Purchasing or hiring a high-quality sound system for an event is important to make the right atmosphere, but this is not all. You need to know how to set up the system, otherwise, the equipment would fail to do its job. Here is a simple but comprehensive guide for sound system setup.

Even if you hire a sound expert to set up the system, it is still crucial to have the basic knowledge to know what you are getting. Now, get your pen and paper ready to take some notes!

Let’s start from the very beginning, before even getting your sound system. The first thing to do to make your path clear is to answer the questions below.

What kind of music?

The music type affects your equipment choices. For example, a sound system for classical music would not need a subwoofer, but for pop, hip-hop, etc. you will need one.

Where is the event?

You need to take into account the size of the place when choosing the right PA system. Another significant matter is if the event is indoor or outdoor.

How much are you ready to spend?

Sound systems come in a wide price range. Allocate a certain budget to avoid getting confused while purchasing or hiring a sound system.

Basic Sound System Setup Tips – Minimum Requirements

Regardless of the place size, any sound system should at least include a pair of loudspeakers, an amplifier, a mixer, and a microphone. Although, on some occasions, such as parties with pre-recorded music, you will not need a microphone. The following sections help you decide the size of your venue and the audio equipment needed for it.

Basic PA System for Small Venues

For a small place (around 15 m x 10 m), the following would do the job. But the list contains only the minimum requirements. It depends on the nature of the event to determine other necessary sound devices.

• Two speakers with stands
• An 8-channel mixer with the basic EQ
• Stereo amplifier
• Suitable microphone(s) with stands

Basic Sound System for Medium Venues

For small to medium venues (up to 300 attendees), you must have

• A minimum of two FOH speakers, active or passive (if you choose passive speakers, you will need power amplifiers as well.)
  Subwoofer(s)
• A 16 to 24-channel mixer, digital or analog (if you choose analog, you might need outboard effects units as well.)
• Suitable microphones for vocals and instruments (with their stands)
• Loudspeaker

General Rules for Audio Equipment Setup

Now that you know what equipment you would need for your event, it is setup time!

How to set up the audio equipment and arrange the pieces depends on the nature of the event and the specifications of the venue. We are going to cover the most important points in setting up sound equipment at home, for a party, for a live show, and for outdoor events. However, there are some general rules that should be followed regardless of the place and purpose of the event.

1. Speakers must be in front of the microphone(s) not behind it. Otherwise, you are in for a lot of
   noise.
2. The mixer can go either between the microphone and the speakers (to save some cables) or go at the back, somewhere relatively out of sight (for a better look).
3. To set up a sound system, if a microphone is involved, first decide the location of the microphone. Then, you can determine the place for other pieces accordingly.
4. Always check the system in advance. Make sure you would have enough time to troubleshoot potential technical problems before the event. Later in this article, we will discuss how to check the audio equipment.

Let’s get a bit more specific and discuss several sound system arrangements for different occasions.

Sound System Setup for Your Home

As most people prefer their sound system to be set up in their bedroom or living room, they may need to consider taking some measures to solve the sound reflection problem. Glasses and metals in a room create reverberations. Most of the time, foam and fiber boards can reduce the reverberations to a minimum and optimize the place for acoustic purposes.
After choosing the right system, it is time to set it up. Consider the handy tips below to get the best result.

• Try to set the speakers along the longest wall. Usually, the longest wall is the best choice, however, you’d better test different locations to find the right spot.
• The distance between the speakers (if there are more than two), and the distance between the speakers and where you sit (or stand) must be equal.
• Place the speakers higher than other furniture but not too high.

How to Arrange Surround Sound System Speakers at Home

A surround sound system is a technique to reproduce more realistic and deeper sounds. To reach this spatial sound reproduction, multiple audio channels are used. There are also arrays of speakers surrounding a given place, such as a theater, to emulate the sound more realistically.

Some people like to have it at home to enjoy movies and music more than ever. To set it up at home, a 5.1 system works well. The speakers include 3 front-channel speakers, 2 rear-channel speakers, a subwoofer.

Now the arrangement of the speakers is crucial to achieving the desired outcome. Each place is different, but basically, you can try the following tips.

