For Teachers

Live Sound Reference Guide for Beginners

So you got chosen to set up the audio for your schools function. They give you a key to a closet full of equipment filled with things you don't even know the name of or what it does. So what do you need? That will depend on what you are doing. This section will show two scenarios and how to accommodate for them.

Scenario

In this scenario, you need to setup a microphone for a presentation. Unfortunately, this presentation is not in a location that you can easily just plug the microphone and cable into that jack against the wall and automatically hear yourself through the ceiling speakers. Instead this presentation is outside or another location without any jack to plug in that microphone and you were chosen to setup that equipment in the closet.

What do you need?

This is a list of equipment you need for a presentation that needs one or two microphones.

1. Mixer

The mixer is where your microphones plug into. Some mixers will contain a built-in amplifier to power your speakers. So how do you know if it can? In the all in one systems, they are more than likely to include a built-in amp. On the rear connections of the mixer, it is usually labeled "Speaker Output" or just "Speakers".

2. Amplifier*

The amplifiers function is to power the speakers. The need for an amplifier is dependent on if the mixer has a built-in amplifier to power the speakers or if the speakers have their own built-in amplifier.

3. Speakers

Speakers produce the sound out to the audience, so placement of those are important. Speakers are powered by an amplifier while other models are powered by their own built in amp. To tell if a speaker is powered, they will have a connection to plug an electrical cord too, much like the cable found in back of your desktop computer.

4. Microphones

Microphones are what is spoken into. One important think to remember if anything, don't place a microphone in front of a speaker. Doing so causes a very nasty loud shrill noise that is bad on the ears and damaging to the equipment.

5. Microphone Stands

Microphone stands will hold the microphone when not in use or hold the microphone for the presenter. Also make sure you have the microphone clip. The microphone clip isn't purchased with the microphone stand but rather the microphone. So hopefully your microphone clip is with the microphone.

6. Cables

Having all the right cables will probably be your biggest headache. So here is a list of cables that you will need for this particular setup.

Microphone Cables and Line Cables

Line cables - This is more of a guitar cable but there are two kinds; the balanced and unbalanced(guitar cables). The difference is the amount of black lines that are on the end of the cable. Balanced cabled will have 2 lines while the unbalanced will only have one. The preferable one would be the balanced cable but you can still use a guitar cable but it may give you unwanted problems in the future.

Microphone cables - Also called an XLR cable. The number of these will be determined my how many microphone cables you have. You will probably want an extra one or two just incase one gets damaged or you need to extend one.

Speaker Cables

Speakon

1/4" Speaker Cable

Speaker cables - These cables are not to be confused with a guitar cable. You can usually tell by reading the small print on the cable itself, it will tell you what it is, most of the time. There are also speaker cables with connectors called Speakon.

Electrical Cables

IEC Cable

Power Strip

Extension Cords

Electrical cables - Probably the most important, since it gives power to all our equipment.The first type of electrical cables are going to be our IEC cables(the cables that look like the ones connected to your desktop computer). The mixers, amplifiers, and/or self-powered speakers use these. Sometimes the mixer will have its own power adapter depending on the size of the mixer. And finally, our extension cords. You want to make sure you have enough of these plus a possible power strip to connect all your equipment that needs electricity. Also, make sure you have a long enough extension cord to reach to an outlet when outdoors. You also want to make sure these extension cords are thick enough for the job, 12 gauge would be the best. To think of a cable could cause an electrical fire if the equipment is drawing to much power.

The Setup

This is a basic image of two setups, first with powered speakers and the second with unpowered speakers, requiring an amplifier. These images are only displaying audio connections and not electrical connections. The blue line represents the incoming signal going to the mixer and red line represents the output signal leaving the mixer going to either the amplifier or powered speakers.