CEDIA and the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) have finalised the RP22 recommended practice for immersive audio system design. RP22 is the first recommended practice to define an objective set of performance criteria for home audio systems.

“RP22 is nothing less than game-changing for our industry,” CEDIA chief executive officer Daryl Friedman says.

“It will benefit integrators, manufacturers and, of course, homeowners who can be assured of the same high audio standards no matter the room.  My sincere thanks go out to CEDIA’s volunteers and staff who worked tirelessly for years to make this dream a reality.”

Experts representing film studios, audio manufacturers, immersive audio standards and residential technology integrators collaborated for over three years to produce the RP22 set of guidelines that have already been endorsed by manufacturers including Officina Acustica, PerListen Audio, Snap One, StormAudio, Triad Speakers and Trinnov Audio.

RP22 identifies 21 different performance parameters that can be predicted during system design, then tested and verified before system sign-off. Using these metrics, it sets criteria for four different levels of system performance.

Level 1 conveys basic artistic intent. Level 2 indicates a higher level of performance that more accurately conveys artistic intent. Level 3 is a performance that meets or exceeds reference commercial cinema standards, while Level 4 defines a system that achieves the maximum level of performance across every parameter.

Consumers can use the performance levels defined in RP22 to define what they want from an audio system. Meanwhile, home technology professionals have a new tool to define the difference between off-the-shelf speakers and a state-of-art immersive home audio system.

RP22 expands on CTA/CEDIA-CEB22-B Home Theatre Recommended Practice: Audio Design with design recommendations for an expanded array of applications and technological innovations, including speaker layout recommendations for the immersive audio formats like Dolby Atmos, DTS-X, Auto 3D and more, expanded bass management guidance and coverage patterns and “seat to seat” variation targets.

The full CEDIA/CTA – RP22 Immersive Audio Design Recommended Practice documentation is available for free to CEDIA and CTA members.