Codeofpracticefor the design planning. installation testing and maintenance of sound systems
..making excellence ahabit
Publishing and copyright information
The BSI copyright notice displayed in this document indicates when the document was last issued.
The British Standards Institution 2015
Published by BSI Standards Limited 2015
ISBN 978 0 580 71083 4
ICS 33.160.30
The following BSI references relate to the work on this document: Committee reference EPL/100Draft for ment 13/ DC
Publication history
First published May 1952 Second edition June 1964Third edition September 1982Fourth edition April 1997 Fifth (present) edition March 2015
Amendments issued since publication
Contents
Foreword ii
Section 1:General1 2 Scope1 Normative references3 Terms and definitions 2
Section 2:Exchange of information and definition of responsibilities 5 4 Technical advice and performance specification 5
Section 3:Sound system design 86 5 Planning System-level considerations 87 System design 10
Section 4: Installing a sound system14 8 Installation 149 Commissioning 1610 11 Documentation Certification 18 1612 13 Responsible person 22 Lifetime activities 19
Annexes
Annex A (informative) Explanation of technical words and phrases 25Annex C(informative) Types of microphones 36 Annex B (informative) Loudspeakers and associated system ponents 27Annex D (normative) Use and siting of microphones 43Annex E (informative) STI qualification bands 49 Annex F (informative) Examples of certificates 50Annex G (informative) Dynamics processors (pressors and AGC) 57
Bibliography 58
List of figures
Figure 1 - Effect of ambient noise sensing 12Figure B.1 Diagram showing the floating-return technique for disabling localFigure C.1 - Horizontal directional response of an omnidirectional microphoneFigure C.2 - Directional response of a cardioid microphone: decibel scale 38 with its axis vertical: decibel scale 37Figure C.3 - Directional response of a supercardioid microphone: decibelscale 38 Figure C.4 - Directional response of a hypercardioid microphone: decibelscale 39 Figure C.5 - Directional response of a highly directional shotgun (rifle)microphone where f = 250 Hz and barrel length is 275 mm 40Figure C.6 Directional response of a highly directional shotgun (rifle) microphone where f = 2.5 kHz and barrel length is 275 mm 41Figure C.7 - Directional response of a highly directional shotgun (rifle) microphone where f = 10 kHz and barrel length is 275 mm 42Figure C.8 Relative operating distances of directional microphones for equalFigure D.1 - Two methods of positioning microphones on a conference direct-to-reverberant signal ratios 42Figure D.2 - The 3 to 1 ratio for microphone positioning (normal) 46 table46Figure D.3 - A reduced 3 to 1 ratio using angled microphones 47Figure D.4 -Illustrations of good and bad microphone placements 47
Figure D.5 - Optimization of the height of the microphone above the Table 48 Figure F.1 - Design certificate 50Figure F.2 - Installation certificate 51Figure F.3 - Commissioning certificate 52 Figure F.4-Acceptance certificate 53Figure F.5 -Verification certificate54 Figure F.6- Servicing certificate 55Figure F.7 -Modification certificate 56Figure G.1 - Typical steady-state output/input characteristics 57
List of tables
Table 1 - Overall view of planning stages9Table 3 - Sound system equipment 23 Table 2-Documentation17Table E.1 Examples of STI qualification bands and typical applications 49
Summary of pages
This document prises a front cover an inside front cover pages i to iv pages 1 to 60 an inside back cover and a back cover.
Foreword
Publishing information
prepared by Technical Committee EPL/100 Audio video and mu/timedia systemsand equipment. A list of organizations represented on this mittee can beobtained on request to its secretary.
Supersession
This British Standard supersedes BS 6259:1997 which is withdrawn.
Information about this document
This is a full revision of the standard updating all aspects.
Use of this document
As a code of practice this British Standard takes the form of guidance andremendations. It should not be quoted as if it were a specification and particular care should be taken to ensure that claims of pliance are notmisleading.
justify any course of action that deviates from its remendations. Any user claiming pliance with this British Standard is expected to be able to
The remendations of this British Standard are intended to enable a clearand limitations of a proposed sound system. understanding including understanding by non-technical users of the functions
Presentationalconventions
The provisions in this standard are presented in roman (i.e. upright) type. Itsremendations are expressed in sentences in which the principal auxiliaryverb is “should".
smaller italic type and does not constitute a normative element.
Contractual and legal considerations
This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of acontract. Users are responsible for its correct application.
Compliance with a BritishStandard cannot confer immunity from legalobligations.
