Sound System for

[keggerz]

my retail store...still not sure if we are gonna go with an open ceiling or not...

 

does anyone have any advice or know of a site or someone they can recommend?

 

We are going to have a local musician make a track for us that is basically just background type factory noise, and we will have the occasional "BearEoke" events in the store

 

so do i need a professional or should i just buy some speakers and run the wire myself?

[Kid Cid]

my retail store...still not sure if we are gonna go with an open ceiling or not...

 

does anyone have any advice or know of a site or someone they can recommend?

 

We are going to have a local musician make a track for us that is basically just background type factory noise, and we will have the occasional "BearEoke" events in the store

 

so do i need a professional or should i just buy some speakers and run the wire myself?

 

I'd try and do as much of the work yourself as you can. but there are certian things you need to know. Don't skimp on the amplifier. A cheap low wattage amp will sound exactly like a cheap low wattage amp if you have to turn the volume up to max just to be heard in the store. Get an amp that you don't have to turn up over half way to be heard.

 

Assuming you're going to have more that 2 speakers, you're going to be wiring the speakers in succession in order to cover all the store. It can be done either in parallel or in a series. No matter which way you go, you will be changing the load on your amp. Make sure that your amp is properly rated for the number of speakers you're putting on it. For example, two speakers connected normally to an amp will give an 8 Ohm load on the amp. If you add two additional speakers in parallel (one attached to each of the original speakers positive to positive, negative to negative) then you have changed the load on your amp to 4 Ohms. You've also doubled the amount of volume (the volume of air moved by the sound waves). Adding additional speakers will further change the load on the amp. If that amp is not rated for 4 Ohms, it will eventually catch on fire.

 

You don't need the best speakers in the world, but make sure they can handle the wattage the amp is putting out. If they're not designed to handle the power of the amp, they will sound all distorted.

 

Those are the major things, the rest is all aesthetics (color, mounted in ceiling/wall or not, etc.)

[keggerz]

I'd try and do as much of the work yourself as you can. but there are certian things you need to know. Don't skimp on the amplifier. A cheap low wattage amp will sound exactly like a cheap low wattage amp if you have to turn the volume up to max just to be heard in the store. Get an amp that you don't have to turn up over half way to be heard.

 

Assuming you're going to have more that 2 speakers, you're going to be wiring the speakers in succession in order to cover all the store. It can be done either in parallel or in a series. No matter which way you go, you will be changing the load on your amp. Make sure that your amp is properly rated for the number of speakers you're putting on it. For example, two speakers connected normally to an amp will give an 8 Ohm load on the amp. If you add two additional speakers in parallel (one attached to each of the original speakers positive to positive, negative to negative) then you have changed the load on your amp to 4 Ohms. You've also doubled the amount of volume (the volume of air moved by the sound waves). Adding additional speakers will further change the load on the amp. If that amp is not rated for 4 Ohms, it will eventually catch on fire.

 

You don't need the best speakers in the world, but make sure they can handle the wattage the amp is putting out. If they're not designed to handle the power of the amp, they will sound all distorted.

 

Those are the major things, the rest is all aesthetics (color, mounted in ceiling/wall or not, etc.)

 

thanks and fwiw I havent forgotten about you and that software I need...we can talk more about that later(after 1st of the yr or so probably)