Pro-6800-C for music?

[uscpsycho]

I've never had in-ceiling speakers before and I'm in the process of picking some that will be used for music. Demoing ceiling speakers is pretty frustrating because they aren't like regular speakers.

 

The two speakers I'm comparing are the Klipsch Pro-6800-C and Yamaha NS-IC800. I selected the Yamaha because of the overwhelming positivity of the reviews and I selected the 6800-C because of an amazing deal I got on them.

 

Based on how high up the Klipsh line the Pro 6000 speakers are I was expecting them to blow the Yamaha away. But they didn't. Is the 6800-C a speaker that is better suited/designed for HT use than music?

 

The Yamaha speakers had a fuller sound. Not as crisp in the highs as Klipsch but satisfying for music (if you ignore the lack of bass). The Klipsch was better in the highs but felt a little airy compared to the Yamaha. Almost too crisp/clear for rock-based music which is why I think this speaker might be better suited to HT than music. Or maybe better for other kinds of music. Or maybe if paired with a sub they'd shine (they won't be). Or maybe I need to have my ears checked!

 

I noticed riffs with the Klipsch speakers that made me think "wow" which never happened with the Yamaha. But the Yamaha just felt a little more satisfying, had a little more substance. Am I getting this all wrong? I will say I am listening to these in open-air fashion and they should both sound better when they're installed.

 

I'm using these Klipsch for my two surround setups because I know they will be better there but I feel torn about what to use for my whole home audio speakers. Because I know the pedigree of the 6800-C, I want to like them better than the budget oriented Yamaha. But if the Yamaha are better for listening to music I know I should get them. There's some serious cognitive dissonance happening.

 

tldr - Is the 6800-C a great speaker for listening to music or is HT its strong suit?