PA line · core
PA system control & mixer amplifiers
Broadcast hosts, zone controllers, mixer amplifiers and IP amplifiers for background music, paging and emergency override — specified as one signal chain.
Representative image. Final finish and configuration are confirmed with the quotation.
Key values: 100V · 4–64 · 32 · Analogue / IP
Reference hardware · final finish and tap setting confirmed with the quotation
Overview
The head end that decides how the building behaves.
A public address system is judged at the head end. This is where the music source, the paging microphone, the fire-alarm interface and the zone schedule meet. If the head end cannot prioritise them cleanly, the loudspeakers cannot fix it.
We specify the control layer as a chain: source and message storage, priority logic, zone matrix, power amplification and monitoring. The chain may be analogue, IP-networked or a hybrid of both. The choice is driven by the number of zones, the distance between buildings, the fire-alarm interface and whether the client wants a central rack or distributed racks.
The reference design for a 23-storey mixed-use tower used 25 loudspeaker circuits, 1,080 loudspeakers and about 4.2 kW of connected tap load. That is the scale at which amplifier headroom, circuit protection and standby policy stop being details and start being the design.
Manufacturing & system package
Manufactured in our own factory. Available as a standalone family, or combined with PA, conference, AV and ballroom families into one complete system package and one combined proposal. ODM and OEM programmes available.
Priority that is written down
Emergency broadcast overrides paging, paging overrides background music. The priority table is part of the submittal, not an afterthought in the menu.
Zone matrix, not a volume knob
Each zone is a separate address with its own source, level and mute behaviour. Zones can be grouped for all-call without losing individual control.
Amplifier headroom
Connected tap load is summed per circuit, then headroom is added for programme peaks and ageing. Amplifier size follows the schedule, not a rule of thumb.
Monitoring and fault reporting
Pilot tone, circuit monitoring and amplifier fault contacts are specified where the building needs to know a line has failed before an evacuation.
Reference specification
What are the reference specifications and selection rules?
The table is a design reference, not a model datasheet. The quoted model carries the final ratings.
| Item | Reference value or guidance |
|---|---|
| Line voltage | 100V |
| Zones per host | 4–64 |
| Alarm inputs (ref.) | 32 |
| System types | Analogue / IP |
| System types | Analogue 100V, IP-networked, hybrid |
| Typical zone count | 4–64 zones per head end |
| Loudspeaker line | 100V constant voltage |
| Reference host | 6U rack, dual network ports, 15 in touch display |
| Fire interface | 32 alarm inputs, 2 alarm outputs (reference) |
| Emergency priority | Hard-wired override, all-call or per-zone |
| Small single-building system | A mixer amplifier with 4–6 zones, one paging microphone and a local music source is usually enough. Keep the fire interface hard-wired and independent of the network. |
| Multi-building campus | Use an IP head end with distributed IP amplifiers. The network carries audio and control; each building keeps a local amplifier and loudspeaker circuit. |
| Tower with many risers | Split the loudspeaker load by riser and fire compartment. Sum the tap load per circuit, add headroom, then choose amplifier channels per riser. |
| Existing analogue system | A hybrid head end can keep working 100V loudspeaker circuits while adding IP paging and remote control. This is usually the lowest-disruption retrofit path. |
| Voice alarm requirement | Where EN 54-16 or a local equivalent is required, the control and amplification path must be part of the certified scope. Confirm the standard and the accepting authority before the quote is fixed. |
Model range
Representative models with photos
Only models with an available product photo are listed. The full range, model-level datasheets and certificate scope are supplied with the quotation. Brand names are not used on this site.
Request the full model list| Photo | Model | Type | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
 | BL-E3001-H | IP network broadcast control host | 6U rack host with dual network ports and touch display. |
 | IP-S1 | IP network broadcast server | Server platform for IP audio, zones and terminal management. |
 | D4100 | Power amplifier | Rack amplifier for speech and music reinforcement; model rating confirmed with quotation. |
Representative models only. Key electrical, acoustic and certification values are confirmed in the model datasheet and the quotation.
