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The Ultimate Live Sound Buying Guide

Live sound stage with lots of uplighting
January 3, 2025 57 min read
The Ultimate Live Sound Buying Guide

Playing live is one of the best parts of being a musician. Getting to share your passion and talents with others (okay, show off) is always a good time! But whether you want to play the local coffee shop down the street or blow the roof off Radio City Music Hall, your little bedroom rig won’t cut it. You need a live sound setup that’ll belt your amazing sounds all the way to the back row.

Building a live sound setup isn’t always easy. There’s just too much gear! But luckily, you’ve stumbled your way across the ultimate live sound buying guide! The AMS Gear Nerds have come through with detailed information about all the various pieces of a live sound setup and how to pick the ones that are right for you. It’s everything you need to know for live sound for beginners — and likely a little more!

The Main Parts of a Live Sound Setup

Yes, you’ll easily find live sound setups with hundreds, if not thousands, of pieces in major venues around the world. But there are really only four main parts to a PA live sound setup that beginners will need to know:

  • Loudspeaker
  • Mixer
  • Power amplifier
  • Microphone

And all the necessary cabling, of course.

But like everything else in the musical world, there are tons and tons of add-ons and accessories you can get to make your live sound setup even better.

Let’s take a look at the main parts of a live sound setup, starting with the four most important and then diving into some of the most popular add-ons.

PA Loudspeakers

Wall of vintage PA loudspeakersWall of vintage PA loudspeakers

I wouldn’t say there’s a “most important” part of a live sound setup, since everything does something important, but speakers are really what it’s all about! They’re what actually pump your music out to the screaming fans!

Just like everything in the music world, speakers aren’t one-size-fits-all. There are tons of types of speakers that all do something a little different. The first step to finding the perfect speakers for your live sound setup is to understand all the ridiculous terminology.

First up: PA stands for “public address.” Take that to your next trivia night!

Types of PA Speaker Drivers

There are lots of parts in a PA loudspeaker. But rather than confuse everyone with terms like cone, diaphragm, dust cap, and voice coil, we’ll focus on the main part of a loudspeaker that concerns the live sound beginner: the driver.

The driver is the part that actually makes sound. It converts electrical signals coming in from your instruments and microphones into mechanical energy that people can hear. It essentially pushes (or “drives”) air to make sound waves that people can hear! That’s why when you put your hand up to a speaker cabinet, you can feel the vibrations. Pretty cool, huh!?

The human ear can hear a wide range of frequencies, ranging from about 20 Hz at the lowest all the way up to around 20,000 Hz (or 20 kHz) up at the top end. Since that is such a large range, drivers come in a variety of sizes designed to push specific sound frequencies:

  • Subwoofer – Big ol’ honkers up to 12” or more designed for low-frequency bass sounds. 20-100 Hz
  • Woofer – Slightly smaller than subwoofers around 8-10” but still designed for low-end frequencies. 100-2,000 Hz
  • Midrange – Medium-sized drivers that specialize in mid-frequencies. 300-5,000 Hz
  • Tweeter – Usually smaller drivers up to a couple inches that specialize in high-frequency sounds. 2,000-20,000 Hz

The idea is that if you have a variety of drivers in your live sound setup, you can cover all the frequencies humans can hear. From the lowest bass note to the highest piano key, your audience can fully enjoy your sound.

It’s common to find loudspeakers that have multiple drivers in the same cabinet. You’ll typically find tweeters and midrange drivers together in the same cabinet, while subwoofers usually prefer to go solo.

You might also see the term “full-range speaker,” which means that a speaker covers as much of the frequency range as physically possible.

If you plan to play shows for whales or dogs, you might need to find a sub-subwoofer or ultra-tweeter, but they might be hard to find…

Active vs. Passive PA Speakers

Active vs passive PA loudspeakersActive vs passive PA loudspeakers

There are two main categories that all PA loudspeakers fall into: active (powered) or passive (unpowered). And to make things nice and confusing, the difference has something to do with a part of a live sound setup that we haven’t talked about yet: amplifiers.

Basically, speakers need power to work. Shocking, I know. And the usual way that speakers get power is through an amplifier. The amplifier takes line-level signals (like the ones from the main outputs of your mixer) and converts them to a high-power signal that your speakers can transform into soundwaves and blast out to the crowd.

Without an amplifier, your loudspeakers won’t have the juice they need to make noise!

Now, back to the question at hand. What’s the difference between a powered speaker and an unpowered speaker? Powered speakers have built-in amplifiers, and unpowered speakers don’t.

What that means for you is that if you choose an unpowered speaker, you’ll need to get a separate power amplifier to make them work (or a powered mixer with a built-in amplifier). Powered speakers are more plug-and-play.

I know what you’re thinking: Why the heck would you choose an unpowered speaker if you have to buy more gear!?

Well, unpowered speakers are better for larger setups. You can control all the speakers in the setup from one location and don’t have to put them near a power outlet. Plus, without the built-in amplifier, they’re usually much lighter and cheaper than powered speakers.

With powered speakers, you might have to adjust each speaker separately to get the right volume levels (since they all have their own amplifiers). Plus, there’s always a shortage of outlets at venues anyway, and each speaker will need to be plugged in to work. Better bring your power strips and extension cords!

Generally, powered speakers are better for small setups, like singer/songwriters, duos, mobile DJs, or small venues. Once you get into larger venues, passive speakers with a power amp or powered mixer will help you get the volume you need with easier maintenance and management.

A Guide to Speaker Wattage

Wattage refers to the amount of power a speaker can handle. And generally, the more wattage a speaker can handle, the louder it’s going to be! (Though not always true)

When shopping for speakers, you’ll usually see two different power levels:

  • Nominal power – This is the standard operating wattage the speaker can handle for extended periods of time.
  • Peak power – The maximum wattage the speaker can handle but only for brief periods.

If you’re just busking on the street or playing in small coffee shops or bars, a 200-watt speaker will likely be plenty. Once you start gigging in medium or large venues, 2,000-watt speakers might be more your speed.

Of course, it also depends on your performance. If you’re an acoustic singer/songwriter playing soft tunes, you likely don’t need a bunch of power. But if you’re an EDM DJ who wants to get everyone bumpin’, you’re going to want more powerful speakers!

And when in doubt, go bigger! The louder a speaker can go, the louder you can play without distortion. You can always turn a speaker down, but you can’t always turn it up without distorting your sound.

Sound Pressure Level (SPL) Output

Speaker wattage is a good way to determine how loud a speaker can go, but it’s not the end-all. Sound pressure level output is also super important for volume.

