Why do distributed speakers need delay?

Without delay, audience members near a secondary speaker hear it before the main speaker sound arrives, causing a confusing image shift. By delaying the secondary speakers to match the arrival time of the main speaker, the brain perceives the sound as coming from the main source (Haas effect).

What is the Haas effect?

The Haas effect (precedence effect) means that if two identical sounds arrive within about 35ms, the brain perceives them as one sound coming from the direction of the first arrival. Adding 5-15ms of extra delay beyond time-alignment enhances this effect for distributed PA systems.

How do I calculate speaker delay time?

Delay (ms) = Distance (m) / Speed of Sound (m/s) × 1000. At 20°C, sound travels at about 343 m/s, so each metre of distance equals about 2.9ms of delay. Many engineers add 5-10ms extra for the Haas effect.

Does temperature affect delay settings?

Yes. The speed of sound increases by about 0.6 m/s per degree Celsius. At 0°C: 331 m/s. At 20°C: 343 m/s. At 35°C: 352 m/s. For outdoor events, temperature changes throughout the day can shift timing by several milliseconds over long distances.

AudioCalcs

Speaker Array Calculator — Delay Times for Distributed Systems

Calculate delay times and level adjustments for distributed speaker arrays.

Number of Speakers

Spacing Between Speakers

Temperature

How We Calculate This

Speed of Sound

c = 331.3 + 0.606 × T (where T is temperature in °C)

Delay Time

Delay (ms) = Distance (m) / c × 1000

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates based on standard formulas. Always verify results for critical applications.