A look at Audio in the Events Industry
Audio is absolutely mandatory to ensure the success of your event. We know why it's important for live concerts, shows and festivals but it is equally as important for corporate events, conferences and exhibitions. When you begin to plan your event, there are so many vital things to remember from an audio standpoint and if you aren’t thorough, important pieces of equipment can easily slip through the net and bring your event to a standstill. Audio equipment (not Audio Visual equipment) is everything relating to the hardware and the software that captures and uses the audio; It can be as simple as a single microphone and speaker at a small corporate conference to large scale hospitality events, exhibitions or festivals that use everything from full PA systems and speakers, sound mixers, control desks, projectors and cameras. And thats before we even talk about LED Video and lighting! Audio equipment is essential for sharing your creative vision on any scale – sometimes engaging your audience can be a challenge, but high-quality hardware will deliver the most premium of results.
LEARN MOREWhat does it include and what are the benefits?
At all times at any event, there is a message to deliver. Audio is the reason that you hear that great presentation or speech at your conference, it helps your favourite band or artist play and it can provide valuable information at all events. But what is Audio equipment?
Microphones - Poor quality sound will send the wrong message at your event, which is why something as straight forward as a microphone is such an important piece of kit; It will make or break the experience! However, as simple as you may think it is, not all microphones are the same… When you start planning your event, no matter what the size, make sure that you ask the right questions and take a good look at your venue so that you can understand exactly what kind and how many microphones you will need. How many speakers or performers will you have onstage at one time? And what are they doing? If a conference only has 1 person speaking at a time, then they won't all need their own microphone, perhaps a central microphone will be OK. But if you’re hosting a conference with a panel, then you will need to be prepared. Live concerts require multiple microphones to elevate audio for instruments too, so speak to your artist. What is the position of the speakers and performers - Are they sitting down or does your performer need to move around freely? Knowing how your speakers are expected to move helps troubleshoot common issues right away.
Wired or Wireless? While wired microphones tend to be more reliable, having multiple wired microphones on stage at once can be a tripping challenge! Understanding how your event will run, and how speakers will behave can help you determine if wired or wireless options are for you.
LEARN MORE
You will also come across microphones that are specially designed for recording. There are four commonly used microphone types, Dynamic Microphones for power and quality at a reasonable price, Large Diaphragm Microphones used to create studio-quality sound, Small Diaphragm Microphones that come in pairs for stereo recording and Ribbon Microphones which are perfect for specific applications.
Sound Desks and mixers will alter, manipulate, and combine audio signals in real-time before sending them to the speakers as just one signal. These are most commonly used for live or studio performances, but can also be used at any event where multiple audio sources are needed. Sound boards and mixers help unify sound and deliver a polished, professional end result.. Do you need sound mixing? Bigabox are here to help:
How many and what kind of sound sources are you going to use? If you have multiple performers or speakers, sound desks and mixers are essential. But many people forget that adding laptops, iPhones, and other similar tools require mixers as well.
What is the purpose of your event? Festivals and Concerts big and small require sound desks and mixers, but corporate events, exhibitions and conferences will require them too.
Who will be operating your sound desk? Our team of skilled operators are familiar with the equipment and can use it effectively with no hidden challenges.
