Understanding

Understanding
Basics of
Sound System
Equipment
the
2009 ACUI Conference
Anaheim, California
Ryan Willerton
Director of Student Activities Facilities
University of Notre Dame
1
SESSION ABSTRACT
Have you ever felt uncomfortable when discussing sound equipment needs for an event? If you have
limited exposure with live sound equipment (mics, cables, mixing boards), this session is just for
you! Note: This session is not intended for sound engineers, tech professionals, or A/V specialists.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
ƒ
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UNDERSTAND… basic terminology related to live sound equipment.
IDENTIFY… commonly used sound equipment.
LEARN… how sound equipment components work together to achieve sound.
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF THE SESSION
Â
IT IS…
a workshop for professional sound engineers.
Â
an educational session for staff and
students with limited to no experience with
live sound equipment.
a place for you to learn how to connect a
32 channel mixing board to DSP, effects,
compressors, and multi-line aux sends.
Â
an opportunity to understand basic
functions of a simple mixing board.
Â
an opportunity learn what types of features
to look for when evaluating your sound
equipment.
THIS SESSION IS NOT…
going to compare the technical specifications of
different brands of products.
OVERVIEW OF THE SESSION
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ƒ
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4 core components of a sound system
Overview of each component and how it works
Advice and tips
ƒ
Due to the limited time with the session, bonus
documents are provided for you to read on your own
and learn about advanced equipment, including how to
create your own sound system.
2
4 CORE COMPONENTS OF A SOUND SYSTEM
INPUT DEVICE
A signal is sent from here.
MIXER
Receives signal and manipulates it.
AMPLIFIER
Drives the signal to the speaker.
SPEAKER
Converts signal to audio waves
that you can hear.
3
INPUT DEVICES: MICROPHONES
Shure SM57
Industry standard mic for instruments.
Very similar to SM58.
Shure SM58 Vocal Mic
Industry standard. All-purpose mic.
Used primarily for vocals.
Condenser Mic
Sensitive mic that picks up a particular
range of frequencies (typically higher
frequencies). Commonly used with
a piano or a high hat of a drumset.
Note: Most condenser mics require
external power. This power is known as
phantom power, and it is supplied by the
mixing board via an XLR cable.
3 Pack of Lower Quality Vocal Mics
Similar concept to SM58, but will not
pick up and transmit sound as well.
You get what you pay for!
Gooseneck Mic
Choral Mic
Attaches to a podium as a permanent fixture.
Picks up sound directly in front of it.
Small mic that picks up sound
all around it (in front and sides).
Some choral mics can also be
condenser mics.
Wireless Lapel Mic
Convenient for those who want to
be mobile. Clips to lapel, shirt or tie.
Also referred to as a lavalier mic.
Wireless Headset Mic
Wireless mics consist of
three components:
• Microphone
• Transmitter (belt)
• Receiver (by board)
Better sound quality than lapel mic
since the headset mic is directly in front
and closer to the mouth.
4
Mic Kit for Drums
A group of specialty mics that attach to a
drumset to provide effective pickup of sounds
due to each mic picking up a particular range
of frequencies.
OTHER INPUT DEVICES
CD Player
Electric Guitar
Portable
Media Player
Acoustic Guitar
Keyboard
DVD Player
Laptop Computer
5
GETTING THE SIGNAL TO THE MIXER
DEVICE CABLES
1/4” Cable (6.2 mm)
Primarily used for instruments (guitars,
keyboards, etc.).
XLR Cable
Used for microphones and
high end equipment.
RCA Cable
Primarily used with A/V equipment
and sound from TV’s/DVD players.
Mini Cable (3.5 mm)
Most commonly used when
connecting laptop computers
or iPods.
CABLE ADAPTERS
Mini Male
to Dual Male RCA’s
RCA Female to
1/4” Male
Direct Box
1/4” to XLR
Mini Male
to Dual Male 1/4”
Mini Female
to 1/4” Male
Snake
6
ABOUT MIXING BOARDS
A mixing board (also referred to as a mixer, console or desk) is a piece of equipment that receives a
signal from an input device (microphone, instrument, CD player, etc.), manipulates the signal and
sends it to an amplifier.
