Beginner's Gear Guides: Live Sound

We recommend powered speakers, also known as active speakers, for a simple-to-set-up PA system. Unlike passive speakers, powered PA speakers don't require separate power amplifiers, since they have built-in power amps.

Small venues like coffee shops and conference rooms generally won't require more than 400 watts. For larger venues such as wedding reception halls, clubs, or auditoriums, look for speakers rated at 1,000 watts or more, depending on how loud you want to get.

Call them column systems, vertical arrays, or just "stick PAs," these all-in-one systems can be an elegant solution when you need a portable PA that's easy to transport and quick to set up and break down. You can replace a pair of traditional speakers and subwoofer with one column system -- they're designed with multiple speaker drivers pointed in slightly different directions so a single unit can cover a wide area.

It's hard to go wrong with a classic hand-held dynamic microphone -- they sound great and are quite durable. The industry-standard Shure SM58 mic has a unidirectional cardioid pickup pattern, meaning it picks up sound toward the front of the mic and rejects sound coming from the back. Mics with the tighter supercardioid pattern are designed to capture sound from an even narrower area directly in front of the microphone, which can help reduce feedback in noisy environments.

Need more mobility? Wireless microphone systems let you cut the cord and roam freely on stage. We've got handheld systems, clip-on lavalier mics, and headset/earset mics to fit every kind of performer and presenter.

A mixer is useful when you have multiple simultaneous sources of audio that all need to go through your main speakers. If you have multiple mics on stage, or need audio from a laptop or mobile device, a mixer can route all your audio sources into one stereo signal. Mixers let you set independent volume levels for each audio source, and add effects like reverb or EQ to get performers sounding their best. Mixers also help control your overall audio signal level, so you don't have to go back behind the speakers every time you want to adjust volume.

Not every live sound rig requires a subwoofer -- a PA for a presenter or an acoustic act typically won't need one. However, if your music requires hard-hitting bass, consider adding a subwoofer or two to your system. Typically, you'll want a sub with considerably more amplification power (wattage) than your main speakers -- lower frequencies require more energy than higher frequencies to sound as loud to listeners.