Sound pressure level (SPL) is a measure of a speaker’s ability to move air. The more air a speaker moves, the larger the soundwaves it makes, and the louder it can be. And loudness is measured in decibels (dB).

Here’s basically how decibels work:

  • 20dB – A quiet study room
  • 40dB – Someone whispering at 5ft
  • 60dB – A regular conversation
  • 70dB – Many people talking in a room
  • 80dB – Freight train at 100ft
  • 100dB – Construction site
  • 110dB – A bumpin’ night club
  • 120dB – Operating heavy equipment
  • 130dB – Jet taking off on the runway
  • 140dB – Officially hurts your ears (like literal pain)

Most PA speakers have max SPLs between 100-130dB. But which one is right for you all depends on how loud you want to be.

While speaker wattage is a good indicator of how loud a speaker can get, its SPL is the official measure of loudness. Check both to make sure you get the right loudspeaker for your needs.

Dispersion

Infographic horizontal vs. vertical PA loudspeaker dispersionInfographic horizontal vs. vertical PA loudspeaker dispersion

It’s not enough to just blast music with high wattage and SPL. You also need to aim the sound toward your audience. That’s where dispersion comes in.

Speaker dispersion refers to how the horn and/or waveguide in a speaker directs the sound. Does it spread sound in a wide pattern to cover everyone, or does it focus to a specific point — or a combination of the two?

Dispersion is usually described in two different directions: vertical and horizontal. Hopefully you don’t need this: but vertical is up and down dispersion, while horizontal is side to side dispersion. You already knew that, right?

The goal of any PA live sound speaker setup is to cover everyone in the audience with minimal overlap. If two speakers overlap, it could cause phasing issues. The frequency coming from the speakers could interfere with the other, causing volume issues or even distortion for people sitting in that section.

For example, if you only have one speaker, you want something with a wide horizontal dispersion to cover everyone in the audience.

If you’re using two speakers on either side of the stage, you want a moderate horizontal dispersion so you can cover side to side without overlapping too much in the middle.

And if you’re flying a whole speaker rig (hanging it from the ceiling), make sure your vertical dispersion is enough to reach everyone from the front row to the back row.

Speaker dispersion is measured in degrees. The most common speaker dispersion is 90 by 40 degrees. The first number references the horizontal dispersion, and the second is the vertical dispersion. Basically split the degrees in half, and that’s how far the speaker throws sound around the center.

If you take the 90 by 40 degrees of a typical speaker, it will send sound 45-degrees in each direction side to side and 20 degrees in each direction up and down.

You might also come across speakers with asymmetrical dispersion patterns, but they’re usually reserved for ridiculous professional massive-venue applications.

There’s a lot of physics in there, but basically try to pick speakers with strategic dispersions to cover your entire audience without overlapping coverage.

Line Array vs. Point Source PA Loudspeakers 

You might see the terms “line array” and “point source” a lot when shopping for live sound loudspeakers, and both terms refer to the speaker’s dispersion. Here’s the essential difference between point source and line array speakers:

  • Line array – Spreads sound in all directions
  • Point source – Pinpoints sound to a specific area

Line array speakers are best for small venues. You can cover the whole space with one or a few speakers. Just be aware of overlapping coverage.

Point source speakers are better for large venues and outdoor spaces. You get a bunch of them together and point them in strategic spots around the venue to cover everyone. Because they send sound to only a specific point, you don’t have to worry as much about overlapping sound and phase canceling.

If you’re just starting out on your live sound journey, it’s best to start with a line array setup and build from there.

Mixers

Live sound mixer at venueLive sound mixer at venue

Speakers make you sound louder, but the mixer is in charge of telling the speakers how loud. If you’ve ever been to a concert and seen the people behind the gigantic board with all the faders, switches, and glowy lights, usually somewhere in the middle of the venue, that’s a mixer. And it’s one of the most important parts of a live sound setup.

The mixer is in charge of levels. Each microphone and instrument you want to use on stage is connected to the mixer via XLR or 1/4-inch cable (usually). And each line (cable) you plug in has its own channel. You can use the mixer to adjust the volume, panning, EQ, and dynamic levels of each channel to create the perfect “mix” of sound between the members of your band. I guess that’s why they call it a mixer!

For example, if your guitar is so loud that you can’t hear the vocals, you can simply use the mixer to turn down the guitar channel and turn up the vocal microphone channel, leveling out the overall mix.

Many mixers also have onboard effects and a bunch of other features, but their primary role is to make every instrument and mic on stage the right volume level for the optimal listening experience.

Most live sound setups have a dedicated mixer, but you can also find some powered speakers and all-in-one PA setups (which we’ll talk about later) that have integrated mixers and volume controls. The more complicated your setup, the more you’ll want a dedicated mixer.

Parts of a Mixer

Parts of a live sound mixer infographicParts of a live sound mixer infographic

Mixers have tons of buttons, knobs, switches, sockets, and faders, making them look pretty scary to unfamiliar eyes. But don’t think of all those controls as your enemies; they’re your friends that are going to help you mix and master your live sound.

To help you get acquainted with your new best friend, here are the main parts of a mixer:

Input jacks – Where you plug everything in. Microphones and DI boxes typically use XLR inputs, while instruments go with TS jacks. You might also find other inputs like FX or auxiliaries. Each input will correlate with one of the mixer channels. The more channels you have, the more inputs you’ll have available. Some channels have multiple input choices (XLR or TS).

  • Preamplifier gain – Controls the amount of audio signal let through. More gain means more volume but also brings in a certain level of distortion.
  • Compression and EQ – Dial in your mix by adjusting frequency ranges (usually low, mid, and high) and signal compression.
  • Aux send levels – Controls the output level (volume) for monitors and FX, if you have any hooked up.
  • Stereo panning – If you have two speaker outputs hooked up, you can adjust how much of the signal is sent to the left and right speakers.
  • Channel mute – Turns off the channel. Great for swapping instruments or taking breaks between sets.
  • Level faders – The real meat of the mixer. Controls the volume levels for each channel. Some mixers have sliding faders, while others use knobs to control the levels.
  • Output levels – Controls the volume of the outputs to your monitors, main mix, and/or headphones. It’s essentially your master control volume. You can raise volume levels overall without affecting your mix.
  • Effects – Some mixers have onboard effects like reverb or delay.
  • Output jacks – Cable connections to send signal out, typically to your speakers, monitors, and subwoofers.

