First let me say thanks for any and all feedback. I am not particularly handy, but can run speaker wires etc. Sawing a hole into my ceiling is another story. So here's my situation:
I just purchased a pair of the Klipsch IC-650-T in ceiling speakers for my Front height atmos layout.
http://www.klipsch.com/ic-650-t
I didn't realize how big they would be until I unboxed them. Not only are they large, but weight 11 pounds. They will be installed in a dedicated room (converted garage), with attic space above the ceiling.
So I went into the attic last night with general idea of placement. I did find my fudge factor is small ...couple inches between joists and at one end of the speaker will butt up against a board in the ceiling. This brings up issue #1: Cutting from below into the ceiling. My fear is there isn't a lot of inches on either side, so I need to be pretty spot on.
So here is my solution: I can measure from the air duct in the room to the place I want to install the speaker. I would drill a hole into the ceiling with a small drill bit or a nail and that becomes my "mid point for the speaker. I go into the attic above and locate the hole. As long as I am with 5 inches or so (since the whole will be just under 10 inches) the hole will be within the area of the large in ceiling cut out. Once I am in the attic, I can see if the overall placement will work using the drill hole as my initial locator and the cut out as my template on the floor of the attic between the joists. I would then use the metal reinforcement ring with the two rails laying it down over the template to confirm. I would then be able to cut the hole from above in the attic. Does anyone see an issue doing it this way? Does cutting a hole from above cause any problems with the install?
If not, moving on to my second issue: The weight of the speaker. Klipsch provides a metal ring that is secured on two metal rails that sits on each side of the ring. The ring/rail unit sits in the attic and the speaker goes into the ceiling sitting inside the metal ring. When you lower the dog legs...they would sit on top of the metal ring (between the dog legs and the drywall in the ceiling. See on page two and three in the manual:
http://www.parts-express.com/pedocs/manuals/247-2004-2005--klipsch-ic-650-t-manual.pdf
I am nervous about this being enough to hold the speaker in place and weight causing it for eventually fall from the ceiling. Am I being an HT chicken little (the speakers are falling, the speakers are falling)? Or, did they design it appropriately for 99% of the normal installations like mine?
Sorry for the long post. Thanks ahead for any feedback or insight
Ron