Introduction
Audio Distribution systems are the backbone of any hospitality or entertainment venue including casinos, restaurants, hotels, retail spaces, and sports arenas. Their purpose is to distribute audio to various zones (areas or rooms) throughout the facility. Audio content typically consists of background music (BGM), paging, or other audio sources such as a sports announcer, advertisements, or jingles. Thus, the purpose of an audio distribution system is often two fold: to provide ambience and to provide information. Noise masking systems used in office environments are another example of a more specialized audio distribution system that's purpose is to provide a level of privacy in an open floor plan.

SymNet Audio Distribution systems are the most powerful and flexible, yet easiest to use in the industry. Its toolkit contains all of the desired modules for any routing situation, from selectors and distributors to matrix mixers and priority-driven routers. The flexible bussing architecture handles a range of systems, from those requiring a large centralized I/O schema, to systems requiring smaller clumps of distributed I/O – to anything in between. User control may be tailored specifically for the client using intuitive wall panels with tactile buttons, knobs and customized text menus.

Overview
Picture a small restaurant with a dining area, a bar, a lobby and a seating area outside the building to accommodate waiting guests. Each area is considered a zone. Microphones and a collection of background music sources connect to the SymNet system, which shapes and routes the signals to the zones.

“Fritz, party of four, your table is ready…” The staff needs a paging system to make announcements into particular areas. The paging system usually shares the speakers with the music system. The announcements “duck” or reduce the volume of the audio currently playing in the zone so the announcement is heard clearly, and of course, SymNet does this automatically.

Now imagine the restaurant is filling up with customers and a low roar fills the room. Through SymNet technology, the music and the paging audio are still audible over the crowd as if someone turned up the volume to compensate. But these audio systems typically operate hands-free with minimal amount of human interaction. Often, wall panels are installed throughout the facility to provide simple adjustments when necessary, but is someone really standing by and adjusting the audio level whenever the room fills or empties? The short answer is, no. The adjustment is made automatically by the SymNet system.

Download the Full Article to continue the tour of SymNet Audio Distribution systems, or browse all of the resources for this application listed on the right.