Commercial sound systems can handle extremely long lengths of wire to connect the speakers to the amplifier, and they can power a large number of speakers in each system. When sending power signals over long distances, it is important t minimize the amount of current flowing in the wire.
High currents allow too much power, or electrical energy to be wasted in wires in the form of heat.
The use a higher voltage and a lower current, thus reducing the amount of electrical energy wasted in the wires without generating heat in wires. By decreasing the current by a factor of two, the power loss in the wire drops 4 times. The output of a central paging amplifier is designed to limit the maximum output voltage that can be supplied to the speakers. This maximum output voltage remains the same regardless of the amplifier's power capacity. Because the output voltage is limited, speaker manufacturers can design products that consume a specific amount of power from the amplifier.