•
Mixing boards come in all shapes and sizes. While many may look similar, each brand has
its own look, feel and format.
•
The physical size of a mixing board is primarily determined by how many channels the
mixing board has.
o A channel is a set of controls for one input device.
o For example, if a board has 8 channels, you can probably plug in 8 devices (there are
some exceptions – see the next bullet point).
•
Not all channels are created equal. There are mono channels and stereo channels. A mono
channel can handle one cable (either XLR or 1/4”). A stereo channel can handle two 1/4”
cables (as such, it would take up two channels on your board). For example, a 16 channel
board may only have 12 independent channels, with four of them as stereo channels.
•
Controls of a mixing board include: knobs, buttons and faders.
•
In general, every channel has an exact duplicate set of functions. As such, if you can master
one channel, you should be able to operate the basic functions of a 32 channel board.
•
There are two ways to control volume on a mixing board:
o Channel Volume: controls the volume of only one channel
o Master Volume (or Main Mix): controls the volume of all channels simultaneously
In order to manipulate volume for a channel, you have to adjust both the channel and the
master volume faders.
Channel Volumes
7
Master
Volume
DIFFERENT TYPES OF MIXERS
Rack Mounted 8 Channel Line Mixer
12 Channel Standard Mixer
PA Mixer (back of speaker)
2 Channel DJ Mixer
24 Channel Standard Mixer
32 Channel Large Format Mixer
8
KEY FEATURES OF A MIXING BOARD
•
Mono Channel
•
Headphone Jack
•
Stereo Input Channel
•
Headphone Volume Control
•
LED Bar Graph Peak Meter
•
Main Mix (Master Volume)
9
HOW SOUND TRAVELS THROUGH A MIXING BOARD
Signal arrives at the mixing board
from the cable of an input device
(mic, guitar, iPod, etc.)
Signal travels out of the
mixing board to amplifier
(or powered speakers).
Gain knob is adjusted to control the
amount of signal for this channel.
Equalizer knobs are adjusted to
manipulate the frequencies (treble, bass,
etc.).
Aux knobs are adjusted to send signal to
optional auxiliary devices (stage monitors,
effects devices, etc.).
Mute button to turn on/off this channel.
Fader slides up and down to adjust the
volume that is sent to the Main Mix.
Signal goes from the channel to the Main Mix.
Maix Mix is adjusted
to control the volume
for all channels
together.
10
SNAPSHOT OF A CHANNEL
HIGH PASS FILTER
Press this button to eliminate frequencies below a
particular level. Some mixing boards have Low Pass
Filters instead of High Pass Filters.
GAIN
Controls the amount of signal
coming through this channel.
HIGH FREQUENCY
(TREBLE)
MID FREQUENCIES
(MIDS)
EQUALIZERS
`
LOW FREQUENCY
(BASS)
The starting position for EQ knobs
is the 12:00 position. To add more
of the frequency, turn it clockwise.
To remove the frequency, turn it
counterclockwise.
AUX
Most commonly used to adjust
the signal to an effects
processor or a stage monitor
(speaker placed on stage)
PAN (BALANCE)
(LEFT OR RIGHT)
Turn to the right to send more
sound to the right speaker (and
subsequently less sound through
the left speaker) and vice-versa.
PRE-FADE LISTEN (PFL)
BUTTON
Pressing this will allow you to test the
signal coming through the channel.
A readout of the signal will show up
on the LED bar graph peak meter.
MUTE
Turn this channel on or off.
SEE PAGE 13 FOR DETAILS
FADER
Volume control for this
channel
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SIMILARITIES & DIFFERENCES
Of MIXING BOARD CHANNELS
SIMILARITIES
Most every mixing board console will have the following
components:
• Gain (a.k.a. Trim)
• Pan/Balance
• Equalizer
• Fader
• Aux
DIFFERENCES
Things to look for include:
• High Pass Filter
• Low Pass Filter
• Mute Button
• Pad Button
• PFL Button
• Channel Indicator Light
• Limit Indicator
• Subgroup Selector
• Phantom Power by Channel
12
SETTING THE CHANNEL BY USING PFL
OPTION: If you want to hear the signal, put headphones on and adjust the volume on the headphone knob.
