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Sound System Purchases: On a Budget
Everyone has budget constraints and limitations, especially in these tough economic times. Yes, even Congress has budgetary limits . . . it just ignores them. But that's a luxury few of us can afford. So we learn how to work with our budgets, or we wait until our budget increases, or we borrow the money, or we give up and do nothing at all. Actually, only the first choice is practical or realistic. Learning how to work with a budget means several things. We either do it all now for less money and quality, or we do a bit at a time. But no matter which way we choose, the main ingredient for success over time is PLANNING! Let me say that again. The BIG MUST for making this work is PLANNING! Most people, including church boards and congregations, respond well to a request or proposal that is backed up with a reasonable amount of need, research and thought. What's Next? So your sound system is on its last legs or you have outgrown it and the system is not meeting your needs. What's next? How do you even start to plug numbers into a budget? The first thing to do is to identify the needs. What should be replaced or expanded? What present equipment is good? Many questions need to be answered. | 
| ...Set priorities for short- and long-term goals. | 
| Let's assume that we have already visited your church and have provided you with the initial help to answer these questions. You now know what useful equipment you have and what equipment you may need for a successful sound system solution. If the solution requires more funds than you can commit, some choices must be made. This requires setting priorities for short- and long-term goals. Budget Smart Once you know the amount of money needed, you can start setting up a budget. You'll want to spend what money you have wisely. In order to do that, you must accomplish two things: Get the biggest bang for your buck, and make it last. In other words, make improvements now that will result in the most noticeable increase in system performance within your current budget. Now, in order to assure that the equipment you purchase now will last, it must be able to maintain its quality over time. It's also important to be sure that the new equipment will be compatible with the future improvements you have detailed in your long-term goals. This means that the equipment you purchase now should be those items that have the least chance of becoming obsolete over time. For most basic sound systems, the equipment falls into one of the following categories: - MAIN LOUDSPEAKER SYSTEM
- MICROPHONES AND SOURCE EQUIPMENT
- MIXERS AND CONTROL EQUIPMENT
- PERIPHERAL EQUIPMENT AND ACCESSORIES
These categories are listed in order of priority for improvement considerations. Let's say that your current loudspeaker system cannot be heard equally well in every part of the church, or it simply does not sound very natural. Or the sound becomes distorted before the level is loud enough. If this is your situation, this is probably the best place to invest the majority of your current dollars (you can usually get by with your existing microphones and mixer if your main speaker system works well, but money spent on newer microphones won't do much good if your speakers aren't doing their job well). In recent years, mixer and control equipment has improved greatly and become more sophisticated. This allows us to provide you with more options and suggestions for improvements that were previously not available. You should also know that electronic components have the greatest potential for numerous upgrades and product improvements. This means that dollars spent now on such devices should be dedicated to the most advanced technology affordable, which helps minimize the obsolescence that time creates. |
| ...consider investing in future needs during a current installation. |
| In the planning process, we strongly recommend that you consider investing in future needs during a current installation. This will save your church more dollars at a later time when the next phase of improvement is added. For example, let's say you have decided to purchase a 16 input mixer next year, but new microphone jacks and cable must be installed now for your present 6 channel mixer. It would be better to add all the 16 jacks now rather than just put in six microphone jacks. Or perhaps your existing speaker and electronics are working, but you would like to add some enhancements to the system. The addition of accurate equalization can greatly improve the intelligibility or naturalness of the system. A little foresight, because you have planned, can make a big difference in the long-term expense of maintaining and upgrading your church's sound systems. And Don't Forget... One important area that is often overlooked in sound system budgets is the need for an annual maintenance and supplies budget. It's simply not prudent to purchase a high quality wireless microphone system and not have any budget money for batteries. Or if a microphone cable is damaged, would you have the funds to repair or replace the cable? Without a good cable, that perfectly good microphone has become a "wireless" microphone that has no hope of working at all. What if a microphone is dropped and it dies? Accidents do happen. It's only realistic to build a maintenance and repair cushion into your budget. Our knowledgeable and experienced staff would like to assess your present equipment and help you develop a plan - a plan that provides the most value for the investment you make, both now and for the future. Let us hear from you. You'll never know what your options are until you ask! by Travis Ludwig © 1996 Internet Sound Institute (www.soundinstitute.com). These articles is for personal use only. Any commercial reproduction is not permitted without permission. To obtain permission, contact ISI at hopi@soundinstitute.com
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