By Annie Moss · Last updated 28 Oct 2026
The short answer
If you want speakers that genuinely cannot be seen, Moss of Bath recommends the Sonance Invisible Series. The speakers sit flush in the wall or ceiling and are skimmed over with the same plaster, paint or wallpaper as the rest of the room. Once the decorators have finished, there is nothing to see.
- Sonance IS6 for bedrooms, studies, bathrooms and smaller kitchens
- Sonance IS8 for living rooms and open-plan kitchen-diners
- Sonance IS10 for large rooms and proper music listening
- Sonance IS10W or IS10-2W when you want invisible bass for films and music
If the room is already decorated and you would rather not replaster, a near-invisible speaker with a tiny trim may be the better fit. We explain the difference below. And because nobody can judge an invisible speaker from a photograph, Moss of Bath, which supplies and installs Sonance from its Bath showroom, takes clients to hear them at Habitech’s demonstration rooms in Basingstoke before anything goes into a wall.
What are invisible speakers and how do they work?
Invisible speakers are flat-panel loudspeakers fitted into a wall or ceiling and then plastered or decorated over. Instead of a cone pushing air through a grille, the panel’s surface vibrates and sends sound through the thin finishing layer. When the job is done there is no grille, no trim and no outline on the wall.
Sonance’s version has two parts working together behind the plaster: a flat panel that produces voices and detail, and a woofer behind it for the bass. The sound spreads much more widely than it does from a normal ceiling speaker, which tends to beam straight down. Walk across a kitchen-diner and the music stays at the same level, rather than getting louder under each speaker.
Invisible speakers need a more powerful amplifier than conventional ones, and the sound is more of an all-round wash than a sharply focused stereo image. For background music, kitchens and most living spaces, that’s a fair exchange for a wall with nothing on it. For a dedicated listening room, we’d usually suggest something else.
Invisible, hidden or near-invisible: which do you need?
Three different kinds of products may be sold as “hidden speakers”. Only one is truly invisible. The others leave a small trace on the ceiling, but they can be fitted into a finished room without replastering, which is often the deciding factor.
- Fully invisible. The speaker is plastered over and decorated, so there is nothing to see. It has to go in while building or redecorating work is under way, which makes it ideal for renovations, new builds and listed interiors. This is Sonance’s Invisible Series.
- Near-invisible. A small speaker with an opening about the size of a downlight. It can be fitted into a finished ceiling with very little mess, so it suits rooms that are already decorated. Sonance’s Small Aperture range does this.
- Flush grille. A conventional wall or ceiling speaker with a frameless grille painted to match. You can see it up close, but it gives the best sound of the three, which is why it’s the usual choice for home cinema. Sonance’s Architectural Series is the one to look at.
Many people searching for “hidden ceiling speakers” are standing in a room they decorated last year. For them, a small-aperture speaker is usually the answer. If the room is being stripped back anyway, go fully invisible. We’ve written separately about wall coverings and what can go over the top of a speaker.
If you want to see how a garden version works in practice, our outdoor entertainment project used twelve Sonance satellite speakers hidden in borders and hedges.
Which Sonance invisible speakers do we recommend?
For most homes we recommend the Sonance Invisible Series. It comes in three sizes, and the choice mostly depends on the size of the room: the IS6 for smaller rooms, the IS8 for most living spaces and the IS10 for large rooms or where music really matters. If you want films to have real impact, an invisible subwoofer can go in alongside. We’ll suggest the right combination once we’ve seen the room.
Two things make Sonance a strong choice. The speakers can sit under up to 3mm of finish, so the plasterer has room to work, and the final surface can be paint, wallpaper, Venetian plaster, wood veneer or even leather. Sonance also supplies a gauge that checks the plaster depth over each speaker. Every speaker in the house ends up under the same thickness, so they all sound the same. If you’d like the full specifications, they’re on Sonance’s website.
You can read more about the wider range we install in Sonance: Beyond Sound.
Why does Moss of Bath only recommend Sonance?
Having fitted hidden and invisible speakers for as long as we have, Sonance is the only brand we would honestly recommend. Its speakers sound right, look right once the decorators have gone, and keep doing both for years.
- One brand for every room. Sonance makes fully invisible speakers, near-invisible ceiling speakers, flush wall speakers and garden speakers. Every room in the house can sound alike and run from one system.
- You can hear them first. Sonance is distributed in the UK by Habitech, whose Invisible Speaker Room lets you listen before you commit.
- No surprises on the day. We know how Sonance speakers behave in period homes and modern builds alike, which makes planning and installation far more predictable.
Hidden wall speakers or hidden ceiling speakers: where should they go?
Ceilings are usually best for background music that fills a whole room. Walls are better when you want a stereo picture in front of you, or sound that ties in with a television. A typical layout uses both: ceiling speakers in the kitchen and hallway, wall speakers either side of the sofa in the sitting room.
A few things decide it in practice:
- What’s above the ceiling. The speaker needs a clear space between the joists, away from pipes, downlights and vents.
