Selecting the right speakers for your business isn’t just about sound; it’s about ensuring your message is delivered with clarity and impact. Whether you’re outfitting a conference room, a retail space, or a large office, choosing the right AV speakers can significantly enhance communication and improve the overall experience for both the employees and customers. In this guide, we’ll break down the key considerations for selecting the perfect speakers, providing expert insight on how to achieve a seamless audio experience for your business.
Understanding Your Business Audio Needs
Before you run headlong into a speaker shop, take a few moments to consider things such as where the speakers will be located, their purpose, and the acoustics involved. Room size and shape, as well as soundproofing, will all play an important role in determining the best solution for your business.
Are you looking for speakers for a boardroom where privacy is a concern, or will they be in a general public area? How you want the speakers to function has a lot to do with selection, so it’s best to involve a professional if they are intended as a permanent fixture in the space.
Sound quality is also affected by room size, shape, building materials, and furniture. Believe it or not, even the floor covering matters when acoustics are at play. That’s why it’s crucial not to just buy speakers from a big-box store unless you’re looking for big-box disappointment. Let’s look at some of your options.
Types of Business Speakers: What Are Your Options?
When selecting speakers for a business, understanding the different types of speakers available and how they fit your specific needs is crucial. Here’s a breakdown of the most common speaker types used in business environments:
Ceiling Speakers
Ceiling speakers are mounted directly into the ceiling, providing a discreet and aesthetically pleasing option. These are commonly used in offices, conference rooms, retail stores, and even restaurants, where you want ambient sound to fill the space without visible clutter.
Benefits:
- Clean and unobtrusive look
- Even sound distribution across the room
- Ideal for background music, paging systems, or evenly distributed audio in boardrooms
Drawbacks:
- Typically require professional installation for optimal sound placement
- Less flexible if you need to adjust the sound direction or reposition speakers
Wall-Mounted Speakers
Wall-mounted speakers are attached directly to the wall and can offer more flexibility in terms of sound direction. These are often seen in conference rooms, classrooms, and public spaces like gyms or event halls.
Benefits:
- Easy to position for optimal sound direction
- Available in a range of sizes to accommodate different room sizes and uses
- Can produce more direct and louder sound compared to ceiling speakers
Drawbacks:
- More visible than the ceiling or in-wall speakers
- It can be more challenging to install if walls are not equipped to support the speakers’ weight
In-Wall Speakers
In-wall speakers are installed flush (recessed) into the wall, making them nearly invisible. These secretive speakers are perfect for spaces where aesthetics are essential, such as high-end boardrooms or executive offices.
Benefits:
- Completely hidden from view, offering a clean, minimalistic look
- Great for providing immersive sound without sacrificing space
- Ideal for multi-room audio setups
Drawbacks:
- Requires more planning and professional installation
- Less flexible in terms of repositioning once installed
Floor-Standing Speakers
Floor-standing speakers are generally large, standalone speakers that sit on the floor. They are more commonly seen in home theaters. Still, they are sometimes used in businesses for special applications like event spaces or auditoriums.
Benefits:
- Superior sound quality and volume, especially for larger spaces
- No need for wall or ceiling installation, which makes it easier to relocate
- Often feature multiple drivers (woofers, mid-range, and tweeters) for a fuller sound
Drawbacks:
- Takes up significant floor space, which may be impractical in smaller rooms
- Highly visible and might not blend with corporate aesthetics
Soundbars
Soundbars are long, slim speaker units typically used with visual displays, such as video walls or displays. They provide a more enhanced audio experience than the displays’ built-in speakers and are a space-saving alternative to a full multi-speaker setup.
Benefits:
- Simple, all-in-one solution for boosting audio clarity with video displays
- Easy to install, often mounted below or above a screen
- Compact and space-efficient
Drawbacks:
- Typically not as powerful as a multi-speaker system
- Limited in terms of audio range compared to larger speaker setups
Subwoofers (Supporting Speaker Type)
While not standalone speakers, subwoofers are crucial for adding depth to your sound system, especially when low-frequency sounds (like bass) are needed. Subwoofers are often paired with ceiling or wall-mounted speakers to create a complete audio experience in larger conference rooms, auditoriums, or event spaces.
