When designing a sound system for your application, there are many things to consider. This months blog post will take you through some of the things you should think about when it’s time to turn up the volume!

Music in your space, whether it be a bar, restaurant, retail store, firehouse, theatre or amusement park, can significantly enhance the customer experience. According to this 2022 study, atmosphere is a major factor in why customers come back. Thinking about sound systems should also not be limited to just having some sort of music or vocal reproduction — the quality of sound plays a critical role in the guest experience as well. Different classifications of speakers and amplifiers have different primary purposes.

Firstly, let’s talk about speakers!
Speakers are the final component of a sound system before it reaches your guests ears. As stated above, not every speaker is good at every job. For example, something like the JBL PRX412 (Shown in the figure 1) wouldn’t be fit for something like a theatrical production. But in the same regard, the speakers used for theatrical productions, like Meyer Panther are not really suited for a bar or restaurant. Further differences in speaker options include how the speaker receives its’ power. Options often include low-impedance: 4Ω, 8Ω, 16Ω, and high impedance, such as 25V, 70V and even 100V. Often, low-impedance speakers will have much higher sound reproduction quality, as the signal is unaltered from the amplifier to the speaker. But, high-impedance has its benefits. For large, distributed sound systems, 70V is the most common — as it allows integrators to chain a near-unlimited amount of speakers together off one amplifier channel, without the amplifier experiencing a load out of its operating range. It does come with its caveats though, 70V often does not have as good of sound quality, unless you invest in the right product, like QSC’s AcousticDesign series, JBL’s Control series, and AtlasIED’s extensive lineup of high-impedance loudspeakers. A more expensive high-impedance loudspeaker will get you closer to the sound of low-impedance systems. High-impedance equipment naturally has a lower quality of sound reproduction due to how it works; high-impedance systems require electrical transformers to convert electrical signal back into a low-imedance signal for the speaker driver housed within the enclosure. Choose a speaker that visually fit into your space. For some, that may be limited to in-ceiling speakers. In some cases though, function will have to take precedent over appearance - to an extent. Speakers come in all different sizes, shapes and colors, and needing a louder speaker doesn’t always have to mean larger.

Consider your space.
The size of your space will determine how the system needs to function on the back end — the larger the space, the more zone control and amplification you’ll need, naturally. You’ll need more speakers, more amplifiers (if not doing 70V) and a lot more cable. Of course, each room or zone needs adequate coverage with high quality audio. If you’re placing speakers outside, you’ll need to consider local noise ordinances as well.

Sources and Connectivity
Knowing ahead of time what you’ll want to be heard over the sound system will streamline the design process. TV’s, Bluetooth, Aux input and XLR are all inputs to consider — in quantities as well. (Ie: 4 TV’s to be able to come through the sound system). If you’re playing music in a bar or restaurant you’ll need something like a MOOD MUSIC subscription.

Cabling and Installation
Cabling presents unique challenges when it comes to setting up a sound system for any space. For spaces that are pre-existing and require a sound system to be added, wires must be run in such a way that does not disturb the structural makeup of the building, and doesn’t get in the way of fire-alarm systems and other electrical and water infrastructure.

Processing and Amplification
As we discussed earlier, size of your space plays a big role in how much processing and amplification power you’ll need for your installation. Even in a space with only 4 main rooms, you’ll still need to consider placing speakers in your hallways, outside and even restrooms. So you may actually need a zone processor capable of 8 zones or more. When it comes to amplification, each zone will likely require it’s own amplifier, potentially even more than one. It comes down to how your speakers are wired - low-impedance or high-impedance.
When talking about a single larger space requiring a system, like a theatre, you’ll need a processor with enough channels to provide signal to the entire system. Often times in larger rooms with lots of delays, each speaker requires its own processing channel and amplifier channel, which can get expensive quickly. When it comes to high powered subwoofers and speakers that are powered in different configurations, such as 2-way and 3-way, you’ll likely need more than one amplifier channel per speaker. Larger subwoofers that are power hungry will often require a bridged amplifier, and 2-way biamped loudspeakers will take an entire 2-channel amplifier, while 3-way and 4-way speakers will require an amplifier channel per driver. This is the case with JBL VTX.

A note from the editor;
Thanks for taking a look at this months blog post. When it comes to designing and installing systems, we always recommend that you go with a professional, as they’ll ensure systems are integrated and work properly. However, if you decide to take on such a task by yourself, we recommend staying away from powered speakers for installations. While the initial cost is lower, most MI-grade powered loudspeakers aren’t designed to be powered on around the clock. And once the amplifier module within the speaker goes bad, it’s time to replace the entire speaker. Which means removing it from it’s installed location, awaiting a new product, and reinstalling. And if the unit isn’t under warranty — that comes out of your pocket. Passive speakers, that use amplifiers that are mounted with processing in a more secluded location, are the best choice for any installation.

WiredUP specializes in installing sound, lighting and video systems, and we can also integrate the three of them together. Ready to see how we can make your space more entertaining for guests? Let’s get your quote started today.