8
Square Pattern – The square pattern often requires fewer speakers, resulting in a lower system cost. A
square pattern sometimes may be easier to lay out on a suspended ceiling tile grid. It may also be easier
to zone large open spaces using the square pattern. The square pattern is usually a good starting point
for a design.
Hexagonal Pattern – A hexagonal layout pattern may require fewer speakers in rooms where only part
of a speaker’s coverage is required in the square layout at the end of each row, such as where the end
speaker is covering only a small area. In such cases, the number of speakers in each row can sometimes
be reduced by one and the rows offset from each other, with the offset speaker from the next row
partially filling in for the uncovered area from the adjacent row. For example, in an edge-to-edge
density, there can be an advantage using a hexagonal layout in rooms with widths or depths that would
require about 1/2 of the speaker’s coverage diameter. By offsetting each row of speakers, the end
speaker in each row can fill in for the lack of speaker at the end of the adjacent rows. In addition,
some rooms with offsets or odd-shaped rooms sometimes might work better with a HEXAGONAL
pattern.
Layout Density Factors
– The three most common Density Factors of each layout are: Edge-to-
Edge, Minimum Overlap, and Maximum Overlap.
Edge-to-edge density places the speakers such that the outside edges of their single-speaker 6 dB down
points just touch each other. Minimum Overlap is a tighter spacing where there are no spots that are not
within the 6 dB coverage pattern of one of the speakers. Maximum overlap is tighter still, such that the
6 dB down point of one speaker extends to the on-axis point of adjacent speakers, and where most listeners
are within the coverage pattern of at least two speakers. Each of these patterns is diagrammed below.
6TXDUH3DWWHUQV
a) Edge-to-Edge
b) Minimum Overlap
c) Full Overlap
+H[DJRQDO3DWWHUQV
a) Edge-to-Edge
b) Minimum Overlap
c) Full Overlap