Commercial A/V systems: background audio, media rooms and venue sound
For hotels, offices, restaurants, retail, schools, community halls and apartment and condo buildings that want sound and screens that just work.
Updated
The quick answer
We design, install and support commercial audio and video: background music in lobbies, shops, restaurants and gyms, paging and announcements, shared media rooms in amenity spaces, and sound systems for halls, gyms and event rooms. Each area is its own zone with its own volume and music, staff control it from a wall panel or an app, and the whole system mutes automatically when the fire alarm sounds. It runs on the same well-built network as your security systems, and you get admin access and full documentation.
What we install
| System | Where it’s used |
|---|---|
| Background music | Lobbies, hallways, shops, restaurants, patios, gyms and amenity rooms, with a separate zone for each area. |
| Paging and announcements | Calls to one zone or every zone from a microphone station, plus recorded messages on a schedule. |
| Media rooms | Shared theatre and media rooms in apartment and condo buildings, hotels and offices: screen or projector, surround sound and simple control. |
| Venue and event audio | Community halls, banquet rooms, gyms and training rooms: microphones, a mixer, speakers and inputs for a laptop or band. |
| Assistive listening | Systems that send speech straight to hearing aids or receivers in meeting and event rooms. |
| Displays and signage | Lobby screens, menu boards and notice displays, managed from one place. |
Background audio done right
Zones and control
- Each area gets its own zone, so the patio can be louder than the lobby
- Schedules turn music on at opening and off at close
- Staff change the music and volume from a wall panel or an app, with limits so nobody can blast it
- Paging can interrupt one zone or every zone
Sound that fits the room
- Speakers chosen and spaced for the ceiling height and the room, so the sound is even and clear
- Outdoor speakers rated for Alberta and BC winters
- Volume set so music sits under conversation, not over it
- Equipment in a locked rack, cabled and labelled
Media rooms in amenity spaces
A shared media or theatre room is one of the most used amenities in an apartment, condo or hotel, and one of the first to break when the controls are complicated. We build them with a screen or projector, surround sound and one simple control, and tie the room into access control so residents or guests book it, fob in during their time slot and the door locks again after hours.
We build shared rooms in multi-family, hotel and office buildings. We don’t do home theatres in private homes or suites.
Venue audio: what each room usually needs
| Room | What it usually needs |
|---|---|
| Community or banquet hall | Wireless microphones, a mixer, speakers sized for the hall, laptop and music inputs, and assistive listening. |
| Gym or multipurpose room | Speakers that can be heard over a crowd, a microphone for announcements and a simple wall panel. |
| Training or conference room | Ceiling or table microphones, speakers and a display. See our smart boardroom systems. |
| Restaurant or bar with live music | A stage input for performers, separate zones for the dining room and the bar, and limits on volume. |
| Outdoor patio or courtyard | Weatherproof speakers on their own zone, with a schedule that respects the neighbours. |
Fire alarms, music licences and the rules
Fire alarm speakers belong to the fire alarm system and are not used for music. A commercial sound system should go quiet when the fire alarm sounds, so alarm signals and voice messages can be heard. We connect the sound system to a relay output from the fire alarm panel and test the mute with your fire alarm contractor, who looks after the fire alarm itself.
Playing music in a business usually needs public performance licences. In Canada, Entandem issues licences for SOCAN and Re:Sound for background music and events. Some background music services include the licences and some don’t, so check before you choose one.
This is general information, not legal or code advice. Ask your fire alarm contractor, your local fire authority or a lawyer if you’re unsure.
Built with your security systems
Audio, video and security share the same building network. We put A/V on its own part of a properly built business network, so music streaming never slows down your cameras or video intercom, and one team supports all of it. Planning a new build or a big renovation? We can design the A/V and security together as one tender-ready package.
Planning sound or screens?
Tell us about the rooms and how you use them. We’ll plan the zones, speakers and controls with you.
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Stuck with a system nobody will fix?
We repair and take over cameras, access control, intercoms and alarms installed by other companies, when your current provider has fallen short.
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Commercial A/V questions
Can different areas play different music at different volumes?
Yes. Each area is its own zone with its own source and volume, so the patio, lobby and gym can all be set separately.
Will the music turn off when the fire alarm goes off?
Yes, if it’s set up properly. We connect the sound system to a relay from the fire alarm panel and test the mute with your fire alarm contractor.
Can our fire alarm speakers play background music?
No. Fire alarm speakers are part of the fire alarm system. Background music runs on its own speakers and mutes when the alarm sounds.
Do we need a licence to play music in our business?
Usually, yes. In Canada, Entandem issues SOCAN and Re:Sound licences for background music and events. Some music services include them. Not legal advice.
Can staff control the music from a phone?
Most systems can be controlled from an app or a wall panel, with volume limits so it stays at a sensible level.
Do you build media rooms in condo and apartment buildings?
Yes, shared media and theatre rooms in amenity spaces, often booked and opened with the building’s fobs. We don’t do home theatres in private homes or suites.
Can you set up sound for events in our hall?
Yes. Wireless microphones, a mixer, speakers sized for the room, inputs for a laptop or band, and assistive listening.
Can you add paging to our building?
Yes. Paging can reach one zone or the whole building from a microphone station, with recorded messages on a schedule.
Which A/V brands do you install?
We choose commercial audio and video equipment to suit the room and how it’s used, and we list every make and model in your written quote.
What does a commercial sound system cost?
It depends on the number of zones, the size of the rooms and the equipment. After a site visit you get a clear written quote.
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Tell us about your rooms
Tell us the building, the rooms and what you want them to do. We’ll follow up to book a site visit.
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