I don't know why, but I am still surprised at the number of inadequate sound systems that I find on my travels, and the number one failing is that of intelligibility or, rather, the lack of it. There is generally nothing magic about achieving good intelligibility, although I admit that, over the years, I have come up with one or two ideas that definitely veer toward the black arts rather than a scientific approach. However, the rules for good intelligibility have been known for decades, but all too often seem to be forgotten or not understood. So, here is a brief summary of the seven deadly sins to avoid or, to put that another way, the top seven things you need to pay attention to if you want an intelligible sound system. I am assuming that we have an indoor/enclosed space, but all the rules apply to outdoor spaces, as well, apart from Number 2: the Direct to Reverberant Ratio.
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