Phase Tech CI-20VII In-wall Speakers Review

There is a wide selection of in-wall speakers available at almost every price range, from a few hundred dollars to many thousands of dollars per pair. In the past few years, the popularity and availability of in-walls has virtually exploded, mostly because in-wall speakers can sound very good, and they almost disappear when installed. The frames and grilles can be painted to match the wall or room décor. WAF (wife-acceptance-factor) is a big reason that in-wall speakers are so popular because speakers that can be heard, but not necessarily seen, are very popular. The sound quality of in-walls has also improved significantly as many manufacturers have employed traditional speaker technology to improve in-walls with a lot of success.

Phase Technology (Phase Tech) was formed in 1978 after manufacturing loudspeakers for other companies for many years. Today they manufacture a wide-range of in-room, in-wall/in-ceiling loudspeakers as well as subwoofers and electronic components for whole-house audio distribution. The Phase Tech CI-20VII in-wall speakers in this review are close to the entry-level of the company's rectangular in-wall series speakers.

The CI-20VII in-walls from the company's Custom Installation Series use a two-piece mounting system to secure the speakers to the wall, consisting of a universal mounting flange and a separate speaker baffle. This two-piece system simplifies installation and, according to Phase Tech, provides an easy upgrade path for consumers since all but one speaker in the CI (Custom Installation) line use the same mounting flange. It's also easier to remove and replace a speaker while leaving the flange in the wall.

After cutting a 10.75" high by 7.5" wide opening in the wall, the flange is installed and is secured with four dog-leg clamps. The flange comes with a rubber gasket that seals it to the wall, guarding against air leaks that can negatively affect performance. After the flange is installed, the speaker inserts into the flange and is locked in place with four Quick Mount locks, a screw-less cam-lock that firmly holds the speaker in place (Phase Tech actually has a patent application submitted for these). The Quick Mount system makes installation and removal simple and, as mentioned, allows for an easy speaker upgrade at a later time.

The flange and speakers' baffles are both made of plastic and well built, especially the baffle, which is made of a higher density plastic and is very solid. The baffle has a punch-out hole for installing an optional infrared repeater for connection to a remote control system, and remains invisible behind the grille.

The CI-20VII speakers consist of one 6.5" Polypropylene driver and a 1" soft dome tweeter that pivots so it can be aimed directly into the listening area. A tweeter level control on the baffle also allows a +/- 3dB adjustment.

Obviously you can add your own subwoofer to this system or you can utilize Phase Tech's IW 200 in-wall sub. While we did not include a review of this sub as part of this article, we were able to take a close look at it and the installation process. The IW 200 in-wall subwoofer is larger than the CI-20VII speakers and consists of dual 8" mica-graphite polypropylene cones and a separate enclosure that installs between two wall studs. The enclosure is made of MDF and is very large, measuring 72" high, 14 3/8" wide and 3 3/8" deep and requires a large wall cut out unless installed during the construction phase, which is highly recommended. The IW 200 mounting system is a two-piece steel bracket that sandwiches the drywall and provides a secure, airtight installation. The subwoofer baffle is then installed in the front of the bracket and secured with six screws.

The IW 200 is a powered subwoofer with an outboard amplifier, the P200, a 200-watt amp with typical controls, including gain, crossover range, and phase. It supports three modes: Sub, Low Frequency Effects and Wide Range for various system configurations and also includes a +12 volt trigger so it can be activated automatically when the system is powered on. Because of its large size, we opted to not include the sub in the review.

Listening to multi-channel music and movies on the Phase Tech system reinforced the concept that all five speakers in a multi-channel system be identical. The speakers presented a very cohesive sound field, and a real sense of acoustic space. My recently acquired SACD "Rockin the Spirit" (Chesky Records) is a multi-channel disc of piano blues and spirituals that was recorded live with a single-point microphone placed on-stage between two grand pianos. The Phase Tech speakers did an excellent job of creating that "you are there" experience, placing the listener right on stage in the recital hall, with the pianos at the sides of the sound field.

Equally impressive was the SACD recording of "The Persuasions Sing the Beatles" (Chesky Records). This hybrid disc is an a cappella performance recorded in St. Peter's Church in Manhattan and the Phase Tech speakers very accurately recreated the acoustic space of the church with great separation of the multiple vocals throughout the performance.

The Phase Tech speakers also did well with instrumentals, especially strings. Nickel Creek's "The Lighthouse's Tale" (SACD, Sugar Hill Records) is an Irish folk-rock trio that features multiple string instruments including a mandolin, which revealed excellent transient response. The vocals in Nickel Creek's "Speak" (SACD, Sugar Hill Records) sounded very open and transparent.

The CI-20VII speakers don't produce much deep bass, although mid-bass was adequate. To get the full experience, a subwoofer is necessary. As mentioned, the IW 200 requires a large enclosure and requires the removal and replacement of a substantial amount of drywall, so unless you're installing it during the construction phase (or you're skilled at removing and replacing drywall, including patching and texturing) you may want to consider an in-room sub, which Phase Tech makes as well.

With film sound the Phase Techs reproduced very good dynamic range. They were able to handle the peaks in The Incredibles with ease, even at higher volume levels. Dialogue was clear and distinct, with good intelligibility. Good surround sound, either music or movies, draws the listener into the action, and the Phase Tech speakers easily accomplished this goal. I found the same results with several short movie clips.

The Phase Tech CI-20VII speakers show clearly that you don't have to spend a bundle of money to get good performance from a home theater speaker system. The sound quality of the CI-20VII speakers make them a solid value, and their two-piece installation system makes it simple to upgrade to a better model in the future. They also have a small footprint, so they don't take a lot of space on the wall. I would highly recommend the CI-20VII speakers if good performance is your goal without breaking the bank.

Overall, the CI-20VII in-walls are a great value, and when you can get performance like this for $1,000 for a five-piece entire system, it's definitely worth your consideration.