Public address
PA system rental for official events, street events and sport
This is not about being loud, but about making every word understood in an open space, with background noise and people on the move.
- Use
- Speech and announcements
- Format
- Fixed, distributed or portable
- Run time
- Battery power available
- Area
- Seville and province
What a PA system is
A PA system is not the same as a music sound system
A music system aims for wide frequency response and punch. A PA system aims for one thing only: making speech intelligible at a distance.
PA systems are designed for intelligibility. That means prioritising the vocal range, controlling dispersion so the square does not fill with echo, and spreading out several sound points instead of concentrating everything in two huge speakers. A very powerful music system can be terrible as a PA if it creates reverberation: it sounds loud but nobody understands a word.
What it is booked for in Seville
- Official events and pregones (opening proclamations): stage, lectern, dignitaries and a standing audience. See official and institutional events.
- Processions, romerías (pilgrimage festivals) and Cruces de Mayo (May Crosses): routes, fixed points and announcements. See May Crosses and romerías.
- Sporting events: race starts and finishes, tournaments, trophy presentations and safety announcements. See sporting events.
- Schools, graduations and events at educational centres. See graduations.
- Fairgrounds, markets and activities on public streets, where you need to make announcements, find people and give directions.
Configurations
Four ways to set up a PA system
Fixed
Fixed-point PA system
A stage or lectern with coverage towards the audience. This is the usual set-up for pregones (opening proclamations), openings and award ceremonies: two or four sound points and lectern microphones.
Distributed
Distributed system along a route
Several points along a street, a circuit or a venue, with delay between them so the voice does not arrive as an echo. Fun runs, processions and long venues.
Portable
Battery-powered portable PA
A self-powered column speaker with a wireless microphone, with no need for a power socket. For events on the move, guided visits, activities in parks and spots without a power supply.
Announcements
Announcement and safety PA
A control point with an announcement microphone, hold music and selectable zones. For venues with people on the move, fairs and organised sporting events.
Make it understood
How to make speech come through clearly
Spread it out instead of pushing it
In a long space, two speakers blasting from the stage produce echo and uneven levels: it hurts the people at the front and reaches those at the back late. The solution is to spread sound points along the route, with the right delay on each one so everything arrives in sync. It takes more set-up and sounds incomparably better.
EQ for the voice
The low end is cut, since in speech it only adds boom, and the midrange is looked after, because that is where consonants live. A voice with too much bass sounds impressive but cannot be understood; a voice with well-adjusted mids can be understood even over background noise.
The microphone, once again
With a PA system the weak link is usually who is speaking and how they hold the microphone. That is why, whenever possible, we use a fixed gooseneck mic on the lectern or a wireless headset, and do a test beforehand with the person who will be speaking. Outdoors, a windshield is a must: a gust of wind on the microphone can wipe out an entire sentence.
Power and permits
On public streets there are two things that always get forgotten: where the power comes from and which permits are needed. For the first, if there is no accessible power supply, we switch to battery-powered equipment or a generator. For the second, here is our guide to permits for events on public streets.
Reference
What gets set up in each case
| Event | Configuration | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Pregón (opening proclamation) or official event | Fixed point with a miked lectern | 2 – 4 sound points |
| Procession or romería | Fixed points along the route | Coordination with the organisers |
| Fun run | Start, finish and refreshment station | Distributed system with delay |
| Tournament or trophy presentation | Fixed point with wireless mic | Background music and announcements |
| School event or graduation | System in a courtyard or hall | Lectern and handheld microphones |
| Event on the move | Battery-powered system | No power socket needed |
Related equipment
What a PA system pairs with
Public events almost always involve a lectern, a stage and, increasingly, a screen or a live stream.
Frequently asked questions
PA system FAQs
Will a handheld megaphone do?
For giving a quick instruction to a small group, yes. For an event with an audience, no: there is no intelligibility or coverage, and as soon as there is background noise it gets lost. A column speaker with a wireless microphone costs little more and completely changes the result.
Can you provide a PA system on the street without a power socket?
Yes. We work with self-powered battery systems that last several hours, and if the event is long or the route is extensive, we set up several points or recharge in rotation.
How many sound points are needed along a route?
It depends on the length and on whether there are corners and buildings. The rule is that the audience should never be more than a certain distance from the nearest point, and that the points are delayed relative to each other to avoid echo.
Do I need permission from the city council?
For events on public streets, usually yes, with conditions on times and sound levels. We summarise it in permits for events on public streets and noise regulations.
Can music be played as well as speech?
Yes: anthems, hold music, entrance and exit jingles. We prepare it with the organisers and load it onto the system so it does not depend on anyone's phone.
Do you work with brotherhoods and city councils?
Yes, it is a regular part of our work, with a written quote and an invoice to justify the expense. See street parties and patron saint festivals.
Equipment
The equipment, set up and cabled
This is the equipment this page talks about, and how it looks once it is set up.
Need to be heard out on the street?
Tell us the route or the venue, the duration and whether there is a power socket. We will plan the coverage.
