Lithe Audio Bluetooth ceiling speaker review
Lithe Audio Bluetooth Ceiling Speaker
£200Pros
- Solid construction
- Ease of installation
- Impressive sound quality
- Flush-fitting magnetic grille
- Potent and clear output
Cons
- Allow for size if installing in a small room
Bluetooth speakers. Wait! Come back! This one is different. This one from Lithe Audio has been designed to be fitted in to your ceiling.
Phew! Thought I had lost you there for a moment.
Now, as I said, this is not your usual wireless audio slinger. This unit from Lithe Audio has been designed with a specific job. You install it in to the ceiling and then enjoy wire free, hidden audio.
I first met Lithe Audio back in 2015, and again last year. I am so glad they’ve given me a chance to test their speaker out at home.
Lithe Audio BT speaker design
What is in the box is reminiscent of a speaker driver looking for a cabinet to be installed in to.
The face of the unit is dominated by the yellow 6.5-inch kevlar woofer and central 1.2-inch titanium coned tweeter.
The speaker comes with a white grille that attaches by magnets. This will help it to blend in to most ceilings.
At the rear of the speaker is where you’ll find the Bluetooth smarts, amplifier, and connectivity options.
You can wire the speaker in to the lighting circuit of your home via a fused spur or, if wiring isn’t your thing, via a regular power brick and 3-pin mains plug.
The speaker sent to me is a ‘master’ and so, as well as taking a hardwired RCA or Bluetooth connection from a source device, it can also be wired to a ‘slave’ speaker to create a stereo pair. Nice.
There is also an IP44 rated version which is the one to fit in to your bathroom, kitchen or wherever else it gets steamy and wet. This is recognisable by its white polypropylene cone instead of the regular yellow Kevlar/polypropylene version.
Lithe Audio BT speaker performance
Installation
Lithe Audio recommends that you call in an electrician to install the speaker.
That is not to say that this is not a DIY job. If you are up to some wiring and are confident and skilled enough to cut a hole into your ceiling, you could reasonably do it yourself.
They even supply a cutting template.
What I will say is that you need to keep in mind how much speaker you have here. It is 95mm deep so positioning should be carefully considered. It’s also not light. A single speaker tips the scales at 3.05 kg.
Once you’ve got a lovely hole in your ceiling you just need to wire up the speaker to your chosen powering method and then slot the speaker in place.
Once you plop the cover over it you will hardly notice there’s a speaker there. Yes, if you haven’t got white ceilings you can paint the grille to match or contrast – depending on how daring you are.
Connection
Hooking your Bluetooth source is as easy as you would expect.
Once the speaker is powered up just flick on your Bluetooth and up pops Lithe Audio BT.
I do have to say that the reach isn’t marvelous (quoted 10 meters) but it’s fair to assume that you’d have the source near to the speaker. As long as you’re in the same room then you should be golden.
You can even now control it with Alexa (you will need the ‘No PIN’ model or get Lithe to remove the password).
Lithe Audio BT speaker sound quality
Output
The speaker is powered by a class D (digital) amplifier dishing out 50 Watts (RMS).
What does that translate to when talking about a ceiling-mounted speaker? It’s pretty darned loud.
Playing some choice tracks such as ‘Sweating Bullets’ by Megadeth, ‘Passing Time’ by Noi!se, or even ‘Interstate Love Song’ by Stone Temple Pilots, you’d be hard pushed to hear what someone was saying to you at full tilt.
I would only suggest installing one of these in your flat if you already have a good relationship with them upstairs and to either side of you.
Quality
As Bruce and the lads rattle through Iron Maiden’s ‘Aces High’ after a few hours of letting the speaker settle in I am amazed by the clarity this single speaker is able to produce.
Vocals have no issue in cutting through and, my main concern, the bass is full and fuzz-free.
Did you consider that this speaker could have a sweet spot other than being directly below it? Well, gadgety faithful, the Lithe Audio speaker has a nifty little trick with its treble chucker. You see, the tweeter is mounted on a ball joint so you can fine-tune the firing direction. So, if this was the IP rated version, you could have the speaker in the centre of your bathroom with the tweeter aimed at the shower, for instance. I love that attention to detail.
Lithe Audio BT speaker review conclusion
If you or your partner have an issue with having speakers visible or you simply want your room free of clutter, built-in speakers could be a solution.
I can see these working well in a dining-room or conservatory (as long as the latter didn’t have a totally glass roof).
To be honest, I would most likely opt for the IP rated speakers from Lithe Audio and sling them in both the kitchen and bathroom. For me, these are the two rooms where you want the minimum electrical clutter on your surfaces.
I have been truly impressed by this Bluetooth speaker from Lithe Audio. It is really simple to install, it connects easily to your Bluetooth source, as well as Alexa, and holds its connection. The sound quality is brilliant and plenty loud enough. Even for this metal-head.
Lithe Audio BT speaker price and availabilty
You can buy the Lithe Audio Bluetooth speakers now direct from the company’s website.
- All in one speaker (as reviewed) – £199.99
- IP44 rated all in one – £229.99
- Ceiling speaker and passive speaker kit – £269.99
- IP44 rated Ceiling speaker and passive kit – £299.99
- Passive speaker – £75.00
- IP44 rated passive speaker – £99.99
