Review on Polk Audio MC80 2-Way In-Ceiling 8-Inch Speaker (Single) - Dynamic Built-In Sound, Ideal for Humid Indoor Spaces, Bathrooms, Kitchens, Patios - White by Rick Rownd

With this installed in my ceiling I tried different ways to change the sound/boost the bass produced by the insulation. First, I stuffed some denim insulation between the floor joists to create a complete seal about 12 inches on each side of the speaker cutout. Nothing seems to change the sound. I then formed an insulated gasket around the sides and above the speaker. The sound doesn't seem to change either. The sound quality is excellent. This speaker is very loud and very clear for any volume I can think of for a person willing to listen. When you turn it on, that speaker alone will shake the entire floor above the speaker. My daughter found that she could feel it in her feet even though her feet were off the ground. I think it will likely have a decent amount of bass if mounted in a wall, with the wall being a fully sealed enclosure. I set it up as a rear center and two Polk MC65 for side surround. The MC80 is definitely louder and has more bass, but neither give a good full bass sound when mounted on the ceiling. I had to turn down the volume of the MC80 on my receiver because of too much hiss at the peak when that speaker was at the same level as the other speakers - the MC65s don't penetrate the ceiling as much. I installed real Polk shelves for the front speakers and subwoofer, so the sound is very good for a full setup. The surround speakers do what they're supposed to, and the voice matches other Polk speakers. The voices sound as if you are hearing them live in concert with both the MC65 and MC80. However, if I hadn't already bought the MC65, I would buy all of the MC80s after hearing the fuller sound they produce.