So you have decided you want to start building your own PA system? That is great, that means you’re ready for your music to be heard by the masses! We would be honored to help you through finding your next best PA system! In this article, we will walk you through some of the most important things to keep in mind while building your own PA system. One of the main things you should know is, there are three sections of a PA system; the preamp section, the amp section, and the speakers.

Price vs. Quality: It can be very easy in the Pro Audio world to spend several thousand dollars in a hurry. Many times whether you’re a professional or a beginner, it is important to take your general budget into consideration. The quality of the product that falls into that budget should also be heavily considered when making these purchases. One of the things that Seismic Audio takes pride in is the quality of its own products which goes along with some of the best prices around! We believe that you don’t have to spend extra money because of the logo on your speakers.

Preamp Section: This section is everything before the amplifier in the chain. This could be your microphones, mixer, and effects. Don’t forget the cables to plug all of this in!

• Microphones: Generally speaking, it can really help your sound to use the appropriate microphones for the appropriate applications. For example, the Seismic Audio SA-M20, like the SA-M30, is a very versatile microphone but this microphone is best used for instruments. It works great for amplifying your guitar amp, or micing your acoustic guitar. The SA-M30, as we said before, is a very versatile microphone but is definitely made more for vocals than the SA-M20. These are just a few examples of the types of microphones you can use in your preamp section.

• Mixers: As mentioned in a previous post, mixers are a very important part of your setup! Click here to read more about why mixers are important to your setup.

• Effects: As mixers become more and more advanced, they are beginning to have plenty of different effects built in to the mixing board. But, if you would like to build out a full rack of effects, there are many things to consider.

• Everything else: Whether that be guitar, bass, keyboard, drums, or anything else! These are the things that help make the magic happens!

Amplifier Section: This section is extremely important to your PA system. Without it, whether you’re using powered speakers or unpowered speakers, you will NOT be able to produce sound of some kind without some kind of amplification. There are many different options that we carry here at Seismic Audio, whether you are interested in powered speakers, or an amplifier, there are several different options to choose from!

Speakers: Powered versus unpowered is a debate that just depends on what you want your setup to look like. Powered speakers do make things easier to setup and overall less gear. Unpowered speakers really give the opportunity to expand the amount of speakers or power. Overall the decision of powered versus unpowered speakers is yours. When choosing a specific speaker from each category, we have many options. The SA-15T has been one of our absolute best sellers over the years, this is one of our passive lines of speakers. The Main Shock is one of our best selling powered speakers and is a great option if you were interested in using powered speakers instead of unpowered.

Overall there are many different options out there for whatever you are needing. Whether its the preamplifier section, the amplifier, or speakers; it is overall your decision as to what fits best aesthetically and audibly. These are just a few pointers and things to consider when building your PA system. As you know, the better the gear the more opportunity to create amazing music! Feel free to give one of our audio techs a call at 1-877-347-6423 or visit our website at www.seismicaudiospeakers.com to find out more information about your next PA system! And remember, always practice “Safe Audioing”!