PROCESS
1. Press the PFL button for the channel you want to set.
(note: the channel does not need to be on, just the PFL button)
2.
Turn the gain all of the way down (7:00 position).
3.
Send a constant signal through the input device, for example:
a. strum a guitar continuously, or
b. continually talk through mic, or
c. play a song on a CD/iPod.
4.
Slowly turn up the gain (clockwise) until you see the LED lights start to get
stronger (i.e. climb towards the yellow area).
5.
Keep turning up the gain until you reach a peak of 0 dB (the last green light) on
the peak meter. Once you reach the appropriate level, leave the gain as is.
Resist the urge to send the signal to the yellow and red levels (despite how cool
it looks!).
GOAL: The goal of setting the gain is so that all signals start at an equal level. This will make mixing the band much easier, since you will
only have to manipulate faders to adjust the volume for each channel. Once you set the gain, you shouldn’t have to worry too much about
manipulating the gain knob.
13
PRACTICING WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED
1.
2.
3.
4.
Turn on channel 1.
Turn down the volume on channel 2.
Put more of channel’s 3 sound in the right speaker.
Channel 4 is on. Turn it off.
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5. Add more high frequency to channel 5.
6. Give channel 6 more bass.
AMPLIFIERS
•
The purpose of the amplifier is to magnify the signal sent from the mixing board and send the
signal to the speakers.
•
•
The amplifier is connected to the mixing board with XLR cables.
The amplifier is connected to the speakers with a speaker cable (either 1/4” or Speak-On
connection).
•
The two key features of an amplifier are:
o Control knobs
o Signal limit (clip) indicator (LED bar graph or a simple red light)
•
When selecting an amplifier, select one that has a power rating of 2 times the continual output of
your speaker.
o For example, if a speaker is rated at 200 watts RMS (continual output) while having a peak
output of 750 watts, your amplifier should be 400 watts (2 times the RMS).
15
SPEAKERS
The two most common types of speakers are:
• 2 Way Full-Range Speaker
o Tweeter (for high/treble sounds)
o Woofer (for mids, lows/bass sounds)
• Subwoofer (low frequency only)
Speaker connections will most likely
have one of two connections:
1/4”
When selecting speakers, a basic way to compare
brands and models is by wattage output.
There will usually be two types of wattage levels:
• Continuous (also referred to as RMS)
• Peak level
Speak-On
Speak-On adapters are recommended due to
their design of having a locking feature to
keep the cable from falling out.
The level you should focus on is the continuous
level, as this gives you the most accurate
representation of what you can expect 95% of the
time.
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OTHER SPEAKERS ON STAGE
Stage Monitor
Also known as a wedge (due to its shape).
Most any two-way speaker can also be used as a stage
monitor. Most lay on their side so that sound can be
effectively heard by a performer standing in front of it.
Guitar Amp
Electric or acoustic guitar is plugged
directly into this speaker. The most
common way to get sound into the
mixing board is to place a
microphone in front of the amp.
In Ear Monitor (IEM) System
Similar concept to a stage monitor speaker. Sound is transmitted from a receiver (plugged
into the mixing board) to a transmitter pack (clipped onto the performer’s belt).
The transmitter pack is connected to a pair of ear buds that are worn by the performer.
The aux knobs of the mixing board are adjusted to send whatever signal the performer
wants to hear (guitar only, own voice, backup singers,etc.).
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PASSIVE VS. POWERED SPEAKERS
Full Range Powered Speaker
Has an integrated amplifier inside.
Eliminates the need for a separate amplifier.
Also known as an active speaker.
Full Range Passive Speaker
Requires an amplifier to send a signal to it.
Passive speakers only have connections
for 1/4”or Speak-On cable connections
(most speakers will have both).
Powered speakers have an electrical cable to
supply power (similar to a computer power cable).
