Public Address Systems

Public address systems are now one of the most commonly found audio relay methods within the commercial sector. Acting as a background music system for staff to interact with or as a fully-fledged public announcement system to advise or alert many people at one time. You will likely find some kind of wall or ceiling speaker in most places of business in the modern-day as they are easy to install and maintain, although they are becoming more and more common as part of the audio setup of all new buildings.

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A public announcement system generally consists of ceiling or wall speakers which often go unnoticed, this is a purposeful design choice so that the speakers can still deliver their function without compromising the decor of the area. Wall-mounted speakers come in a choice of shades that disguise them amongst other design choices in the space itself, ceiling speakers are built to align comfortably to the ceiling itself and do not distract the eye. However small or large the project is, we can accommodate the audio needs of most customers with simplicity.

Public address systems are wired to an amplifier that powers each speaker via hidden cables behind the wall or above the ceiling itself, make sure you have access to these areas. More often than not, the speakers included here will be sold in pairs for balance, however, in some cases, there is the choice to buy them singularly for replacement. Depending on which public announcement system you have chosen, a microphone is included with a button that connects your voice to the speakers themselves, allowing for efficient, widespread communication.

As a background music system, this microphone function may not come into play all that much, but it is good to have it available just in case. The systems can link with Bluetooth and also have multiple options for syncing with smart devices or inputting USB MP3 players in most cases. Personnel and others are free to stream music from their chosen platform, alternatively, connect up an AUX cable and share favourite styles of music with others, listen to a podcast or audiobook and perhaps most importantly, keep team morale high.

Public Announcement System

As mentioned, the speakers within a public announcement system are usually sold as a pair, this is to balance the sound in the ears of the listener. It is better practice to install a larger number of smaller speakers than a lower number of large units, for example in a sizeable space it would be better to situate one small speaker in each quarter of the room as opposed to two larger units in each half. Note that speakers will play the same music at the same volume across all of the units for the balance of sound and consistency of the final listening experience.

In smaller spaces, you can decrease the amount that you need for example a single ceiling speaker could be placed in a small office room for background music purposes. In this instance it is good practice to place this single speaker directly in the centre of the room, anywhere else will bounce sound around the space making for an uncomfortable playback of the sound. Make sure the measurements are correct for the central point of the room, sometimes the shape of space can vary or be uneven, always install with accuracy.

Ceiling and wall speakers are passive more often than not, so do not directly need mains power, although of course, this power must come from somewhere which is why they are run straight to an amplifier with speaker wire. Always ensure that a stereo sound is evenly balanced across the area in question for best results from your line of speakers. Audio installations such as this are designed to give a stereo sound from an amplifier that can interpret both left and right channels, making placement fairly important, feel free to call our sales department for some advice on this subject should you need it.

What is a background music system?

Having background music is more important than we first realise, more often than not restaurants have music at a reasonable volume as customers dine and chat. Hotels of all sizes and star ratings often have BGM (background music) in their lobby and elevator to accompany guests heading to an upper floor. Airports use background music for duty-free shopping areas and in-between gates, even the airplanes themselves have similar ceiling speakers built-in for passenger advisements.

Having some BGM in the workplace, especially during fast-paced, physical work such as warehousing, can improve productivity greatly. Wall speakers tend to be the louder choice but when combined with some uptempo music, the tempo of the music often encourages personnel to work somewhat faster, whether they realise this or not. There are also places where the inclusion of background music is almost essential, such as wedding ceremony venues, pubs, bars and social clubs.

Where possible, select some 4 core speaker wire to run between your amplifier and installation speakers, this reduces the amount of wiring work by up to fifty percent. If somebody is living above the ceiling you intend to install speakers into, it is a legal requirement to install additional fire hoods to help maintain the ceiling structure in the event of an emergency. On the bright side, these hoods can also act as a mini sound barrier so even when your volume is increased it will be less likely that those habituating upstairs will not be so easily disturbed through their floors.