Having absolute control over an audio, video and lighting installation is possible thanks to a multi-hall system. It does not matter if the spaces are large or small, with these systems the integral management of the equipment is at your fingertips.
by Héctor Gómez Pérez
More and more portable audio is becoming the best sound option for various companies and institutions. In the following text the characteristics of these equipment will be known and a look at this market in the region will be given.by Héctor Gómez Pérez
In wall speakers manage to balance functionality with design; that is why new constructions are increasingly inclined towards this type of system.
by: Alejandra García Vélez
The search for fidelity is a constant in the world of audio; therefore, integrators aim to have the best equipment to be able to provide the user with an experience in which the sound is so good that you can not differentiate between real and artificial audio.
The in wall speakers are an option that stands out in this search for its versatility to fit into all types of spaces; some well-known companies in the market shared with AVI LATINOAMÉRICA their perspectives on the incursion of this technology in the region.
The possibilities
Since the famous North American mobile homes forced manufacturers to design audio systems that could adapt to the small space of these cars, in wall speakers have evolved a lot and can now be adapted to other types of applications.
For example, its use in home teather systems stands out, also in buildings where the spaces are small, likewise, they can be located in establishments such as restaurants, nightclubs and other places where performance and visual impact are important.
This is because, with respect to surface speakers, in-walls can become larger in size, but more discreet in assembly; additionally, they have a wider playback range at high and low frequencies. In addition, with respect to ceiling speakers, in-wall speakers have better coverage, frequency response and allow a more homogeneous sound field behavior, according to Arturo González Jr, general manager of AMG Import.
For his part, Carlos Guerra, sales manager for Latin America of Speakercraft, said that today there are equipment on the market with which using a very small niche in the wall (up to only 7 centimeters) can obtain the same performance as with a surface speaker.
Noah Kaplan, president of Leon Speakers, also highlighted the advantages that from the architectural and design point of view have this type of speakers; the executive said that often, the equipment is available with paintable grids, thus facilitating its integration with the design of the buildings until they become "practically invisible".
He also stressed that, when an installation is going to be carried out in multiple rooms, the in wall will always be more practical because they allow a better use of space.
And in Latin America what?
Kaplan when analyzing the prospects of the American market explained that the growth of in wall speakers has gone hand in hand with the positioning acquired by flat screens. "The outlook is very positive, as according to a report published by an e-marketer at the end of last year, the market for screens is expected to skyrocket in 2009 to more than 130 billion dollars worldwide; which would create a great demand for speakers for home theater systems, "said the director of Leon Speakers and added that, he has a great expectation for the recent creation of a line of in wall subwoofers, as this will allow users to have large and powerful audio systems without sacrificing valuable space.
However, although in Latin America the in wall speakers are gaining strength, there are still some difficulties for their growth to be even greater. According to Guerra, one of the main drawbacks is the type of materials used in the region, as most buildings use brick and concrete for their construction, which makes the installation process more complicated.
"Outside the United States the implementation of in wall speakers is in its infancy, for now you only have a minimum percentage of the market; when architects and Latino users begin to know more about this technology, the market in the region will grow," said Guerra, adding that "Latin America is currently in a stage of dissemination, training and adaptation of the in wall to our context, because in the region we have different realities, to begin in the area of construction."
Likewise, González agrees with what was previously expressed by the other managers, "in the region, and especially in Colombia, the market for this type of speakers is growing, since in construction the implementation of materials that make installation easier has been increased, such as drywall, however, in Latin countries the construction of this type is not yet very well accepted, and that is perhaps the main limitation when it comes to implementing in-wall speakers."
Despite the limitations expressed by the three executives, Latin America is consolidated as a very attractive market for the audio and video industry, because as technologies like this are massively disseminated, users will increasingly bet on them.
Installation recommendationsArturo González Jr, general manager of AMG Import, gives some general recommendations for the installation of this type of systems.
Steps to follow:
Locate the location where you want to install the speaker, since later it is more complicated to make any modification.
Perform a small perforation in the center of the marking with drill, this in order to know if there is pipe of any kind that can affect the installation.
Mark the location of the speaker and perform the drilling. To mark it is convenient to use a paper with the reference of the speaker.
Verify the cut made and proceed to send the wiring through a probe to the place where the amplifier is located. In case of having brick walls it is necessary to make perforations.
Keep in mind always leave a small surplus of wiring, for the purposes of having availability to make alternate connections.
Remove the grille, connect the speaker and put it in the hole, adjusting it with the screws enough, but without tightening as the terminals and perforations of the speaker could be damaged.
Put the grid in place and clean to remove dust.
Aspects to take into account:
The coverage you want to get in °H and °V.
The average height at which you want to install is usually located at the height of the ear.
The existence of a symmetrical distance from the speakers to the listening point, otherwise put delays to align them.
by Julián Arcila
by Ana María Restrepo
Some time later, the cinema had audio and the synchronized sound was incorporated technologically coupled with the image where voices, ambient sound, dialogue and music could be mixed. In this way the films began to fully reflect the meaning of cinema and the spectators understood perfectly the message of the story.
