A commercial ceiling speaker is not a new product line or technology. People who have spent some time in airports or office buildings would have noticed ubiquitous grilles overhead. Generally, people tend to associate these speakers with no sonic response and intelligibility, viewing them only marginally better than a telephone. However, plenum-mount technology has been renewed and the speaker inside the grille now is a fairly different beast from what it was some years ago. Though low-fidelity, low-cost transducers feature in several budget installations, an increasing number of modern in-ceiling speaker options boast fidelity and features that can match several higher grade commercial stereo offerings.
The Effect
There is a noticeable difference between an in-ceiling and in-wall speaker as far as the audio experience is concerned. If you play both speakers alternatively, you would notice the difference within a few minutes.
If you’re installing a speaker in your commercial space and would want the best audio experience, make sure the speaker placement is right. Proper positioning is vital to optimize audio performance, particularly with regard to surround sound speakers that are installed permanently in ceilings or walls. Fortunately, there’s not a lot of trial and error to indulge in to determine the best spot. There are certain guidelines and benchmarks that could simplify the process to a great extent. First, assess your requirements and accurately ascertain the speakers your system could support best.
Speaker Location
The installation process for commercial and home speakers aren’t the same. For most commercial audio applications, there are different things to consider. The reason the audio is barely audible or muddy within the majority of business areas is they have put up inexpensive speakers to bring down expenses. Good sound is almost impossible without flush-mounted, higher-quality in-ceiling speakers. You could add additional woofers for louder sound and better bass. But just using bigger speaker enclosures would work fine in most areas. The kind of speakers and locations must be chosen depending on whether you’d like the sound to be spread uniformly in a big area. In such a case, the same kind of speaker must be placed in the space with equal distance between any two speakers.
Specifications
Commercial ceiling speakers are available for varied applications, usually sold as complete packages. There are heavy-duty and light offerings, and networked speakers that come with features such as ultra-wide dispersion, increased low-frequency response, low-distortion woofer, etc. The hardware variances are not just restricted to the technology but also the build and design. Generally, inexpensive speakers are made of plastic or similar material. Expensive speakers have a metal chassis and they are more durable. Keep these things in mind when shopping for a commercial speaker.