THE INVISIBLES!

At CAVD we’re finding that the invisible speaker category, which has always been healthy, is continuing to grow. There’s a requirement to do more than plaster and decorate over these in some rooms. With more walls finished with fabrics and veneers, we are being asked to provide advice and assistance to deliver these more demanding solutions. There’s a strong future for the invisible category and to any integrator who hasn’t worked with invisible speakers, we would say get on board! Clients, interior designers and architects love them. It’s a step-up in appearance, from a traditional inwall or ceiling speaker that has a circular grille. Plaster over speakers are totally invisible and produce sound which utilises the surrounding surfaces where they are placed. You can still expect a convincing performance that can even play loud enough for partying. Especially when you add matching invisible subwoofers.

The home cinema sector is heading for a significant change, with regards to the design process. CEDIA’s ‘Immersive Audio Design Recommended Practice’ paper is near to release, and industry awareness, through social media, forums, ISE seminars and webinars is significant. The result will mean a better experience for clients. We’re finding that integrators are now beginning to ask for loudspeaker specs, deep detailed specs! These are required to make calculations on how speakers and subwoofers will behave and perform across a multi-seat space like media and cinema rooms. This is different from what’s expected from a speaker for a Dolby Atmos studio and Hi-Fi use for example, where there’s normally one key listening position. For this category, speakers with compression drivers and outboard digital crossovers, which have high sensitivity, can be a great tool. The amplifier feeds the drive unit directly rather than passing through a ‘thirsty’ analogue passive crossover inside the speaker. Options to angle all speakers towards listening areas will improve the experience as will choosing speakers with good on and off-axis responses. These criteria, along with others, help to ensure better results across the rows of seating.

For multiroom audio, demand is slightly waning for entry-level ceiling speakerswhilst higher-end audio in select rooms is favoured. This is catered for with CI speakers, which employ premium driver and crossover components which can deliver a more addictive musical experience. Floor-standing Hi-Fi speakers do this best of course; we’re finding that active wireless streaming high-end speakers are meeting this need. Consumer trends are showing a growing need to enjoy not just music through distributed audio, but podcasts and audiobooks as well. Better quality distributed audio systems make these formats easier to follow and immerse yourself into, especially at low volume levels without disturbing other rooms.

Lastly, on the commercial side, at CAVD we’re seeing a demand for better distributed audio systems, packages that will differentiate the integrator’s proposal from the usual run-ofthe-mill installed system. This can be in-ceiling or suspended pendant speakers with matching subwoofers to rig to the ceiling. Premium grade components partnered with DSP amplifiers tuned and voiced to really stand out and make a statement. In a retail environment for example, the combination produces an eye-opening performance that adds something special to a customer’s experience. For audio or video conferencing calls, the clearer the sound, the more productive the meeting. For challenging acoustic spaces, such as art galleries and churches, clearer, controlled audio means music and dialogue can be conveyed at sensible volume levels.