100V system ideas

hairybaboon

Standard Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Points
3
Age
36
Hello and thank you in advance for any help

I would like to install an intergrated sound system in the downstairs of my house. I have already purchased a 120W Astrada amp with Bluetooth capability, so I can easily transmit my playlist.

The total run length I imagine is 100-150m. Between 5 rooms I wish to have 9-10 speakers. I aim to have a suitable attenuator to control the volume while the receiver is hidden away in a cupboard.

I can buy these for a good deal (I think) at £50 for 4 units, so I will buy 2-3 sets. Are these good quality or should I spend a little more? I want a nice quality sound for background... It doesn't have to be nightclub loud.
4 x Bosch LHM0606/10 6W 100V Line Ceiling Speakers

Would you recomend a particular cable also. I have some 0.75mm double shielded cable but am worried the length or run and number of speakers may render this diameter wire unsuitable.

Appart from the ceiling speakers, which come with the transformer, possibly new wire and the attenuator. Is there anything else I need to purchase or you can advise I get to complete my system?



Many thanks
Nick
 
These are intended for public address systems say supermarket music ..not hi fi ,.
 
I am sure a casual hi-fi system will not be aqueduct. The length of cable may be up to 150m so I had read that a 100v or low impedance system is the best way to transmit the sound for this setup?

Have I gone completely wrong in my design or is this the wrong forum to be asking? I am a novice so really do not know where to turn. I have purchased the astrada receiver already but that's all so far.

Thank you
 
100V systems are targeted at public address systems. They allow you to run as many speakers as you like (within the power limit of the amplifier) over longer distances. The main issue is that quality of low price 100V amplifiers and speakers corresponds to the price. To get quality comparable with a typical domestic speaker you actually have to pay more. That is the bad news.

Other than wiring, 100V speakers connect straight to the 100V amplifier. Here's a nice, short, but fairly comprehensive document on doing it: http://www.pas-sound.co.uk/Basic 100v system wiring guide .pdf.
 
Hello and thank you for your reply

Maybe have gone down the wrong road altogether with a 100v system. I thought it may be easier to install with daisy-chain and because of the lengths of wire involved.

Can you recomend a possible solution or suggest some options, given budget and outline of what I want to achieve. Budget = £1000 top end but ideally less

Supply sound from one core amp (via bluetooth input from phone) to 4 separate rooms and 2 corridors. Total length of wire may be in the order of 150m and I have no choice but to daisy-chain otherwise I'll need to thread way too many cables due to layout of rooms. We also have an undercover outdoor area that It would also be nice to power up (this is a bonus as it's going to mean a lot more wiring and chanelling into ceilings/through walls) approximately another 40meters from the nearest corridor and the speakers here would be away from any water for sure. At the back of a very secure fixed summer house with open front - I can put wires through another adjoining room so not underground.

I'd like attenuator volume control for the house and perhaps a serperate control box for the summer house, If i decide to push it out that far.

The astrada was a good option I though as 120W doesn't sound too bad but I realise I jumped in quickly to this.


Nick
 
You are talking about 6 to 8 stereo systems. ,. Buying that is 120 each. You can buy secondhand home cinema systems from 70 quid upwards.
What you are looking for is not actually obvious. Is it hi fi public address, a pub, etc etc... All of these are different and need different treatment.
The dasiy chained 100 v speaker system is good enough for a pub and factory.
 
Last edited:
Good morning.

Thanks for coming back. I have a large domestic house that is sometimes rented out on the likes of AirBnB. Sound quality would ideally be good but it doesn’t have to be incredible, this is more of a background thing. One room (where amp is to be sited) is where my friends and I hang out the most, so if possible a little louder in room one - with 100v I could adjust the ‘tappings’ or put a bigger output speaker to make this room stand out. I planned to hide the amp somewhere out of reach.... that’s why connection with Bluetooth and attenuator volume control was intended.

Does 6-8 stero systems mean different amps and inputs? I wanted an easy life with less work to install and all rooms playing the same music.

Regards
Nick
 
Sonos is a popular alternative to wiring up a house, especially as the cost of getting the house wired up for some 6 zones is likely to consume a large part of your budget. They also do some good bargains.

I can't make any recommendations for a fixed wired system, as meeting your budget means finding fantastic bargains on the local second-hand market. Anything new I could suggest for that number of zones will be somewhat over that budget. Take a look at Ceiling Speakers for some good ideas and advice on going this route.

If you do go for the fixed wiring, a 100V system may well be your best option given the number of zones, so scour the classifieds.
 
Hi Mark

I forgot to say that the walls are solid stone and 1.2m thick, so signals do not penetrate. I had a pig with the WiFi, where I had to install a commercial system with underfloor wiring to get coverage in the building.

I’m an engineer and very competent. Will do all install myself, just don’t know what things to buy for a good setup.

If you think for £1000 I’m not going to get anything reasonable and need second hand, where can I look to get good stuff and will I have to buy piece by piece or do people sell whole systems? Perhaps I could increase the budget to 2k at a push. Is there any direction you can point me in for type/power/brand to look it for and considerations for compatibility?

Thanks a lot
Nick
 
100V line can sound quite acceptable as a background or whole house system. All you are doing is putting a couple of transformers in between the amplifier and speaker, so that thinner cable can be used, as the voltage is higher and the current lower.

100V gets a bad rep, as in the bad old days the speakers and transformers were terrible, but these days that's not the case. I like the Apart range, as they sound excellent and look very stylish as well. Apart Audio – Sounds like the right choice

You can fit volume controls to groups or individual speakers, which is really useful and particularly for an AirBnB property, you are making this robust and simple to operate. It's very difficult to overdrive a 100V line system if set up correctly, as you can never increase the volume above the designed maximum, only reduce it!

Is it HiFi? probably not, but it will meet or exceed the quality of a budget £100 stereo without too much expense. You might want to think about a better amplifier at some point and you might need more bass than the ceiling speakers will deliver, so some subs might need to be added in the future.
 
Apart 100V line speakers are specified down to 60Hz so while not bad I wouldn't want to listen to music through them.
 
They do a sub as well, but it's infinite baffle into the ceiling, so might not be suitable for domestic installations where the floors are wooden, not concrete. I would imagine the bass would really travel!!
 
Good morning.

Thanks for coming back. I have a large domestic house that is sometimes rented out on the likes of AirBnB. Sound quality would ideally be good but it doesn’t have to be incredible, this is more of a background thing. One room (where amp is to be sited) is where my friends and I hang out the most, so if possible a little louder in room one - with 100v I could adjust the ‘tappings’ or put a bigger output speaker to make this room stand out. I planned to hide the amp somewhere out of reach.... that’s why connection with Bluetooth and attenuator volume control was intended.

Does 6-8 stero systems mean different amps and inputs? I wanted an easy life with less work to install and all rooms playing the same music.

Regards
Nick
Well I was thinking perhaps of one amplifier feeding adjacent rooms ,with a simple wires going to speakers in the other room. Using a set of Audio Chromecasts at 30 quid each, you can wifi the same music to all rooms simultaneously. or indeed use a set of rca leads to each . The audio signal from the line out of any amplifier to the aux in of another will be unfazed by 30 metre runs.
 

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom