AUDIO SOLUTION FOR YACHT, CRUISE SHIP AND CARGO SHIP
Onboard a vessel, an audio system is used for much more than background music or routine announcement. In emergency, the ability to deliver information clearly, quickly, and to the right areas can play a critical role in ensuring the safety of passengers and crew.
In addition to safety requirement, onboard audio system must meet a variety of other need, such as operational announcement, communication between different areas, background music or onboard event. Therefore, selecting an audio system that meets the specific requirement of each vessel requires consideration of many factors.
1. What requirement of audio system should be met?
Clear Audio in Different Environment
A vessel consists of many areas such as the bridge/control center, cabins, restaurant, ball room, corridor, outdoor areas…In particular, in areas with machinery noise, or high level of ambient noise, announcement must be sufficiently clear so that listeners can accurately understand the information being delivered. Therefore, when selecting a system, it is important to consider intelligibility and the ability to adjust the audio according to each area.
Reliable operation in marine environment
Equipment installed on vessels may be exposed to vibration caused by waves, high humidity, and salty air. Therefore, equipment and speakers should be selected according to these environmental condition.In particular, for outdoor area or location exposed to moisture, attention should be paid to the equipment's water resistance and resistance to saltwater corrosion.
Flexible audio zoning
An onboard audio system should be able to divide speakers into different zones and flexibly select the areas in which audio is broadcast, allowing operator to deliver the right information to the right areas. For example operational announcements for the crew, announcements in outdoor areas, emergency announcements throughout the entire vessel when necessary, background music in restaurants and passenger areas.
Easy operation and maintenance
During operation, the audio system should be easy to use so that operator can quickly make announcement or activate the necessary function. At the same time, configuration, monitoring, and maintenance capability should also be taken into consideration, particularly for large-scale system.
2. What can an onboard audio system be used for?
Depending on the type of vessel and its operational requirement, an audio system can perform a variety of function:
Emergency Alert:
Delivering critical information in the event of an incident or emergency.
Operational Announcement:
Providing schedule information, passenger guidance, or information to the crew.
Background Music:
Creating an appropriate audio environment in restaurant, lounge, ball room or other areas.
Internal Communication:
Enabling staff to communicate between different areas, such as the bridge, control center, crew areas, cabin, reception or others.
3. Audio Solutions for Yacht, Cruise Ship and Cargo Ship
Based on the requirement and scale of each vessel, TOA offers solution ranging from public address and emergency warning system to IP-based integrated communication system combining PA and CCTV.
Key Features:
√ Compact design while integrating multiple functions and input/output option, making it suitable for installation on vessels where space is limited.
√ Energy and cost-efficient, with easy TCP/IP-based configuration and an optimized number of system devices.
√ Suitable for vessels ranging from small to large and very large scale, with flexible scalability of up to 1,280 zone-selection microphones, 1,920 audio inputs, and 2,560 speaker zones, with a total output power of up to 320,000 W.
√ Highly reliable system with redundancy capability and compliance with the European EN 54 standard, supporting reliable emergency and early-warning communication onboard vessels.
√ High-quality audio with DSP function such as Compressor (Comp.), Speaker EQ (SPEQ), Feedback Suppressor (FBS), and Ambient Noise Control (ANC), suitable for a wide range of onboard environment.
Key Features:
√ As an IP intercom system, CX-1000 enables seamless voice communication between different areas, such as the bridge/control center, ball room, cabins, crew area, and others.
√ Announcement can easily be broadcast to different areas while simultaneously allowing operator to view live images from those areas.
√ Feature an emergency mode with the highest priority level.
√ Scalable to up to 3,000 devices, making it suitable for vessels of various size and configuration.
4. How Should You Choose the Right Solution for Your Vessel?
There is no single audio system configuration that is suitable for every type of vessel. A yacht may place greater emphasis on audio quality, aesthetics, and passenger experience. In contrast, a cargo ship may prioritize speech intelligibility, reliability, and ease of operation.
Therefore, before selecting equipment, it is important to clearly identify factors such as the type and size of the vessel, areas requiring installation, intended application, ambient noise level, temperature, humidity, and other environmental condition.
Clearly defining these requirement will ensure that the selected audio system meet the actual need of the vessel and avoid situation where a system is installed but does not adequately meet real-world operational requirement.
TOA – Audio Solutions for Marine Environment
With extensive experience in public address, emergency warning, and communication system, TOA provides solutions that can be configured according to the scale and actual operational requirement of each project.
Are you designing an audio system for a yacht, cruise ship, or cargo ship? Contact TOA for advice on a suitable system configuration based on your vessel's size, application areas, and technical requirement.
