Planning Your Home Audio Setup – Speaker, Zone, and Wire Guide
Designing a whole-home audio system can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Whether you're building new or upgrading an existing setup, this guide will walk you through the basics, including how many speakers you need, which types work best for the space, how to divide your home into audio zones, and what kind of speaker wire to use. With the right plan, you’ll enjoy high-quality sound and even listening coverage in every corner of your home.
Speaker Count Based on Room Size
Getting the right number of speakers is key to achieving full, even coverage in any room. Here are some general guidelines:
Room Size (sq ft)
Recommended Speaker Count
Under 200 sq ft
1–2 speakers
200–400 sq ft
2–4 speakers
400–600 sq ft
4–6 speakers
Over 600 sq ft
6+ speakers (or more depending on layout)
Tip: Using one speaker for every 100-150 sq ft of an indoor space is a great place to start. Speakers should be placed anywhere from 6-12 feet apart for even distribution depending on the zone size and ceiling height. Keep in mind that speakers are typically placed in pairs (left + right) in order to achieve Stereo sound, but for smaller areas like a bathroom you can put just one speaker and set that zone to Mono output from within the Juke Audio app.
Choosing the Right Type of Speaker
Speaker type matters just as much as how many you use. When researching speakers, there are a few specs that you’ll want to look for.. Here's a quick guide:
In-Ceiling Speakers
Best for: Living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, hallways, bathroom, walk-in closets, garages Why: Clean look to match recessed lights, usually offer most flexible placement, and provide wide sound coverage from above to the listeners In-Wall Speakers
Best for: very low ceilings, walls without ceiling access Why: Focuses sound at ear level Surface-Mount Speakers
Best for: Garages with high ceilings, patios with high or vaulted ceilings, pergolas, decks Why: Mounted on walls, columns, or posts, and can often be angled towards the listening area Landscape & Rock Speakers
Best for: Backyards, gardens, patios, pool areas Why: Designed for outdoor use and visually blend with surroundings, can offer the best solution for even audio coverage Speaker Specs Made Simple When choosing speakers, there are a few key specs to understand and look for. Here’s what they are and what they mean in simple terms:
Impedance (Ohms) Impedance measures how much electrical resistance a speaker gives to your amplifier.
Most home audio speakers are 8 ohms , which is ideal for Juke systems. Think of it like a “match” between the speaker and the amp. 8 ohms is a safe, common standard that works well without overloading the system. Juke is also compatible with 4 and 6 ohm speakers. Power Handling (Watts) Power handling tells you how much power a speaker can safely take before distortion or damage.
Juke-6/8 delivers up to 40 watts per channel , so speakers rated between 10–100 watts are a great fit.Juke+ delivers up to 100 watts per channel , giving you the flexibility to use higher-powered speakers , or to support larger and more demanding zones like outdoor areas.Simple takeaway: You don’t need an exact match, but the speaker’s wattage rating should always be higher than the amp’s output and the closer you can make it the better.
Sensitivity (dB Rating) Sensitivity measures how loud a speaker gets with a given amount of power.
Speakers rated around 89–92 dB are more efficient — they’ll sound louder without needing as much power. This is especially helpful in larger rooms or open spaces, where you want the volume to carry more easily. Think of it like MPG for cars — higher sensitivity = more sound per watt.
Picking the Right Speakers
While many 8-ohm speakers are compatible with Juke, choosing high-quality speakers helps ensure better sound and longer-lasting performance.
Sky Speakers are designed to work seamlessly with Juke amps.You can also explore reputable brands that clearly list specs and have solid customer reviews. How to Divide Your Home Into Audio Zones
A zone is a group of speakers that share the same volume and source control. You might want different zones for different rooms or areas with different usage patterns. With either Juke model, you can add up to four 8 ohm speakers to two zones and two 8 ohm speakers on the remaining zones. If the speakers are either 4 or 6 ohms, you can connect 1-2 speakers per zone. You can also group multiple zones together in the Juke app even when they are wired into different zone outputs.
Create separate zones if:
You want to play different music in different areas You want to adjust volume independently in each space You have physically separate areas (like inside vs outside) or open areas with different ceiling heights Example Zones:
Kitchen Living Room Backyard Patio Guest Bedroom Foyer A single Juke amplifier supports up to 6 or 8 zones (depending on the model), and each one is individually controllable through our app, AirPlay, or Spotify Connect. You can stack multiple Jukes on a system to support more zones and/or speakers in large homes or commercial spaces.
Choosing the Right Speaker Wire
Picking the correct wire gauge keeps your sound clean and prevents power loss, especially over long distances:
Distance to Speaker
Recommended Gauge
Up to 80 ft
16 gauge
80-150 ft
14 gauge
Over 150 ft
12 gauge
Tips:
For underground outdoor runs, use direct burial speaker wire . It’s weather-resistant and made to last in tough conditions. For in-wall installs, use CL2 or CL3-rated speaker wire to meet code and stay safe. Final Planning Tips
Plan speaker locations based on where people gather or sit Choose a centralized, well-ventilated location for your Juke system, such as a closet, media cabinet, or utility room. The closer it is to your speaker wire runs and network router, the easier the installation and better the performance. Avoid hot attics or tight spaces without airflow. Match speaker type to the space (in-ceiling, in-wall, surface-mount, rock, or landscape) Group rooms into zones based on listening needs Choose the right wire for each run to ensure consistent performance With a little planning, your home audio distribution system can deliver a great experience in every room. Juke makes it easy as an all-in-one solution giving you simple multi-zone amplification, built-in music streaming, and convenient app control over Wi-Fi from any phone or tablet.
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