How to Install Live Sound Equipment
A good sound engineer works with sound equipment in such a way that his presence is hardly noticed. The most important piece of equipment used to achieve this goal is a good pair of trained ears. All sound systems convert sound into electricity, and then process and amplify those signals before finally converting everything back into sound again through the loud speakers. All sound systems, regardless of size, use these same basic principles.
Items Needed:
- Speakers
- Speaker stands
- Monitors
- Mixer
- Mixer stand
- Stage snake
- Power amplifiers
- Rack mounts
- Microphones
- Microphone stands
- Cables
- Isolation transformers
- Colored electrical tape
- Headphones
- Tools and test gear
- Choose locations for all equipment. Position the amp rack as close to a power source as possible. Correct speaker placement is important if you are going to avoid feedback issues. Ideally tweeters and mid-range speaker cabinets should be five feet in front of the mics and above the ears in the audience. For large crowds, get the speakers as high as you can to prevent sound blocking and absorption. Subs are fine sitting directly on the stage for most venues. Position all FOH speakers with a slight angle towards the center of the room to prevent reflections.
- Keep the performers as close together as you can when the venue involves a small group on a large stage and your monitor setup is basic. Larger stages will require a true cross-stage monitor system to split the monitors into two separate mixes. Avoid feedback by keeping performers and speakers as far away from each other as possible.
- Hook up all cables. Run extension cords to feed all gear off of a single dedicated outlet if possible to prevent any ground loop problems. Never risk using AC ground lift adapters on pro-sound gear. Keep noise problems in check by avoiding shared power circuits with lighting and video equipment and by using only balanced cables wherever possible. Whenever your mixing desk and power amps are powered from two separate breakers, use either a balanced cable with a ground lift at the amplifier end or an isolation transformer. Keep all power and audio cables separated as much as possible. Use isolation transformers on all unbalanced connections. Color code all mics and label all mixer inputs.
- Pull the master levels on the amps and mixer all the way down before powering on. Then switch on components in the following order: desk rack, mixer, crossover, and most importantly, save the amps for last.
- Carry spare isolation transformers, ground lifts, and RFI chokes and learn how and when to use them to correct any hum or RFI problems.