PA System Installation

What is a PA system?

A public address system (PA system) is used to increase the apparent volume of a voice or music source. Usually it consists of microphones, amplifiers, loudspeakers, and related equipment. PA systems are most commonly used in public venues that require an announcer, performer or music source to be sufficiently audible over a large area. Applications may include sports stadiums, restaurants, bars, leisure facilities and shops. A PA system may include multiple microphones or other sound sources, a mixer to combine and modify sources, amplifiers and loudspeakers. Usually the greater the distribution and/or volume that is required, the more amplifiers and speakers are needed.

At EES Showhire we believe in high quality audio.  That’s why it is important that you contact us before you go ahead with your PA system installation.  We have access to some of the best equipment on the market and can help you get the most out of your audio system because our engineers design, install and maintain PA systems to the highest levels.

Simple PA systems are often used in small venues such as a school auditorium or church, whereas more complex systems which may contain many zones are used across larger facilities such as leisure centres or large restaurants. Speakers can be located throughout a building whilst microphones can be placed in any given room allowing occupants to respond to announcements. Both PA and intercom systems are commonly used as part of an emergency communication system to ensure public safety.

Why should I choose a quality PA System for my Install?

Complex sound systems can sometimes leave a non technical user with a bewildering set of operational issues, making it too difficult to use, thus rendering it superfluous to requirements.

At EES Showhire, when we think of PA system installation design, we use sophisticated, behind the scenes, control systems taking away complexity for end users allowing simple button presses to deliver impressive results. At the same time this approach allows for future development of a system as operational needs change.

Using some of the very best sound and AV equipment available on the market combined with our attention to detail, we believe any products we deliver will serve you now and for many years to come.

Hearing has traditionally been regarded as one of the most powerful of human senses and is often a more important sense than even sight. Borne out by the fact music is the highest of the arts. Many emotional qualities we experience can be caused by sound, some of our strongest experiences and memories are triggered by something we hear. How many times can you place a moment in your past by a phrase of a song? At EES Showhire we understand how important audio can be, therefore we ensure the PA solution we install for our customers is of the highest quality their budget allows.

EES Showhire have always considered many of the top audio system manufacturers during PA system installation as an effective way to deliver an audio experience that listeners deserve. Systems we design for our clients will allow the effective delivery of both background and foreground music for indoor or outdoor spaces and include various audio sources with the ability for future expansion.

Where should I position my PA system during an install?

Having decided that you need a PA system now is the time to give consideration to how and where the equipment should be used. Placement of speakers, microphones and music inputs need to be carefully considered before any work commences. Understanding how sound travels through a space is fundamental to the correct placement of speakers and many factors have to be considered to come to suitable conclusion.

Background Noise

In areas where there are high levels of background noise, any PA system must be of a suitable power and clarity to be able to deliver intelligible audio above the background noise levels. This can be achieved in different ways, for example, using a very powerful system like in a rock concert or the use of many smaller speakers place strategically around the areas where sound is needed. Typically the latter option is the most suitable for background PA systems.

Reverberation

A commonly overlooked aspect of PA system design is the reverberation time of a building. Reverb can best be described as the echo you hear when walking into large venues like churches, large halls or train stations. A room with a large reverberation, such as a swimming baths for example, can make it very difficult for our ears to hear the sound we are focussing on due to the echo’s of all the other sounds around us. All buildings have a reverberation time, but most small rooms and areas with soft furnishings tend not to have a reverberation time which causes a problem when designing a system. Large flat surfaces and a lack of soft furnishings creates the issue, but there are solutions we can advise upon which can overcome the problem.

Distance and Direction

Another issue to consider is how far from the sound source the listeners will be and if those speakers are pointing directly towards them or away from them. A well designed PA system will spread audio evenly around a space meaning there should be no noticeable drop off with regards to sound levels or quality as you move around the space. Simply putting lots of speakers around the room to combat this may create more problems than it solves, this is where the skills of our engineers are required as they know how to work out the correct placement of speakers to ensure best coverage of audio.

Multizone, automated and smart PA systems

On the market today there are some very clever and sophisticated audio systems, especially for the domestic market. However, scaling the technology to be reliable and suitable for a commercial premises, can prove difficult.

At EES Showhire we use system designer software which provides us with the tools and functions to configure a multitude of signal processing options. Digital signal processing allows us to use complex solutions to audio. One such application may be used for resetting volumes after a busy Saturday night so volumes do not come on too loud on a Sunday morning. Or perhaps two or three zones need combining together for an event space and numerous input gains require altering as one.

We can then use similar software to design an app for you to use on your smart phone, tablet or PC in the office. Volumes, input selecting and zoning controls can all be included

Why should I choose EES Showhire to design and install my PA system?

All our engineers are passionate about what they do and want to achieve great sound. We also believe in customer satisfaction, we want to be ensure the solution we provide has come as close as possible and hopefully exceeded our customers expectations. We offer after care on our installations where an engineer is on hand to talk you through any issues plus we also offer servicing and maintenance on any of our installations.

We won’t just install, we offer,advise and guide on the use of the equipment and are always on hand to support our valued clients, even after we have left site.

We Have Installation Accreditations

Passion and commitment are not all that we offer. All of our engineers have undergone training and have experience in many aspects of audio design, installation and operation. We carry many industry accreditations including, Dante Level 3 certification, Institute of Sound, Communication and Visual Engineers membership, Safety Pass Alliance, Electrotechnical Certification Scheme, Prefabricated Access Suppliers and Manufacturers Association training and many others.

Take a look at our previous PA System Install work