Audio Signal Distribution Questions

D

Doug Waller

Freshman
Jan 15, 2012
12
0
0
Hello everyone,

I am tasked with setting up a system in which there is one input (audio from an ipod) sent out to three different speakers, each of which has to have their own individual level control. Through some research, I found the Nady SD2418.

Questions:

Does this device go before or after the amplifier?
If it goes after, will the signal be cut as many times as the signal is split?
If it goes before, do I need an amp for each individual output?

Thank you so much for any help,

Doug
 
Re: Audio Signal Distribution Questions

Doug Waller said:
If it goes before, do I need an amp for each individual output?
Click to expand...

This is the correct answer, and you do need an amp for each output.

This would likely be a perfect application for powered speakers. Depending on where you want the volume control for each speaker to be (the physical location, not how loud it is), you might be able to dispense with the Nady, and just use the level control on the powered speakers themselves. Can the Nady sum the two iPod channels to mono? That would be useful.

GTD
 
Re: Audio Signal Distribution Questions

Geoff Doane said:
This is the correct answer, and you do need an amp for each output.

This would likely be a perfect application for powered speakers. Depending on where you want the volume control for each speaker to be (the physical location, not how loud it is), you might be able to dispense with the Nady, and just use the level control on the powered speakers themselves. Can the Nady sum the two iPod channels to mono? That would be useful.

GTD
Click to expand...

Thank you for your reply Geoff.

I would like the physical volume control to be located with the Nady. If we were to go the route of powered speakers, would that eliminate the need for an amp? Also, is the Nady exclusively intended to be used before amplification or could it be used after the signal was amplified?

Yes, the Nady can send out either 8 mono signals or 4 stereo pairs.
 
Re: Audio Signal Distribution Questions

There's very little that ever goes after the amps other than speakers.

Powered speakers eliminate the need for an external amp as the amp is inside the powered speaker (that's the "powered" part).
 
Re: Audio Signal Distribution Questions

The signal will not degrade or lessen as it is split to multiple sources, to a point. To save you some calculations, go by how it sounds: if it sounds distorted, you split the signal too many times. Usually, 10 powered speakers on 1 line output should not be a problem.
 
Re: Audio Signal Distribution Questions

Thank you all so much for your help and patience with my newbie questions.

I will be sure to post here again if I have any further questions!
 
Re: Audio Signal Distribution Questions

Does anyone have a recommendation for cheap relatively low wattage (loud enough for background music) powered wide dispersion speakers?
 
Re: Audio Signal Distribution Questions

Doug Waller said:
Does anyone have a recommendation for cheap relatively low wattage (loud enough for background music) powered wide dispersion speakers?
Click to expand...
What is your budget?
Can you tell us a little more about the goals?
You say 3 speakers but is that 3 locations? Or 3 pair of speakers? What is being played from the iPod? The output of the iPod is stereo (2 channels) so unless you are going to pairs of speakers you need to merge it to mono first.
 
Re: Audio Signal Distribution Questions

Rob Spence said:
What is your budget?
Can you tell us a little more about the goals?
You say 3 speakers but is that 3 locations? Or 3 pair of speakers? What is being played from the iPod? The output of the iPod is stereo (2 channels) so unless you are going to pairs of speakers you need to merge it to mono first.
Click to expand...

Hello Rob,

Thank you for your interest in helping me.

My budget for all three of the speakers is approximately $150. The goal is to provide background music to a 1,000sf cafe. The ipod will be playing music of assorted genres (jazz, rock, pop, etc.). I am aware that the output is in stereo, as such I will be merging it down to mono (better fits the needs and layout of the cafe). I am looking for three individual speakers, not three pairs. It is a small enough space that two speakers would suffice, however there is a separate room that needs audio as well.
 
Re: Audio Signal Distribution Questions

Doug Waller said:
Hello Rob,

Thank you for your interest in helping me.

My budget for all three of the speakers is approximately $150. The goal is to provide background music to a 1,000sf cafe. The ipod will be playing music of assorted genres (jazz, rock, pop, etc.). I am aware that the output is in stereo, as such I will be merging it down to mono (better fits the needs and layout of the cafe). I am looking for three individual speakers, not three pairs. It is a small enough space that two speakers would suffice, however there is a separate room that needs audio as well.
Click to expand...

Is that just for speakers? Or the total budget for the project?

Have you looked into the idea of doing a 70V system?
 
Re: Audio Signal Distribution Questions

My total budget is $500. Currently I am looking to buy a combination pre-amp/amplifier (need help selecting this piece) then running that into this Audio Zone Selector (note link), and run that out to three or four pairs of these speakers (note link).

Does it appear that this will work? Also, can someone advise me on an amp that meets these needs?

Again, thank you so much to everyone for your patience and help!
 
Re: Audio Signal Distribution Questions

Doug Waller said:
My total budget is $500. Currently I am looking to buy a combination pre-amp/amplifier (need help selecting this piece) then running that into this Audio Zone Selector (note link), and run that out to three or four pairs of these speakers (note link).

Does it appear that this will work? Also, can someone advise me on an amp that meets these needs?

Again, thank you so much to everyone for your patience and help!
Click to expand...