The speaker is connected to the mixing board with an XLR cable.
As such, powered speakers do not require speaker cable.
Powered speakers also have the capability to plug a microphone
(or other input device) directly into the speaker.
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CONSOLIDATED GEAR OPTIONS
INPUT DEVICE
A signal is sent from here.
MIXER
Receives signal and manipulates it.
Some pieces of equipment
are combined units:
Powered Mixer
Mixer & Amplifier
Powered Speaker
Amplifier & Speaker
AMPLIFIER
Drives the signal to the speaker.
All-in-One PA System
Mixer, Amplifier & Speaker
SPEAKER
Converts signal to audio waves
that you can hear.
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TIPS & ADVICe
SETTING UP & USING SOUND EQUIPMENT
ƒ Turn on the system in the correct order or you could risk damaging your equipment. While it is best to
consult with a sound professional on the sequential process to follow, the following order is fairly standard:
1. Mixing Board
2. Input Devices (CD player, etc.)
3. Amplifiers
ƒ Turn off your system in the reverse order of how you turned it on.
ƒ Be sure the channel on the mixing board is muted when connecting cables so that you do not send a loud
signal through the speakers. To play it safe, turn off the amplifiers when connecting gear to the sound
board.
ƒ Organize the inputs in your mixing board so that they are easy to identify, such as:
1. Left channels on mixing board match the left side of the stage, or
2. Group all instruments together on consecutive channels, or
3. Group inputs in sequential order based on when they will be used throughout the event
ƒ A mixing board will have an area below each fader where you can label what each channel is used for.
Place a piece of masking tape along this area and write down which input device is plugged into each
channel. This will make mixing much easier.
ƒ If possible, place the mixing board at the “front of house” (FOH) so that you can hear what the audience
hears.
ƒ When using a vocal microphone, keep it no further than 6 inches from your mouth to get the fullest sound.
ƒ Keep the speakers at the front of the stage, facing away from the microphone pickup area.
ƒ Do not stand in front of a speaker with a microphone, and more importantly, avoid pointing a microphone
directly at a speaker. Doing so will create feedback (loud ringing sound).
ƒ If you hear feedback and the mic is not pointed directly at a speaker, chances are it is because the gain is set
too high on one of your channels. If you start hearing feedback, immediately turn down the master volume
to eliminate the feedback or you could risk damaging your speakers (and your hearing!).
ƒ If you hear a constant hum through the speakers, you may have an electrical grounding issue. To eliminate
the hum, try the following:
o Change each input cable to see if this will stop the hum.
o If the signal is with a ¼” cable, use a direct box that has a ground lift button.
o If changing mic cables does not fix the hum, the issue may be with an input device that has
electrical power. Try plugging the input device into a different outlet or into a surge protector.
o If it is not a cable or input device, try plugging in your amplifiers or mixing board into a different
outlet.
15 QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF IF YOU CAN’T GET SOUND OUT OF YOUR SPEAKER
1. If a powered speaker, does it have electrical power? (Is it plugged into an outlet?)
2. If a powered speaker, is it turned on? (Look for the powered button.)
3. If a powered speaker, is it connected to the mixing board with an XLR cable?
4. Is the amplifier turned on? (Make sure it is plugged in.)
5. Is the amplifier connected to the mixing board with XLR cables?
6. Is the amplifier connected to the speakers with speaker cables? (If a Speak-On connection, is it clicked into
place?)
7. Is the amplifier control knob turned up high enough?
8. Is there power to the mixing board? Is it plugged in?
9. Is the mixing board turned on? (look for the power button on the back of the board)
10. Is the channel turned on? Check the channel mute button (or channel indicator light).
11. Is the channel signal strong enough? Check the signal by using the PFL button.
12. Is the channel pad button depressed?
13. Is the channel fader set too low?
14. Is the microphone (or other input device) turned on?
15. Does your input device require phantom power? Press the phantom power button.
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Equipment TIPS & ADVICE
PURCHASING ADVICE
ƒ In general, you get what you pay for with equipment. However, keep in mind how your equipment
will be used. While it may seem like a good idea to have a high-quality microphone, it may be
more cost effective to match the quality of sound that you are targeting to the quality of gear you
are using. For example, if you have a “self operated” PA system that will be used outdoors and in
other venues for general purpose social events without tech staff supervision, don’t worry about
purchasing a $100 microphone that may get lost or damaged. You can probably get by with a $50
mic.
