The specification process is full of challenges, so it is understandable that shortcuts could be taken when evaluating speaker coverage, and that is a HUGE mistake.

Speakers with even coverage over a broad frequency range can make for exceptional audio. And they can save you money on labor and material costs by reducing the total number needed.

Remember more speakers equal more cost in hardware as well as labor during the installation. By checking the following steps, you can save you and your client a lot of money and get the best speaker performance from your installs:

1. Use the Right Speaker for the Installation

Today there are many different speaker types to choose from for any given job such as in-walls, in-ceilings, surface mounts, pendants, invisible transducers, not to mention the outdoor offerings. By picking the right speaker for the job, you can really maximize the coverage of each speaker.

For instance, a pendant speaker is designed to have a coverage angle along a uniform radius, but a surface mount speaker is designed to be mounted either vertically or horizontally, so the coverage can vary greatly depending on the angle.

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As a rule of thumb, pendant and in-ceiling speakers will have the most even conical coverage than any other overhead speaker option. So, for the love of Pete, don’t strap a surface mount to the ceiling!

2. Verify the Coverage Data Published on the Speaker Tech Sheet

When evaluating speaker options, especially from different companies, it is enlightening to verify the published data on the tech sheets. Although the data and graphs look confusing, it really isn’t difficult to understand, and you can really learn a lot about the integrity of the printed specifications.

Standard industry practice is to print speaker coverage angles, frequency response, directivity index in addition to other important specifications on tech sheets. This information is critical in predicting the performance of your speakers once installed,  but you should be careful not to put too much stock into the published numbers.

Some manufacturers tend to stretch these specs in hopes that you won’t look any deeper. Trust but verify! Reputable manufacturers don’t try to hide their data and usually provide graphs and polar plots on the tech sheet to help you determine for yourself.

The absence of this graphical data is a good indicator that there is something the manufacturer is trying to hide. You staking your reputation on the install, so don’t trust that to manufacturers who don’t provide you with verifiable data.

3. Use Acoustic Design Software (such as EASE) to Determine Speaker Coverage

Many of these tools are free and some manufacturers or rep firms will even do the design work for you. There is really no reason to eyeball or try to calculate speaker coverage for yourself.

Most of the major manufacturers provide EASE data that is based on actual measurements and/or is independently verified, so you can really trust that the results will live up to the expectations.

If you haven’t used modeling software before, with speakers that have a good on and off axis response, you might be shocked at how few speakers you need for outstanding coverage.

4. Use Speakers from the Same Manufacturer Throughout the Installation

Although this is not purely related to speaker coverage, it can affect the quality of the coverage.

Manufacturers all have their own “voicing” which makes the speakers sound different with different phase responses and cross-over points. We’ve all heard hi-fi speakers that have different characteristics that are described as “full” or “tinny”; the same can be said for speakers in distributed audio.

Even within the same company, there are often different engineers or teams of engineers who develop speakers. All of this means that the speakers will all have slightly different characteristics, and the coverage will not be even and in-phase when they are mixed throughout the project.

 Choose manufacturers that timbre-match their speakers across their product categories to ensure high-quality sound and consistency throughout the project.

5. Use Enough Power

It is sometimes tempting to add another speaker into the 70V line. While you wouldn’t think this would have much effect, you can greatly impact the coverage. Although technically the coverage angle would stay the same, the amplifier maximum output could be exceeded causing clipping.

This can affect the quality of the sound and reduce the consistency of the coverage by reducing the frequency range of the speakers. For better coverage and sound quality, multiply the number of speakers by their tap setting (wattage) and at a minimum double it when specifying amplifier power requirements.

Obviously, clients want their audio to sound great and you want to give them the best sounding system for their money. Speaker coverage is the most audible way to tell a good system from a substandard one, so it shouldn’t be overlooked in planning for your project.

Shannon Humphrey joined MSE Audio in 2020 and serves as president for its seven innovative audio brands — SoundTube Entertainment, Soundsphere, dARTS, Phase Technology, Induction Dynamics, SolidDrive and Rockustics.

Before joining MSE Audio, Shannon was in the Marine Corps where he was a member of the Silent Drill Platoon and served a combat tour in Iraq as an infantry squad leader. After enlistment, he served as a patrol Sergeant and tactical team (SWAT) team leader at a Kansas City area police department. During his police tenure, he served as a street crimes detective, firearms instructor, and academy instructor.

Shannon is a father of three and has a bachelor’s degree in Business Management. He now follows his passion for audio, learning and problem solving while continuing his education.

The article was last updated 04.10.23.

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