Varizone is a fully digital

public address A public address system (or PA system) is an electronic system comprising microphones, amplifiers, loudspeakers, and related equipment. It increases the apparent volume (loudness) of a human voice, musical instrument, or other acoustic sound sou ...

system technology developed and produced and by Klotz Digital. In contrast to traditional

systems using analogue 70 or 100 volt speaker systems Varizone is a fully digital system that transmits the audio digitally to the speaker, where it is amplified by small, distributed programmable

amplifier An amplifier, electronic amplifier or (informally) amp is an electronic device that can increase the magnitude of a signal (a time-varying voltage or current). It is a two-port electronic circuit that uses electric power from a power su ...

modules. The system combines voice evacuation system features with digital

intercom An intercom, also called an intercommunication device, intercommunicator, or interphone, is a stand-alone voice communications system for use within a building, small collection of buildings or portably within a small coverage area, which funct ...

, and

background music Background music (British English: piped music) is a mode of musical performance in which the music is not intended to be a primary focus of potential listeners, but its content, character, and volume level are deliberately chosen to affect behav ...

functionality by adjusting the volume for each speaker individually depending on the application.

Technology

A completely digital

bus A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a motor vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van, but fewer than the average rail transport. It is most commonly used ...

structure distributes uncompressed digital audio data without any audible latency from one or many play-out stations to an unlimited number of locally amplified

loudspeakers A loudspeaker (commonly referred to as a speaker or, more fully, a speaker system) is a combination of one or more speaker drivers, an enclosure, and electrical connections (possibly including a crossover network). The speaker driver is an ...

using either CAT5 or J-Y(ST)Y wires. The same bus supplies all active bus components with electrical power (e.g. powered amplifier modules (I-PAM), push button modules and noise sensing modules) and makes the need for additional external power supplies redundant.

Digital audio buses

The VARIZONE network uses a digital speaker system (DSS) bus format to transmit data and power at 48 volts over the same wires from a central play-out station to the

loudspeaker A loudspeaker (commonly referred to as a speaker or, more fully, a speaker system) is a combination of one or more speaker drivers, an enclosure, and electrical connections (possibly including a crossover network). The speaker driver is an ...

s. The DSS bus combines central network structures with a bus architecture, saving on cabling and wiring time and eliminating the need for additional hubs and routers even for the largest networks. A DSS bus can effectively run unlimited distances. The bus format is guaranteed to transmit 8 channels of audio with 16-bit resolution at 48 kHz up to 200 m (660 ft) without the need to refresh data in addition to bi-directional control and surveillance data. The OCTO-BUS architecture transmits audio as well as bi-directional control data between a central control station and remotely located converter modules and control modules. The OCTO-BUS can be configured with either 8 channels per direction with 16-bit resolution per audio channel at 48 kHz of sampling rate or for 4 channels with 24 bit resolution per audio channel at 48 kHz. In applications where studio quality is required 24 bit resolution is recommended, whereas in all other PA applications the 16-bit resolution still offers CD-quality audio.

Programmable amplifier modules

On the digital bus line, programmable

modules are distributed to provide amplification for connected

s. The modules are digital

Class-D amplifier A class-D amplifier, or switching amplifier, is an electronic amplifier in which the amplifying devices (transistors, usually MOSFETs) operate as electronic switches, and not as linear gain devices as in other amplifiers. They operate by rapidl ...

s with extremely low heat dissipation. Their rugged design allows above-ceiling mounting close to loudspeaker locations. The programmable amplifier modules receive the necessary

power Power may refer to: Common meanings * Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work" ** Engine power, the power put out by an engine ** Electric power, a type of energy * Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events Math ...

to drive loudspeakers from the same cable that transmits the audio data and do not require any additional local power supply.

References

{{reflist

External links

Installation Europe: Klotz Digital equipment installed at Frankfurt Airport T1

Installation Europe: Landmark system sale for KLOTZ DIGITAL

The Reference: Klotz Digital at the White House

Radio World: Klotz Digital Joins the Family
Sound reinforcement system

Technology

Digital audio buses

Programmable amplifier modules

See also

References

External links