ƒ Beware of “big-box” or other stores that do not have professional grade equipment.
ƒ Not all XLR cables are created equal. Before you buy a large inventory, purchase just a couple
and make sure they work (and last!).
ƒ When purchasing a mixing board, be sure to check how many mono vs. stereo channels you will
get. Just because the description says 12 channels doesn’t mean you would be able to plug in 12
input devices.
ƒ If you are going to purchase a mixing board, make sure it can be expanded (i.e. if you have a need
for 8 channels now, invest in a 12 or 16 channel board).
ƒ Find the PDF manual on-line of the mixing board before making a purchase. Make sure that you
understand the basic functions so that it meets your needs.
OTHER ADVICE
ƒ Invest in a snake if you will use more than one mic at a time.
ƒ Always have spare mics, cables and adapters readily available. Keep an emergency spare locked
up, too!
ƒ In general, your amplifier should be twice as large (output wattage) as your speakers. For best
results, ask for professional advice when matching amplifiers to speakers.
ƒ Although mic cables are one of the least costly pieces of equipment, improper care of them can
become a financial headache. Here are some helpful tips:
o Have an assortment of sizes of mic cables available (a snake will help you reduce the
variety of cables you need!)
o Keep your cables short to get the best quality sound.
o Be careful wrapping cables. Don’t use the elbow method!
o Be careful where you place your cables on stage so that they do not get stepped on or rolled
over during load-in/load-out.
o Only tape cables with gaff tape (not duct tape), and use the cross method to tape them down
ƒ If you will be creating a self-operated system, color code everything (cables, connection points,
etc.) so that it is easy to set up.
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CLOSING
TERMINOLOGY YOU HAVE LEARNED
Equalizer
Fader
Gain
High Pass Filter
IEM
Input Device
Lapel Mic
LED Bargraph Peak Meter
3.5 mm Cable
1/4” Cable
Amplifier
Aux
Channel
Channel Indicator Light
Direct Box
Limit Indicator
Low Pass Filter
Main Mix
Mini Cable
Mixer
Mute Button
Pad Button
Pan
PFL
Phantom Power
Powered Speaker
RCA Cable
Snake
Trim
XLR Cable
BECOMING AN EXPERT
ƒ
ƒ
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Take the time to practice
o Setting up gear
o Finding appropriate levels depending on the type of input you use
and figure out how to troubleshoot common problems.
Experiment with an equalizer to understand how to get the best sound (iTunes has one for free!).
Research on the web:
o Web sites
ƒ http://www.prosoundweb.com
ƒ http://mixonline.com
ƒ http://www.fohonline.com/ (free magazine)
o Google search
o Wikipedia
o Forums and blogs
o You Tube how-to videos
o Sound check trainer tutorial ($12.95 download): http://www.proaudiotraining.com/
o PDF Manuals of sound gear (go to manufacturer’s web sites). Manuals will not only describe
equipment, but also show you diagrams of how to use mixing boards. Some manufacturers include:
• Allen & Heath
• Behringer
• Mackie
• Midas
• Numark
• Roland
• Rolls
• Soundcraft
• Yamaha
QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION
Ryan Willerton
Director of Student Activities Facilities
University of Notre Dame
[email protected]
574.631.4075
22
BONUS
DOCUMENTS
23
USING A SUBGROUP TO BETTER CONTROL SOUND
Envision a situation where you are mixing live sound for a band that consists of a lead singer, backup singer, bass
guitar, lead guitar, drums and a keyboard. During the concert, you find yourself needing to turn down the volume
on the drums because they are overpowering the rest of the band. The problem you are faced with is that the drum
set has seven microphones. Since it would be difficult to efficiently manipulate the overall volume of all seven
drum mics, it would be nice to only control one or two faders. Rest assured, there is a solution!
