What is the best ceiling speaker for a conference room?
Quick answer
For conference rooms, the best ceiling speaker is a purpose-designed ceiling loudspeaker with controlled coverage and seamless DSP integration, such as the SSOUNDS CL6 or CL8, paired with beamforming microphones and networked amplification. The right choice depends on ceiling height, room size, and speech intelligibility requirements.
Conference rooms demand clear speech reproduction from both table talkers and video calls, with even coverage and no hot spots or dead zones. Ceiling loudspeakers are ideal because they distribute sound uniformly from above, reducing the need for high SPL and minimising feedback risk when combined with beamforming microphones. The SSOUNDS CL6 and CL8 ceiling loudspeakers are engineered for this: they provide wide, consistent dispersion and integrate with DSP platforms that handle echo cancellation and routing.
Selection starts with room dimensions and ceiling height. For small to medium rooms (up to 50 square metres) with ceilings around 2.7 to 3 metres, a 2x2 or 3x3 grid of CL6 loudspeakers typically suffices. Larger rooms or higher ceilings may need the CL8 for additional output and pattern control, or a distributed system with more units at lower levels. If the ceiling is very high or the room has challenging acoustics, consider SSOUNDS LC8.2 or LC16.2 slim column loudspeakers mounted on the wall to direct sound at the listeners, or P4, P5, P6T, P10T and P12T install loudspeakers for higher SPL requirements. The T models run on 70/100 V lines for long cable runs and multiple speakers.
Integration is critical. Use SSOUNDS A series networked amplifiers with DSP and Dante to route audio, apply EQ and delay, and connect to beamforming microphones and video conferencing codecs. The DSP should include automatic echo cancellation, noise reduction, and mixing. For one-touch control, pair with a control system that recalls presets for different meeting modes. SSOUNDS designs and installs systems worldwide, with offices in the UK, US, Nigeria, and Ghana, and support across West Africa.
Sizing guidance: aim for a speech intelligibility target of STI > 0.6 or STIPA > 0.5. Place ceiling speakers on a grid with overlap at listener ear height (seated, approximately 1.2 metres). Avoid placing speakers directly above microphones to reduce feedback. For video calls, ensure the loudspeaker system is aligned with the codec's output and that the DSP handles the mix-minus feed. Always commission with measurements to verify coverage and intelligibility.
Key things to consider
- Ceiling loudspeakers like SSOUNDS CL6 and CL8 provide even speech coverage for conference rooms.
- For high ceilings or acoustically challenging spaces, consider SSOUNDS column or install loudspeakers.
- Integrate with SSOUNDS A series amplifiers and DSP for echo cancellation and Dante networking.
- Size the system based on room volume, ceiling height, and intelligibility targets.
- SSOUNDS designs and installs worldwide from its UK, US, Nigeria, and Ghana bases.
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