An Introduction to PA Equipment and Specifications

This section contains basic general information about the types of PA Equipment that are commonly found in a live sound reinforcement system. If you need to know:

• What it is

• What it does

• How it works

• How to use it

• Whether you need one

• What sort you need

we hope you will find this section useful. It contains:

PA System Schematic	How everything in a PA System connects together.
PA Mixers	The ins and outs of Mixer controls: switches, knobs, faders, routing options and more.
Microphones	The types of Microphone, their differences and uses in live sound applications.
DI Boxes	What a DI Box does, and when and where you need to use one.
Sound Processors	An introduction to Equalisers, Compressors, Limiters, Noise Gates and Expanders, Crossovers and Controllers.
Effects Units	Effects, and some of their uses in live sound reinforcement.
Amplifiers	The Amplifier is the PA system's workhorse.
Loudspeakers	Full-range Loudspeakers, Multi-enclosure Loudspeaker Systems, Bass Bins and Monitors: the final link in the chain.

For information about any particular make and model, the best source of information is almost always the manufacturer's site. The section dealing with the actual items of PA equipment we use ourselves contains links to each relevant manufacturer's site.

If you can't find what you need to know, please ask us. At worst, we don't know any more than you do. Also, any suggestions you make will be appreciated, although we cannot guarantee they will be used.

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