Every mixer has a certain number of channels, and each part you see above (apart from a few exclusions) exist on each channel. That’s why mixers look so crazy and ridiculous. It’s really only a few key parts but multiplied over several channels. See, not so scary!

Mixers come in many shapes and sizes. You might find a mixer with only a few of these parts, while others might have even more! At least now you should have a base understanding of all the craziness going on with the average mixer.

Analog vs. Digital Mixers

Just like with anything in the modern world, you can find mixers in both analog and digital varieties. And they each have pros and cons that you’ll want to consider before deciding on which type of mixer you want to get.

Analog Mixers

Analog mixers run on straight-up circuitry. One input is hardwired into one channel. All the channels are mixed and sent to the outputs. It’s straight up and simple.

Because it’s so straightforward, analog mixers tend to cost less than their digital counterparts. They’re also easy to manage, since one input equals one channel. Just adjust the control knob of whatever you want to change, and you’re off to the races.

You’ll find analog mixers in just about any live sound application from small-town cover bands to large-scale outdoor venues. It’s hard to beat the simplicity and reliability of a good analog mixer.

Pros:

  • Lower cost
  • Easy to use (and learn)

Cons:

  • Typically larger and heavier
  • More susceptible to environmental factors (dirt, dust, etc.)
Digital Mixers

Digital mixers swap the hardwired circuits of analog mixers for more flexible processing chips. Just like your digital smartphone can run a ton of different applications with just one little screen, so can digital live sound mixers.

Digital mixers are super flexible and compact. Yes, you can control individual line levels. But you can also do crazy things like group and assign channels; create, save, and recall presets; remotely control levels via Wi-Fi; and more!

Of course, all this complicated tech comes with some downsides. As you might have guessed, it’s more expensive. Just like with anything in the music world: More features = more cost!

Digital mixers also tend to have a tougher learning curve. It’s not easy to learn how to work all those features, so it takes some time to get used to working your new board.

Because of their capabilities, digital mixers are usually the go-to for professionals and large-scale venues. They’re also popular with touring musicians because of their compact size and portability. And if you play different venues every night, the ability to save and recall presets makes sound checking a breeze!

Pros:

  • Features on features on features
  • Compact size
  • Flexibility
  • Saved presets
  • Wireless connectivity (some)

Cons:

  • Price
  • Learning curve

How Many Mixer Inputs Do You Need?

It’s always fun to look through the features and effects on a new mixer, but your primary consideration should be the number of channels.

Mixers range anywhere from four to over 128 channels. So, how many mixer channels do you need? It all depends on what you plan to mix!

Essentially, each input needs a channel. So, count how many instruments and microphones you have on stage, and that’s how many channels you need on your mixer.

Imagine you’re part of an musical duo. You and your bandmate both sing. One plays acoustic guitar and the other plays a keyboard. You’ll need one input for each mic, one input for the guitar, and two inputs for the stereo keyboard. Even though your band has only two people, you’ll need at least five inputs on your mixer to play a show.

It’s always nice to have some extra channels, too. You never know when you’ll have a guest star or need to expand your setup with a few more instruments.

For the average musician/band, you can’t go wrong with an 8-12 channel mixer.

AMS pro tip: Drum sets need a lot of microphones; and therefore, a lot of inputs. If want to mix and amplify a drummer, you might need eight or more channels just for the drums!  

If you want a more detailed description of how to determine the number of mixer channels you need, check out this super-helpful blog!

What’s a Powered Mixer?

Take a mixer and a power amplifier and then cram them both in the same box. That’s a powered mixer.

Just keep in mind that if you choose powered speakers for your live sound setup, the amplifier is built into the speakers and you won’t need another one in a powered mixer. I know it gets confusing, so here are the three configurations you can go with in your live sound setup:

  • Powered speakers + unpowered mixer – No external amplifier needed.
  • Unpowered speakers + powered mixer – No external amplifier needed.
  • Unpowered speakers + unpowered mixer – External amplifier needed.

These are the only three choices, so no mixing and matching!

Powered mixers are a popular choice for bands looking for a simple and straightforward solution to their live sound needs. Since the power amp is built-in, you don’t have to lug around additional equipment or worry about compatibility between the mixer and the amplifier.

Power Amplifier

What does an amplifier do? It makes sound louder. In other words, it “amplifies” your signal.

Regular instrument and microphone input signals aren’t very strong. In the case of an electric guitar, it’s only little magnets picking up the string vibrations. Do you think that’s really all the juice it takes to blow the roof of a stadium when AC/DC hits the first riff of “Back in Black”? Absolutely not! Even after the instrument signals go into the mixer’s preamp and get a little extra voltage, they still need a bit more oomph before they head to the speakers.

A power amplifier takes the pre-amped line-level signal from your mixer, gives it a big ol’ boost, and sends it to the speakers. It’s one of the most important parts of a live sound setup. You gotta have one!

Do I Need an Amplifier?

Okay, yes. I just said you have to have an amplifier. But you don’t always have to have a standalone amplifier. Many pieces of live sound gear come with a built-in amplifier, like powered speakers or powered mixers.

Since it can get confusing, we made this handy little chart for you to determine whether you should start shopping for a power amplifier or not:

flow chart to decide if you need a power amplifier for a live sound setupflow chart to decide if you need a power amplifier for a live sound setup

If you found your way to the “You don’t need a power amplifier” box, congratulations! You don’t need to shop for additional gear! However, that doesn’t mean you can skip ahead to the next section of the guide. You still need to make sure the amplifier you have built into your speakers or mixer is compatible with the rest of your system. So keep reading!

Ohms and Impedance

Like any piece of music gear, there are tons of amplifier options available and they all have different features. The first thing you’ll want to look at is ohms and impedance.

No, ohms aren’t a yoga chant. An ohm is a measure of electrical resistance. Loudspeakers are designed to work with specific load ranges, so you want to make sure the ohm load of the speakers matches the amplifier.

For example, if you have a speaker that’s designed to work with 4-ohm loads, you’ll get the best system performance if you match it to an amplifier that puts out 4 ohms.

The real trick comes in when you start adding multiple speakers to your live sound rig. You have to make sure the impedance of all the speakers in the set match the amplifier. But it’s not always as simple as adding up the speaker impedance.

There are two ways to connect your speakers to your live sound rig:

  • Parallel – Both positive and negative amplifier connections are connected directly to the first speaker in the line, matching positive to positive and negative to negative. The chain continues matching positive to positive and negative to negative between speakers all the way down the line until it’s terminated at the end.
  • Series – The positive amplifier output connects to the first positive speaker output. The negative speaker output connects to the next speaker’s positive output, and the pattern continues down the line. The negative connection of the last speaker in the series connects to the negative on the amplifier, completing the series.

