I want to install ceiling speakers in our kitchen. I'm wondering if there is a way where I can run the wires to a specific location and then simply have the ability to connect either a laptop or I Pod. This would keep it clean and simple with the ability to have an unlimited music source.
Any advice is appreciated.

Sure. You wan run wires behind the wall from the speakers to a speaker faceplate (available at any home electronics store). However, you will need an ampifier to boost the signal from your laptop or iPod to a level that's able to drive the speakers properly. So you wire the speaker outputs from the amp to the wall plate, and you plug your iPod or laptop into the amplifier's Aux input - again you can get the proper cable at a home electronics store. This is exactly what I've done in my own home.

Hi ebaines, thanks for the info! Any advice on speakers & amplifier type? I want it to sound really good. And what type of speaker wire?

I suggest you visit a local electronics store to see what they have - such as BestBuy, Bose, or a local home theater store in your area. If you want it to be "really good" you can spend a few thousand $ on a Bose system that is specifically designed for multi-room music. A "reasonable" system might be $500 for speakers plus $500 for a good receiver. If you want to step up to multi-room sound or a good surround sound home theater installation it will be more. Speaker wire should be 14 gauge or bigger - Monster is a noted vendor for speaker wire.

Thanks again! Another question... what is the best series to wire 4 speakers?

Please clarify - what do you mean by "series?"

Sorry, I meant to ask the correct wiring layout of putting 4 speakers into a 2 channel amp/receiver.

It gets tricky if you want to wire two pairs of speakers to one pair of outputs. Whether you can do this depends on the impedance of the speakers and what the amp wants to see for speaker load. If you simply bridge the speaker leads in parallel it may work, but you're calling on the amp to put out more power than it may be comfortable with.

In general, if you're looking to put up two pairs of speakers you're better off using the A and B speaker outputs from the amp. Connect one pair of speakers to outputs A (left and right) and the other to speaker output B. Or you can buy a multi-speaker switching kit, which you can use to power up to six pairs of speakers from one pair of outputs. But no need to do that here - just use the speakers A and B outputs.

Bose makes very nice sounding ceiling speakers, but as always they are expensive. e.g.: Bose Virtually Invisible 791 speakers at Crutchfield.com

As for your other question, AMPS have a suggested impedance for the speakers and what the amp will allow. 8 ohms is typical. Two 8 ohm speakers in parallel are equlivelent to 4 ohms.

Parallel means: + to + to + of amp and - to - to - of amp.

This isn't horrible: Kramer | 903 Personal Stereo Amplifier | 903 | B&H Photo Video

Thanks for your help. I am at the stage of purchasing speakers and a stereo receiver. What advice can you give me on speaker size versus receiver/amp size. I'm not up to speed on ohms, wattages etc.

I never did answer this one and it's probably hard.

Amps can have A/B speakers where you can select which ones or both to use.

What you really need to know if your going to use 2 sets of speakers is: two 8 ohm speakers in parallel equals a 4 ohm speaker and two 4 ohm speaker in series equals an 8 ohm speaker.

A speaker will typically be rated in SPL for 1 Watt or Sound Pressure Level. The higher the number the more efficient the speaker.

Amps will be rated as 100 W/channel, both channels driven into 8 ohms. Any other ratings like peak Watts is just GARBAGE.

A 4 ohm speaker requires more current output from a amp whereas an ohm speaker requires more voltage. So if your going to parallel or series connect speakers the amp should be rated for the anticipated load.

I'm not sure exactly what you expect out of a ceiling speaker. I'm asuming nice music and not to loud.

There are devices called "L-Pads" which are effectively volume controls at the speaker level. e.g. L-PADS from Parts Express ship same day and come with 45 day money back guarantee. Free Shipping Available. Order free 10,000 product catalog.

And there are devices that will allow selection of many speakers and they will keep the impeadance constant. SPEAKER SELECTOR from Parts Express ship same day and come with 45 day money back guarantee. Free Shipping Available. Order free 10,000 product catalog.

As I said, the Bose Ceiling speakers are pretty nice. My local Panera Bread has them in the ceiling.

Ceiling speakers won't give you the benefits of having an enclosure.

100 W can be pretty loud. I'd look for something in the 60-100 W range.

I need to think a little bit because, I think the outputs may be line for the laptop and headphone level for the iPod.

I think it would be really nice to have two plugs, one for iPod and one for Laptop and a single volume control so that you don't get extremely different volumes when you switch inputs.

I did some searching and came across this product: HeadRoom Total BitHead Portable Headphone Amplifier: Review by Chris Boylan on BigPictureBigSound

It might just be that perfect device to connect the iPod and or a USB laptop output to an amplifier.

You could have something like this:
Home Theater: Sonance iPort In-Wall Docking System for iPod
Or a wallplate that has your input.
Google "Ipod wall plate" and "audio wall plate" for different variations.
As Kiss mentions If your amp requires 8 ohm Impedance, you need 2-4 ohmspeakers in series, or 2 16 ohm speakers in parallel.
I would wire the speakers so 1 channel is 2 speakers caddycorner as well as the other 2, this way you will have Stereo between any 2 of the speakers.