The Architect’s Guide to Specifying Audio Systems
Sound is a specialist discipline, and one a design team can hand over in full. It is at its most rewarding to resolve while the ceiling design, joinery, lighting layout and acoustic finishes are still taking shape.
Brought in at that stage, the sonic layer is designed into the room rather than added to it. Loudspeakers are concealed by design, acoustic treatment sits within the finishes, cable routes and equipment locations are planned cleanly, and the finished room feels as considered as it looks.
The Architect’s Guide to Specifying audio systems is a practical resource from Sonic Design Studios for architects, interior designers and project managers who want to integrate sound earlier and with greater confidence.
Who this guide is for
This guide is written for design teams working on hospitality, residential and design led commercial spaces. It is especially relevant for architects, interior designers, project managers and client representatives who are responsible for maintaining the visual integrity of a space while still accommodating technical requirements.
It is not written as a hardware catalogue. It is a coordination tool. The guide explains how to think about sound early, while the design is still open, so it works with the architecture from the outset.
Why early audio coordination matters
Sound interacts with the architecture of a room. Ceiling heights, surface finishes, glazing, furniture, joinery, room proportions and occupancy all affect how a system will perform.
If audio is planned early, the design team can make space for loudspeakers, cable routes, control points, equipment racks, acoustic treatments and access requirements. These details then become part of the architecture, designed in from the outset.
Early coordination also helps the client make better commercial decisions. Rather than selecting equipment in isolation, the team can define the desired atmosphere, performance level and operating model first, and let the specification follow from that.
What the guide helps you achieve
The guide supports clean outcomes such as concealed loudspeakers in sensitive interiors, even coverage across dining rooms, controlled acoustics in reflective spaces, properly ventilated equipment, planned cable routes, well placed control points and a calm construction stage.
It also helps design teams understand when to involve an audio consultant, what information should be included in the brief and how audio coordination relates to RIBA stages.
What you will learn inside
- How to define audio requirements during the initial client brief.
- Why audio should be considered before ceiling and joinery details are fixed.
- The basic principles of acoustic comfort in hospitality and residential spaces.
- How loudspeaker placement affects coverage, clarity and atmosphere.
- How to coordinate audio with lighting, MEP, joinery and interior finishes.
- Strategies for concealing loudspeakers without compromising performance.
- How acoustic treatment is integrated cleanly into the finishes.
- How procurement and installation are coordinated for a clean result.
- RIBA stage considerations for audio and acoustic coordination.
Download the guide
Request a copy of the architect’s guide. We will send the PDF directly and a member of the studio will be in touch if useful.
Download the guideHow Sonic Design Studios supports design teams
Sonic Design Studios works with architects, interior designers, hospitality operators and private clients to define audio and acoustic strategy before the project reaches installation stage.
We help translate the client’s desired atmosphere into a coordinated technical brief. This includes loudspeaker strategy, acoustic treatment guidance, system zoning, control logic, equipment coordination and commissioning support.
Our aim is simple: to make sound part of the design process early enough that it improves the final space rather than disrupting it.
Frequently asked
Is this guide focused on residential or commercial projects?
The principles apply to both premium residential and hospitality environments.
Does the guide recommend specific brands?
No. The guide focuses on design methodology, spatial coordination and acoustic principles rather than specific hardware.
Can I share this guide with my wider design team?
Yes. The guide is intended to help design teams improve coordination around audio and acoustics.
When should we involve Sonic Design Studios?
The best time is during concept or technical design, before ceiling details, joinery, acoustic finishes and service routes are fixed.
Planning audio earlier in the design process?
Sonic Design Studios works with architects and interior designers to take ownership of the sonic layer and integrate it cleanly into the design, from concept through to commissioning.
Speak to Sonic Design Studios