, adds a separate 4 inch midrange driver. Voices and instruments get a driver of their own, which makes the reproduction calmer and more detailed.
5. Amplification
Because built-in speakers are passive, the amplifier helps determine how they sound. Every Celestial model has a recommended power range, from 25 to 125 watts for the BOC62 up to 50 to 200 watts for the BOC106, at a minimum impedance of 6 ohms. Which amplification and control suit your home, and how it works with your other equipment, is something our specialists work out with you.
The Bang & Olufsen Celestial range compared
Celestial speakers have one property that sets them apart: you can direct the sound towards the place where you listen. That gives better coverage and more freedom in where the speaker goes, which in an existing ceiling full of joists and pipework is no luxury.
| Model | System | Woofer | Frequency response | Recommended power | Mounting depth | Cut-out | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celestial BOC62 | Two-way | 6.5 inch | 48 Hz to 20 kHz | 25 to 125 watts | 89 mm | 222 mm | EUR 448 |
| Celestial BOC82 | Two-way | 8 inch | 38 Hz to 20 kHz | 50 to 125 watts | 105 mm | 222 mm | EUR 621 |
| Celestial BOC66 | Two-way | 6.5 inch | 43 Hz to 20 kHz | 25 to 150 watts | 135 mm | 222 mm | EUR 644 |
| Celestial BOC82DT | Two-way, dual tweeter | 8 inch | 38 Hz to 20 kHz | 50 to 125 watts | 109 mm | 222 mm | EUR 966 |
| Celestial BOC86 | Three-way | 8 inch | 34 Hz to 20 kHz | 50 to 175 watts | 142 mm | 222 mm | EUR 1,150 |
| Celestial BOC106 | Three-way | 10 inch | 28 Hz to 20 kHz | 50 to 200 watts | 188 mm | 264 mm | EUR 1,989 |
Specifications and prices as listed on brussee.eu on 21 September 2026.
The BOC82DT: stereo from a single speaker
The BOC82DT deserves a mention of its own. DT stands for Dual Tweeter: two tweeters instead of one, so the speaker reproduces the left and right channels from a single mounting point. For a small kitchen, an entrance hall or a narrow corridor where there is no room for two speakers, you still get a complete stereo image.
Start small, upgrade later in the same cut-out
Because all Celestial models with a 6.5 and 8 inch woofer share the same 222 millimetre cut-out, your first choice need not be your last. You can fit a 6.5 inch model today and later replace it with an 8 inch model in the same mounting hole. No new cutting, no plastering, no decorator.
Do keep an eye on mounting depth: it differs per model, so the space behind the ceiling must allow for the upgrade. It is one of the reasons to take the deepest variant as your starting point when planning.
The grille: the only thing you see
Every Celestial speaker comes with a magnetic grille that sits flush against the ceiling. Anyone who wants to make the grille part of the interior chooses the Advanced Grill: an aluminium grille with a fine line pattern, available in Gold Tone, Natural and Black Anthracite.
- Celestial Advanced Grill 8 inch, for the BOC62, BOC66, BOC82, BOC82DT and BOC86: EUR 400
- Celestial Advanced Grill 10 inch, for the BOC106: EUR 450
Palatial: built into the wall
Where Celestial is round and belongs mainly in the ceiling, Palatial is the rectangular range for the wall. Once installed, only the clean aluminium grille is visible, its polished surface subtly reflecting the surroundings.
The range comprises a two-way system with dual woofers and a true three-way system with four woofers for deep, powerful bass. Both have EQ adjustments, a magnetic grille and a spring-lock system that mounts them without tools. The Palatial Advanced Grill is available in Gold Tone, Natural and Black Anthracite for EUR 400. For the composition of a Palatial setup we are glad to prepare a tailored proposal.
New build or renovation: the right moment
The best moment to think about built-in speakers is before the ceilings are closed. Pulling cables is simple while the structure is open, and awkward afterwards. Anyone building new or renovating thoroughly does well to plan the sound in the same phase as the electrics and the lighting.
With an existing ceiling it can also be done, but mounting depth and the run of joists and pipework then weigh more heavily. That is exactly where the directability of the Celestial speakers helps: the speaker does not have to sit in the acoustically ideal spot to reach the listening position.
If in the end you would rather have a speaker that is meant to be seen, you will find the complete range on our page of B&O speakers. And for anyone wanting to combine built-in sound with a screen, there is our guide to creating a Bang & Olufsen home cinema.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between in-ceiling and in-wall speakers?
Both are built-in speakers mounted in a cut-out so that only a grille is visible. In-ceiling speakers distribute sound evenly across a room, which suits background music and open spaces. In-wall speakers sit at ear height and give a clearer stereo image, which suits a television or a fixed listening position.
Do ceiling speakers need an amplifier?
Yes. Ceiling and in-wall speakers are almost always passive and receive their signal and power from an amplifier placed elsewhere in the house. Within the Bang & Olufsen Celestial range, recommended amplifier power runs from 25 to 125 watts for the BOC62 up to 50 to 200 watts for the BOC106.
How much space do I need above the ceiling?
That depends on the model. The Celestial BOC62 has a mounting depth of 89 millimetres, the BOC82 of 105 millimetres and the BOC106 of 188 millimetres. Measure the free space behind your ceiling before choosing a model, especially with a suspended ceiling.
Can I fit a larger speaker in the same hole later?
With the Celestial range you can. All models with a 6.5 and 8 inch woofer share a 222 millimetre cut-out, so a 6.5 inch model can later be replaced by an 8 inch model in the same mounting hole. Do check that the mounting depth of the new model fits.
What do Bang & Olufsen ceiling speakers cost?
The Celestial range starts at EUR 448 for the BOC62 and runs to EUR 1,989 for the BOC106 with a 10 inch woofer. The optional aluminium Advanced Grill costs EUR 400 for the 8 inch models and EUR 450 for the BOC106.
Personal advice in our showrooms
A built-in system starts with a floor plan, not with a product choice. Bring your drawings to one of our showrooms and we will walk through the rooms together and determine what fits where.
- Brussee Haarlem, Grote Houtstraat 7
- Brussee Amsterdam, P.C. Hooftstraat 73
- Brussee Katwijk, Voorstraat 35
Browse the full collection of Bang & Olufsen built-in speakers, or request a quote without obligation for your home.
