Need advice on spa sound system.

[Gingahippy]

Hello again,

So I have the task of installing a sound system in a salt/massage spa. Current bluetooth units are not working out and we don't want unnecessary EMFs since it's a health environment (not open for discussion however woowoo that may sound) so we're looking at hard worried speakers mounted on the ceiling panels in each room and reception with cables running across the drop ceiling cavity.

I'm thinking a nice amp in the office with cables running up into the drop ceiling cavity to 2 speakers in each therapy room, 5 rooms in total. Music will be the slow, soporific variety played at low volume, same tracks played across the whole spa. We will need volume control in each room, I'm thinking a simple knob on a box that hangs down against the wall, we are not cutting onto any walls to install anything.

My main questions for the group are:

1. Will I need 2 speakers in stereo or will one speaker in mono per room be good enough for that quiet spa music? Obviously we'd all like to hear 2 in stereo but there may be really good mono options that I don't know about and clients sitting under one speaker may get an unbalanced sound if it's stereo.

2. Will I be able to run all the speakers from a simple 2 channel amp with enough power or should I be looking for a specific amp for multiple outlets like a surround system AVR?

3. Will the speakers need to be identical or could I use different speakers as long as the specs are close enough? Obviously the ohms will need to all match. How much can the wattage vary and how much does that mess with things?

4. Will I need to have some kind of cabinet behind each speaker cone or will the open back be okay under the circumstances?

5. Will it be better to run parallel or series? I'm assuming running in series will create too high an Ohm load for the amp but I'm not great with this aspect of electronics yet.

I am trying to keep the price as low as possible since it's a new business and they have very little money, I'm thinking about buying up average speakers from Craigslist and maybe just removing the cones to mount in the ceiling panels, that's how basic and ghetto this project will be to begin. I'm just trying to find the parameters that I NEED to stay within for this to work. Several hundred bucks for a dedicated system is not possible right now. I work at the spa and the owner is a friend so I have total control over this project and whatever I do they will be grateful, no need to make this a pro job, yet.

Open for thoughts and discussion my fine audiophile friends. Thanks in advance.

 

[JoeESP9]

If you don't need stereo I suggest getting a PA amplifier with a 70V line output. 70V speakers come in varying levels of quality and level capabilities. Place better ones where you need better sound. Place the appropriate speakers with level controls wherever you want. The only other device you need is a source.

FWIW: Speaker wattage ratings are pretty much worthless and useless. They have nothing to do with volume. What's important with speakers is their impedance. Even that doesn't matter when using transformer coupled 70V speakers.

 

[Gingahippy]

Source would be iPad or iPhone plugged into aux.

What do 70V speakers do that normal ones don't? Is there a price premium for 70v?

So mixing wattage on speakers won't cause issues?

 

[JoeESP9]

A 70V line allows for the connection of multiple speakers. It's a standard used in indoor ceiling based paging/music/PA systems. It's strictly mono. Below is a link to a 70V PA amplifier at parts express.

https://www.parts-express.com/dayto...v---100v-or-4-ohm-3-mic-2-aux-1-tel--300-6606

 

[E-Stat]

A 70V line allows for the connection of multiple speakers. It's a standard used in indoor ceiling based paging/music/PA systems. It's strictly mono.

For stereo, you have two separate lines. The multi-room system the original homeowner built in is stereo. Each room uses its own fader.

I drive it with an Emotiva A-100 mini-X.

 

[quiet]

For stereo, you have two separate lines. The multi-room system the original homeowner built in is stereo. Each room uses its own fader.

I drive it with an Emotiva A-100 mini-X.

Well are you going to suggest a room select/distributor box or something?

 

[KingBubba]

Those speakers may already have the needed transformers from a previous installation. To me TOA speaks distribution systems. Look up TOA amp/mixers for distribution systems. You can put left in one channel on the mixer and the right on another and mix it down for your system distribution. You do not sound like you are familiar with this type of system. Do your homework before going too far. Good luck to you.

 

[sKiZo]

I just used a couple automotive surface mount 6x9s here in the home sauna. They're already built waterproof and ready to handle extreme temps in a car. Those are driven off my living room AVR. I just gotta remember to turn them on before going down there.

 

[the skipper]

So, you need ten speakers providing low level background music in five rooms. That's a of of speakers.

Consider, any stereo effect is rendered moot except in one sweets pot for each room. I'd recommend going mono and striving for equal coverage over each room as opposed to stereo,

For low levels you won't need a lot of power so that amp might just do the trick.

Given all that, Joe's suggestion of a mono PA setup using 70 volt distribution with ten speakers with 70 volt transformers would be the best way to go. IMNSHO, of course

 

[E-Stat]

Well are you going to suggest a room select/distributor box or something?

As I stated, each of the seven rooms (one is actually a porch out by the pool) has its own impedance matching fader.

I replaced several of them with this from Parts Express.

 

[musichal]

Stereo from ceiling-mounted speakers doesn't really provide an image anyway. I'm with Joe and skipper, mono via a 70v distribution, with one speaker in each room will provide the effect you seek just fine, imo.