Public Address / 100V Line

Principle

In Public Address, the 100-volt line was designed to broadcast sound over large areas, particularly in public buildings, for example:

• Schools and educational institutions
• Shopping centers
• Nursing homes (EHPAD)
• Sports complexes

(See our solutions for public places)

What changes compared to a Hi-Fi or low impedance installation

Hi-Fi installations are generally used over short distances, using low-impedance loudspeakers (4 or 8 Ω) connected directly to the amplifier.

As soon as the distance between the amplifier and the loudspeakers increases, sound distribution decreases considerably due to the voltage drop in the cables.

The 100V line technique used in Public Address overcomes this phenomenon and thus maintains the same sound quality throughout the entire installation.

How it works

In a Public Address sound system, we use loudspeakers equipped with 100 Volt audio transformers. Specifically, one transformer increases the voltage at the output of an amplifier (also equipped with 100 volts), and another transformer steps down the voltage inside each loudspeaker.

This system makes it possible to maintain identical sound quality on every loudspeaker in the installation, regardless of the distance. This ensures that anyone in the space can properly hear background music, audio commercials, or clearly audible announcements (such as evacuations).