Most larger mixing boards have a subgroup feature. A subgroup is a fader that is used to control a signal between
a channel fader and the main mix. There can be as many as 8 subgroups on a 32 channel board. Subgroups are
typically paired (e.g. 1-2, 3-4).
To assign a channel to the subgroup, press the subgroup button (which is usually located by the channel fader).
When assigning a channel to a subgroup, the pan control knob is used to send the signal from the channel to the
appropriate subgroup fader. (e.g. Imagine you have a backup singer on channel 6. If you select subgroup 3-4 for
channel 6 and turn the channel 6 pan knob all of the way to the left, the channel will be controlled through
subgroup fader 3.)
Revisiting the drum set example from above, after you sound check and set the gain for each of the 7 drum
channels, press the same subgroup button for each of these drum mic channels to send them all into a subgroup
pair. If you find that during the concert the drums are too loud, you can simply turn down the two subgroup
volume faders rather than having to manipulate all seven faders.
The most common subgroups would be for: drum kit, backup singers, horn section of a large band, etc.
The example below shows a situation where channels 3, 4, 5 and 6 are sent to subgroup 1-2 and channels 7 and 8
are sent to subgroup 3-4. Channels 1 and 2 are not sent to a subgroup.
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ADVANCED SOUND COMPONENTS
EQUALIZER
Balance the highs, mids and low frequencies of sound. Lows are on the left while high are on the right.
COMPRESSOR or LIMITER
Shapes sound so that bursts of loud sound do not come through the speakers as loud peaks.
EFFECTS PROCESSOR
Provide advanced sound manipulation (echoes, sustain, etc.).
CROSSOVER
Used to maximize effectiveness of speakers. If separate speakers are used for tweeters, mids, lows and subwoofers,
this piece of equipment will send the appropriate signal to the correct speaker to maximize sound quality.
25
A COMPARISON OF FOUR SOUND SYSTEMS
Sound systems are not one size fits all. Depending on your application, you may need different systems.
Below you will find a comparison of four sound systems in use on the Notre Dame campus.
PORTABLE PA SYSTEM
QUICK USE
INPUT DEVICES
1 Shure PG58 microphone with on/off switch
1 Tascam CD-501 CD player
INPUT DEVICES
1 Samson R21 microphone
Also has a dual male RCA to Mini male cable for
connecting an iPod.
MIXER
1 Rolls RM82 8 channel line mixer
POWERED SPEAKER
1 Gemini GX1001 powered speaker
AMPLIFIER
1 Crown Macrotech 1200
SPEAKERS
2 EAW LA 212 passive speakers
(also have 2 Behringer B212 available)
OTHER COMPONENTS
Custom connection panel for XLR, mini and
RCA cables, as well as speaker cables (with
Speak-On connections)
STUDENT CENTER BALLROOM
INPUT DEVICES
1 Shure SM58 microphone with on/off switch
3 Shure SM58 microphones
2 Shure SM57 microphones
3 Samson R21 microphones
1 Shure MX418SEC gooseneck mic (for podium)
1 Tascam A500 CD player
MIXER
1 Allen & Heath Mix Wizard MWz 16:2dx
16 channel mixer
AMPLIFIER
1 Crown Macrotech 2400 (monitors)
2 Crown Macrotech 2400 (mains)
1 QSC PLX 3402 (main subwoofers)
SPEAKERS
2 EAW KF650e loudspeakers
2 EAW SB850R subwoofers
OTHER COMPONENTS
1 Ashly GQ231 equalizer (for monitors)
1 Dbx 260 driverack (limiter, compressor,
feedback suppressor)
1 Whirlwind 6 channel snake
LEGENDS NIGHTCLUB CONCERT SYSTEM
INPUT DEVICES
8 Shure SM-58 microphones
3 Shure SM-58 Beta microphones
6 Shure SM-57 microphones
2 Shure SM-98 microphones
4 Rode NT-5 condenser microphones
1 Beyer M-88T6 microphone
1 Shure Beta 5 2A microphone
1 Sennheiser Evolution e902 microphone
4 Klark Teknik LBB-100 active direct boxes
2 passive direct boxes
MIXER
