More than ever, modern PA systems nowadays must be able to deliver a high-quality performance, particularly in multifunctional premises. With multi-room speakers, it is possible to implement an individual PA application in multiple rooms and zones with a consistent sound quality. It is essential to choose the right speakers and adapt them to different acoustic requirements in order to achieve the best possible sound experience. This article will shed some light on the technical challenges which are solved by multi-room speakers.
Multi-room speakers allow for a flexible and versatile PA application
Selecting the right speaker: consider room size, alignment and materials
Compatibility of components: the perfect combination is important
Practical example 1: restaurants and bars and different materials
Practical example 2: multi-room speakers in a shopping centre
Practical example 3: multi-room speakers in the health care sector
Multi-room speakers provide different rooms with various sound settings, including hotel lobbies, conference rooms and lounges. They are designed to adjust to individual acoustic requirements of a room and at the same time are integrated into a superior network. Multi-room speaker initially means a group of speakers which distributes the sound in different rooms. However:
You can certainly think further than background music if you think about multi-room speakers. They are able to process various audio streams simultaneously. Thus, providing one room with music, while playing announcements in the other, for example. This makes them particularly appealing for applications in hotels, office buildings, shopping centres and public institutions. For example, they are able to provide calming music in the changing rooms of a fashion shop, while playing a more dynamic sound in the sales area.
Each room features its own challenge which can directly affect the sound quality. Small rooms or large rooms with high ceilings, a lot of glass surfaces or other smooth surfaces can strongly reflect the sound. They often create reverberation (echo). In addition, we have got centrally controlled groups of multi-room speakers.
Acoustic problems can be avoided if you set up speakers using DSP-assisted (digital sound processors) sound adjustments. For example, minimise reverberation in a large room and adjust the frequency response to achieve a high speech intelligibility or a pleasant sound. This allows for an individually matched soundscape. Thus, additional acoustic measures, e.g. wall panels or ceiling panels are not required.
An amplifier with 4 Dante® transmission and receiver channels. Hence, the amplifier can coordinate different speakers in 4 rooms. An individual dynamic compression and its own equalizing is possible for each room. Useful: you can additionally assign a sound source to each zone, e.g. a microphone for announcements.
The possibility to adapt the sound in each room respectively, allows you to fully integrate multi-room speakers into the interior design. Thus, they provide a homogeneous sound experience, regardless of structural conditions.
Not every speaker is suitable for every environment. There are several aspects to consider if you want to select the right multi-room speaker:
Selecting the speakers is only part of the puzzle. It is also important to ensure that all system components are compatible with each other. Multi-room speakers should work perfectly with amplifiers, DSP systems and control units. In this case, network integration plays an essential role because a lot of modern multi-room speakers rely on IP-based audio protocols such as Dante® or AES67 to transmit high-quality audio signals synchronously and over great distances. Thus, when buying them, you should consider that the speakers as well as the other components support the same protocol. If not, it can lead to problems with synchronisation and signal transmission.
Dante® offers various convenient features, i.e. Dante®-enabled devices such as speakers find each other automatically in a network.
Modern multi-room speakers often use WLAN or Bluetooth technology to allow for a wireless connection. This wireless flexibility often greatly facilitates installation because laying extra audio cables is not required. An efficient solution in buildings where subsequent cabling would be difficult or expensive.
WLAN-operated speakers can be integrated into existing networks and thus allow a wide operating range and a reliable audio transmission, even in multiple rooms. This is an advantage particularly in large rooms or across several floors because the signal is not easily limited by physical obstacles.
Bluetooth speakers also provide a wireless solution. However, they are often limited to short distances. Thus, they are rather suitable for smaller installations or areas in which speaker flexibility plays an essential part, e.g. conference rooms or living areas. The quick and easy connection is certainly an advantage of Bluetooth. However, the sound quality often suffers with a transmission over great distances or if many devices are connected simultaneously.
The owner of a little restaurant which is located in an old building wants to provide both the dining area and the terrace with pleasant background music. The challenge is the indoor area which is highly insulated with many wooden surfaces and furniture, while concrete and glass surfaces cause an echo on the terrace. We are applying speakers with a wide radiation angle indoors which provide a homogeneous sound distribution, while applying directional speaker systems on the terrace to specifically direct the sound to avoid reverberation.
Just imagine a modern shopping centre which uses music and advertising announcements in different areas. PA technology in cafés and restaurants provides a smooth and relaxing ambience, while delivering dynamic and sales-promotional music in fashion shops. Multi-room speakers allow for a smooth transition between the zones and adapt to acoustic requirements of any surrounding.
It is possible to set the speakers individually for each zone and control them centrally. Thus, it results in a consistent and pleasant sound experience throughout the whole shopping centre.
Multi-room speaker systems are applied in modern hospitals to perfectly assist with acoustic requirements in the different areas. Patients’ rooms are provided with a relaxing ambience applying calming music, while a neutral sound is played in the recreational rooms. In intensive care, a high speech intelligibility is crucial when making announcements. A multi-room system allows you to centrally control these different requirements. In the ER, soft music can calm patients, while important announcements to personnel can clearly be transmitted via the same system. Soft music can also be beneficial in waiting areas because it calms the situation which is often tense. The advantage: central control allows you to adjust volume level and audio contents easily and flexibly to the requirements of the respective rooms. This greatly simplifies daily operation for the staff. At the same time, patients and visitors are provided with a pleasant soundscape.
No matter whether in hotels, office buildings or shopping centres, multi-room speakers adjust to any surrounding and provide you with a flexibility which is required by modern PA systems. Are you looking for more inspiration? Come and click your way through our Audio Solution Guide.
Headergraphik: Adobe Stock - Herzog
