West Was One AV Tools

Audio Tool Guidance

How does this calculator work?
These tools help you design distributed loudspeaker systems (like 70V ceiling grids) by:

• Calculating speaker spacing based on room height, ear height, and speaker dispersion.
• Estimating the number of speakers needed for even coverage.
• Determining the required wattage per speaker (tap value) to achieve your target SPL at the furthest listener from each speaker.
• Recommending a total system wattage and amplifier size based on your selected or calculated tap value.

Why is “worst-case distance” based on half the grid spacing?
In a typical distributed system, the most distant listener from any speaker is approximately halfway between speakers (half the spacing). Using this value gives a practical, not overly conservative, estimate for tap and amplifier sizing. This avoids the common pitfall of oversizing your system by basing calculations on the diagonal of the room.

Headroom (+6 dB, +10 dB) lets you add power margin for dynamic content, system losses, and future needs. For voice-only paging, 0–6 dB is often sufficient; for program music or high-performance systems, use 6–10 dB.

Why sum identical speakers?
In a distributed system, each speaker primarily covers its local area. The tool estimates amp sizing by multiplying the number of speakers by the required tap value.

Reference: Typical Target SPLs & Background Levels

Note: All SPL and ambient values above are in dB SPL (sound pressure level, referenced to 20 μPa).
References: AVIXA Audio Coverage Uniformity Standard, InfoComm Design Guides, manufacturer datasheets.