Voice Module Speakers vs Russound Integration

[rsw686]

I'm planning on adding the voice module to announcement alarms. Since I'm also planning on installing a Russound system my initial thought was to just page the announcements over those speakers. However I'm debating if this might be annoying or if there is a delay in powering on the audio zones so the initial words are cut off. If I decide to go with separate speakers should I purchase new OmniPro console with built in speakers or go with the standalone speakers? Basically I'm looking for someone that has tried both options to give me some feedback.

 

[ano]

I can't comment on Russound, but have used consoles vs. stand alone.  There are a few things to consider, first, are you even going to have consoles in every room?  What about the rooms where you don't?  The consoles are fine for voice announcements, not really loud, but you probably guessed that.  If you use stand alone speakers realize that the quality of Omni voice announcements is only fair, and when you broadcast it to high quality speakers it sounds a bit robotic. The consoles tend to be more forgiving to the low quality.  
 
On Russound speakers ideally you would fade down any music playing, say the Omni message then fade back up.  Ideally you would do this even if you were speaking through the consoles. You can also put a pause before the messages if the first part would otherwise be cutoff.  Is it annoying? That depends on how much speaking you do.
 
So consoles will work and are easier. Through Russound is probably more upscale, but you have to do it right. Personally I would NOT mix and match, do either all console or all stand alone, but not both. 

 

[rsw686]

The Russound controller has a page trigger and input that can connect to the HAI voice module. It sounds like it immediately cuts the audio, plays the page input, and returns to what it was doing. Audio zones are able to be included or not in the page output.
 
I already own 3 consoles without the speakers. My first thought was to purchase them again with speakers as the install would be clean. However if I go with a touchscreen in the master bedroom then I'm back to square one. Are the standalone speakers loud enough that if one was in the upstairs hallway you could hear it through a bedroom door?

 

[ano]

The Russound controller has a page trigger and input that can connect to the HAI voice module. It sounds like it immediately cuts the audio, plays the page input, and returns to what it was doing. Audio zones are able to be included or not in the page output.
 
I already own 3 consoles without the speakers. My first thought was to purchase them again with speakers as the install would be clean. However if I go with a touchscreen in the master bedroom then I'm back to square one. Are the standalone speakers loud enough that if one was in the upstairs hallway you could hear it through a bedroom door?

I realize Russound can page, and maybe that will work for you, maybe for emergency messages, but otherwise, its not great.  Your talking about connecting the HAI page output to the Russound page input.  The problem is the page output doesn't much extend before or after the message.  It sounds like your paging a casher at Kmart.  You want to fade the current sound down, set your paging volume, page, put regular volume back up. Maybe you could use a button to do that before and after speaking. It just sounds more professional.
 
If there is a closed door between the speaker and you its going to be hard to hear.   If your going to buy a new console for $150, can't you add a ceiling speaker instead for that? Ideally you want more speakers low, than less speakers loud.