From the standpoint of Audio performance, I rate these a definite 5. Audio range an clarity are excellent, power handling superb. A surprise in the listening media can still take me out of the chair and wonder how such sound can be reproduced in the room. Using these for left, center and right in the ceiling above my wall-mounted 55" flat screen gives perfect audio placement with the drivers pointed directly at the listeners. In-wall speakers would have less-perfect direction and placement than these. They seem to use the ceiling to broaden the sound, and eliminate many of the usual acoustic flaws a room can cause because they do not point directly at any wall, they quite frankly point down at an angle directly to the listener. Their shape even permits giving a little angle into the center of the room for the left and right speakers, they don't have to point past your ears, they can point right at them.

From an asthetics standpoint, I also give them a 5. Speakers are far less visible in a ceiling than a wall. You just don't see them up there like you would a wall speaker or a cabinet. It's the closest to invisible sound. White ceilings make them even more invisible, and a ceiling is more likely to be white than a wall.

From an installation standpoint, I give them a 4. There was some difficulty with the screw-twist clamping mechanisms. They just were not very smooth, and hard to follow whether or not they had turned properly. Also - even worse is how blunt the clamp is. It's too easy to tighten the sides to the point where you get a visible crimp in your sheetrock. You must resist firm tightening, or possibly use something flat and stiff to reinforce the sheetrock.

One last thing I should have thought about. There's a bedroom upstairs. There is NO using ceiling speakers if someone is trying to sleep in the room above. easily transmits double the volume upstairs than room speakers would have.

I would definitely buy them again.