70V vs. 8Ω Classroom Audio Systems

When considering all your options, eventually you will need to decide which type of amplifier is best for your application. If you are considering an amplifier for a classroom audio system, you may be confronted with many options. Some may recommend an eight ohm amplifier and some may recommend a 70V system. They each offer their own advantages for different applications. Here we will review what makes sense and what doesn’t.

Quite simply, eight ohm systems are typically less expensive and work quite well for rooms of 50 people or less when talking about a classroom environment. Obviously most classrooms fall in this category. Eight ohm systems are less expensive because an eight ohm speaker does not have the extra expense of a transformer. In addition, an eight ohm amplifier is less expensive to manufacture. All of this means cost savings.

So when would a 70V amplifier make sense? It can start making sense when you need more than four speakers. Speaker cable can be thinner and wiring becomes easier when more than four speakers are needed. As mentioned in a previous post, when using more than four speakers, typically you will need to be a bit creative when wiring them to an eight ohm amplifier. With a 70V amplifier it is pretty straight forward as speakers can easily be “daisy chained” together until enough speakers have been connected.

70V systems definitely have their place, however most classroom audio systems do not warrant it. Therefore, eight ohm amplifiers typically work best in most classroom applications.

Roemtech has a variety of eight ohm amplifiers that are designed specifically for high quality classroom audio that keep the budget on track.