05/11/2021
DON’T SET UP A LIVE SOUND SYSTEM IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THIS
If you have been tasked with setting up a sound system for a large audience, there are various elements, both strategic and technological, to consider.
With a broad range of sound reinforcement equipment and techniques available to the audio tech team presently, making a choice can be a herculean and overwhelming task, so let's talk about some of the things to put into consideration
SPEAKERS
Your choice of speakers should be based on coverage requirements and the size of the venue.
You should also consider the shape of the room, positioning of the speakers and how the speakers will interact with boundaries, such as the walls, the ceiling, the floor and even the chairs in the venue.
Another important consideration when choosing a speaker is deciding if you need an Active or a Passive speaker.
SPEAKER PROCESSORS
Regardless of whether you are using active speakers or passive speakers with an amplifier, you should invest in a speaker processor.
A speaker processor is the most important piece of gear and will save you time, money, and headaches.
Also note that a speaker processor delay is not a digital delay effect, as it is intended to literally delay a signal by a set amount and does not offer a "wet/dry" setting and If a manufacturer offers time delay settings for your speakers, you can use those to time align the tops and subs.
ANALOG VERSUS DIGITAL MIXERS
Analog mixers are the mainstay of any audio system, and range in price and features.
Some analog enthusiasts will not move to a digital mixing board, as they believe the analog components sound superior to digital.
However it is important to consider that an all-analog setup will require several racks of gear to accommodate additional signal processing, such as compression and gates for each channel, that are required while mixing a life band.
Digital mixers on the other hand offer a large channel count with each channel packing four-band EQ, compression, and gating. Additionally, each output features graphic EQ for ringing out monitors. Many mixers feature internal effects with up to eight insert slots for use with internal sends.
You can still use your favorite outboard gear, but the digital platform reduces the amount of gear substantially.
STAGE SNAKES AND STAGE BOXES
A stage box or multi-channel snake is highly beneficial for reducing clutter on the stage.
Some larger stage setups use a splitter that splits the signal from all the sound sources on stage between FOH and monitors.
With an analog setup, you'd be working with a 16- to 24-channel audio snake with a cable run of 100+ feet. A drum kit may have 8 to 12 microphones set up to capture the sound, so a dedicated sub-snake allows for shorter mic-cable runs and a much cleaner stage setup.
Utilizing stage sub-snakes before going to the main stage snake will keep the cable clutter on stage to a minimum.
MICROPHONES
Microphones are used to capture vocals, guitar amplifiers, and drums.
The mainstay of live sound is the use of dynamic microphones.
IN EAR MONITORS
In-ear monitors are quickly replacing stage monitors as they are simpler to use and less technical.
In conclusion, there are many directions one can choose when setting up a sound system for live sound production, each option having its pros and cons but the most important thing is to use trained ears when making decisions to get optimal result from them.
