How do you use delay speakers in live sound?

In live sound, delay speakers are positioned further from the stage than the main PA to cover rear areas of the venue. Their primary purpose is to compensate for the time it takes sound to travel from the main system to distant listeners. Without delays, rear audience members hear the main PA late, causing a distracting slap-back echo. By applying a precise electronic delay to these speakers, the sound from the delays arrives at the same time as the sound from the main system, creating a single, coherent wavefront.

Proper setup requires measuring the distance from the main PA to the delay speaker location, then calculating the delay time using the speed of sound (roughly 343 m/s at 20°C). For example, if a delay speaker is 30 meters from the main cluster, you delay it by about 87 ms. SSOUNDS engineers use advanced DSP and measurement tools like SMAART to fine-tune these delays, ensuring seamless overlap and consistent tonal balance across the venue. This technique is essential for large venues, festivals, and outdoor events where coverage must be extended without sacrificing intelligibility.

Delay speakers should be time-aligned not only to the main PA but also to each other when multiple delay zones are used. They are typically flown or pole-mounted and aimed to cover specific seating sections. SSOUNDS line array systems are ideal for delay applications due to their controlled directivity and high output, allowing precise coverage without excessive spill into adjacent zones. Proper gain structure and EQ are also critical to match the main system's response.