But sound is not only used to give life to the cinema, in bars, nightclubs, shopping centers, auditoriums and stadiums, among others, audio makes each space and each place full of vitality, information and entertainment. However, sometimes the sound that is used in these spaces or activities is misused and distorts what you really want to express.
Have you imagined being at a concert and not listening to the singer's voice? Or being in a hospital and not understanding his name when called? These and more are some of the problems that can be had if an audio system is not well configured or if the person who installs it does not have the necessary knowledge and experience.
Professional audio
The term professional audio can be used either to talk about the type of equipment that can be used, or to refer to the application as such of engineering.
Professional audio systems include speakers, microphones, mixing consoles, amplifiers, recording mechanisms, and others, which have properties and manufacturing quality far superior to common audio systems.
For its part, the professional audio application refers to professional audio engineering and operations such as radio transmission, audio mastering, sound consolidation as in a concert, DJ's performances, audio sampling, surround sound or ambient music, which make places and events more special.
This type of audio, which has special characteristics, can also be defined as high-performance audio, which in the words of Francisco Ortiz, designer of audio and video systems of the Colombian company Ingeniería Electroacústica, is nothing more than a sound system that is designed with the aim of meeting strict parameters of reliability and safety for the application that was designed, such as commercial and industrial sound, sound for entertainment, live sound and car audio.
Everything in its place
High-performance applications may vary depending on customer needs, for example, commercial and industrial audio is configured to be used in shopping malls, airports, transportation stations, call systems in factories and offices, auditoriums, conference rooms or convention centers. On the other hand, the sound for entertainment is installed according to the characteristics of the places, which can well be bars, discos, restaurants, nightclubs, theaters, theme parks or multi-zone systems for the home and high-end home theaters. However, it should be noted that the sound is different for live shows such as concerts or outdoor games or in stadiums and much more for cars, for which high-performance teams are now being created.
But professional audio systems must have characteristics that make them special and as such give them that category of "professional" or "high performance":
•Equipment of high mechanical resistance.
•Excellent frequency response (fidelity).
•Wiring and connectors of the highest quality.
•Must have a temperature protection system, as this is the main one
enemy of amplification.
•Maintenance of constant power of amplification at high temperatures in
case of failure of ventilation.
•The sources (microphones, CD, DVD, etc.) must be of good quality and brand to ensure a clean and stable signal, as well as pre-amplification (consoles, equalizers, processes, etc.).
These characteristics allow high-performance systems to achieve their mission, in such a way that, as Ortiz explains, there is peace of mind that the message, event or presentation is carried out without any setback given the quality and safety of the components and who installs them.
Meeting needs
All new creations or inventions have a why or a need that must be met, it also happens with professional audio systems, since no one wants their system to fail when they need it most. For many integrators or for the same customers, investing in high-performance equipment means spending a high sum of money very different from what would have been used in a conventional system, but after the person or company invests a lot of money and time in repairs of conventional low-performance equipment, it is discovered that it would have been much better to have a high-performance system from the beginning.
Also to work with this type of audio you must take into account the places or the type of event for which it is going to be used, because the audio for a musical is not the same as for a football match, or the sound in an open space than in a closed one.
It should be noted that not always, although you have a system installed on the stages, it is used in the same way, since its use varies depending on the needs of each show. In Colombia, for example, professional audio equipment can be found in auditoriums, nightclubs, bars, theaters, conference rooms and at home, according to Francisco.
Unlike conventional audio instruments, high-performance systems should not be integrated with equipment that is not of the same category if you want to maintain the quality and reliability of the system. In this regard, Ortiz affirms that this does not mean that there are no simple equipment of very high quality and very complex equipment of poor quality. He also states that "integration with video and lighting is very common today for example in video conference rooms, auditoriums, theaters, home theaters, nightclubs and others.
The management of these systems must be carried out by a sufficiently trained person in order to achieve the maximum performance of the equipment. It should also be noted that professional audio can be controlled analogously or digitally by means of wired or wireless touch-sensitive screens, also by means of a program installed on a PC and remotely by LAN or Internet.
One step forward
Latin America has always been characterized by receiving technology later than other regions, however in Latin America the audio and video industry has made surprising progress, so that many of the new equipment arrive relatively quickly and new technologies are easily incorporated.
Additionally, a high-tech culture is being created aimed primarily at the end customer, who has the final say on the reliability of a system, given the benefits it may or may not receive from it. In the same way, training and updates are being positioned in the region thanks to the activities carried out by InfoComm and some companies that have committed to the education of specialists and technicians in the industry.
For Francisco, the future of this technology is projected in greater integration with computer systems and the network. "Nowadays people dedicated to the assembly of such systems, must not only know about acoustics, audio, electronics, but also IP technology and networks in general," he says.
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