FAQ

Q: Do I need a Sound Technician to help setup a PA system?

A: For portable battery powered PA systems and simple party PA systems - most probably not. However for live music (with mics) our test is: "If you don't know exactly what equipment you need to hire, then you will need a technican to help". Imagine going to Kennards, hiring a backhoe, then asking them "By the way, how do you use this thing?". Sure we can give you a basic run through of the gear on pickup but you do need to have some prior working knowledge of professional audio systems to be successful and not damage the equipment or peoples hearing.

Q: Do I need a Lighting Technician to help setup an event lighting system?

A: For a backyard party we can supply lights that will change colour or flash to the music automatically. For a small stage performance we can supply lights that are permanently on when plugged in. If you need the lights to be dimmed or provide different colour effects during the performance then you will need a lighting technician.

Q: Can I visit your shop?

A: Our workshop/storage area is open strictly by appointment only. It is actually easier to see the items available for hire on the website along with the day rates. Call or email to request a quote and then we can arrange pickup from the workshop or delivery to your venue. If you can't see what you are looking for on the website just ask!

Q: I tried the mobile number but no one answered.

A: We may be out-of-range because we are visiting a country location or sometimes when working as sound engineers we may turn our mobile phones off for the duration of the performance. Thank you for your understanding. For urgent requests please send a text message or otherwise email details of your enquiry and you will usually receive a reply by that evening.

Q: I am organising a community concert and don't know what equipment I will need - what do I do?

A: Simply let us know about your function and the proposed date and we will be able to help you work out your requirements and come up with a firm quote.

Q: The venue where my event is to be held already has a PA system installed, do I need to hire anything else?

A: The sound systems installed in most community halls were designed for vocal announcements and background music only - think Bingo nights or community group gatherings. If you have invited a band to play the hall, the installed systems will not have sufficient mixer channels and the quality and power of the system will not be anywhere near the standard that the artists require. If the band is coming from interstate or overseas they will only bring their instruments with them, it is up to the event organiser to arrange local hire of backline gear, sound equipment, stage lighting and technicians to operate it.

Q: Can we use part your equipment and part our equipment?

A: If you are 'dry hiring', of course you are welcome to hire specific items to compliment your gear. However if you want us to be involved with the setup and/or operation then we will need to use all our own gear.

Q: The band that we are hiring for our function supplies their own equipment - would we need your services?

A: The majority of bands play gigs at pubs and private parties with minimal gear, often trying to mix the sound themselves, which is difficult when you are also trying to play an instrument. OK, you have seen this hot young band at the pub and they were great! You ask them to play at your wedding or corporate function for 400+ guests, they may not know it, but they will most likely require the use of additional sound equipment and an experienced sound tech and possibly a lighting rig to really set the show off. All you need to do is put the band leader in contact with us and we will sort out what extra gear they need and send you a quote.

Q: Can the PA system you are supplying for the band also be used for speeches from a lectern and sound from our Powerpoint presentation?

A: Yes it can; let us know beforehand so we can keep a couple of channels free on the mixing desk for the MC and AV sound.

Q: Do you hire cordless lapel (lavalier) microphones?

A: Yes we do have them available for hire, they are perfect for Streaming / Recording applications but can be difficult to get a good result in a live performance environment due to their omnidirectional pick-up pattern. For live cooking and sales demonstrations we would recommend the black Shure or Sennheiser cardioid headset (Madonna) microphones. For live theater work we would recommend the skin-tone Sennheiser headset systems, yes these are still omnidirectional but the mic capsule is located much closer to the performers mouth, so they are less prone to feedback if setup correctly.

Q: Are lectern microphones easy to setup and use in a live sound situation?

A: Setting up a lectern mic to provide subtle reinforcement of the announcers voice is a reasonably straight forward process, however if you are expecting the same sort of volume that you would get from a handheld microphone and need to cut through the noise of a big crowd the task does get more complicated. The lectern mic capsule may be 15-30cm away from the announcers mouth, so the increased gain will pickup more hall noise than a handheld mic. You try to increase the gain more and you will get feedback. Your mixing desk will need to include an adjustable HPF and a good parametric EQ on the lectern channel only (not the FOH system EQ) to enable the problematic feedback frequencies to be detected and suppressed. Before audience arrival you will need to temporarily boost and sweep the parametric to find the source of the worst offender and make a maximum gain, high-Q cut on the first frequency, 2/3 cut on the next freq and 1/3 cut on the next freq if you have that many EQ's available. Throughout this process you will need an assistant occasionally talking into the mic to enable you to keep a check on the quality of the amplified voice. An added complication is that the announcer may move closer and farther away from the mic during his speech so you will need to use some compression/limiting to try to average out the level - not too much compression or you will make the system more susceptible to feedback.

Q: Are choir microphones easy to setup and use in a live sound situation?

A: Short answer NO they are not! Positioning and aiming the mics to get an even pickup of the members of your group can be the first challenge (think very tall stands or suspension from above). Not using any more mics than is absolutely necessary is the next - if too many mics are placed too close together you will get a phasing effect in the mixed sound that will make the group sound terrible and the system will be very susceptible to feedback - there is a 3:1 rule, eg. if one mic is 1m distance from the nearest performer then you have to space the next mic at least 3m from the first. Choir mic capsules can be a metre or so from your performers, so the high preamp gain necessary will pickup a lot of hall noise, so the EQ requirements and procedure will be the same but more demanding than the previous lectern mic example. Because of the high system gain it is not advisable to use any compression on choir mics. You just need to find the feedback point on the channel faders beforehand and work within this limit during the performance. Ed. If your choir consists of 10 people or less you will get a much better result using individual handheld microphones.

Q: How do I install Festoon Lights?

A: Festoon lighting can be dangerous if not installed correctly. We suggest you download this guide available here: How_to_Install_Festoon_Lights.pdf

Q: How do I coil AV leads correctly?

A: Professional AV cables must NOT to be rolled like ropes or trade extension cords, they will twist and get knots in them and be damaged if not rolled correctly. The industry standard is the "Over-Under" rolling method which must always be used to roll hired leads prior to return. If unsure please refer to the instructional video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qO36-CfZKg