Alternatives
The traditional alternative to constant voltage speaker systems are low impedance speaker systems (commonly referred to as "8-ohm speaker systems" in spite of the fact that their impedance may not be 8 ohms), in which the amplifier and speaker are directly coupled without the use of transformers. The disadvantages relative to constant voltage systems are that speaker cables need to be shorter or larger diameter and that more amplifiers are needed if different listening levels are desired at different locations.
Another alternative are loudspeakers with an amplifier built in to the speaker enclosure (also known as self-powered loudspeakers). Since the amplifier is at the same location as the speaker, the speaker requires only a line level audio signal as an input. Line level signals are typically around 1-2 volts, and can be transmitted over much smaller cable (typically 20-26 AWG). The main disadvantage of powered loudspeakers is that they have the additional requirement of being locally powered, whereas passive speakers do not require a local power receptacle.
Read more about this topic: Constant Voltage Speaker System
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