Active speakers rental

What are active speakers?

Active speakers are loudspeakers with the amplifier already built in. Where a passive speaker needs a separate amplifier and the cabling that goes with it, you simply connect an active speaker to power and to a signal source. That makes them quick to set up and reliable in use, because there are fewer separate parts that can be connected incorrectly. For the vast majority of events they are therefore the logical choice.

The built-in amplifier is also matched to the loudspeaker itself. The manufacturer knows the characteristics of the driver and tunes the power and the protection to it, so the speaker performs at its best without any risk of overload. In practice this means a tight, clear sound that you set up with less equipment. HuurAV works with professional active speakers that deliver enough power for both speech and music, and that fit almost any location thanks to their compact size.

What do you use active speakers for?

The strength of active speakers lies in their versatility and speed. At a reception or drinks event you want background music and the occasional word from the host, and then a set on stands is exactly enough. There is no need to build up a heavy system, and yet you have a sound that fills the room neatly without dominating it.

Active speakers also prove their worth at a presentation or meeting. A speaker with a microphone comes across clearly, and when a video is shown its sound plays along without any problem. For smaller corporate events they are equally ideal, because you can switch quickly between a speech, some music and a video clip without needing a complete system. And at a party they deliver a surprising amount of power, especially if you add a subwoofer for the low end.

Quick to set up and move

A big advantage is that active speakers make you flexible. They are light enough to move quickly and only need a power socket nearby. If the layout of your hall changes at the last moment, a speaker is easily repositioned without having to lay all the cabling again. That agility makes them popular at locations where the programme can still shift.

The technology behind active speakers

Although an active speaker is easy to connect, a good result takes more than just plugging it into the socket. Placement largely determines how the sound comes across. Speakers too close to a wall or in a corner give a dull or boomy low end, while a good position on a stand spreads the sound nicely across the audience. We aim the speakers so the sound goes towards the listeners and does not disappear into the ceiling or the floor.

HuurAV also pays attention to the sources you connect. A single microphone can go straight into the speaker, but as soon as you want to combine several microphones with music, we place a small mixer in between. That balances all the sources and prevents one being too loud and another too soft. We also tune the volume and the tone to the room, because a reverberant hall calls for a different setting than a room with plenty of damping.

Combining with a subwoofer

For music with a bit more body we often add a subwoofer. The active top speakers then handle the speech and the mid and high frequencies, while the subwoofer picks up the low end. That combination gives a fuller reproduction without having to overload the top speakers. We tune the crossover point between the sub and the tops so the whole comes across as a natural-sounding system and not as separate parts.

Points to watch with active speakers

The biggest point to watch is the power supply. Because the amplifier is inside the speaker, each speaker needs its own power socket. At locations with limited power or outdoors that is something to arrange in advance. We map this out beforehand so there are no surprises during setup and the speakers are supplied with stable power.

A second point is intelligibility for speech. A set tuned for music does not automatically sound good for a speaker. We therefore tune the tone to what is happening, so a speech stays clear and music sounds pleasant. Feedback, that annoying whistle when the microphone picks up its own sound, we prevent by placing the speaker and microphone correctly and by carefully checking the settings during the test. You can read more about the wider approach on our page about sound.

Setup, testing and operation by HuurAV

At HuurAV you rarely rent active speakers on their own. We think along about how many speakers you need, where they are best placed and which sources are connected to them. On the day itself we set up well before the start, tuck the cabling away safely and test the complete chain, from every microphone to the music. We walk through the room to hear whether it is right everywhere and make adjustments where needed.

For simple setups you can operate the system yourself after the test; we then explain how everything works and make sure it is set up in advance. For a programme with several speakers or switches between speech and music we recommend a technician on location. In short, HuurAV handles the advice, the setup, the testing and the operation, while rental without support is possible through SpeakerVerhuur.nl. HuurAV is part of Speaker Verhuur Amsterdam. Request a no-obligation quote.