How to Buy Your First Sound System

This author started playing in a band in the late 80s. The best we had for a PA system was an old tube amp that had a microphone input. When we realized we needed a real PA system, we envisioned a powered mixer and passive speakers. And that’s what we bought, but it was all used gear and it was “store brand” stuff. This generic gear is all we could afford, and the quality was subpar. 

In today’s market, the quality of gear is far superior. In the late 90s I bought a whole new Carvin sound system and realized how horrible the used generic gear really sounded. The advancement in power supplies, electronic crossovers, and DSP have really opened the doors to great sounding gear that is scalable and easy to use. Let’s explore the choices. 

Rehearsal or Gigs

If you are on a budget, you can start to purchase a sound system one piece at a time. There are a couple of forks in the road you can take. But when on a budget and piecing a system together, it’s probably best to go with active speakers over passive. Here’s why. If you can only afford to buy one part of a sound system, an active speaker can double as a small all-in-one system. For instance, the SCX12A or QX15A from Carvin Audio allows for a microphone to be plugged directly into the speaker. You can’t do this with a passive (non-powered) speaker. So, if all you need to start rehearsals is to hear one vocal mic, then an active speaker can get you started without making the purchase of a whole system. You can purchase more active speakers and a mixer as your budget permits

Advanced Tips for Active Loudspeakers

Many active speakers can double as a floor monitor. Carvin’s SCX12A are great for this, and they also feature DSP presets. This provides you with some feedback protection and EQ presets. You can use one in rehearsal and then buy more or larger speakers such as the QX15A for gigs. Of course, there are other choices for much larger needs, but we are focused on the first-time sound system buyer here. 

Carvin's SCXSYS12 12-Inch 2000W Active Loudspeaker Sound System

When selecting a mixer, always buy more input channels and outputs than you think you need. You will encounter the need to add more microphones if a friend wants to sit in at a gig and you need to also have spare channels should one channel have an issue. Over time, faders and potentiometers can get scratchy from dust. Having extra channels on the mixer can be invaluable. The outputs are also important as you want to be able to send different mixes for the main loudspeakers and have a different mix for your monitors. Some venues such as restaurants have a way to feed their house speakers and you’ll want to be prepared for this as well.

In summary, your modular sound system can be bought one piece at a time if your budget is limited. Doing so allows you to scale the system up as needed and as your budget allows. If you do buy a whole system, make sure the mixer has extra inputs and outputs. You can always buy more or larger active loudspeakers when needed.

Also in Audio Info & Education