I'm putting together a few things for two conference rooms (larger seating areas really) that can combine as one when needed. The customer is moving office spaces and their old system left a little to be desired - not a good spread on sound, tiny amp etc.

Think of the rooms as two rectangles like an L shape, with an overlapping corner. I was thinking 2 zones, 8 speakers ([email protected] pendants based on the building), no big deal. Add the existing cable, blu ray, and a WiDi projector and the customer would seem to be happy.

The real question is 70v versus 8 ohm, and what to control it all. We didn't talk budget numbers at all, he's still putting things together. The rooms will not be expanded in the future, so the 70v daisy chain effect and adding more speakers really isn't an issue. There's lots of decent 8 channel amps out there. However, they'll need a mic too...

Of course I was thinking about a couple keypads too, RTI maybe. On the current system they just walk up to the small Crown amp and turn the knobs, I guess. (we couldn't get into the conference room the other day)

I get so rusty on mid-size commercial!
Thanks,
Tom

I'd stick with a 70V system if it were me. Do they plan on combining the rooms together? If so, you'll need a 2 ch. 70V amp with separate inputs to each channel. Also, probably some integrated switcher to send audio to each room individually or when combined. A control system of some sort is most likely a must.

Room dimensions? What kind of ceiling- suspended, drywall, exposed framing/slab/SpanCrete?

How many sources will be used now, and will they add more later? TOA makes their chassis to be reconfigured by selecting different modules for input type (RCA, Phoenix connector, etc) and amplifier (25V/70V or 8 Ohm). Atlas has similar features without the flexibility and number of inputs, but they work well, too.

Crown 135 70v amps, You are going to need some sort of matrix/preamp. Either two pre-amps or a 2-zone controller. I assume all sources need to be shared between the two rooms.

If it's me, I would do the Avocation AX0808. It has DACs on each input, Coax or Toslink, plus analog input. You can level the volume, adjust the EQ, and share inputs across both rooms. Plug the mic into one of the inputs. The AX0808 can be controlled via IP, RS232, or IR. If you need autoducking, or the mic played along with a source, then you will need a different matrix/switch.

[Link: avocationsystems.com]

You could do this with a DBX ZonePro and their basic little keypads and a 2 channel 70v amp.

We did this recently, each room was treated as its own room. Crestron DMPS, bi amp, cp3, touch panel, lifting and shade control, ceiling Mics, overhead speakers for mic sound and front wall Speakers for program audio. Each room had a podium display for the presenter then the projector.

each touch panel had a combine room option, we had a separate matrix switch that would take one of the matriced outputs from a room, along with any mixed mic signals and out put them to an hdmi (hdbt) Input for the other room along with Audio Input for the room's mixer.

This is could be done with less gear, but then if one piece went off line, both rooms were down. In our system, both rooms functioned 100% independently.

What are the two rooms going to be used for? Are they going to be doing audio conferencing down the road? Do they want sound reinforcement?

Where the heck have you been??

Some distributors will help with design, and of course some better than others.

Isn't Fred near you?

Haha this site is addicting and I had to take time off for the family. I'll be on about every day now. I literally try to stay off everything but my phone. My wife hates me being on the computer. I think I'm gonna get a Surface Pro 3 so she won't know I'm actually doing work on a tablet.

Thanks for the ideas guys. I went back and forth on a ton of products. Finally I decided to spec Episode pendants, Epson and Dragonfly, Binary matrix, and RTI KX-2 keypads and an AD4x. It's miles better than what they had (that could be a bad thing for budget). We'll see what happens...