The way you calculate your speaker impedance and ohm requirements depends on how you link your speakers to the system.

The grand majority of live sound setups use speakers in parallel. And the way you calculate speaker impedance in a parallel system is to simply take the impedance rating of the speakers (hopefully it’s the same between speakers) and divide it by the number of speakers in the chain.

For example, if you’re using two 8-ohm speakers in parallel, you’d divide eight by two and get four. Your next stop should be AMS’s power amplifier page looking for 4-ohm amplifiers.

While you have your calculator out, the way to calculate the impedance of speakers in series is to simply add them all together. For example, the two 8-ohm speakers in series would need a 16-ohm amplifier.

What happens if you don’t match the impedance between your speakers and your amplifier? The world blows up! Not really. But it will mean your system won’t sound its best.

If the total loudspeaker impedance is too low, your amplifier will deliver too much power to the speakers, causing an overload. Not only will it likely sound gross and distorted, but you could also cause damage to your amplifier or speakers.

If your loudspeaker impedance is too high, your speakers won’t get all the power they need to sound their best. They’ll just be underpowered — and no musician wants that!   

It’s like the story of Goldilocks: You don’t want your impedance too high or too low. It has to be juuuuuuust right.

Ohms and impedance are certainly not the easiest aspect of a live sound setup to understand, but it’s important if you want your system to sound its best.

parallel vs series wiring for loudspeaker infographicparallel vs series wiring for loudspeaker infographic

The way you calculate your speaker impedance and ohm requirements depends on how you link your speakers to the system.

The grand majority of live sound setups use speakers in parallel. And the way you calculate impedance in a parallel system is to simply take the impedance rating of the speakers (hopefully it’s the same between speakers) and divide it by the number of speakers in the chain.

For example, if you’re using two 8-ohm speakers in parallel, you’d divide eight by two and get four. Your next stop should be AMS’s power amplifier page looking for 4-ohm amplifiers.

While you have your calculator out, the way to calculate the impedance of speakers in series is to simply add them all together. For example, the two 8-ohm speakers in series would need a 16-ohm amplifier.

What happens if you don’t match the impedance between your speakers and your amplifier? The world blows up! Not really. But it will mean your system won’t sound its best.

If the total loudspeaker impedance is too low, your amplifier will deliver too much power to the speakers, causing an overload. Not only will it likely sound all gross and distorted, but you could also cause damage to your amplifier or speakers.

If your loudspeaker impedance is too high, your speakers won’t get all the power they need to sound their best. They’ll just be underpowered — and no musician wants that!   

It’s like the story of Goldilocks: You don’t want your impedance too high or too low. It has to be juuuuuuust right.

Ohms and impedance are certainly not the easiest aspect of a live sound setup to understand, but it’s important if you want your system to sound its best.

Multi-Channel Amplifiers

Some amplifiers come with multiple channels, typically two. And there are three different ways you can use multi-channel amplifiers in your setup:

  • Stereo – Use each channel to power separate left/right speaker lines for a stereo effect. Alternatively, you can use them as two mono amps running one channel to your speakers and the other to your stage monitors.
  • Parallel – Feed one input into both amplifier channels to send the same signal to two different speaker chains. You can then control the level of each speaker chain independently without affecting signal.
  • Bridge – Combine both channel outputs to make one giant mono output with twice the power. This setup is typically used for high-power systems with subwoofers and large speaker systems.

It’s typically assumed that multi-channel amplifiers bring the same ohms for each channel. For example, a two-channel 4-ohm amplifier has 4-ohms per channel — not total.

Amplifier Classes 

You thought we were done with amplifiers after the ohms and speaker impedance craziness, didn’t you? Unfortunately, there’s still one more thing to consider before choosing the best amplifier for your live sound needs. And that’s amplifier classes.

There are three amplifier classes you should know about, and they all have to deal with how the amplifier is wired:

Class A amplification explanation infographicClass A amplification explanation infographic

Class A amplification – One transistor amplifies both positive and negative halves of a waveform (signal). It’s simple, straightforward, and easy, which is why it’s the most common class of amplifier. Because the transistor is always in use (even without a signal), Class A amplifiers generate a lot of heat, causing them to lose efficiency by up to 25 or 50%.

Class B amplification explanation infographicClass B amplification explanation infographic

Class B amplification – Uses two transistors to split positive and negative signal waveforms, resolving many of the heating and efficiency issues of Class A amplifiers. However, there tends to be some distortion where the positive and negative waveforms cross in the middle.

Class AB amplification explanation infographicClass AB amplification explanation infographic

Class AB amplification – Uses a combination of diodes and resistors to create a voltage bias that reduces crossover distortion. There is a slight drop in efficiency but not as much as with a Class A amplifier. It’s like the best of both worlds.

There are other classes of amplifiers, but these are the three you’ll typically come across when building your live sound setup. Class A amplifiers are the most common, while Class AB amplifiers are usually considered the “best.” Of course, they’re also the most expensive.

Microphones

Metal vintage microhpone in front of shimmering lightsMetal vintage microhpone in front of shimmering lights

No live sound setup is complete without a microphone or two. Microphones pick up physical soundwaves and convert them into electrical signals that your mixer can mix, amplifier can amplify, and speakers can project to your screaming fans. You probably didn’t need me to explain that, but this is the ultimate live sound setup buying guide!

But if you’ve made it this far, you probably know that nothing in the live sound world is completely straightforward. There are plenty of different varieties of microphones to choose from, and they all have different functions. Let’s dive right in!

Common Types of Live Sound Microphones

In the live sound world, you really only need to know about two main types of microphones:

  • Dynamic mics – Super tough microphones that can capture really loud sounds without taking damage.
  • Condenser mics – More sensitive microphones that provide better sound quality.

Generally speaking, dynamic microphones are best for vocals, while condenser mics are best for instruments and speaker cabinets. Easy peasy, right!?

However, when placing your condenser mics, be aware that they are more sensitive than dynamic microphones. You have to place them just right and be careful with the gain controls so they don’t get damaged.

Many condenser microphones also need phantom power — which is basically just a little extra power to the microphone, usually toggled with a switch on the mixer.

Wired vs. Wireless Microphones

Wired microphones have a cord, and wireless microphones don’t. Crazy, right? But there’s a little more to it than just that.

Wired microphones connect to the mixer via XLR cable, while wireless microphones have a wireless receiver that picks up the signal and relays it to the mixer.

