the public address market | France

1.1 Definition and scope of study

Public address systems means the service consisting of equipping a place with installations and equipment designed to capture, amplify and diffuse sounds by means of electro-acoustic systems . The fields of application of public address systems are varied. They are mainly sound systems for live shows, concerts or theatres or diffusion of background music and announcements (in public places such as train station halls or supermarkets for example).

The sound system of a place mobilizes a multitude of actors, from the manufacture of sound equipment , until they are actually installed in the spaces concerned . System operation is the final phase of the process. In this study we will focus on the provision of the sound system service and therefore on the installation of the equipment. We will also discuss the material part and in particular the different products used, as well as the actors who produce this equipment

Sound technology is very different from one need to another. There are several broad categories of needs depending on the location. The main ones we will discuss are the public address system for events (concerts, festivals, sporting events, etc.), the pA system for points of sale s, the sound system of the cafes, bars and restaurants s, the sound system of the theatres and cinemas s, that of train stations and airports and finally the sound system of the cult places . We will not mention, however, the public address system in public institutions (schools, town halls, etc.) even though many of them have loudspeakers and other public address systems

The world market is dynamic with a forecast growth of 3.2% per year on average over the period 2019-2024 (forecasts made before the Covid-19 crisis). It is driven by the development of increasingly efficient sound technologies both in developed countries and in Asia

In France, growth is also on the rise. The market for equipment and the related public address services are growing in size, thanks to the high demand for shows and festivals but also thanks to other applications such as shop sound systems . This allows the creation of a real identity for the sales area and is increasingly popular. L he development of a number of technology trends like networked audio or the devices of voice control also contribute to this dynamism

However, the Covid-19 crisis has directly affected the main customer sectors of the public address industry (events, theatres and cinemas, shops, etc.) and the good dynamics of the industry could therefore be durably penalized