Everything you need to know about renting sound equipment for events

If you are thinking of holding an event and need to rent speakers, microphones, or accessories, this is all you should know:
 

ADVICE

As obvious as it may seem, it is essential to contact a professional company, which can advise you throughout the process, and rent only what you really need. Pre-production begins long before the event, and its success will depend on it. There will be several questions that will be raised, highlighting the following:

PLACE

It is essential to know the place, even making a technical visit to make an exact budget without variations or future surprises by the contracted company.

The place provides us with various data that we must know how to translate into the type of sound, and its quantity. It is not the same to sound a church due to its reflections and acoustics, than a hotel room, a political campaign, or an outdoor concert.

INDOOR vs. OUTDOOR

First, it is analyzed whether the event is indoors or outdoors. Sounding an exterior is not more complex, but it does require control of sound pressure coverage, so the strategic placement of speakers will be essential. An outdoor event often requires power generators to power all the equipment, sometimes even much longer wiring lengths.

NUMBER OF PEOPLE VS DIMENSIONS

Knowing the number of attendees of the event is essential to be able to carry out a good sound design. The dimensions and location of the attendees are very important data in pre-production, because the number and type of equipment required to efficiently cover your event will depend on this, with professional quality standards.

 

EVENT TYPE Vs ACCESORIES

The event type involves the assembly and all its accesories. Many acts require a basic installation, with speakers located on their tripod, or their own structure.

But others pose challenges such as a "flown" sound, which are hung on long structures, or on truss designed modularly to aesthetically complement the event. For example, a larger concert requires a structure to be able to raise the speakers and that their dispersion is optimal to be able to cover the audience area evenly.

In addition, the type of event will indicate its complements, how to have a press rack (Spilter), so that the different media can be connected and have quality sound. Or if the event is complemented by a DJ, you must have a control table for Disc Jockeys, or elements such as privacy screens, LED screens for Disc Jockeys, etc.

Another common complement in events are the PCs, from where the contents are launched. These have special multimedia playback software, designed for live use.

 

MICROPHONY

The microphone of the event can include different types of microphones and amounts. For a speaker, wireless headband microphones are usually used. There are events with many interventions that require multiple microphones, and the technical assistants mic the speakers backstage, positioning them safely to avoid live surprises. Handheld microphones are also used for questions from the public, wireless lapel microphones, tabletop microphones with on/off button, lectern microphones, etc.

The choice will depend on the type of event, since it is not the same to add sound to a flamenco tablao by placing directional microphones at ground level, as the type of microphones used in musical instruments of a group, or those that require a more general capture of a massive choir of singers.

 

TRANSPORTATION, INSTALLATION AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

A professional sound rental company for events must have technical assistance during the event. The sound technicians will be present to avoid any problem during the event, as well as to be able to mix the different sound sources that the event requires, such as microphones, to be able to launch the content, musical pieces, wedges, video sounds, etc.

The transport and installation must be present in the budget, assessing the mileage, or its type, such as vans or airplanes if necessary. This surely implies diets and hotels.
 

Carlos Apolo

AV Sound Technician

MD Audiovisual Services
 

MD Miguel Diaz Servicios Audiovisuales has sound equipment rental for congresses, fairs, stands, show cooking, general meetings, press conferences, conferences, product presentations, company parties, school festivals, and all kinds of events. We have a wide catalog of sound with the most leading brands, and a long experience in the events sector.

Do not hesitate to contact us!