Naturally, the main benefit of using wireless microphones is that you can run around the stage, jump into the crowd, or even zipline into the venue from the balcony without worrying about tangling your fellow bandmates or wrapping up unsuspecting audience members.

However, wired microphones tend to be more reliable. You don’t have to worry about batteries dying mid-show, signal interference, or frequency issues. With a direct line to the mixer, you never have to worry about sound quality issues. They also tend to be less expensive than their wireless counterparts. Fewer high-tech parts, you know.

With that said, modern wireless microphones are very advanced and have few (if any) issues — as long as you keep the batteries charged. You can find both wired and wireless mics on stages all over the world. It all depends on your specific needs and goals.

Microphone Polar Patterns

A microphone’s polar pattern describes the direction(s) that it best picks up sound. You’ll usually see it as a fun little graphic that kind of looks like a latitude and longitude map of the Earth. But it’s not Earth; think of it like a globe of sound!

There are six primary microphone polar patterns that you’ll stumble across on your way to live sound masterdom:

  • Cardioid – Picks up best from the front and sides, while completely ignoring anything from the rear.
  • Hyper cardioid – Mostly picks up from the front, but it does let in some sound from the rear. Ignores sound best from the sides.
  • Super cardioid – Also picks up well from the front while rejecting the sides, but it’s a bit less sensitive from the rear than a regular cardioid mic.
  • Omnidirectional – Picks up everything in all directions. Yay!
  • Figure 8 – Picks up well from the front and back. Rejects the sides. Looks like a figure 8; imagine that.
  • Unidirectional – A generic name for mics that only pick up sound in one direction, typically the front. Includes cardioid-type patterns.
Microphone polar pattern infographicMicrophone polar pattern infographic

The microphone polar pattern will give you a better idea of where you should place a microphone on stage. For example, a cardioid microphone is best for vocalists who have their monitors directly in front of the mic stand, while a hyper cardioid is ideal for vocalists who like their monitors on either side of the mic stand.

Naturally, the goal is to pick up the targeted sound source (like the singer) without picking up any unnecessary sounds — especially from the speakers and monitors.

Cables and Cables and Cables

No live sound setup is complete without mounds and mounds of cables. Every piece of your live sound setup (including all instruments and microphones) needs to be connected to the mixer.

Here are some of the most common cables you’ll need for your live sound setup:

XLR cableXLR cable

XLR – Three-pronged cables with large metal heads. They’re balanced and very sturdy, making them one of the most common cables in live sound applications. Typically used for microphone and speaker connections.

TS cableTS cable

TS – The standard guitar or instrument cable. TS stands for Tip/Sleeve. It’s a 1/4-inch unbalanced cable with a long metal input that has one black band. Connects instruments, effects pedals, and other mono audio sources to the mixer or amplifier. Sometimes used as a speaker cable.

TRS cableTRS cable

TRS – Looks like a regular TS cable but it has two black bands. It’s called TRS because of its “tip-ring-sleeve” configuration. Can be balanced or unbalanced, depending on how you use them. Typically used with headphones or specific studio monitors, interfaces, and mixers.

SpeakOn cableSpeakOn cable

SpeakOn – Used as speaker cables in professional live sound applications. Can handle higher levels of electricity and lock into place, meaning they won’t come loose or fall out during a performance.

RCA cableRCA cable

RCA – Small colored cables (red and white) usually found in DJ setups and home audio applications. Not very common in live sound applications.

USB cableUSB cable

USB – Everyone knows what a USB is. In a live sound rig, USBs connect smartphones, audio interfaces, and electronic music equipment. If you need a USB for your setup, make sure you find the right one. There are a few types of USB cables out there!

MIDI cableMIDI cable

MIDI – Five-pin cables that can send and receive information. Typically used with sequencers, keyboards, and synthesizers, although largely replaced by USB.  

The grand majority of the cables in your live sound setup will be either XLR or TS. They’re by far the most common. The easiest way to determine which cable you need is to simply look at the input/output you need to connect. If it’s one hole, it’s likely a TS. If you see three little holes or pins, go for the XLR.

There are also different versions of the same cable. For example, you can find TS instrument cables and TS speaker cables. The main difference is the gauge (thickness). Speaker cables need to handle a bit more power and reach farther, so they tend to be bigger. The same is true for XLR microphone cables and XLR speaker cables.

Balanced vs. Unbalanced Cables

You read it a lot in the cable descriptions, but let’s finally talk about it. What’s the difference between balanced and unbalanced cables?

Unbalanced cables are straightforward. They have one signal wire and one ground wire. That’s it! But because they have only one signal wire, they can be prone to interference. If any interference finds its way into the signal, there’s nowhere for it to go but out through your speakers or amp!

Since they’re so good at picking up interference, you should keep unbalanced cables nice and short, with a maximum length of 15 or 20 feet. The longer the run, the more likely you’ll pick up interference or lose signal strength.

Balanced cables have three wires: two signal wires and a ground wire. Both signal wires transmit the same signal, but one signal’s polarity is reversed. Just like adding a negative and a positive number together, the two signals cancel out and create silence.

Why the heck would you want a cable that cancels your signal!? Because it cancels noise! Both signal wires pick up the exact same noise (without the polarities reversed). At the end of the line, where the cable goes into the speaker, the signal of one of the wires is reversed back to original. Now your lovely music signal comes out loud and proud, while the noise gets canceled out. Pretty fancy, huh!?

Because they cancel noise, balanced cables are best for long runs. They can easily go to 50 or 100 feet without any problems.

How an unbalanced cable works infographicHow an unbalanced cable works infographic
How a balanced cable works infographicHow a balanced cable works infographic

If you’re just starting out on your live sound journey, you can easily stop here with your equipment needs. All you really need for live sound is a speaker, mixer, amplifier, microphone, and cables. And you only need an amplifier if you don’t choose a powered mixer or powered speakers that have an amplifier built in.

However, there are lots and lots of additional pieces of gear you can add to your live sound setup to make it even better. I’m going to keep on rambling, but you’re welcome to skip ahead to the accessories if you’d like. It won’t hurt my feelings (much).

Subwoofers

PA SubwooferPA Subwoofer

Bring the boom! PA subwoofers are standalone loudspeakers with big ol’ drivers up to 12” and beyond designed to pump super-low frequencies. While your regular PA loudspeaker might have larger drivers for more low-end sound, subwoofers have one job and one job only: They make the stage rumble with all that bassy goodness.

Although you don’t officially need a subwoofer in your live sound setup, they’re great for filling out the frequency range and making you sound more professional. They usually produce sounds ranging from 100 Hz all the way down to 20 Hz — which is about as low as humans can hear.

