audio

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Talon Tech Tip: The Basics of a Public Address System

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Talon Tech Tip: The Basics of a Public Address System

I recently received a message from a long-time client asking for help understanding how to amplify voices at a socially-distanced, outdoor event. They knew they because their very small audience was all separated from each other and from the presenters that they needed microphones for their event, but were unsure how all the pieces worked together. This article came out of offering one client some basic help understanding how the pieces of an event sound system (often called a “Public Address” or “PA” system) fit together.

In general the basic components of a public address system are the microphone(s), the mixer, the amplifier, and the speakers. Sometimes one or more of these components are combined in all-in-one units.

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Microphone Tips from the Pros

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“Is this thing on?”

I can’t count how many times I’ve heard someone announce this uncertainty into a live microphone to a room full of attentive listeners.

Microphones: Using one should be simple, but event attendees and presenters are often confused when you hand them a mic. Where do I hold it? Where do I set it down? And the eternal question, "IS THIS THING ON?!"

Hopefully this blog post will help clear up some basic misconceptions about microphones, and help make you a microphone pro.

You want how many microphones?

You want how many microphones?

“You want how many microphones?”

 

I’ve found myself asking clients that question on many occasions. Big board meeting. National membership meeting. Round-table committee discussion. Meetings where there are 30 to 100 people who all need to be able to hear and be heard.

 

I’ll be honest -- you cannot have 50 microphones live at once in one meeting room without digital processing and expect to not have feedback. There’s no way one sound technician can manually keep track of who’s speaking and who’s up next and keep it all going smoothly. It’s not going to be pretty. And think of how many cables you’d need!

 

Luckily there’s a solution that lets everyone have a mic, prevents feedback, and keeps technicians from ripping their hair out.

 

It’s called an Audio Discussion System, or alternately known as a “Congress” or push-to-talk system.