Acoustic Audio R191 Speaker Review

Acoustic Audio has been one of the best brands for budget ceiling speakers this year. Having seen them in numerous installs using both the five and 8-inch variants, I am always impressed by both how loud they get and how good they sound. This review will focus on the Acoustic Audio by Goldwood R191 speakers, an entry-level model with a 5-inch driver. They punch well above their weight and are able to increase volume at scale with minimal distortion. For the money, they can be considered one of the best performing and best value purchases in the ceiling speaker market.

Pros:

• Unbeatable value for money when purchased in a bundle

• They sound like far more expensive speakers

• Bass performance is good with punchy, tight control

Cons:

• Installation can be tricky for people unfamiliar with installing ceiling speakers

• Materials used in construction are cheaper than on higher-end brands

Acoustic Audio R191 Specifications

• Frequency Response - 45Hz-22 kHz / 95dB at 8ohm

• Driver - 5.25" Polypropylene cone woofers with 12mm dome tweeters

• Mounting System - Pressure and clamp

• Grills - Flush-mounted

• Paintable - Yes buyers can color match the speakers to their interior. The delivery color is white only.

• Required power - The speakers must be driven by a source delivering 10-200w per channel

R191 Build and Design

Build quality is exceptional especially when you consider when you purchase these speakers bundled it works out as less than $20 per unit. It’s one of these value propositions that makes you wonder how it is possible. In my installation, the speakers and their mounts felt as good as speakers two to three times the price.

Yes, plastic pieces are in use on the mounts and cage but they don’t feel weak or brittle. The grill is just a fairly standard cheap design but it’s metal and paintable which can blend in with your environment of choice. When installing I did find the mounting system to be a bit difficult just because it used a clamp with pressure adjusted by a screw. Installation should be carried out by a professional or when on a sturdy ladder because you will have to use your screwdriver upside down.

The size is good as well with them being 7.6 inches wide (visually) requires you to cut an installation hole of 6.625” with a depth of 3 inches to ensure a good fit. This is only slightly more than the Klipsch and Herdio speakers we have been testing this week.

The cable connectors are standard screw down as you would expect but if you desire you can also solder them for a permanent fit, as always please use cables rated for use inside walls, at least to the CL3 standards. Safety is extremely important when wiring speakers into walls and ceilings we have seen cases of improper installation materials leading to shorts and fires, most of the time insurance won’t cover it.

Connecting the Acoustic Audio R191

I talked about cables above so let’s get into how you power the R191. These are passive speakers meaning they have no power or input as a standard. They are simply just speakers. So you need to factor in the cost of wiring and an amplifier unit that is capable of driving them. A lot of the installs I have seen have opted to connect them to the house central audio system. I would advise that if you are looking to do a multi-room install and play the same music in different zones.

However, if you are just looking to power a room then Heirdo does some fantastic wall-mounted amplifiers with lots of connectivity options starting at around $50

Do the Acoustic Audio R191 Sound Good?

For the money? They are the best-sounding speakers I have ever heard. They get very loud when powered correctly and deliver a surprisingly strong bass.

Obviously, your expectations should be tempered as a set of Klipsch R-1650 is going to sound better with its larger diameter woofer but that doesn’t mean the R191 doesn’t sound good. They really do.

Of course, room planning and installation are going to play a massive part in the end product. Whether speakers and Hifi system sound good or bad can come down to the surfaces in the room.

Having tried them in a few different environments has impressed us and I would categorize the sound like this. Gets very loud with a good sub-bass response combined with adequate bass speed. Slight bass bleeds to the lower midrange, but with a forward sitting, mids to compensate. Vocals and strung instruments sounded very natural and uncolored. High peaky on jazz tracks but inoffensive on more modern genres.

The imaging was strong and the speakers produced an open and airy sound, but detail retrieval definitely scales when you increase your budget.

Loud enough for parties and when paired with a separate subwoofer positioned elsewhere in the room they can really get bodies moving.

Final Thoughts

At many locations thanks to discounts we were able to see a set of 5 R191’s available for under $100. That blows me away because we are talking about a very loud and competent speaker that also has a good build and design. The installation is a little tricky but once set up, they beat anything else at their price point. If you are intenting to buy a set of R191 be sure to check the bundle pricing, as this saves you a lot of money over buying them individually.

Official Website: Goldwood.com