Running a business is complicated at the best of times and these are certainly not the best of times. One thing that many business owners overlook that could make things run that much smoother, however, is what sound system they choose to have installed. Obviously, your choice will depend on what kind of business you’re operating; a retail store will require a more powerful sound system than an office, for example, but there’s a surprising amount to consider regardless of your situation.
From speakers, amps and mixers to inputs, outputs, and Bluetooth connectivity, installing a speciality audio system requires a fair amount of knowledge. That’s why so many choose preconfigured audio system bundles over individual components. These are packages that include everything you’ll need to provide connected sound to your business, whether it’s pumping out pop music to your shoppers or announcements to your office staff.
But there are two directions in which to turn here – go big or go budget. Here, we’ll be underlining why both choices have their place. But first, we’ll explore why you’ll want to invest in a commercial system over a simple home stereo system.
Commercial vs Home Audio
You might be able to get away with simply sticking a Bluetooth speaker on the counter if your business is a small coffee shop but even if you run a medium-sized micropub or a retail store, a few pairs of off-the-shelf stereo speakers and an iPod is probably not going to suffice. These speakers are simply not designed for commercial environments, and you’ll typically need multiple amplifiers to drive more than a couple of speakers, which will seriously ramp up the overall cost.
If you’re going to be using more than a few speakers and need your music and announcements to be heard over a relatively large distance, you’ll need to invest in a commercial sound system. But not all commercial systems need to cost multiple thousands.
Budget sound systems
The first thing you want to consider when planning your sound system is how many speakers you’ll need and where you’ll want to put them. They need to be installed in areas that will enhance customer and/or employee experience rather than replace it and the more speakers you have, the more control you have over where sound is heard and how loud it is.
A budget retail sound system option will typically include between 4 and 8 speakers that will be controlled via remote control with one or two amplifiers. Whether you opt for subtle pendant speakers, larger surface speakers or speakers that can be mounted into the ceiling will depend on how intrusive you want the solution to be.
Standard sound systems
If you are trying to fill a larger space with sound and desire a greater degree of control, then you might want to opt for a standard retail sound system solution. This will also include between 4 and 8 speakers but will be designed with larger transducers and the ability to cover larger frequency ranges.
If you are installing a system in a pub or larger retail environment such as a supermarket where music is always playing and plays a large part in the atmosphere, you might want to consider one of these more substantial packages. More pricier systems will also, of course, boast deeper tonality, a larger frequency response and higher SPL (sound pressure levels).
Whichever you prefer, however, we are perfectly and uniquely equipped to help offer you the sound quality you expect. Also, note that, whichever of our Bose speaker and amp solutions you choose, they are all designed for 24/7 professional use and are all going to give you a sound that you can be proud of!
About author
