8 channel sound art installation

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I'm trying to design an 8 channel audio setup for a sound art installation, but I'm having a bit of trouble juggling all the variables. I have some unusual requirements. The basic setup will be eight speakers arranged in a circle with a 10ft radius. I'll be building the speakers to spec as well.

I'm considering just using a bunch of LM386s, but that's mostly because I'm completely ignorant.

Here's my requirements:
  1. 12V DC power supply
  2. Low power consumption - it's running off a car battery (possibly with solar trickle charge)
  3. Decent enough sound quality to reproduce synthesized human speech - it sounds crappy already, so it doesn't need to be audiophile
  4. 60dB at 8ft - I know this depends on the speakers but I'll probably be using a pair of cheap 0.25W 8 ohm speakers in each cabinet (any recommendations appreciated here too).
  5. Robust - it needs to be able to run unattended for days out in the desert heat
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    You can read up on the project details if you're interested in what this thing will be doing.

    Thanks!
 
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