Ambisonic reproduction systems

The design of speaker systems for Ambisonic playback is governed by several constraints: the desired spatial operating range (horizontal-only, hemispherical, full-sphere), the predominant resolution (= Ambisonic order) of the expected program material, the desired localisation performance and size of listening area versus the available number of speakers and amplification channels, and the theoretically optimal distribution of speakers versus the actually available placement and/or rigging options. This page attempts to discuss the interaction of these constraints and their various trade-offs in theory and practice, as well as perceptional advantages or drawbacks of specific speaker layouts which have been observed in actual deployments.

Source: Wikipedia — Ambisonic reproduction systems (CC BY-SA 4.0)