Benefits:
- Adds richness and depth to audio, especially for presentations, music, or videos
- Improves overall sound quality by handling lower frequencies
Drawbacks:
- Requires additional space and consideration for placement
- It can be overkill for smaller rooms that don’t require deep bass
Key Considerations When Selecting AV Speakers for Businesses
There are three primary things to consider when choosing audio speakers for your commercial project: room/space size and acoustics, speaker output and coverage requirements, and compatibility with existing systems. Let’s examine each so you’re armed with the information you need to make a smart, informed decision.
Room Size and Acoustics
Selecting the correct type of speaker depends on your space, the purpose of the sound system, and aesthetic preferences:
For conference rooms: Ceiling speakers or wall-mounted speakers are often ideal, as they provide even sound coverage while staying out of the way. Soundbars might be used in smaller rooms where the audio is focused on video conferencing.
For public spaces or retail: Ceiling or in-wall speakers offer a clean look and widespread sound. For spaces requiring announcements or background music, ceiling speakers with subwoofers provide excellent sound distribution.
For larger event spaces or auditoriums, Wall-mounted or floor-standing speakers are preferable, as they offer more direct, powerful sound. Additional subwoofers may also enhance audio depth in these spaces.
Each speaker type offers unique benefits, but ultimately, the choice should align with your business’s AV goals, budget, and the space’s physical characteristics. Professional installation is highly recommended to ensure optimal sound quality, no matter which type of speaker you choose.
Room size, shape, and even building materials impact speaker choice. That’s why we recommend consulting with a professional like one of our team. Understanding acoustics and sound reflection in your space is crucial if you want to maximize your AV ROI and get a system well-suited to your room and acoustics.
Audio Output and Coverage
When selecting speakers for your business, understanding technical specifications like power ratings and speaker sensitivity can help ensure that your audio system is both efficient and effective. Here’s what each term means and how they impact your speaker selection:
Power Ratings
The power rating of a speaker indicates how much electrical power (measured in watts) the speaker can handle. It’s usually expressed in two forms: RMS (Root Mean Square) and Peak Power.
- RMS (Continuous Power Handling): RMS is the amount of power a speaker can deal with continuously and without damage. The RMS rating reflects the actual usable power the speaker can handle for long periods.
- Example: If a speaker has an RMS power rating of 100 watts, it can safely handle 100 watts of continuous power without suffering damage or distortion.
- Peak Power: The term ‘peak power’ refers to the maximum power a speaker can tolerate in short bursts. It’s a higher number than RMS but represents the speaker’s limit during short spikes in volume.
- Example: A speaker with a peak power rating of 200 watts can handle up to 200 watts of power in short bursts, such as during an unexpected loud moment in audio.
Why It Matters:
- Matching with Amplifiers: You’ll want to match your speaker’s power rating with an amplifier that provides the appropriate wattage. A mismatch can result in either under-powering (causing distorted sound) or overpowering (risking speaker damage).
- Room Size and Volume: Larger rooms or spaces with more ambient noise typically require speakers with higher power ratings to ensure sound clarity and volume.
Speaker Sensitivity
The speaker sensitivity is a measure of how efficiently the speaker converts power into sound. It is represented in decibels (dB). Sensitivity also tells you how loud a speaker will be when a specific amount of power (usually 1 watt) is applied at a distance of 1 meter.
- Example: If a speaker has a sensitivity of 90 dB, it means it will produce 90 decibels of sound when powered by 1 watt and measured 1 meter away.
Why It Matters:
- Efficiency: Speakers with higher sensitivity ratings (90 dB or more) require less power to produce the same volume level as speakers with lower sensitivity ratings. In contrast, speakers with lower sensitivity ratings (below 90 dB) will require more power to reach the same volume.
