combining audio on floors

[IA76]

Hi

 

The scenario is that there is a 3 storey building and each floor has it's own permanent identical 100v PA system which comprises of 4 mics going to a mixer which then goes to an amplifier.

 

The audio equipment for all floors is all in one room. The floors just have mic points and a remote power switch to turn the amp for that floor on.

 

What we would like to achieve is the ability to send the audio from the mics points on each floor to all 3 floors if required.

 

 

 

 

Mics used on Floor 1 can also be heard on the PA systems for Floor 2 & 3

 

Mics used on Floor 2 can also be heard on the PA systems for Floor 1 & 3

 

Mics used on Floor 2 can also be heard on the PA systems for Floor 1 & 2

 

Use each floor independently as they are now.

 

 

 

 

I'd like your input on to how we can achieve this please.

[Peter F]

Sounds like a job for a matrix switcher.

 

When you say all audio equipment is in one room, does this mean that the microphones from all three floors are all cabled to this room?

 

Cheers,

 

Peter

[Owain]

You need a zone/routing mixer eg

 

http://www.cloud.co.uk/products/detail.php?id=70

 

"The Z4MK3 offers direct connection of up to six music sources (these would be the line level outputs of the 4 existing room mixers), two microphones and a paging mic, (this could give reception etc an all-call facility) all of which can be selected to operate in up to four different output zones, in any combination."

 

There may be more appropriate products available but Cloud are pretty useful for this sort of application and probably make something suitable.

 

 

[boatman]

You may also need some power management. For example, if you want the mixer output for floor 2 to be sent to floors 1 & 3, then the power amps have to be activated for both those floors as well. That requires some logic to ensure the power amps are switched on. When I was doing this stuff regularly we would have used the tally outputs from the matrix to control the power amps with relays and a load of diodes, but it's probably all different nowadays; although the logic principles will be the same.

[IA76]

Sounds like a job for a matrix switcher.

 

When you say all audio equipment is in one room, does this mean that the microphones from all three floors are all cabled to this room?

 

Cheers,

 

Peter

 

 

 

 

Yes that is correct.

 

 

You need a zone/routing mixer eg

 

http://www.cloud.co....etail.php?id=70

 

"The Z4MK3 offers direct connection of up to six music sources (these would be the line level outputs of the 4 existing room mixers), two microphones and a paging mic, (this could give reception etc an all-call facility) all of which can be selected to operate in up to four different output zones, in any combination."

 

There may be more appropriate products available but Cloud are pretty useful for this sort of application and probably make something suitable.

 

 

 

That looks like an option.

 

 

You may also need some power management. For example, if you want the mixer output for floor 2 to be sent to floors 1 & 3, then the power amps have to be activated for both those floors as well. That requires some logic to ensure the power amps are switched on. When I was doing this stuff regularly we would have used the tally outputs from the matrix to control the power amps with relays and a load of diodes, but it's probably all different nowadays; although the logic principles will be the same.

 

 

 

 

Noted

 

 

 

 

 

[Peter F]

If you had a 4x4 matrix audio switcher you could do this as follows:

 

Output of Room 1 mixer goes into input 1 of matrix switcher.

Output of Room 2 mixer goes into input 2 of matrix switcher.

Output of Room 3 mixer goes into input 3 of matrix switcher.

Output of Room 3 mixer goes into input 4 of matrix switcher.

 

Output 1 of matrix switcher goes into input of room 1 amplifier.

Output 2 of matrix switcher goes into input of room 2 amplifier.

Output 3 of matrix switcher goes into input of room 3 amplifier.

Output 4 of matrix switcher goes into input of room 4 amplifier.

 

Normal state of four, independent rooms has input 1 routed to output 1, input 2 to output and so on...

 

If you want room 1 mics to go to all the others you just route room 1 to outputs 1,2,3 & 4.

Or room 1 mics to room 4 and room 4 mics to room 1: Route input 1 to output 4 and input 4 to output 1.

 

It's a really versatile way of routing signals.

 

You could do worse than having a look on the world's biggest auction site. A search for Kramer audio matrix would point you in the right direction. Obviously, there are other brands available. There's no reason why you can't use a combined video/audio matrix, just ignore the video section. If you can pick up one like this: Kramer VP-88ETH you could network it and switch configuration remotely from a computer (might be useful if your equipment room is a bit inaccessible).

 

Cheers,

 

Peter

[IA76]

Peter, thanks for the link. I got that Kramer unit for £18.44 delivered :D

[Peter F]

Peter, thanks for the link. I got that Kramer unit for £18.44 delivered :D

 

I think you can count that as a good result considering that unit retails new at around £1,800!

 

If you want to control it over ethernet the software is on Kramer's website. It's called K Router.

 

Cheers,

 

Peter