Following the initial ground-breaking PAVA Facilities collaboration that saw five professional audio manufacturers develop the first-ever multi-manufacturer voice alarm solution that fully complies with EN 54-16, the initiative continues to set the standard for the audio industry. Both LEA and d&b audiotechnik have now joined the multi-manufacturer family to achieve their EN 54 certification. More manufacturers are positioned to join in the near future.

When the EN 54-16 voice alarm standard was launched in 2008, it was designed for companies who only made the entire system. Since then, the work PAVA Facilities has been doing has allowed over 40 products to obtain EN-54 16 certification on an individual basis.

This method of testing professional products in a compliant manner benefits both sides of the equation. It makes it more straightforward for manufacturers to achieve EN 54-16 certification and also provides engineers and specifiers with more options.

“We started the PAVA Facilities project to level the playing field between manufacturers,” explains Roland Hemming of RH Consulting. “It’s been a huge success so far, as we have given more companies a means of achieving EN 54-16 certification for their products, allowing them to be sold in the European market. Specifiers can now build EN 54-compliant systems using a range of products from different manufacturers, which is far healthier for the professional audio industry.”