• Put the center channel speaker above or under your screen.
• The screen and the center channel speaker must be in front of where you sit.
• The other two front-channel speakers, in other words, the side-channel speakers, must be placed on either side of the screen. The distance must be equal. For a better result, put them at an equal distance from where you sit and the screen.
• The side speakers must be positioned at a 30-degree angle.
• The rear-channel speakers must be placed at ear level at a 90 to 110-degree angle. They are supposed to be placed to the sides of where you sit at equal distances.
• The subwoofer can go wherever works best for you. Try different locations with some action movie scenes with explosions to find out the right spot.

Sound System Setup for a Party

To optimize the audio performance and animate your party, you can use your laptop, iPod, or any other source in combination with a couple of speakers, amplifiers, and a mixer. The trickiest part is the speakers’ arrangement for a clearer sound. Consider the following tips when placing the speakers.

• Put the right and left speakers as far as possible from each other, in the corners.
• Set them up high to achieve better sound quality. Ideally, place them right above an average person’s head.
• Consider leaving a distance between the speakers and the walls (or the ceiling). A 30-centimeter distance is a minimum.

Sound System Setup for a Live Band

As with the previous ones, you need to know where the speakers should go to reach the optimum sound quality.

• Place the speakers and subwoofers (if any) at the very front, facing the audience.
• Use speaker stands to set them high. Shoulder or head level is desirable.
• If there are a few subwoofers, you can also make a ground stack.
• If you have a subwoofer(s) in the mix, make sure it goes under the tops. As a general rule, the subs go under the tops

• There must be enough distance between the right and left speakers. Consider placing them on the right and left sides of the stage.
• Monitors should be placed near the performers. Basically, one on each side of the stage facing the performers. If some performers are at the back, like drummers, there should be another monitor facing the drummer at the back.

Besides, as mentioned above, the microphones must be behind the speakers to avoid feedback and noise, and the mixer can go at the back of the stage to make the set more organized.

Sound System Setup for an Outdoor Event

Setting up the system for outdoor events can be a bit more challenging, considering uneven ground, the wind, and other unexpected phenomena.
The speakers should not be placed too far from each other, as they may cause some delay and sound distortion.
Make sure the subwoofers, which should go on the ground right under the front edge of the stage, are placed on even ground. Use something to level the ground before placing them.

Here are some handy hints:

• The speakers should not be placed too far from each other, as they may cause some delay and sound distortion.
• Make sure the subwoofers, which should go on the ground right under the front edge of the stage, are placed on even ground. Use something to level the ground before placing them.
• The speakers should be elevated but positioned upwind.
• As the outdoor stages are normally bigger, you might need more monitors. Place one of them at the center of the stage in the front facing the performers. Two more at each side of the stage in the front. And one is placed at the back of the stage.
• The best spot for the mixer is the center of the venue or on the left/right side of the stage.
• Keep in mind, you will need a more powerful system for an outdoor event compared to indoor ones.

For very large outdoor events, only professionals can set up the system right.

Practical Techniques in Using Audio Equipment

Besides setting up the system, you should also know some simple techniques to make better use of the audio equipment for a better outcome and a more enjoyable experience. Even some fundamental steps, like turning your sound system on and off or checking its quality before the event, should be done systematically.

Turning Your Sound System On/Off

You may think this is not a big deal, but it is. You can damage your system if you just haphazardly turn on/off each piece of the equipment.
Note: Before turning it on, make sure the volume of all pieces is at a minimum.

Here is the order to turn it on:

The sound source (laptop/iPod/etc.)>>>> Mixer>>>> Amplifier >>>> Speakers

And to turn it off, you reverse the order:
Speakers>>>> Amplifiers>>>> Mixer>>>> The sound source

Sound Check Before the Event

Checking your sound system before the event is vital to avoid any problems during the audio performance. Here is how to do it.

• Play the music you intend to play or speak/sing into the microphone
• Turn up the volume little by little to see if you hear any distortion
• Check the channel faders
• Check the master output
• Check the EQ

Rental Sound Systems and Setup In Kansas City

At DMan Productions, we offer all kinds of music-related services and rental equipment in Kansas City. You can see some of our rental audio equipment here and choose what is best for your event. Our team is also there for you if you need a sound system setup and other technical help.

There are also other party devices, such as lights, fog machines, etc. that can be hired very easily. All at budget-friendly prices. Contact us with a phone call or fill out the form below to have a free consultation, request a quote, or rent some equipment.