Installed Sound Systems: Which Loudspeaker is Right for Your Project?
By: Brion Hanlon, Customer Marketing Manager, HARMAN Professional Solutions
Selecting the perfect loudspeaker for a new space or renovation might seem like a daunting task, even for those who have been doing it for years. It is a bit like a trip to the supermarket for a holiday meal. You ultimately find yourself in the “baking” aisle even if dessert is not on the menu. You are there to stare down at what seems like a thousand different spice varieties crammed onto shelves in such a way that almost makes it impossible to see or consider them individually. There are so many types, shapes, sizes, brands, and of course – the itsy-bitsy fine print.
The same is true of loudspeakers and with good reason. There is no one-size-fits-all sound system. Hundreds of variables go into selecting the optimal audio design for a space, so there are countless loudspeaker options available to address the mix of variables applicable to each unique space or application. But it does not have to be overwhelming. This article is intended to make it less “panic at the grocery store” and a little more “mmm, that sounds delicious.”
First Things First
What are you doing and where?
Don’t get ahead of yourself trying to decide which speakers you need until you have clarity on some basic questions:
What is the role of sound to the experience intended for this space?
How important is it?
What is it? (Vocal presentations, public announcements, background music, party music, emergency alerts, all of the above, etc.)
Will it change over time?
What are the physical attributes of the space?
Is it a fully enclosed space?
What is its shape and dimensions?
How will furnishings, walls, fixtures, etc. break up the space? Will they be permanent or movable?
Are there architectural or design elements to consider?
Are there glass walls, marble columns, irregular ceilings, etc.?
Are the design aesthetic considerations dictating where speakers can or cannot be placed?
How will the space be used?
Will it be a flexible-use space?
Will the listeners be cohesive/interactive or disparate/intimate?
What is the business/revenue drivers for sound (or absence of sound) in subsets of the space?
Next Things Next
Loudspeaker Categories
There are some key categories of commercial loudspeaker options, defined primarily by installation considerations. Within each category, there are segmentations or tiers distinguished by criteria such as overall sound output, coverage patterns, or nuanced sonic characteristics.
Subwoofers
Subwoofers are specialized speakers that compliment primary loudspeakers with extended low-range bass when needed, often for high-energy music delivery.
Ceiling Speakers
Ceiling speakers are a favorite for many commercial applications to support often larger, open spaces. Tucking speakers into the ceiling unobtrusively above intended listeners’ heads places them out of sight with few or no obstacles between the loudspeakers and the listeners ears that could affect the delivery of quality sound. There is likely to be a plenum or a space above the ceiling, where appropriately specified speaker cabling can be placed for ease of installation. With plenum ceilings, speakers should always be installed with complementary back-cans or housings that ensure these speakers always sound their best and have no opportunity to bleed into adjacent spaces.
Pendant Speakers
An alternative option for spaces with open ceilings is pendant speakers. Open plan designs are very popular but limit the options for both in-ceiling and surface mount speakers. Pendant speakers hang from the ceiling using various cable lengths to bring the sound lower and closer to listeners’ ears, where the conical coverage patterns of carefully placed speakers can achieve a crisp sound quality.
Surface-Mount Speakers
Surface mount speakers can be mounted on walls or architectural elements such as posts, columns, eaves, etc. There are many scenarios where this may be the optimal installation option. For example, in a space with towering ceilings such as a worship venue, the distance between the ceiling and the intended listener may be too great to achieve a coverage pattern that will produce clean, consistent sound. If walls or other elements are available to bring the sound closer to the listeners ears, the results may be better. For retrofits or sound upgrades, it may simply be impractical or messy to cut holes for ceiling installation. The trade-off is largely an aesthetic one. Surface mount speakers tend to be less obscure than ceiling speakers, though they can be painted to blend in with design elements. There are also in-wall speaker options, which some might consider a worthwhile design compromise. Similar considerations about back-cans apply to in-wall speakers.
Column Array Speakers
These might be considered a specialized sub-category of surface mount speakers, which based on their shape and profile may be preferred as a more visually appealing option than other wall-mounted speakers. However, there are also some technical differentiators. Column speakers designed for professional use are comprised of multiple small cone-type drivers, which are vertically arranged within various lengths of columnar housings. The resulting sound is characterized by wide horizontal coverage but limited vertical coverage above and below the enclosure. The tightly controlled coverage pattern helps to provide even coverage from front to back of the space and makes them a good option for applications with reverberant surfaces and other challenging environmental characteristics. Some premium versions of column array speakers utilize specialized digitally steerable technology. This enables amplification, delay and equalization of each tweeter to be individually defined, so sound can be optimized for long or short throws as well as other characteristics that may be unique to a particular application.
All Weather and Landscape Speakers
Some standard speakers, including many models within JBL’s Control Contractor series, are designed for both indoor and outdoor use, with weather “resistant” cabinets or specialized grills and cover accessories. All-weather and landscape speakers in this category have a higher IP (moisture and dustproof) rating and are designed for extended exposure to weather elements and other environmental factors. A speaker’s IP rating is a measure of its ability to withstand the intrusion of both liquid and solid particles for an extended period. An IP rating of 67 is considered to be the highest IP rating for a commercial loudspeaker and an indicator that it is highly resistant to water and dust. All-weather speakers come in various form factors and performance ratings for a wide range of installations, including entertainment applications in theme parks and pavilions, public announcement and safety applications in transportation hubs and many more.
Landscape speakers are designed to blend in discreetly with plants, rocks, and other landscape architecture elements. Form factors include ground-stake options, mushroom-style models and even speakers and subwoofers designed to be installed in primarily in-ground applications. When considering landscape speakers, you will want to be mindful of features that provide protection from factors other than weather. For example, the green hue of JBL’s Control 80 mushroom landscape speakers is continuous through the full depth of the rugged polyethylene housing, so a nick or scratch caused by an errant golfer or landscaper will be less noticeable.
Getting Down to Details
Once you have taken the time to consider these initial discovery questions, have a fairly good idea of the speaker style, and installation options that make sense for your space and desired sound experience, you may be ready to discuss your ideas or project further with a solutions expert at EDGE. Be prepared to share your design plan and all the pertinent details, including construction plans, contractors, budget and project priorities. They will assist you in fine-tuning your plan and narrowing specific options that will meet both the performance and aesthetic requirements of your project. JBL also offers some helpful online tools such as Distributed System Design (DSD) software that will help you calculate what quantity of a particular speaker model will provide adequate coverage for your use case as well as configuring a rough plot schematic for optimal speaker placement.
Best of luck on your project and for turning your sound design ideas into functioning reality.
For more details on JBL’s complete line of contractor speakers, check out this brochure.