The correct PA system can make a huge difference to your event, whether it’s getting guests dancing or making important announcements.

Choosing the correct PA system for your event size is very important. You don’t want something which is bulky and overkill, but you also don’t want a system which equals the power of a small Bluetooth speaker either.

If you’re looking to hire a PA system for a small to medium event, such as wedding or business speeches with approx 50 guests etc… You will probably need the following to get started:

Equipment needed

You firstly need speakers, you’re probably looking for a system which has a recommended continuous power output of around 300watts, this is usually noted as RMS.

There are 2 main PA system setups, passive and active. Passive simply means each speaker does not have a built in amplifier and requires a separate mixer / amplifier to power them. Active speakers have built in amplifiers and do not require a separate amplifier.

Additional equipment such as a microphone, 3.5mm jack to XLR or RCA ( this is the cable which will connect your phone/tablet to the system to play music) and of course all of the other necessary cables.

Company Reputation

Before hiring from a company, take a minute to check them out. Check out what their main business does, check their reviews and even contact them to check their response times, this is a major indicator of the service you’ll get when it comes to hiring.

Other things to check are if the system you are hiring has been PAT tested, most venues now require any equipment entering their premises to be PAT tested. Also check if the company has a dry hire insurance policy in place.

Costs

What you should expect to pay for PA hire depends on your expectations and what you are using the PA system for.

For a small PA system expect to pay between £60 – £100 per 24 hours, without setup and also expect to pick the PA system up and drop it off on time after your event.

If your looking for a professional to deliver the system, setup and pack down at the end of the event, expect to add an extra £100 on top of the above. Also, be aware some businesses need to add VAT too, so these prices will be slightly more!!

Prices will also vary across the country & depending on the quality of equipment being loaned to you and the competition. For example PA Hire in North Wales may differ from other business in other areas of the country.

The main considerations you need to make are what equipment you need, the length of time you’re realistically going to need to hire it for, conditions of hire & the costs.