Just like your PA loudspeakers, you can find both unpowered (passive) subwoofers and powered (active) subwoofers. If you have a power amplifier or powered mixer, go with an unpowered sub. If you don’t have either, you’ll need a powered sub. They do tend to draw some serious power, so keep your ohms in mind when adding a sub to your PA setup.

When choosing a subwoofer, try to find one with either the same or slightly greater power output than your main PA loudspeakers. Look at the wattage and SPL ratings. For example, if you have two 500-watt speakers, look for a 1,000-watt sub. It’s very common to have one subwoofer to multiple speakers.

Monitors

How do you stay together as a band if you can’t hear everyone? The answer is you can’t! At least unless you have some monitors.

Monitors are essentially speakers that play to the band rather than the crowd. That way, everyone in the band can hear what the other bandmembers are playing, helping everyone stay together and in tune.

The main types of monitors you’ll come across in your live sound adventure are stage monitors and in-ear monitors.

Stage Monitors

Stage monitors at a live sound venueStage monitors at a live sound venue

Stage monitors (as the name might suggest) sit right on the stage. They’re speakers that sit on the edge of the stage and face back toward the band.

And just like any other type of PA speaker, you can find both powered (active) stage monitors and unpowered (passive) stage monitors. If you have a power amplifier or powered mixer, go with unpowered monitors. If you don’t have either, powered stage monitors might be for you!

The main downside to stage monitors is that they take up space. If you play in small venues, it’s not always easy to find a place to put them — especially if you like to move around. They’re also just another piece of gear you have to lug from gig to gig.

Since stage monitors send sound back toward the band, there’s always the potential for feedback. This is especially a concern for acoustic or hollow-body guitar players.

However, stage monitors are straightforward, cost-effective, and reliable. They’re easy to set up, and since they don’t rely on batteries for power, you know they’re always going to be there for you. Plus, you can’t stagedive off in-ear monitors!

Pros:

  • Less expensive
  • Doesn’t block sound – You can still hear the crowd cheering!
  • Doesn’t limit performer movement (no tethers)
  • Bandmates can share mixes (faster sound setup)

No batteries

Cons:

  • Adds more noise on stage
  • Potential for feedback
  • Takes up space on stage
  • Can’t create custom mixes for each bandmember

In-Ear Monitors

in-ear monitors at a live sound venuein-ear monitors at a live sound venue

In-ear monitors are basically high-tech earbuds. They block outside sound and pump the band’s mix straight into each bandmember’s head with crystal-clear precision.

Because they’re like earbuds, in-ear monitors do provide some level of hearing protection. If your guitar player refuses to have their amp below anything but max volume, it might come in handy.

Another benefit of in-ear monitors is that you can create custom mixes for each band member. If the bass player wants to hear more of the drummer and less of the guitarist, you can do that without affecting the other members of the band.

However, since every bandmember has their own monitors with potentially their own mixes, in-ears aren’t always easy to set up. It takes some serious sound checking to get them just right.

And whatever you do, make sure you have a backup! If an in-ear monitor runs out of batteries or goes out, that’s almost game over for the show. There’s no shared mix that everyone can hear. That band member will be on their own to figure out how to blend with the rest of the band.

Despite the few shortcomings, in-ear monitors are typically preferred by professional artists. They provide a clearer mix and more flexibility than stage monitors.

Pros:

  • Clearer sound
  • Hearing protection
  • Custom mixes
  • No chance of feedback

Cons:

  • Can be difficult to set up
  • More expensive
  • Have to wear a battery pack
  • Can’t use them as a diving board for crowd surfing

Signal Processors 

Do you really think instrumentalists are allowed to have all the fun with signal processing? Of course not! But instead of effects pedals, live sound rigs get signal processors.

Signal processors, well… process signals. They change your boring old regular signal into something that sounds much better! They’re typically mounted into a rack that sits somewhere around your mixer or backstage.

There are plenty of live sound signal processors you can use to craft your perfect sound. Let’s take a look at a few of the most popular.

Effects       

Just like guitar effects pedals, you can add effects to your live sound setup. Of course, you don’t want to go crazy with distortion or modulation, but a little compression or reverb never hurt anything. That’s why they’re some of the most popular live sound signal processing effects you can find.

  • Compressor – Shapes the dynamic range of your signal. It brings down loud parts and turns up quiet parts to give you a nice balanced sound.
  • Limiter – Catches peaks and prevents audio clipping to preserve the quality of the signal. Don’t want the equipment at the end of your signal chain to get too overwhelmed!
  • Noise gate – Removes signal that falls below a certain threshold. This helps remove unwanted noises like wind or a squeaky kick drum pedal.
  • Reverb – Adds a lovely little echo to your sound, like you’re playing in a large hall. Most musicians prefer at least a little bit of reverb to their sound.

Many mixers come with onboard effects, so you can shape your sound without needing racks and racks of standalone signal processing effects.

Equalizers

Remember all those frequencies we talked about way back in the speaker driver section? Well an equalizer (also called EQ for short) lets you take control over the various frequencies to craft your perfect sound.

Most EQ controls are broken down into low, mid, and high frequencies. In the live sound world, you typically find parametric EQs or graphic EQs:

  • Parametric EQ – Gives you precise control of the different frequency bands, usually with a control knob. Great for fine-tuning, but it does take some time to get just right.
  • Graphic EQ – Utilizes fun little sliders that let you quickly adjust each frequency. Together, the sliders all look like a wave, showing you what your overall EQ looks like. That’s why it’s called graphic!

Most mixers also have a built-in EQ of some sort.

If you use a digital mixer, you might also have a visual EQ or dynamic EQ. Visual EQs show you the amplitude of each frequency range, usually on a digital screen. While dynamic EQs are software-based and can automatically adjust the frequencies based on predefined settings.

Crossovers

All those frequencies have to go somewhere. And with a crossover, you can tell each frequency range where to go to give your live sound the most bang!

Without a crossover, the entire signal goes to both the main speakers and the subwoofers. The sub has to just do its best with the high frequencies, and the speakers try to handle the lows.

When you add a crossover, you can tell only the low signals to go to the subwoofer and the mids and highs to go to the mains, optimizing performance for everyone.

Direct Boxes

While all the other signal processors are rack-mounted or built into the mixer, direct boxes (also called DI boxes) are a bit different.

Rather than sit in a rack near the mixer, DI boxes are usually somewhere around the stage. They convert unbalanced signal, usually from an instrument cable, into a balanced signal. The benefit is that you can then run your unbalanced signals much, much farther without worrying about noise.