Typical applications
Where this family is used
Schools & campuses
One bell, one paging system and one evacuation path across classrooms, corridors, playgrounds and canteens.
View application design
Hospitals & healthcare
Patient announcements, staff paging and evacuation in one system, with the privacy and zoning a hospital actually needs.
View application design
Factories & industrial sites
Announcements that cut through machinery noise, indoors and across the yard, without becoming a hazard.
View application design
Airports, stations & transit
Long concourses, hard surfaces and constant background noise — announcements that stay intelligible at the farthest gate.
View application design
Offices & commercial buildings
Background music, floor paging and evacuation in a building that has to feel calm every day and work under pressure once.
View application design
Hotel public areas
Lobby, restaurants, corridors, spa and pool — one background-music system with the ballroom and the fire alarm on speaking terms.
View application design
Existing building retrofit
New paging and evacuation in a building that cannot be opened up, closed down or filled with new cable.
View application designRelated
Build the rest of the chain
A working system is more than one family. These are the adjacent blocks that are usually specified together.
PA line · outputCeiling, horn, column & wall loudspeakers
Ceiling, horn, column, wall and landscape loudspeakers for corridors, halls, factories, stations and outdoor areas — selected by coverage and environment, not by wattage alone.
PA line · controlZone paging & paging consoles
Desktop paging consoles, remote paging stations, zone selectors and timed message players for schools, hospitals, stations and commercial buildings.
PA line · life safetyVoice alarm & fire interface
Voice-alarm control, evacuation messages, fire-alarm interfaces and monitored loudspeaker circuits — specified to the standard the project actually has to meet.
PA line · networkedIP network audio
IP audio terminals, network amplifiers, paging consoles and cloud or local management for campuses, towers and distributed sites.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
The questions that usually decide the scope: loudspeaker count, amplifier size, fire interface, certification and who installs the system. If your question is not here, send it with the building data.
Ask an application engineerHow much amplifier power does a 100V line need?
Add the tap wattage of every loudspeaker on the circuit, then add headroom for programme peaks and ageing. A common starting point is 1.25–1.5 times the connected tap load, but the final figure depends on the programme material, the transformer taps and the acceptable distortion. The calculation is returned with the bill of materials.
Can one head end serve several buildings?
Yes, if the buildings are on a reliable network. An IP head end can send audio and control to distributed IP amplifiers, while each building keeps its own loudspeaker circuits. The network design, switch quality and fallback behaviour have to be agreed before the topology is fixed.
What happens when the fire alarm activates?
The fire interface takes priority over all other sources. The usual arrangement is a hard-wired trigger per zone or group, a pre-recorded evacuation message, and an override that cannot be cancelled from the paging microphone. The exact sequence is agreed with the fire-alarm supplier and the accepting authority.
Do you supply the rack and the wiring?
We supply the head-end equipment, the rack layout and the circuit schedule. Field wiring, containment, termination and statutory commissioning are carried out by the local contractor unless a different scope is agreed in writing.
Can the system report a failed loudspeaker line?
Yes, where the specification calls for it. Pilot-tone monitoring, impedance monitoring and amplifier fault contacts are available. The level of monitoring is a design decision: it adds cost and commissioning time, so it is matched to the building risk and the fire strategy.
Next step
Send the room, not the model
Tell us the building type, the zones, the ceiling height and the fire interface. We will check whether this family fits before we quote it, and show how it combines with the rest of the system in one proposal.
- Coverage and tap-load calculation
- Interface list for fire, paging and network
- Certificate scope confirmed per model
- ODM / OEM or private-label requirement
Project inquiry
Ask about Control & amplifiers
Send the room or building data once. We return one combined proposal covering PA, conference, ballroom and AV, with the equipment schedule, interface list and the questions that still need an answer. ODM and OEM inquiries are welcome. Drawings are welcome but not required.