ListFan
Calculators · Free

Speaker arrival alignment

Calculate additional delay for two speaker paths at one listening position.

01Enter your values

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For sound installers: measure both paths to the same listener and enter existing electronic latency. Arrival time is distance divided by sound speed plus latency; delay the earlier path. Sound speed is 331.3 + 0.606 × temperature in °C. Uniform air, −20 to 50°C. Verify on site; reflections and frequency-dependent phase are not modelled.

Example
m
m
°C
Advanced options
ms
ms

How it works

Calculate additional delay for two speaker paths at one listening position.

c = 331.3 + 0.606T; tᵢ = 1000dᵢ/c + Lᵢ; Δᵢ = max(t₁,t₂) − tᵢ

Runs in your browser

Discovery source

Your data stays yours

Inputs are processed on this page and are never sent to a server.

About this tool

Calculate additional delay for two speaker paths at one listening position.

For sound installers: measure both paths to the same listener and enter existing electronic latency. Arrival time is distance divided by sound speed plus latency; delay the earlier path. Sound speed is 331.3 + 0.606 × temperature in °C. Uniform air, −20 to 50°C. Verify on site; reflections and frequency-dependent phase are not modelled.

Use tool ↑
How to use it
  1. Enter your values
    • Main speaker to listener
    • Fill speaker to listener
    • Air temperature
    • Existing main latency
    • Existing fill latency
  2. Calculation method

    c = 331.3 + 0.606T; tᵢ = 1000dᵢ/c + Lᵢ; Δᵢ = max(t₁,t₂) − tᵢ

  3. Example scenario · Result

    Add to main speaker: 0 ms; Add to fill speaker: 58.237726 ms

Calculation method

  1. For sound installers: measure both paths to the same listener and enter existing electronic latency.
  2. Arrival time is distance divided by sound speed plus latency; delay the earlier path.
  3. Sound speed is 331.3 + 0.606 × temperature in °C.
  4. Uniform air, −20 to 50°C.
  5. Verify on site; reflections and frequency-dependent phase are not modelled.
c = 331.3 + 0.606T; tᵢ = 1000dᵢ/c + Lᵢ; Δᵢ = max(t₁,t₂) − tᵢ
Example scenario

Speaker arrival alignment

Main speaker to listener
30 m
Fill speaker to listener
10 m
Air temperature
20 °C
Existing main latency
0 ms
Existing fill latency
0 ms
Result
Add to main speaker: 0 ms; Add to fill speaker: 58.237726 ms

Frequently asked questions

Is this the distance between speakers?

No. Measure each speaker to the same reference listener. Results apply only at that position.

Where does my data go?

Calculations run on your device. Form inputs are not sent to a server.

Terms and definitions

Enter your values

Measurement system

The initial choice follows your browser region. Your choice is remembered on this device. Gallons are US gallons. Switching units keeps your numbers unchanged and interprets them in the new unit.

Numbers stay unchanged. Check the new unit and enter the intended measurement, or select an example for that system.

Main speaker to listener

For sound installers: measure both paths to the same listener and enter existing electronic latency.

Enter a numerical value for this quantity. Use the unit shown beside this field. m / ft

Minimum: 0 · Maximum: 1000 m

Fill speaker to listener

For sound installers: measure both paths to the same listener and enter existing electronic latency.

Enter a numerical value for this quantity. Use the unit shown beside this field. m / ft

Minimum: 0 · Maximum: 1000 m

Air temperature

Sound speed is 331.3 + 0.606 × temperature in °C.

Enter an absolute temperature, not a temperature rise. Use the unit shown beside this field. °C / °F

Minimum: -20 · Maximum: 50 °C

Existing main latency

For sound installers: measure both paths to the same listener and enter existing electronic latency.

Enter a numerical value for this quantity. Use the unit shown beside this field. ms

Minimum: 0 · Maximum: 10000 ms

Existing fill latency

For sound installers: measure both paths to the same listener and enter existing electronic latency.

Enter a numerical value for this quantity. Use the unit shown beside this field. ms

Minimum: 0 · Maximum: 10000 ms

Result

Result

For sound installers: measure both paths to the same listener and enter existing electronic latency. Arrival time is distance divided by sound speed plus latency; delay the earlier path. Sound speed is 331.3 + 0.606 × temperature in °C. Uniform air, −20 to 50°C. Verify on site; reflections and frequency-dependent phase are not modelled.

Calculated from your entries using the method below.

Add to main speaker

For sound installers: measure both paths to the same listener and enter existing electronic latency. Arrival time is distance divided by sound speed plus latency; delay the earlier path. Sound speed is 331.3 + 0.606 × temperature in °C. Uniform air, −20 to 50°C. Verify on site; reflections and frequency-dependent phase are not modelled.

Calculated from your entries using the method below.

Add to fill speaker

For sound installers: measure both paths to the same listener and enter existing electronic latency. Arrival time is distance divided by sound speed plus latency; delay the earlier path. Sound speed is 331.3 + 0.606 × temperature in °C. Uniform air, −20 to 50°C. Verify on site; reflections and frequency-dependent phase are not modelled.

Calculated from your entries using the method below.

Value

For sound installers: measure both paths to the same listener and enter existing electronic latency. Arrival time is distance divided by sound speed plus latency; delay the earlier path. Sound speed is 331.3 + 0.606 × temperature in °C. Uniform air, −20 to 50°C. Verify on site; reflections and frequency-dependent phase are not modelled.

Calculated from your entries using the method below.

Common mistakes and quick fixes

Main speaker to listener · Fill speaker to listener · Air temperature

Mistake: Changing units and assuming the entered numbers were converted.

Fix: Numbers stay unchanged. Check the new unit and enter the intended measurement, or select an example for that system.

Is this the distance between speakers?

Mistake: Treating a result as valid outside the described scope.

Fix: No. Measure each speaker to the same reference listener. Results apply only at that position.

Limits and key assumptions

  • No. Measure each speaker to the same reference listener. Results apply only at that position.
  • Verify on site; reflections and frequency-dependent phase are not modelled.
  • Displayed results may be rounded; rounding does not add measurement precision.