Commercial audio system planning guides
Step-by-step guides to planning, specifying and commissioning commercial audio systems — written for venue owners making decisions and AV installers specifying for clients. Each guide covers a specific topic in practical depth. Select the guide most relevant to where you are in your project, or start with the multi-zone system design guide if you are new to commercial audio.
How to design a multi-zone commercial audio system
For:
- Venue owners planning a new system
- AV installers specifying for a client
Everything you need to know before specifying a commercial audio system — what multi-zone audio is, how to plan your zones, the three system components, how to configure sources and inputs, control options including WebApp and ZonePad wall controllers, and how to get a system designed and installed.
Multi-site audio
For:
- Multi-site operators standardising audio across an estate
- Integrators pursuing chain and framework rollouts
Design a system once, capture it as a WebApp user bundle, and deploy the same configuration across every site — consistent, predictable and fast to roll out.
Commercial audio glossary
For:
- Venue owners planning or running a system
- AV installers and integrators specifying for a client
Plain-English definitions of the 69 terms you’ll meet when specifying, installing or running a commercial audio system — acoustics, signal flow, loudspeakers, amplification, control and networking, and installation — so you can read a quote, spec or datasheet with confidence.
Background Music Licensing
How licensing works across the UK, US, Germany, France and Australia — and the modern way to handle it
How to choose the right speakers for a commercial venue
For:
- Venue owners choosing between speaker options
- Installers specifying loudspeakers
A practical walkthrough of the Optimal Audio loudspeaker range — Up ceiling speakers, Cuboid wall-mounted speakers and Sub subwoofers. Covers when to use each family, how to match speakers to room size and ceiling height, pendant and bezel-less accessories, indoor versus outdoor specifications, and the visual dimension of speaker placement.
How to set up and configure the Optimal Audio WebApp
For:
- AV installers commissioning a Zone system
- Venue owners understanding the setup process
A step-by-step commissioning guide covering everything from first access through to staff handover — zone naming, input configuration, source routing, volume limits, EQ and speaker presets, scheduled routines, ZonePad setup, user permissions and handover best practice.
70V and 100V speaker systems
For:
- Anyone specifying or researching a distributed commercial system
- Venue owners and AV installers new to constant-voltage audio
What 70V and 100V (constant-voltage) speaker systems are, why they exist, and when to use them — explained simply, with no jargon.
Layered audio solutions
For:
- Specifiers and consultants designing cross-brand projects
- AV installers and integrators working across venue types
When the best system for a venue isn’t a single-brand system — real scenarios for combining Optimal Audio, Martin Audio, Linea Research and TiMax, and how the brands integrate.
More guides coming — stay up to date
We are adding new planning guides covering venue-specific system design, acoustic considerations, integration options and more. Sign up to the Optimal Audio mailing list and you will hear about new guides alongside the latest product news, events and updates — direct to your inbox.
Where do you want to start?
Ready to plan your system?
Contact your local Optimal Audio distributor — they can advise on the right system for your space and connect you with a qualified installer in your area.
Try before you specify
Download the WebApp Desktop Demo and configure a complete multi-zone system on your laptop — no hardware, no account, free.
