AtlasIED mixer amplifiers, power amplifiers and zone mixers for commercial paging, background music and distributed audio — 70.7V and 100V outputs, multi-input models with paging priority, and networked amplifiers for larger systems.

Size by total tapped load

Add up the wattage tapped across every loudspeaker on the circuit, then add headroom — 20 percent is a sensible working figure. An amplifier run at its limit distorts under a page, which is exactly when speech has to be intelligible.

Do the sum from the tap settings, not the speaker's rated maximum. Those are different numbers and using the wrong one is the most common sizing error on distributed systems.

Inputs follow sources, not zones

Count the sources that feed the amplifier — a paging microphone, a music player, a telephone page input, a fire alarm interface. Zones are handled by attenuators or a zone mixer downstream, so a system with eight zones does not need eight amplifier inputs.

Paging priority muting is what makes a page override music automatically. On any system carrying both, it is not optional.

Fire alarm interface

Where an amplifier carries emergency announcements, the interface to the fire alarm panel is a code matter. Confirm the requirement with the authority having jurisdiction before specifying — adding it later means revisiting the rack and often the inspection.

Mixer amplifier or separates

A mixer amplifier combines both in one chassis and suits most paging and background music work. Separate mixers and power amplifiers suit larger systems where zones need independent processing, or where the amplifier will be replaced on a different cycle from the front end.

Creation Networks calculates loads, specifies amplification and zone architecture, and commissions the result with measured coverage. Call 888-230-3661 or email sales@creationnetworks.net.