Education and Meeting Spaces
For classrooms, conference rooms, and multipurpose spaces with repeated deployment needs.
Networked & PoE Audio
Develop PoE-powered speaker platforms that align power budget, audio transport, DSP, acoustic tuning, endpoint behavior, and ODM production.
PoE can simplify field wiring and centralized planning. The endpoint still has to satisfy AV, IT, and room-performance expectations.
The constraint is power. Speaker design has to balance amplification, DSP behavior, buffering, protection, and acoustic tuning.
Where It Fits
For classrooms, conference rooms, and multipurpose spaces with repeated deployment needs.
For venues where centralized endpoint planning helps keep experience consistent.
For teams that want clearer endpoint visibility and a closer IT/AV bridge.
For Dante, AES67, or AoIP product directions that still need loudspeaker depth.
Key Decisions
Platform Architecture
PoE sends DC power and data over the same Ethernet cable. The power-sourcing equipment negotiates with the powered device before full power delivery.
Jazz Hipster's PoE direction uses DC/DC conversion, constant-current protection, and high-capacitance buffering to support transient output demands.
DSP options, TPA3118-class amplification, and 50W/4-ohm peak output for 1 second can be scoped for programs that need stronger transient response.
Dante and AES67 can be evaluated for programs where integrators need network-audio interoperability.
Even with the network layer solved, the endpoint still needs driver selection, enclosure design, tuning, validation, and repeatable production.
Power Planning
These standards help frame the discussion before the endpoint power target, switch assumptions, speaker format, and acoustic requirements are finalized.
| Standard | Common name | PSE output | Power at device | Cable note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IEEE 802.3af | PoE | 15.4W | 12.95W | Cat3 minimum |
| IEEE 802.3at | PoE+ | 30W | 25.5W | Cat5e minimum |
| IEEE 802.3bt Type 3 | PoE++ | 60W | 51W | Cat5e minimum |
| IEEE 802.3bt Type 4 | PoE++ | 90W | 71W | Cat6 recommended |
PoE defines power delivery. Dante, AES67, and related directions define audio transport. A credible endpoint plan defines both early.