Retail Store Sound System, need advice...odd one! (1 Viewer)

[Mike Mann]

Hi All,

I've got a different question for you...not really home theater per se but this is the best place I know of to get help.

I'm opening a 7,000 Sq. Ft. Retail Hobby Store in the next 30 days and would like to put in 4-6 speakers throughout the store for playing music (radio, cd's, etc.) Nothing fancy, don't need hi-fi sound, just want something a.)relatively inexpensive and b.) easy/simple

I've been thinking about how to go about this and my biggest concern with tradional recievers is the lack of speaker support. In traditional stereo mode I could probably support 4 speakers (A & B) but I would lose half my power doing so. I also thought about usinga 5.1 channel mode which would allow for 5 speakers and power to each channel.

Would this be a good way to go? or do most surround processors send CD "data" to all 5 channels the same or does it put some intelligence on it and "mix" like a DVD soundtrack? Guess I'm worried about it sound too wierd.

Any other suggestions out there? I'm thinking about just going to Radioshack or something picking up a handful of speakers and a cheap reciever. I want to do this fairly inexpensively but I don't to go half-ass either. If I can do it right for a few bucks more...I'm there.

Thanks in advance for the help.

-Mike

 

[David X]

Look for a receiver with Dolby Pro Logic 2. (eg: Kenwood VR-509, Onkyo 494). DPL2 synthesizes a discrete 5-channel sound from normal, unencoded stereo sources.

Of course, your guess is as good as mine as to how it will sound in your retail space because 5-channel systems are supposed to be callibrated and optimized for a listening postion. You might be better off with a receiver that can drive 2 sets of mains. Lots of stuff in the low end can do this. The VR-509 can drive 2 sets of mains, for example. You can probably drive the front three in 3-channel mode and the rear two as "B" mains in 2-channel mode, or switch them to surrounds to try it out in 5-channel mode. The VR-509 only has spring clips for the rears or b speakers, but it might be worth a shot.

-David

 

[Peter Galbavy]

Unless you are opening a music store, you should not be too worried about power loss by running speakers in parallel - as long as you take account of the resistance stuff and don't overload the amp. Hell, run low resistance speakers in series or whatever... Just don't run too loud - you will scare off the customers.

Many amps / receivers will have two sets of speaker outputs for the fronts, or you could find a unit that does 'room 2' outputs and run those through to a small slave amp somewhere.

TBH You may be better off looking at the systems people install in bars as they are build for this kind of thing.

Also, check with your friendly lawyer / solicitor what your local conditions are for the playing of copyright material in a shop. In the UK the rules on payments of royalties are quite well enforced.