Dentaltown February 2020 - 100

continuing
education

Sound
There are a lot of opinions out there about how to design sound for
your practice, be it Breakaway, Design Ergo or another design firm.
Each has its own methodology. I'm going to take you through only the
three most common approaches I see. (The fourth approach would be
not doing a system at all.)
The first is the most traditional and most expensive, and is the system
you see most commonly when you walk into a practice. Each speaker is
embedded into a ceiling tile or drywall, and each is individually controlled
by a volume-control knob. Components to this system include:
* Amplifier. Supplies power to speakers and volume-control
switches.
* Media player (such as Sonos Connect). Plugs into the amp and
streams/plays music.
* Wiring. 18-gauge, two-ply wire needs to be run to each volume
control and speaker.
* Speakers. Each speaker draws power from the amp, so make sure
you have specified out a large-enough amp.
* Volume control switches. Controls individual speakers' sound
level and is the conduit for how power travels.
* Remote control. Whatever device is used to select what's playing.
(For Sonos, this would be an app.)
Common places to install speakers include the waiting room, hallways,
each treatment room, inside sterilization, and private offices. Less common
places include the bathrooms, pano and over the reception desk. This
system is the most expensive because of the number of pieces involved
in the setup and labor. Whichever trade is going to be responsible for
running your low-voltage cabling, including Cat6 cable for computers
and phones, should run this cable, too. You'll see a simpler setup later
in the article, but there will be significant trade-offs.
The second method is more in line with DIY thinking. The most
ideal approach here is to use this with Sonos Play:1 or Play:5 speakers.
Unlike the approach just discussed, each speaker will need both an
110-volt electrical outlet, as well as access to internet via either a directwired connection (if you plan ahead) or a wireless one if your signal is
strong enough. Pro tip: Factor in this internet usage when you're making
choices on internet speed from your ISP of choice.
Speaking directly about Sonos: The distinct advantage of Sonos is
that you can create an infinite number of zones. Whereas the traditional
approach discussed above produces one zone with just one selection of
music available to be played officewide, a Sonos-type approach allows us
to do that but to also have the flexibility to break the speakers into their
own zones. Essentially, you can be rocking out in your private office,
play background-style music in the hallways, and let the patients choose
what they want to listen to in treatment rooms. This is also the least
expensive option, which is why it is attractive to many startup practices.

100

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Dentaltown February 2020

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