1 Soundcraft K-2 32x8 mixing console
AMPLIFIERS
1 Crown Macro-tech MA 5002 amplifier
1 Crown Macro-tech MA 3600vz amplifier
1 Crown Macro-tech MA 2402 amplifier
2 Crown Power Amp Macro-tech 2402 (monitors)
SPEAKERS
4 EAW KF 650z (flown) loudspeakers
4 EAW SB 850r (deck stack) subwoofers
5 EAW LA 212, floor monitors
2 EAW LA 215, floor monitors
OTHER COMPONENTS
1 BSS Mini-drive FDS 336 digital signal processor
2 Ashly GQX 3102 2 channel equalizer (monitors)
1 Presonus ACP 88 Compression/Gating, 8 channels
1 Klark Teknik DN-504 4 channel compressor
1 Klark Teknik DN-360 equalizer (House)
2 Yamaha REV 500 Multi-Efx Processors
1 Yamaha SPX 990 Multi-Efx
1 Whirlwind custom 24x4x4 system snake
26
CREATING YOUR OWN SOUND SYSTEm
- QUESTIONS TO ASK ANALYZE YOUR NEEDS
• What are you using now?
• Who will use the new system? Student groups only? Campus departments? Campus bands?
• Will you have to provide tech support to operate it? Who will supervise them?
• Where will it be used? Inside or outside? How will you safely transport it?
• How often will it be used?
• Who will inspect the system after each use? You will need to not only perform an inventory to
ensure all of your gear was returned, but you will also need to check to make sure that none of
the gear has been damaged.
• Do you have an appropriate storage location for the gear?
BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS
• Who will pay for this?
• Will there be a rental fee?
o What are groups paying now?
o What are the competitors charging?
o Will you have different rates for different groups (student vs. non-student)?
• How will we pay for replacement or supplementary equipment?
IMPLEMENTATION
• Where will we purchase this from? Are there warranties?
• Who will be responsible for maintenance and repair?
• Who will be responsible for training users?
RESOURCES FOR SELECTING SOUND GEAR
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Watch and learn!
Campus radio station techs
Music faculty
Campus building managers who have sound systems
Students who play in bands
Local nightclub managers
RESOURCES FOR PURCHASING GEAR
Concert production companies
• Check with procurement/purchasing office on campus
• ACUI Procure partner: www.audiodynamix.com
• Web sites: wwbw.com, fullcompass.com,
musiciansfriend.com, music123.com, zzsounds.com
• Specialty music retail stores: Guitar Center, locallybased music supply stores
27
CREATING YOUR OWN SOUND SYSTEM
OUTDOOR PORTABLE SYSTEM
Individuals interested in building their own sound systems are advised to explore the option of using powered
speakers instead of having to worry about matching up amplifiers and speakers. If this system is to be used
outside, care should be taken with the transportation of the speakers.
Accessories for System
• Flight case (with rack rails inside) on casters
• Rack mountable drawer (to store cables and
adapters)
• Custom connection panel (XLR, Mini, RCA
Speaker)* (contact a sound professional to
build this for you)
• Surge protector
• Extension Cord
Input Devices
• 2 microphones with on/off switches
• 2 XLR mic cables (25 ft. long)
• 1 1/4” cable (15 ft. long)
• Direct box
Mixer
• 8 channel line mixer (rack mountable)
Speakers
• 2 powered speakers (at least 300 watts)
• 2 XLR cables (50 ft. long)
Accessories for Speaker
• Rubbermaid cart (with drawer) to transport
speakers (model: H-1431BL)
Other Accessories
• Mini male to mini male cable
• Mini female to 1/4” male adapter cable
Extra wide Rubbermaid cart with speakers on
top for easy transport. Red drawer used to
store cables and mics. Mic stands stored on
the bottom shelf in a mic stand bag.
Flight case with sound components inside.
28
NOTES
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