I think that the Audix powered speakers I recommended in a PM plus a cheap $40 Behringer mixer and an iPod cable would be cheaper and more flexible than the options you're thinking of.
 
Re: Audio Signal Distribution Questions

Silas Pradetto said:
I think that the Audix powered speakers I recommended in a PM plus a cheap $40 Behringer mixer and an iPod cable would be cheaper and more flexible than the options you're thinking of.
Click to expand...

Silas,

Thank you for your continued help.

With this system, would I run the ipod into the line input on the mixer, then run one line out to the first set of speakers, then chain the other pairs together? Then I would control the master volume on the mixer, but if I wanted to turn off only one set of speakers I would turn the volume off at the individual speaker?
 
Re: Audio Signal Distribution Questions

Doug Waller said:
Silas,

Thank you for your continued help.

With this system, would I run the ipod into the line input on the mixer, then run one line out to the first set of speakers, then chain the other pairs together? Then I would control the master volume on the mixer, but if I wanted to turn off only one set of speakers I would turn the volume off at the individual speaker?
Click to expand...

You are absolutely correct.

But, you could also set up zones, even with a basic mixer like that. For instance, you could use the LEFT main out for one zone and the RIGHT main out for the other, and use the balance controls to mix back and forth. I would not use a stereo input but instead use two mono inputs, so that the signal is always mono no matter how you route things. You could daisy-chain all 4 speakers on one output, or use two separate outputs, the possibilities are pretty much endless when you're dealing with powered speakers.

The only reason you even need the mixer is to balance the signal - it's not a good idea to run an unbalanced signal (which is what the iPod puts out) any sort of long distance. Unbalanced lines normally pick up hum and buzz over long runs.
 
Re: Audio Signal Distribution Questions

Silas Pradetto said:
You are absolutely correct.

But, you could also set up zones, even with a basic mixer like that. For instance, you could use the LEFT main out for one zone and the RIGHT main out for the other, and use the balance controls to mix back and forth. I would not use a stereo input but instead use two mono inputs, so that the signal is always mono no matter how you route things. You could daisy-chain all 4 speakers on one output, or use two separate outputs, the possibilities are pretty much endless when you're dealing with powered speakers.

The only reason you even need the mixer is to balance the signal - it's not a good idea to run an unbalanced signal (which is what the iPod puts out) any sort of long distance. Unbalanced lines normally pick up hum and buzz over long runs.
Click to expand...

Excellent Silas! This sounds perfect! What does it take to merge the stereo output from the ipod down to mono? I assume just a basic adapter, but it never hurts to ask ; )

Also, the speakers you are recommending are reference speakers. I am under the impression that these speakers have low dispersion and will not fill up the cafe with sound. Is this correct or am I operating under a false pretense?
 
Re: Audio Signal Distribution Questions

Doug Waller said:
Excellent Silas! This sounds perfect! What does it take to merge the stereo output from the ipod down to mono? I assume just a basic adapter, but it never hurts to ask ; )
Click to expand...

The mixer itself does this just by using two separate inputs. With the mixer I linked to, I'd use the LEFT channel of both the stereo inputs - channels 2 and 4. The mixer should automatically switch to mono if just the LEFT is used.
 
Re: Audio Signal Distribution Questions

Silas Pradetto said:
The mixer itself does this just by using two separate inputs. With the mixer I linked to, I'd use the LEFT channel of both the stereo inputs - channels 2 and 4. The mixer should automatically switch to mono if just the LEFT is used.
Click to expand...

I had edited my previous post as well with a question about the dispersion of these reference speakers. Could you please comment on that.

Thanks!
 
Re: Audio Signal Distribution Questions

Doug Waller said:
I had edited my previous post as well with a question about the dispersion of these reference speakers. Could you please comment on that.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Based on the polars in the spec sheet (I find it highly entertaining that Audix publishes polars for a $200 pair of speakers when most manufacturers of speakers costing thousands don't publish this!) I'd say the dispersion is about 100 degrees. It's not really going to matter in a background music application, though. Essentially: point the speaker at the people.

Oh, and I wouldn't call them reference monitors in a studio-monitor kind of way; I'd call them playback speakers for exactly the application in which you'd use them. I've also seen them installed in many classrooms.
 
Re: Audio Signal Distribution Questions

Silas Pradetto said:
Based on the polars in the spec sheet (I find it highly entertaining that Audix publishes polars for a $200 pair of speakers when most manufacturers of speakers costing thousands don't publish this!) I'd say the dispersion is about 100 degrees. It's not really going to matter in a background music application, though. Essentially: point the speaker at the people.

Oh, and I wouldn't call them reference monitors in a studio-monitor kind of way; I'd call them playback speakers for exactly the application in which you'd use them. I've also seen them installed in many classrooms.
Click to expand...
Perfect! Last question (hopefully): I saw on the spec sheet that the back of the powered/master speaker has line input (left and right). So, from the mixer I would run 1/4in out to the master, convert it back to 1/8in left/right, connect it to the input of the master, run 1/4in out of the master, then what are the inputs on the back of the slave speaker? Does it have both a 1/4in input and output? How exactly do I link two sets of these together?

Also, I have PMed you my e-mail address in order to request a quote for those speakers.
 
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