[Jenny's Dad]

Hello all,


We have a small office of six rooms, each with its own single 20+ year-old speaker, and an old simple rheostat volume control. All of this is currently driven by a receiver that has maybe 100 watts combined. Y-connecters are used to combine the right and left channels separately for zone 1 and zone 2. Each zone is split between three rooms. Amazingly, it all works pretty well, but at times we get a fuzziness in the sound, and I know we can do better.


We do require in-room volume controls, and the space where the receiver has to be located is limited; so we can't have a stack of various components.


To keep the work down, I'd like to simply replace the speakers, and not cut more holes in the ceilings. I've read here on the forum about dual voice coil speakers and that sounds OK.


This is where I could use some help:

I want to make sure I know which type of new controls to buy and how to set it all up. So, what would be a reasonably priced way to upgrade everything? And what would I need to do it?


Any and all input would be appreciated!


With thanks,


Jenny's Dad.

 

[walbert]

You'll want to find whatever fits the cut-out holes you've got - I'm not sure why you'd need a DVC, but it's your money.


Once you do that, you'll want to look at in-wall volume controls, and a receiver that can handle the output. I don't like the idea of using splitters as combiners (and theres a Rane Note on this that explains why we don't do it). There do exist "stereo in a speaker" in-ceiling/in-wall solutions, which may be suitable, as long as you ensure that you aren't overloading whatever receiver/amplifier that's handling this.


I'm sure someone with more knowledge of PA will suggest a 70V system as well, there's probably some advantages.