Enter the distance from the speaker in feet and the speed of sound into the calculator to determine the speaker delay.

Speaker Delay Formula

The following formula is used to calculate a speaker delay.

D = X / S * 1000

  • Where D is the delay (ms)
  • X is the distance from the source (ft)
  • S is the speed of sound (ft/s)
    • This is equal to 1126 feet/second at sea level and standard temperature

To calculate the speaker delay, divide the distance from the sound source by the speed of sound. This determines the time it takes the sound from the speaker to reach the person.

What is Speaker Delay?

Definition:

Speaker delay is a measure of the total time it takes sound to travel from a speaker to a certain location.

How to Calculate Speaker Delay?

Example Problem:

The following example outlines how to calculate a speaker delay.

First, determine the distance from the speaker. In this example, the person is standing 500 feet from the source speaker.

Next, determine the speed of sound. This is known to be 1126 feet per second at standard temperature and pressure.

Finally, calculate the speaker delay using the formula above:

D = X / S * 1000

D = 500 / 1126 * 1000

D = 444 milliseconds (ms)