Welcome to the second installment of The Open Mic Guide. Last week we focused on finding a location for your open mic, and this week we’ll start to look into the various equipment you need.
If you missed the first part, check it out below:
Disclaimer: Notice that the links that lead to Amazon in this article are affiliate links. You’ll help support the site by purchasing through them at no additional cost to yourself.
P.A. Considerations
Think of the P.A. for an open mic in the same terms as you would think of a P.A. for a rehearsal space. It doesn’t need to be all-powerful and super loud. Usually, open mics consist of singers and guitar players, with the occasional extra instrument thrown into the mix. Open mics are hosted in small locations where you don’t need to crank the volume all the way. Consequently, we can focus our efforts on a smaller, and cheaper P.A.
I’m used to P.As that have two active speakers – meaning that they have amplifiers inside them- cables and a small mixer to which you can connect your instruments.
Something like this JBL Eon package springs to mind.
I love Eon speakers. JBL have some amazing speaker systems, from their small Eon series up to their Vertec line array, the sound is always amazing.
Other convenient systems include the Fender Passport. I’ve seen these being used at local coffee shops to great success. They are simple to handle and easy to set up.
Lastly, there are some great packages that include the whole shebang. JBL(I love JBL) has a package deal that includes everything you need for a small set-up like an open mic.
This package includes some nice AKG mics, as well as stands for the speakers and cables for the microphones. Now if they would only add a few mic stands to the mix it would be perfect.
Keep it Compact
Remember, don’t break the bank and buy the most expensive or loudest rig you can get your hands on. You don’t need a super loud system, only enough for a cozy coffee shop atmosphere, or a small stage venue. Browse through some of the systems online to see if you can’t find something that looks good to you.
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions please ask me in the comments.
Stay tuned for next week’s installment when we go through the all important mixing board.
Image by: Eschipul
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2 Comments on "The Open Mic Guide Part II – What Kind of P.A. Do You Need?"
i want to do an open mike nite in the bar i have in spain, can anyone tell me what equipment i will need to set this up….. thankyou k
Hi, yeah if you follow the open mic guide to finish you should be able to set up your own open mic wherever you want. It’s a 5 week series, so keep posted by either subscribing to the rss feed http://feeds.feedburner.com/audioissues or checking in regularly. Thanks for the comment.