High Power Stereo equip

[the_Journeyman]

I need some help with some amplification equipment.  One of my supervisors came to me with a question about installing a sound system in our cafeteria.  We're talking a 100ftx120ft room with 20 foot ceilings and full of people (around 300 at a time or so).  I'm familiar with basic stereo equipment, but haven't dealt with anything with enough power to fill a room that large.  Doesn't have to be super loud but audible.  The largest I've worked with is my Pioneer 150x4 receiver, but it would be a challenge to be heard over a full room.

I don't even know how to search for big-wattage equipment and PA/DJ type loud speakers that would be suitable for the environment I'm working with.  The other problem is cost has to be fairly low, but I've not been given any numbers.  It also has to be simple to operate like your basic home stereo receiver and have basic inputs (switchable RCA left/right are plenty, 3 or 4 would be good).  We don't want a mixer-type thing either if possible.  Basically, a 250x2 or 500x2 amp + speakers would work fine. 

So, can someone point me in the right direction of what we're looking for here. 

Thanks!

JM

[Speeddog]

Is the system for music or just PA type stuff?

Not that I can help either way, just thinking it may be useful info for those who can. 

[the_Journeyman]

Looking to play some music mostly, maybe some voice/PA stuff, but mostly to show vids w/ music.

JM

[COWBOY]

give your local Guitar Center a call.

www.guitarcenter.com

[the_Journeyman]

Thanks!  I'll check that out when I get home, firewall marks it "music appreciation" and won't let me see it.  I have found some Samson, QSC and Peavy rack-mount amps in the proper power level.  Now just to find proper speakers ~

JM

[BumpaD_Z28]

To me guitat center is sorta like going to the scooter store... , Check out

http://www.pssl.com/

As far as amplification you can't go wrong with the $/Value of QSC :

http://www.qscaudio.com/

~DaVe

[COWBOY]

To me guitat center is sorta like going to the scooter store... , Check out

~DaVe

LOL.  He doesn't need a pro system snoop dog.   

I also know he lives within reasonable distance of a physical store which may be helpful.

A simple Crown or QSC amp paired with even a consumer source (tape, radio, cd, dvd) and enough cheap in-ceiling speakers would get him there.

[the_Journeyman]

We can't do in-ceiling, but were planning on having a coupe large speakers pushing the whole thing.  We do realize this will have un-even sound/volume distribution, but the speakers will be 10ft+ off the ground to help with wider dispersion of sound.  Unless you folks with experience KNOW this will just plain suck.

JM

[Monstermash]

Even though you can't do in-ceiling you are going to want to use many speakers spaced out evenly all around the room. This also may include a few mounted to the ceiling firing down.
It's better to use more speakers with less power than just a few with a huge amount of power. Consider this, You have two large speakers at one side of the room and two more on the other side. You send enough power to them so everyone in the room can hear them. The people sitting close to them are going to get blown away if they are loud enough for the rest of the room to hear.
On the flip side, if you get a bunch of smaller speakers and space them out evenly around the room you will need much less power to fill the room with sound and it will be evenly distributed.

If it were me designing the system I would install two on each long wall, one one each short wall and two on the ceiling firing down for a total of eight. You could then use two 4 channel amps to power the whole thing.

[Timmy Tucker]

I used to sell and install PA and audio/video stuff. Lemme talk to my old boss and see what he says.

A few ??'s first...

Where/how are you gonna run/hide your cabling? (under floors, above ceilings, in walls, exposed conduit)

Where will the electronics go and is there already power there?

What kind of power is available and how much? (120v or 240v, how many circuits available and how many amps each)

What are the floor/wall/ceiling materials? (wood, carpet, concrete, etc)

What's your voice source? (tie in to existing PA source elsewhere or add a microphone station in the cafeteria)

[the_Journeyman]

A few ??'s first...

Where/how are you gonna run/hide your cabling? (under floors, above ceilings, in walls, exposed conduit)

Raceways or exposed conduit as we've got cinder-block walls and everything else is done that way.

Where will the electronics go and is there already power there?

In a lockable control box in the corner of the room, if power isn't there/nearby, my supervisor (facilities manager) will have whatever added my the electricians

What kind of power is available and how much? (120v or 240v, how many circuits available and how many amps each)

Both 120/240 are available as this is a cafeteria, and if there's not spare circuits, the electricians can add more/new box or whatever

What are the floor/wall/ceiling materials? (wood, carpet, concrete, etc)

Walls are painted cinder block, ceiling is metal covered by a standard drop ceiling, floor is concrete covered with some type of vinyl-like tile.  We're aware this is an acoustically poor place for this, but we have band concerts in the gym too.  Acoustics are not a priority

What's your voice source? (tie in to existing PA source elsewhere or add a microphone station in the cafeteria)

Voice would rarely be used, but would be some type of mic and not tied into our intercom system

Thanks!

JM

Thanks!

[Timmy Tucker]

Dude, didn't want you to think I forgot about you. I haven't been able to get ahold of my old boss. He's out of town doing an install and hasn't called me back yet. Worst case scenario, I'll be spending NYE w/ him and some other friends from VA and will get an answer from him then. Sorry.

[Bun-bun]

We can't do in-ceiling, but were planning on having a coupe large speakers pushing the whole thing.  We do realize this will have un-even sound/volume distribution, but the speakers will be 10ft+ off the ground to help with wider dispersion of sound.  Unless you folks with experience KNOW this will just plain suck.

JM

Yes. it will suck.
As quoted above, more speakers using fewer watts/speaker will be the way to go. Make sure that your amp(s) are equipped with enough channels. You cannot hook multiple speakers into one channel, it will lower the ohms and burn out the amp(Don't worry about now I know this, o.k.?)