Basically just plug your unbalanced TS cable into one end of the direct box and run a balanced XLR out the other side into your mixer — however far away it may be.

Active vs. Passive DI Boxes

Direct boxes can be either active or passive. If you’ve read the other parts of this ultimate live sound setup buying guide, you know that anything active needs power, while passive stuff works on its own.

Both passive and active DI boxes convert unbalanced signals to balanced signals, but active DI boxes throw a little more juice behind it to send a stronger signal with higher output. Many active DI boxes also have onboard preamps to enhance your signal even farther.

However, since they need power, active DI boxes need to be somewhat close to an outlet for phantom power or have fresh batteries. Passive DI boxes are easy to just place and forget wherever you need them to be.

Direct boxes are usually only necessary in larger venues. If you typically play smaller venues where the mixer isn’t too far from the stage, you likely won’t need a DI box — at least until you become an international superstar, of course!

What Accessories Do You Need for a Live Sound Setup?

Okay, you have all the live sound gear you need to blow the roof off your next gig. But that’s a lot of gear! And there are some accessories you can get to help you better organize and manage all that gear. These are just a few of the quintessential accessories for any live sound rig:

Speaker and Microphone Stands

Speakers work better when they’re raised off the ground. They get better projection and coverage. Plus, if you use a subwoofer, it’s always best to separate the subs from the speakers so the frequencies don’t interfere with one another. A few speaker stands are a great addition to any live sound setup.

Many PA loudspeakers are designed with a pole mount in the bottom. It’s basically just a hole that fits onto a speaker stand. Set up the speaker stand and pop your speaker right on top. It’s that simple!

Most speaker stands have collapsible tripod legs on the bottom for stability. But you can also find speaker stands that fit right into the top of your subwoofer, basically making the sub your speaker base — which is super convenient!

And unless you want to run around with a handheld microphone the whole time, you’ll need a few microphone stands in your live sound setup. If you really need to know, microphone stands hold your microphone for you…

Equipment Racks

As your gear collection grows, you might want some equipment racks to hold everything and keep your gear organized.

Equipment racks are designed to hold any rack-mounted equipment you might need for your live sound setup — usually stuff like compressors, effects, crossovers, and such. The gear installs directly into the rack, making it easy to transport and deploy at gigs. Plus, it protects all your sensitive equipment!

Racks vary greatly in size and function. You can find everything from small cases you can carry around all the way up to gigantic cabinets you can wheel around venues. It all depends on how many rack-mounted pieces of gear you have.

Basic live sound setups typically don’t need equipment racks. They’re more of an intermediate and advanced thing.

Audio Snakes

All the cables you need in a live sound setup can get messy in a hurry. And if your mixer is far from the stage, you don’t want a thousand cables running across the venue’s floor. Talk about a tripping hazard!

Audio snakes are a great way to organize your mess of cables and run them over long distances. Plug all your stage equipment into the input side of the audio snake, and all the signals are neatly bound together in one larger insulated cable all the way to your mixer. Then the signals split from the snake back to individual cables to plug into your mixer.

It basically takes the mess of cables on stage and turns it into one larger cable that you can run around the venue neatly and easily.

Audio snakes are a great accessory for larger live sound setups — especially if you have tons of cables and need to run them long distances to the mixer.

Carts

Live sound PA equipment is heavy! Save your back with an equipment cart. Don’t think there’s much more to explain about this one…

All-in-One PA Systems

Possibly the hardest part of putting together a live sound setup (aside from reading this guide) is making sure you have all the right pieces and that they’re compatible. What if there was an easy all-in-one PA system that you could just pull out of one big box, plug everything in, mix to your preferences, and play a show?

Luckily for you, there is! There are tons of all-in-one PA systems that come straight out of the box with all the parts, pieces, and accessories you need to start gigging.

Some of them look like a traditional PA setup with multiple speakers and a mixer, others look like a stick sitting on top of a box, and others yet look like just one lonely speaker.

The main benefit of all-in-one PA systems is their simplicity. They come with everything you need to start gigging, and you don’t have to worry about compatibility issues. They’re also highly portable, making it easy to transport them from gig to gig.

Of course, portable PA systems do have some limitations, too. Mostly, they’re not usually expandable. You can’t just add speakers or upgrade the mixer if you want to play larger venues. What you see is what you get.

They also typically don’t have many channels. They’re perfect for solo performers or small bands, but you’re not going to be able to play with a larger ensemble, especially if you want to mic a drummer!

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Why didn’t you mention this in the beginning of the guide before I had to read all that stuff!?”

Because your newfound live sound knowledge will still pay off if you choose to get a PA system! They still have mixers, they still have tweeters and woofers, and they still have amplifiers and wattage outputs. And now you know what all those crazy terms mean, so you can pick the perfect PA system to suit your needs.

If you’re just looking for something small and easy, a portable PA system might be for you!

Main Considerations to Find Your Perfect PA Setup

Okay, you know all the live sound gear and the terms. Now it’s time to put that extensive knowledge to use and find the perfect PA solution that’ll transform your gigging dreams into reality!

Here are the top four considerations you’ll need to think about when choosing a PA system:

What size venue do you plan to play? 

The first thing you should consider when choosing a PA system is the types of venues you plan to play because it’ll let you know how much power you need. A bigger space needs more noise!

The easiest way to determine the amount of sound a PA system can produce is by looking at the speaker and subwoofer wattage. It’s not a completely accurate way to measure loudness, but it’s good enough to point you in the right direction.

Generally, here’s a list of venue sizes and the wattage you’d need from your PA system to fill the space:

  • Small coffeeshop or bar with singer and guitar – 100-200 watts
  • Small venue with band – 300-800 watts
  • Medium venue with full rock band – 1,000-2,000 watts
  • Large venue – 5,000-10,000 watts
  • Stadium – 25,00+ watts

And when in doubt, go bigger! You can always turn your PA system down, but you can’t always turn it up. Plus, you might start to play bigger venues soon. Think about where you want to play and not just the venues you currently play.

How many instruments and mics will there be? 

This question mostly helps you decide which mixer you need to get. The more instruments and microphones you want to use, the more input channels you’ll need on your mixer.

Remember, every instrument and microphone will need at least one dedicated channel on the mixer.

If it’s just a solo singer/songwriter, you might only need two channels: one for the guitar and one for the mic. A full band with multiple singers, instruments, and maybe a drum set might need something between 8-12 channels.

