Professional Collection Manual
6
8. Speaker Placement
Speaker placement is determined by several factors like desired SPL, coverage
requirements, variance in SPL by location, etc. When the objective is to fill a large area with
very little variance (+/- 2dB), then a larger number of speakers are required.
Typically, once the number of speakers has been determined, placing them equidistant
from the walls and from each other will deliver the best result. However, due to other
factors this may not be possible. Also realize that the higher the ceiling the greater the
conical dispersion and therefore the larger coverage area per speaker.
The further the speaker is from the listener, the lower the SPL. As the speaker is placed
closer to the wall, bass frequencies will be enhanced. This may or may not be the desired
effect but certainly needs to be considered.
COVERAGE AREA
SPEAKER SPACING
Standing Listener
Seated Listener
8’ Hanging Height
6’ (1.8m) Apart
10’ (3m) Apart
10’ Hanging Height
10’ (3m) Apart
14’ (4.3m) Apart
12’ Hanging Height
14’ (4.3m) Apart
18’ (5.5m) Apart
14’ Hanging Height
18’ (5.5m) Apart
22’ (6.7m) Apart
Speaker Spacing for a Distributed Audio System
COVERAGE AREA
9. Speaker Wire
The gauge of wire used can have an impact on the performance of your speakers. Generally,
speaker wire is determined by the length of the run and wattage utilized. The longer your
run is, the smaller the wire gauge must be.
