I am trying to build a muti input speaker system. I am an EMT and our headquarters has a pa system right now that is pretty crappy. We have 6 ceiling speakers that are not self powered. Hooked up to them we have a scanner (Bearcat), a radio for communication (Motorola CDM-1250) and a special alerting device (Federal Signal PLectrol). What we need is something to hook those three items to the 6 speakers and to be able to control the volume to each of the items seperatly and something that will sound good and is powerful. Also, keep in mind all three inputs need to be on all at the same time, so we can hear what each is doing all at once. Please let me know if you have any ideas. thanks
its not really a sound distribution system we need. all the speakers can be at the same sound volume, we need something to be able to control each input seperatly where at the same time all the inputs can be being played at the same time. that is why a normal home amplifier wont work, because we want to hear all three inputs at the same time....
you could get a small soundboard for that and that should do the trick, obviously I dont know what kind of imputs or out pust you need but you can find an adapter for just about everything I know peavey makes some small (like 4-6 channel) boards and I want to say something like ramsa but I dont think they serve the US anymore thats just my $.02
I understand a normal home amp won't work and that you could use a mixing board. The problem I see is no one here is curent enough on sound distribution products to say, "go buy XXX". There are several companies that make inexpensive mixers that will do the job. Bogen, Davis and so on have the product you need for not much money. But you'll have to go to a shop that sells sound distributions systems to get one. I'm sure they'll sell you just an amp if you ask.
Yes, I thought of getting a sound board or mixer too and I dont really need an actual name, my problem is how do I hook up regualr wired ceiling speakers to it. Don't most mixers accept like a big DJ speaker cable and not like a 14g cable?
You can run any gauge cable you wish. And, many mixers don't even have an on board amplifier, so you are not hooking the speaker cable directly to the mixer. The issue is not merely the "size" of the cable, but in the lengths you will be running and whether the speakers interface to the amplifier through a 25 or 70 volt tansformer.
Jason, in my honest opinion, if you don't know enough about what cable to run to the speakers, you would be better off letting a professional do the job correctly the first time. If you are learning on the job here, the job will more than likely need to be redone by a professional at some time. Usually that time will come after much frustration with your attempts to make the system work and in your line of work, a missed opportunity could be a bad situation.
The small amount paid to a professional will be well worth it in the long run.