The larger the band, the more channels you’ll need. So think about how many inputs you’ll need to run into the system before choosing a PA system — specifically the mixer.  

How portable do you need it to be?

It’s always better to go bigger, right!? What’s the harm of having a PA system that’s capable of filling a stadium, even if you’re just a singer/songwriter who likes to play coffeeshops around town? Well, more powerful systems are typically bigger. They’re not as easy to drag around.

If you’re a solo artist or in a small band, you don’t have much help to lug around gear. You might want to look for a PA system with fewer and lighter pieces of gear to fit in the trunk of your car and drag into gigs in fewer trips. Live sound equipment is heavy!

Of course, if you’re in a touring rock band complete with an army of roadies, by all means get the biggest and baddest system in existence! But for most people, portability should be a major consideration to help you choose the right live sound equipment.

What’s your budget?

I know; talking about budgetary limitations is lame when it comes to music gear. But it is an important part of building your live sound setup… unfortunately.

On average, you can get a full PA setup for anywhere between $500 and $5,000.

And really from there, the sky’s the limit. The more gear you add, the higher the price tag. There are major outdoor venues with hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of live sound equipment! As you might have guessed, the bigger and more feature-filled the system is, the more expensive it’s going to be.

However, that doesn’t mean you can’t grab a perfectly good live sound setup on a budget. You can pick up a portable PA speaker for $250. It all depends on what you need the system to do.

Where to Place the Parts of Your Live Sound Setup

You have all the parts of your live sound setup and you’re ready to play your first gig. It’s time to set up all the pieces! But they all need to be in the right places to maximize effectiveness.

How to place parts of your live sound rig

Step 1: Speaker Placement

Step 2: Stage Monitors

Step 3: Find the Perfect Mixer Location

Step 4: Connecting Everything

Step 5: Turn it on!

Step 6: Sound Check

Step 1: Speaker Placement

The first thing you should consider is the speaker placement. Ideally, they should be at the front of the stage and (obviously) facing the audience. You want the microphones to be behind the speakers to prevent feedback.

If you have more than one speaker, put them on opposite sides of the stage so they can get the maximum coverage. Keep your speakers’ dispersion in mind and try not to let their coverage overlap too much to reduce phasing issues.

Bonus points if you have speaker stands. Raising the speakers a bit off the ground helps spread the sound a little farther to cover the entire space.

Do you have powered speakers? If so, then you also need to consider nearby power sources. Each speaker will need to be plugged in if you want to make any sound at all!

If you have subwoofers, they should be placed near or under your speakers on the floor.

Step 2: Stage Monitors 

Your stage monitors should be positioned at the front of the stage facing back toward where the band will play. If you have one monitor, front and center is a great option. With two monitors, you can place them on either side of the band facing in at 45-degree angles.

Think about the polar pattern of your microphones and try to place your monitors in places where the microphones won’t pick them up. You want the band to hear the monitors, but not the microphones (if you can help it). It can get tricky…

Sometimes drummers like to have a third monitor placed somewhere toward the back of the stage just for them. Drummers always want to feel special…

Again, pay attention to power outlet locations if you’re using powered monitors.

If you’re using in-ear monitors, you can skip this step!

Step 3: Find the Perfect Mixer Location

Your mixer can really be placed anywhere in the venue.

For smaller bands who have to do their own mixing, on the side or behind the stage where you can easily reach it to make adjustments is probably the best. But it does make it hard to accurately mix your sound. You’ll have to listen to the speakers from the audience and run back to the mixer to make adjustments. Either that or send one of your bandmates to stand in the audience and give you thumbs up or down to make adjustments.

The ideal placement for your mixer is where the audience stands, somewhere in the middle of the venue. That way, the sound engineer can adjust levels based on what the audience hears, ensuring proper mix. Of course, it’s not always convenient for bands that don’t have a dedicated sound engineer — you know, like most of them.

Wireless digital mixers are almost like the best of both worlds. You can set them up near the band on stage for easy access but can dial in your mix from the audience during sound check right from your smartphone.

Wherever you decide to place your mixer, just make sure that all your cables reach and that there’s a power source nearby.

Step 4: Connect Everything!

Cables, cables, and more cables. Get out all your various cables and start connecting. Connect all your instruments and mics to the mixer, the mixer to the speakers, the speakers to each other, and so on until everything has at least one cable connected to something else.

Anything that needs power should also be plugged in. This includes your mixer and power amplifier, powered speakers, powered monitors, and powered subwoofers (if applicable).

Step 5: Turn It On

With everything plugged in, it’s time to send some juice into the system. Start by powering up your speakers, then the monitors, and lastly the mixer.

It’s best to put all the settings in the low to mid ranges during power up. The last thing you want is a loud noise shooting through the venue.

Step 6: Sound Check

Run through the various channels one at a time and check that they make noise. Listen for feedback and volume issues and adjust your speakers and microphones accordingly.

You can also start to adjust some EQ and volume levels on each channel at this point, too.

Once everything seems to be in working order, get the whole band to play together like they would during the show. Listen to the levels and make sure you can hear every voice and instrument loud and clear, without any one standing out. Then crank the master volume to the appropriate level for the venue and make any final EQ adjustments.

With everything sounding up to your high standards, you’re ready to start the show!

7 Popular Live Sound Brands

Popular live sound equipment brandsPopular live sound equipment brands

Congratulations! You’ve passed your live sound knowledge test. You know everything there is to know about building a live sound setup.

Okay, that’s not even close to true. There’s a lot to know about live sound. But you definitely have a solid foundation to get started.

And to get you started on your live sound journey, here’s a quick list of some of the best live sound equipment manufacturers:

If you choose to take the stage with gear from any of these brands backing you up, you know it’s going to be a good show!

Build your perfect live sound setup with AMS

Live sound certainly isn’t the easiest part of being a musician. Between calculating ohms, choosing the right wattage, and managing all those channels and cables, it can get complicated in a hurry! But luckily, the friendly AMS Gear Nerds are here to help.

We’re always happy to answer all your live sound questions to help you find the perfect gear to suit your needs. Whether you want to get started busking in local coffeeshops or need to blow the roof off the biggest club in town, we can help you find the gear to get it done. Just give us a call at 800-458-4076 and leave your worries at the door.

And if you do end up choosing a piece of gear you’re not super excited about, just send it back! We offer a 45-day money back guarantee, so you never have to be stuck with gear that doesn’t work for you. Our goal is to provide you with the right gear for your live sound needs, no matter how many tries it takes!

Ready to build your perfect live sound setup? Get started with AMS.

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