Planning of Sound-reinforcement Systems
Sound-reinforcement systems are all facilities allowing speech, music and other signals to be electrically amplified and transmitted to the listener via loudspeakers. Apart from the facilities known from venues like theaters and congress centers, these include also paging and alarm systems on railway stations and airports as well as in sports facilities, hospitals and other large buildings.
Design and dimensioning of such a system is governed, among other things, by the following objectives:
- high speech intelligibility
- sufficiently high and uniformly distributed sound pressure level
- transmission frequency range adequate for the intended purpose
- fulfillment of the user, artistic an architectural requirements regarding arrangement of the sound sources and their integration into the parts of the structure.
Depending on the type of buildings and systems, the following standards and guidelines are applied:
- DIN VDE 0828 „Electro-acoustical Alarm Systems“
- EN 60849
- FIFA Guideline
- THX Guideline for Cinemas
- Ordinance on Venues
- Hospital Standard
- Railway Regulations
Functional aspects of any sound reinforcement system can be contemplated only with due consideration of the enclosing room. This is why a close cooperation between the room-acoustical planning expert and the architect is required.
Upon request, our office is also in the field of room acoustics in a position to render planning services, execute measurements and prepare expert’s reports.
