Question for Audio System professionals

[airboss]

Greetings Brain Trust:
I am an electrical type not an audio type. My Church has requested that I install 5 speakers in the various areas outside of the sancturary. I will also be installing a video feed to a small TV in the Coffee & Cookies area.

I'll need to buy some ceiling speakers and hook them up. The main sound board is right above the area where these will be installed. My question is, I don't think there is an amp there. All the sound feeds go 200 or so to the Amp closet behind the alter area. They want separate volume controls; two controls for a speaker each in two areas and one control for the three remaining speakers.

So, we obviously have monitor capability at the board. It's a Mackie I think. I'm thinking I need to buy an amp but hooking up the local volume controls so that they don't interact has always mystified me. Do I need three channels? Give me a brief primer here. I'm not stupid just uninformed. (well perhaps that's a separate question.

Dan

[Old Guy]

Ceiling speakers to me are speakers that actually install in the ceiling. Many non-pros have taken to calling speakers that mount by bracket, sometimes NEAR the ceiling...as ceiling speakers.
Either can be ordered with 70 volt trannies...in which case you need one amp, each speaker has volume taps. All one zone, each speaker variable.

http://www.yorkville.com/default.asp?p1=6&p2=17&p_id=73

Yorkville has an INCREDIBLE free library at that site for the pro sound newbs BTW. Good stuff! So does Rane. At their site of course.

The other way is to create zones and set up separate amp channels for each zone.

That can get sophisticated...pronounced "expensive".

http://www.smarthome.com/9725786K/6-...e-Cat-5/p.aspx

A Google for "audio zone controller" will get you lots of info.

70 volt has another advantage in that generally the wiring does not have to run in conduit if it is transformer coupled...check local codes...

You pays yer money and ...

[airboss]

Thanks OG. The 70 volt system is the one I'm most familiar with. I've ripped out many of them during commercial remodels. We always dropped the speaker boxes (some doubtless containing Altec 405 drivers) in the dumpster. As I recall one frequently sees 1/4 watt through a few watts on the matching transformers. <edit> I could provide a little local control with 2P4T rotary switches eh? <end>

That was my first thought. Since I posted the question I saw these:
http://www.parts-express.com/pdf/300-560m.pdf

The Pastor/Administrator seems intent on a local volume control. The Dayton system in the link above will cost about $300 with true ceiling mount speakers plus the amp. We have an unused rack of 20y/o+ SS amps. I don't remember the brand. I'll check and see what outputs they support. We also are looking at Wiremold in two locations for volume controls because of brick walls. Ugly. A straight 70V system would be about half that and no wiremold. We'll see how enthusiastic he is about local volume control after I give him the layout and price it out.

Thanks for the links. I'll bookmark them.

[Old Guy]

Thanks OG. The 70 volt system is the one I'm most familiar with. I've ripped out many of them during commercial remodels. We always dropped the speaker boxes (some doubtless containing Altec 405 drivers) in the dumpster.

Not as bad as the ones that contained 755A's.

[airboss]

Not as bad as the ones that contained 755A's.

Funny you mention that. I was having lunch at a local casino here (I'm in Reno NV) and noticed a guy ripping out ceiling speakers and piling them near an elevator. Sure enough they were 755s All C's though. Every one. About a hundred.

Of course I asked. What I'm insane? He said "I have no idea what they will do with them. They belong to the casino" I said "Whose your contact here, I'd like to purchase them" He said "I can't give you that information, I am under private contract yada yada."

He knew. I wonder if the casino knows what happened to them. My niece works there now. Maybe I can find out who their head of maintenance is? There are lots of older casinos in Nevada. Hmmmmm. Might still be some good stuff around.

Dan