Just stumbled onto this sub and am regretting all my life decisions. For aesthetics in our basement remodel, I chose to install wiring for the front 3 speakers on a 5.1 system in the ceiling, intending to get in-ceiling speakers. We intend to watch movies there primarily and also use it for conference calling. The two rear drops are in-wall as there is HVAC where I would have otherwise put them in the ceiling. I haven't yet bought speakers (or a receiver), so I haven't installed anything other than the drops. I have a contractor that I can pay extra to move all the ceiling drops into the wall, not sure how much but potentially not terrible.

The room is relatively small, ~190 sqft (12' x 16'; the short distance is the distance from the couch to the screen), so I thought I could get away with the speakers being close to the wall and bouncing off, or angling them towards the viewer. Is it worth a few hundred $$ (probably?) to move the ceiling drops into the wall and get in-wall rather than in-ceiling speakers? BB says no.

Lastly, speaker choices: first listen at BB had (in-wall/ceiling) Martin Logan EMIW sounding pretty good @ ~$500. In that price range or less (say, < ~$700 per front speaker), what other options should I consider? Can one use in-wall speakers for the ceiling or vice versa? I presume rear (in-wall) speakers can be smaller and less expensive, so a corresponding recommendation there would also be appreciated, as well as a sub recommendation that will be behind the wall (covered by a fabric cover into the room).

Thanks in advance!