Re: Burglar Alarm Face book group

["Bob La Londe" <none@xxxxxxxxxx>]

"Jim" <alarminex@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:72d68e5a-fec3-4cc9-b03f-9642092837af@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On Tuesday, September 29, 2015 at 11:19:25 PM UTC-4, ABLE1 wrote:
> > Hi Les,
> >
> > I do this kind of audio work on a regular basis. I don't know what your
> > specifics are but here's a little bit of information that may be useful.
> > Although Pandora is free or a paid service, the free service does have
> > it's quirks. You can only pick your category of songs but not specific
> > songs. You can choose a performer or a style of music but Pandora plays
> > pretty much what it wants to at random ..... keeping within a genre. The
> > most annoying thing about it is that the volume is not constant. Some
> > music is loud some is too soft. When I set up music systems for people I
> > try to use Sonos. This way people can play their own music from their
> > Ipads/IPhones or computers as well as choosing from about 150 internet
> > radio stations. Sonos is fabulous to work with and delivers lots of
> > smiles to the end users. They love it.
> >
> > One of the aspects of jobs like this is that their WiFi network needs to
> > be pretty robust if they want to be able to control their music from all
> > over the home. They usually don't want to go for the extra bucks up
> > front but once they get a taste of being able to control their music
> > from their I/Phone/Pad they want to do if from anywhere in the house and
> > then I get called back to enhance the WiFi network.  I usually wind up
> > installing wireless access points or additional routers with DHCP
> > disabled. Also, the Power line carrier IP network extenders work pretty
> > good in getting the network to other parts of the house without having
> > to run wires. It takes some practice to learn how to install them
> > quickly but once you've mastered it .... it works great. There are new
> > ones out now that not only carry the hardwire network but also create a
> > WiFi area from the plug in unit.
> >
> > Anyway, If you need any help, let me know.
> >
>
> Jim,
> Thanks for the input.  I just looked at the Sonos site and a quick look
> at the components.  This equipment looks like it is geared more for the
> high end residential user.  The project I am involved with is a
> commercial restaurant dining room for background music as well as paging
> for order numbers.
>
> I have never used Pandora but the customer is using it an likes it.
> They also have some knowledge about another service called Spotify.
>
> The comments you made about Pandora gives me a little concern but with
> equipment I am looking at should handle what ever service they want to
> use.
>
> I am thinking that all of this new audio stuff will have its quirks of
> one type or another.
>
> BTW the equipment I am looking at is:
> https://gracedigital.com/shop/tuner-pro/
>
> Connected to a Episode commercial amp ECA-70MIXAMP-1-60 with 2x2 drop in
> ceiling speakers.
>
> Just dropped a ball park number today and got a "THAT MUCH??" response.
>
> We will see how it goes.
>
> Again thanks for the extra input.
>
> Les

Hi Les,

Hey! That Gracedigital product is pretty neat. I'd never seen that before.
I'll keep that in my arsenal for future reference.

As far as the Sonos is concerned, the "Connect Amp" is a 50 watt per channel
amplifier that can handle four 8 ohm speakers ( two per channel) It connects
via WiFi to any IPad/Phone with the Sonos app. I've used it in commercial
and residential. Since the Connect Amp is a combination of controller and
amp all in one, it might be less expensive than the Gracedigital and an amp.
the Sonos Connect Amp is $499.00

I know the following is more than you need for this job but it may help in
the future if this comes up again.

Another thing I've done for commercial installs is as follows: See if they
have an old laptop and load ITunes on it. It doesn't have to be connected to
the Internet. Most people have songs recorded on their computers,
IPhone/Pads. Copy all their songs into ITunes on the lap top and then use
the earphone output of the Laptop into a Crown 3000 amp and a Russound
impedance matching volume control to distribute to multiple speakers in four
different rooms.I've got one restaurant with a lap top, a 4 position
impedance matching volume control feeding four different rooms. This gives
them the ability to adjust the volume in each area according to the ambient
noise. (soft for dinner or Party Time) I took their recorded music and added
some of mine and loaded it into ITunes so they've got about 6 hours of
songs. You start up ITunes and put it on repeat and it just plays forever.
This one has been playing for about two years now. Since ITunes has a volume
leveling feature, it doesn't matter what level the music was recorded at, it
all outputs at the same level. It's not Pandora but they can listen to the
music they like not what Pandora gives them. Also, the Free Pandora cuts off
every once in a while because they don't want people just turning it on and
then not listening to it. It uses up their server space. So it has to be
restarted each time. It also has occasional advertisements.  The paid
Pandora doesn't do that.

Again, let me know if I can help.


**********

The way I typically do commercial is with a 70V line amplifier.  Put as many
speakers with 70V line transformers in as you need tapped it appropriate
power levels for each location.  No impedance matching required.  Just size
your amp for the size of the premise.  If you need branch volume cotnrols
you just put them wherever you need them.  In a restaurant with lounge you
can have the bar on one volume control, the waiting area on another, and the
floor can have as many seperately controlled branches as needed, and you can
put the volume controls in places convenient for the people in charge of
each area.  70V commercial speakers are available cheap enough.  70V line
volume controls are cheap enough too.  For an amp you can use Bogen, Toa,
Crown, or even CSI. Speco.  Toa is the most robust and capable of recovering
from stupid things, but they all work ok if you don't do anything stupid
except maybe for the smallest little 10 WATT units.

Also, one little trick that helps is never place a ceailing speaker directly
over a manned work area.  Those workers will tire out more quickly.  Also
never place a wall speaker so it points directly at a person's regular work
location.  Same thing.  Even just a little off to one side makes a huge
difference.