Premier Mounts SpiroLock Universal Projector Mount Review

SPI Build Quality & Use

I'm a bit rabid about my projector mounts. Universal fit is a must - particularly for die-hard front projector aficionados (and product reviewers) who wouldn't be caught dead without having the latest technology. But it doesn't stop there. In addition to universality, a projector mount has to be easy to install, simple to adjust, and preferably, capable of supporting that super-size heavy projector you may or may not one day be able to afford. Premier Mounts' SpiroLock Low Profile Projector Mount addresses all three of my "must-have" criteria pretty well. In fact, they pretty much nail two of them and the third I found that I could live with. At $178 it may not seem as affordable as some generic models, but it's a robust mount, and you can find it a lot cheaper than MSRP from dealers and authorized retailers. And, if you're a pro, this is a mount you can count on to be there, one you can get used to installing, since Premier has a history of longevity and installer support for its products.

Build Quality and Use

The SpiroLock (SPI) Low-Profile Projector mount comes in black or white and has several different form factors. You can get it standalone - as we did - or you can bundle it with any number of accessories or hardware. For example, the UNI-SPIB is a black version that is configured for use with a short-throw projector mount and integrated audio system. The SPI-FCMA is the SpiroLock mount with a white drop-ceiling plate to make the mount super-easy to place in commercial environments. In short, the SpiroLock SPI system has been integrated across Premier Mounts' entire line of products, making it easy to order and customize to whatever situation you may find yourself in. Wood stud, solid ceiling surface and short-throw projector wall mounts are ready to take it and if you pick up the SPI-PRO model, you can even couple it to  1.5" NPT pipe.

The SpiroLock base kit ships in a ruggedly-packed box that is foam-filled and includes everything you need to get up and running with a basic ceiling installation. The base SPI kit includes the mount, which is the projector plate, the ceiling plate, four legs, Lock-It security barrel, an Allen wrench, and a whole host of hardware for installing any projector imaginable. There is no cable safety wire harness with this system (nor do you really need it if used correctly). It's not a "tool-less" installation, but it only takes one tool once the plate is mounted to the ceiling, and that tool is included. If it were any easier, they'd have to package a guy to install it for you.

The mount itself is made of powder-coated steel and is deceptively tough. It can support projectors weighing up to 45 pounds, but if past history is any example, that's just the limit Premier puts in there and has likely tested it with greater loads. With four legs, we doubt it would have trouble holding up more. The system's claim to fame is its innovative SpiroLock mechanism which rotates 15 degrees to lock and unlock the projector plate from the ceiling plate. And, of course, you can secure it by adjusting the locking tab and Lock-It screw with the included Allen wrench. 

The ceiling plate has 6 mounting holes, for a variety of options to get it where you need it, and the projector plate works really well with either 3 or 4 mounting legs. The legs are made so that they can accept all of the various screws and thread-types used by the major manufacturers (all of which are included) and you can even adjust the height with integrated leveling barrels. This is important, as the mount is rather low-profile and often the mounting points aren't the lowest point on the bottom plate of the projector (feet may extend past, for example). In this way, you can get the SpiroLock mount as low as possible and really squeeze that projector closer to the ceiling (for those of you very high vertical offsets - you know who you are!). After you have everything configured, the leg barrels even come with plastic caps to keep dust and dirt build-up from getting in.

SPI Assembly, Installation and Conclusion

Our particular SPI mount went into a new home theater room with tongue and groove wood ceilings. That made it exceptionally easy to mount - we simply screwed the ceiling plate into the ceiling and didn't need to worry about catching studs since the material was 3/4-inch solid wood - and well-secured. But before all of that occurred, we first had to mount the projector plate to our test projector, an Optoma HD33 - one of the newest 1080p 3D-capable projectors on the market.

Since this projector is rather compact and has only three mounting points, one of the things we quickly noticed was how crowded the SPI mount can get. The SpiroLock seems to do better with more surface area, but it can absolutely be adapted to fit 3 or 4 of its mounting legs into a crowded space - provided you are creative. Certainly none of this affected the stability of the projector or its stability during the mounting process, but it's good to know.

We found that "rough-sizing" the projector plate to the projector is going to be your best bet - before you secure all of the screws. Be sure to also set the depth of the adjustable leveling barrels at the end of each of the feet before you secure them to the mounting points. We recommend getting the projector plate as tight on the bottom of the projector as possible, unless you are trying to extend the unit as far from the ceiling as possible (typically, it's just the opposite). The legs are quickly adjustable simply by sliding them along the plate and the grooves provided in the legs themselves. In this way you can render them as short or long as needed to match the configuration of the projector. It's also good to have a handle on where the weight of the projector is. Ideally, you will center the mount over the central weight point of the projector, not the middle. Many projectors are not balanced in the middle due to a lens assembly that is on the left or right side rather than the middle. This will keep your mount balanced so that tilting and adjusting it is a simple process.

Once we were certain everything was set, we tightened down the plate's feet via the screws provided - which fit into the leveling barrels. We then tightened the screws that hold the feet to the plate, being sure to get the plate situated perpendicular to the lens throw. Next, all you do it lift the projector up and rotate the plate 15 degrees until it fits into the ceiling plate. Rotating it back, the unit locks right in place and you're all set. The integrated torsion spring mechanism automatically grabs and locks onto the SpiroLock mechanism without any hassle. You can then secure the projector further with the locking tab and Lock-It screw if you desire extra protection. The mount itself is very simple to adjust and we didn't have to do anything after it was up to enable tool-free adjustment of the tilt (pitch), roll and yaw. 

Conclusion

This is a projector mount that can go anywhere and do anything, thanks to the myriad of options offered by Premier Mounts. We like the mounting methodology and the ease with which we can remove and replace the projector. For installations where you need to get the unit down for a bulb replacement and you don't want the hassle of a more complicated mount, this might be just the solution you're looking for. With a street price over $100 this isn't the cheapest universal projector mount you're going to find, but if you factor in ease-of-use and labor costs on maintenance, it's easy to see how it can save you money and hassle over the long haul. We give this projector a big thumbs up and can easily recommend it to both pros and enthusiasts alike.

The Score Card

The scoring below is based on each piece of equipment doing the duty it is designed for. The numbers are weighed heavily with respect to the individual cost of each unit, thus giving a rating roughly equal to:

Performance × Price Factor/Value = Rating

Audioholics.com note: The ratings indicated below are based on subjective listening and objective testing of the product in question. The rating scale is based on performance/value ratio. If you notice better performing products in future reviews that have lower numbers in certain areas, be aware that the value factor is most likely the culprit. Other Audioholics reviewers may rate products solely based on performance, and each reviewer has his/her own system for ratings.

Audioholics Rating Scale

• — Excellent
• — Very Good
• — Good
• — Fair
• — Poor

Metric	Rating
Build Quality
Ergonomics & Usability
Ease of Setup/Programming/Integration
Fit and Finish
Performance
Value