- What the wall is made of. A stud wall is straightforward. A solid stone wall means cutting a channel for the cable and a recess for the speaker, so it becomes part of the building work.
- Bass. The most powerful Sonance invisible subwoofer is wall-only, so if deep bass matters, plan a wall position for it.
- Home cinema. Invisible speakers make excellent surround and height speakers in a living room that doubles as a cinema. In a dedicated cinema room we would normally use conventional speakers at the front for dialogue and impact. Our guide to room acoustic treatments for home cinema covers the rest of that picture.
Can you fit invisible speakers in a period or listed home?
Yes, and in a city like Bath this is often where invisible speakers earn their keep. A Georgian ceiling with original cornicing or a ceiling rose is exactly the place you don’t want a row of white grilles. The catch is that old buildings are less predictable than new ones, so the survey matters more than the speaker.
The questions we work through on a period property:
- Is the building listed? Works that affect the character of a listed building usually need listed building consent. Talk to your conservation officer before anything is cut. Invisible speakers often help here, because nothing visible is left behind, but that is a conversation to have first and not after.
- Lath and plaster or plasterboard? Original lath and plaster ceilings can crack or come away when cut. Often the speaker goes into a later plasterboard ceiling or a new section, with the original detail left alone.
- Solid stone walls. Bath stone walls mean chasing for cable and a backbox for the speaker. It can be done neatly, but it is building work and should be planned with your builder.
- Lime plaster. Many period homes are finished in lime. Sonance approves “select plasters”, so we confirm the finishing material with your plasterer before the skim goes on.
How are invisible speakers installed?
Invisible speakers go in during building or decorating works, before the final skim of plaster. The installer fits the speaker flush with the surface, the plasterer skims over it, and the room is decorated as normal. The order matters, so the earlier we’re involved the smoother it goes.
- Survey and design. We look at the room, the construction and how you’ll use the space, then choose models and positions.
- First fix. Speaker cable runs back to the amplifier position while the walls and ceilings are open.
- Fitting the speakers. Each speaker (with a backbox where needed) is fixed flush with the surrounding surface.
- Plastering. The plasterer skims over the face of the speaker along with the rest of the wall or ceiling. With Sonance, the DISC gauge confirms the finish depth on each speaker.
- Decorating. Paint, wallpaper or veneer goes on as normal.
- Commissioning. We set up the amplifier, tune each zone to the room, and show you how to control it all from your phone.
Because this ties in with your builder’s programme, timing really does count. Our guide to when to contact us about a home cinema applies just as much to invisible speakers.
Can I hear invisible speakers before I buy them?
Yes. Moss of Bath arranges visits to Habitech, the specialist AV distributor in Basingstoke, which has a dedicated Invisible Speaker Room and a separate Sonance Experience Room. You hear the speakers already plastered into finished walls and ceilings, which is the only fair way to judge them.
This matters more with invisible speakers than with almost any other product. There is nothing to look at in a showroom, and a photograph of a blank wall tells you nothing. Clients really enjoy these visits, and it means you know exactly how your speakers will sound before anything is plastered over.
If you’d like to arrange a visit, get in touch or call us on 01225 331 441. You can also visit our showroom at 45 St James’s Parade in Bath to talk the project through first.
Invisible speakers: frequently asked questions
Can you paint or wallpaper over invisible speakers?
Yes. Sonance Invisible Series speakers can be finished with up to 3mm of finishing compound, paint, Venetian plaster, wallpaper, leather or wood veneer. Once decorated, they look exactly like the surrounding wall or ceiling.
Do invisible speakers sound as good as normal speakers?
They sound different. Invisible speakers spread sound more evenly around a room than conventional speakers, which suits background music and multi-room audio. They are less efficient and give a broader stereo image, so for critical listening in a dedicated room a conventional speaker still has the edge.
Can invisible speakers be fitted to an existing room?
They can, but the area around each speaker has to be re-skimmed and redecorated. If the room has just been decorated, a small-aperture speaker with a tiny trim is usually less disruptive.
What happens when I redecorate?
Repainting over the speakers is fine. Let your decorator know where they are, so the build-up of layers stays within the finish depth Sonance specifies, and avoid heavy sanding over the speaker face.
Can invisible speakers be used for home cinema?
Yes, particularly as surround and Dolby Atmos height speakers in a living room. In a dedicated cinema room, we would usually pair them with conventional front speakers for clearer dialogue.
Do invisible speakers need a special amplifier?
They need a capable one. Invisible speakers are less sensitive than conventional speakers, so the amplifier has to supply more power for the same volume. We specify the amplifier alongside the speakers.
Are invisible speakers suitable for listed buildings?
Often, because nothing is visible once they are finished. Check with your conservation officer first, as works to a listed building may need consent.
Hear invisible speakers for yourself
The best way to decide is to listen. Moss of Bath can arrange a visit to Habitech’s Invisible Speaker Room, or talk your project through at our showroom at 45 St James’s Parade, Bath. Call 01225 331 441 or send us a message to get started.
