Klipsch CS-16C II Ceiling Speaker (Black)

Klipsch CS-16C II Ceiling Speaker (Black)

The Klipsch CS-16C II is a 6.5-inch two-way in-ceiling speaker from the Klipsch Custom Series, sold as a single speaker with a black baffle and frame and a white paintable grille. It brings the design approach of Klipsch’s premium architectural and box speakers to an accessible model: a 6.5-inch polymer woofer, a 1-inch polymer dome tweeter and the efficiency Klipsch is known for, in the ceiling format that suits most rooms. Fitted in pairs it covers a room in stereo; spread through a home it forms the basis of a distributed audio system; in a theatre it handles surround and height channels without anything visible but a flat grille.

Key features

• 6.5-inch (16.51 cm) polymer woofer
• 1-inch polymer dome tweeter
• Frequency range of 57 Hz to 20 kHz, plus or minus 3 dB
• High 91 dB sensitivity at 2.83 V and 1 m
• Power handling of 40 W RMS and 160 W peak
• Patented Sky Hook Cinch installation system, tool-free fitting
• Bezel-free magnetic grille, paintable to match the ceiling

Drivers and efficiency

The CS-16C II uses a 6.5-inch polymer woofer and a 1-inch polymer dome tweeter in an ABS infinite-baffle enclosure. Polymer cones are light and rigid, and in this design they deliver the dynamic, detailed character of the larger Klipsch lines at a size that fits standard ceiling layouts. Sensitivity is 91 dB at 2.83 volts and 1 metre, which is high for a ceiling speaker: the CS-16C II plays clearly at low amplifier power and still has headroom when a zone needs to fill a busy kitchen or family room. Its range runs from 57 Hz to 20 kHz, enough low-end reach for background and foreground music to sound balanced without help from a subwoofer in most rooms.

Sky Hook installation

The patented Sky Hook Cinch system, by Swarm, engages the mounting dog legs automatically as the speaker is inserted into the cutout, clamping with a preset force so the ceiling material cannot be over-torqued. On an uneven surface, a quarter turn of each dog leg screw levels the fit. Klipsch rates the system as reducing installation time by up to 75 percent against conventional mounting, a saving that compounds across a whole-home project. The speaker requires an 8.3 inch (21.1 cm) cutout and 4.34 inches (11.03 cm) of mounting depth.

Bezel-free magnetic grille

A redesigned powder-coated magnetic steel grille removes the bezel entirely, so the finished installation shows only a flat grille sitting flush with the ceiling. The grille is supplied white and is paintable, so it can be matched exactly to the ceiling colour; the baffle and frame underneath are black. Once painted and fitted, the speaker is effectively invisible, which is the point of the Custom Series in finished living spaces.

System matching and uses

Power handling is 40 W RMS and 160 W peak, with 8-ohm impedance, so the CS-16C II connects directly to AV receivers, stereo amplifiers and multi-zone distribution amplifiers. Typical roles are stereo pairs in bedrooms, kitchens and living rooms, background music across several rooms, and surround or Dolby Atmos height channels in a home theatre. For new construction, the IK-650-C II install kit is available separately, as is the ME-650-C fire-rated enclosure where building codes require one.

The CS-16C II is the Custom Series all-rounder: the most useful ceiling size, Klipsch-level efficiency, tool-free Sky Hook fitting and a bezel-free grille, in a single speaker that can be repeated room after room.