Restaurant Audio Setup/Design Help

Thanks Gizmologist, I think I'm on right track now. I am looking at Crown's Commercial Audio Series equipment Mixer-Amplifiers 135MA or 160MA to use with 5 70 volt speakers (in 2 rooms) and 1 8ohm speaker (outdoors). I have two new questions though:

- 3 inputs are plenty for me on 135MA but is 35W output enough for my setup or do I need 160MA with 60W?

- I will need to control volume on individual speakers or on groups in each rooms. Will something like this work on both type of speakers (8omhs and 70v)?

Crown 4-VCAP Wall VCA Controls (are attenuators same as volume controls like these)

"The 4-VCAP wall-mounted panels provide remote volume control for one or more VCA-controlled channels. The 4-VCAP is a 2-gang panel with four potentiometers.

The potentiometers on the panel are wired directly to the VCA connectors on the VCA-MC module accessories for CTs 4- and 8-channel amplifiers, or to the VCA connections on Commercial Audio Series products."

I wont't even get into wiring these things, as at this point Im still clueless, but I'm working on it. Thanks for the info

This is equipment I will be using in 2 rooms, small hallway and outdoor patio:

Very helpful site (check out/click on diagram, explains connections): alectrosystems. com/audio/Distribution/70volt.htm takeout space before com for link to work


-Crown 160MA Mixer/Amplifier, Mono, 4 Inputs, 60W

-5 Atlas Sound SD72W LOUDSPEAKER 25/70.7v 4w T62-8 WHT GRIL with Atlas Sound CS95-8 ENCLOSURE f/SD72 CEILING SPEAKER and Atlas Sound EZ95-8 Recessed Round Enclosure for 8" Loudspeakers (for suspended/drop ceiling)

-2 Insignia 120W 2-Way Indoor/Outdoor Speakers used with OWI Inc. TRANSFORMER 70v f/4-8 ohms 5-25w

-5 Atlas Sound AT-100D 70V/100W ATTENUATORS (I know 10w is to much but got good deal on them)

-Pyle Pro SPEAKER WIRE / 16Gauge

I will keep you posted on this DIY, hope its gonna be helpful

I don't wish to insult your intelligence, but apart from the equipment acquisition and set up, if you are running a restaurant or any other place in which people gather (even a nursing home day room, for instance), you have to consider the legal ramifications. Any business (and government, too) that plays music is rendering a "public performance" of the music, assuming it is copyrighted (virtually anything recorded is), as that phrase is used and understood in US copyright law. This is a legal trap for the unwary.


Here's how to remedy the problem preemptively, in case you haven't already done so. There are three clearinghouses which serve as the license holders of copyright to recorded music in the US (and they pay royalties to the artists or other copyright owners, and collect fees from licensees, and enforce fines otherwise).


1) ASCAP http://www.ascap.com/licensing/gener...licensing.aspx


2) BMI http://www.bmi.com/licensing/


3) SESAC http://www.sesac.com/Licensing/obtainlicense.aspx


Contact each of them before your first playing of music, regardless of source (an iPod counts too) in your restaurant. They will allow you to purchase a license and pay annual fees allowing you to play music whose copyright they represent.


Why? Well, if you don't, in very short order you will be cited by them and hit up for huge fees and essentially fines. They have an army of ordinary people they employ to hit up unsuspecting businesses all over the country with a list of all the copyrighted music you have played recently and a total of all the fees you owe them for each public performance of each song. No place is too obscure or too small to evade them. You do not want to fight them in court; you will lose and you will pay one way or the other.


The easy way is to obtain the licenses and maintain their currency. If you do not, you will hear from them and their copyright enforcement people.


Good luck.