What is speaker dispersion?

Dispersion (or coverage angle) is the angle at which the speaker output drops by 6 dB from the on-axis level. Typical PA speakers have 60-90 degrees horizontal and 40-60 degrees vertical dispersion. Horn-loaded speakers can have tighter patterns (40-60 degrees).

How do I calculate coverage width?

Width = 2 × distance × tan(angle/2). For a 90-degree horizontal dispersion at 15 metres: width = 2 × 15 × tan(45°) = 30 metres. This is the -6 dB coverage width — sound extends beyond this but at lower levels.

How many speakers do I need for a venue?

Divide the total width to cover by the coverage width of one speaker, accounting for some overlap (typically 50%). For a 30m wide venue with speakers that cover 15m each: 30/15 × 1.5 (overlap factor) = 3 speakers. Stack or array vertically for height coverage.

What is throw distance?

Throw distance is the maximum distance at which a speaker can deliver adequate SPL. It depends on speaker power, sensitivity and acceptable level drop. For PA design, it is the distance from the speaker to the furthest listener.

AudioCalcs

Coverage Calculator — Speaker Dispersion & Throw Distance

Calculate speaker coverage area from dispersion angle and throw distance.

Horizontal Dispersion

Vertical Dispersion

Throw Distance

How We Calculate This

Coverage Width

Width = 2 × D × tan(H/2)

Where D = throw distance and H = horizontal dispersion angle.

Coverage Height

Height = 2 × D × tan(V/2)

Coverage Area

Area = Width × Height (approximate rectangular area at throw distance)

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

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