- High-sensitivity speakers (90 dB+) are ideal for large spaces or when you need louder sound without requiring a powerful amplifier.
- Low-sensitivity speakers (below 90 dB) are suitable for smaller rooms or environments where high volume isn’t a priority, but sound quality is crucial.
- Volume Control: If you need to cover large areas with consistent sound, speakers with higher sensitivity are more efficient and can produce louder sound without needing as much amplification.
Practical Takeaways:
For large spaces or high ambient noise, Look for speakers with high sensitivity (90 dB or more) and higher power ratings to ensure adequate volume and sound clarity.
For smaller rooms or focused sound, you may prioritize lower-sensitivity speakers, but ensure you match them with an amplifier that provides enough power to compensate for their lower efficiency.
Compatibility with AV Systems: Always ensure your speakers’ power ratings and sensitivity are compatible with the amplifiers and other AV equipment in your setup to avoid damage and optimize sound quality. Let’s discuss compatibility a little more.
Compatibility with Existing AV Systems
Ensuring your speakers work with your existing system can be a bit tricky, depending on the make, model, and age of your existing AV equipment. If you’ve got an older system, you may want to consider the future of your equipment and its intended use.
For example, if you’re getting equipment for your existing boardroom but the existing amplifier is from two decades ago, you may want to consider a full system upgrade so that in two years, when that old beast dies on you, you aren’t stuck with speakers that only work with your older equipment.
If you’re not sure about the compatibility of your Ontario business’s existing AV equipment, contact our team based in Southern Ontario. One of our Audiovisual specialists can help you (our office is in Mississauga—see our contact page for directions).
Budget Considerations: Getting the Best Value for Your Investment
There are a number of myths in the professional AV industry. For example, more expensive doesn’t always mean better. We assess the need, the location, and any prerequisite details when assessing AV projects. Then, we find the best solution to meet your facility’s challenges. Keeping longevity and return on investment in mind, we can advise you on what would be best for your AV project and why.
At Century AV, we won’t just shove equipment in your face. We help our clients by explaining how the equipment works for you and helping you find the balance between cost and quality. Of course, we also do all kinds of installations. Speaking of installations…
Installation and Maintenance: Ensuring Long-Term Performance
It’s one thing to buy a small set of computer speakers for your desk; it’s pretty different to install in-wall speakers in your boardroom. For professional installation, you need a professional. If your business is in Southern Ontario, that means you need the team at Century AV.
Professional Installation vs. DIY
Proper installation of your commercial audio equipment is crucial for optimal sound quality. Imagine spending thousands of dollars on a sound system for your boardroom only to find that when someone turns the volume up, one of the ceiling-mounted speakers vibrates, making an annoying rattling sound.
It happens more than most DIYers would care to admit. Don’t trust professional installation from someone who isn’t doing it professionally day in and day out. Trust us, the last thing you want is a fire because the wiring was improperly installed.
Partnering with an AV Provider: Why It Matters
Working with an experienced AV provider ensures quality and long-term support if you choose a trusted partner like Century AV (see our case studies to hear directly from our customers).
Century AV’s commitment to ongoing service and support for business clients is unmatched in Southern Ontario.
Sound Decisions, Seamless Solutions
Selecting the right speakers is more than just about hearing clearly. It’s about understanding how the finished project will affect its listeners. It’s about creating an immersive, professional environment where every meeting, announcement, and interaction carries weight.
Whether you’re outfitting a conference room or elevating a public space, understanding your unique business needs and choosing the right speakers is vital to ensuring your AV system works seamlessly and provides a strong return on investment.
Don’t let subpar sound undermine your efforts. From speaker types to installation and long-term support, Century AV is here to help you navigate the options and find the perfect fit. After all, your business deserves nothing less than the best in audio clarity and performance. Let’s start the conversation today and make your AV system sound like a success.
