Most people who are involved with entertainment in licenced premises have heard stories of how noise limiters ruin events.
If a good quality noise Limiter has been correctly installed this is guaranteed not to be the case but why have these stories arisen?
Some are just fabricated by bands and DJs wanting to play music far louder than is suitable for most venues but the majority are due to poor performance of other brands of noise limiter and / or bad installation.
The worst problem is when the band or DJ receives little or no warning that the music is too loud and the music is cut without giving them a reasonable chance to reduce the volume. Occasionally this can be due to incorrect installation (sometimes as a result of poor quality installation manuals supplied with the limiter) but often it is just the fact that inferior noise limiters have poor or no indication of the sound level. It is imperative that performers know how loud they are playing relative to the maximum permissible volume level and if they exceed this maximum they are given a grace time period in which to reduce the volume prior to power being cut from the sound equipment.
Some noise limiters are complicated to fit and prone to interference from electrical equipment such as fluorescent lights, extractor fans or just mains cables which run close to the limiter or its connecting cables. Some are difficult to set correctly especially those which do not feature a sound level display.
When purchasing a noise limiter it is important to consider more than just the purchase price.
How much will the installation cost be? Poor quality systems will take longer to fit and the cost of the electrician’s labour could be more than double that required to install a high quality noise limiter and more than the saving made by buying a cheap Chinese copy device.
What could happen if a cheap sound limiter does not perform correctly?
If the limiter fails to control noise levels adequately the venue owner or manager could face a fine of £500 from the local authority or worse still a noise abatement order is often served preventing events from being held until the issue is resolved, possibly meaning the cancellation of pre-booked events and certainly leading to loss of business and income.
If the limiter cuts the music without warning or when sound levels are not too high it will cause serious unnecessary disruption to events. Bands or DJs will not want to play at the venue and again income will suffer.
CE Certification. It is important to check that any noise Limiting Device is CE certified to ensure that it is safe and legal to use in the UK. Cheap products may not comply with the relevant standards and because the device is often required to switch heavy mains power loads there could be a risk of fire.
Quality.
A cheap sound limiter is likely to be constructed with low quality components to reduce manufacturing costs and the failure rates can be high. If a unit fails after the standard warranty has expired there will be a labour cost to pay an electrician to swap the unit as well as the expense of buying a replacement. Look for a limiter with a 3 year warranty.
Technical Support.
As most buyers and their installing electricians are unlikely to be familiar with noise control systems, it is wise to purchase a limiter from a specialist supplier who has an in depth knowledge of the product and can assist with technical queries regarding installation, calibration and use.
Lime Technologies own brand limiters carry a 3 year parts and labour warranty but should perform perfectly for at least ten years and probably far longer.
If you have any questions regarding noise control, please get in touch and our experts will be happy to advise you.
Lime Technologies NLX (v2.2) Noise Limiter
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