Here are some tips on how the size of the room affects the number of speakers needed for a good sound system:
Small Rooms
- For small rooms less than 300 sq ft, 2 speakers (stereo pair) is usually sufficient. The speakers can be placed on stands or bookshelf speakers.
- A subwoofer can be added for more low end, but may not be necessary in a smaller room.
Medium Rooms
- For medium sized rooms 300-500 sq ft, start with 2 speakers and a subwoofer.
- Can add 2 more surround speakers for a 5.1 home theater setup.
- For music, some absorption panels on the walls will widen the stereo image.
Large Rooms
- Larger rooms over 500 sq ft will benefit from additional speakers:
- Add 2 rear surround speakers for a 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound system.
- Overhead Atmos speakers can further enhance immersion.
- More stereo speakers spread around the room will improve coverage.
- Bass traps are important in larger rooms to control low frequencies.
General Tips
- Disperse speakers evenly throughout the room for balanced coverage.
- Add speakers gradually, focusing on quality over quantity. Too many speakers can make the sound muddy.
- Treat acoustics issues like reflections and bass buildup, especially in larger spaces.
So in summary, start with 2 speakers in small rooms, and scale up the number of speakers and add acoustic treatment as the room size increases. Focus on quality speaker placement rather than just adding more speakers.
Citations:
[1] https://youtube.com/watch?v=f_DbZ_KVFiI
[2] https://youtube.com/watch?v=2rbTLwPlz-4
[3] https://www.psaudio.com/blogs/copper/choosing-new-speakers-sensitivity-and-room-size
[4] https://www.gearpatrol.com/tech/a268109/how-to-pick-the-right-speaker-for-your-room-size/
[5] https://audiophilereview.com/room-acoustics/ideal-room-size-dimensions-and-ratios-for-audiophile-listening/
[6] https://soundgirls.org/one-simple-tool-to-find-the-right-size-speaker-for-any-space/