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This article on portable P.A.s was written originally for the blog at Carvin Amps and Audio. It was focused on COVID limitations but it’s still super relevant for outdoor events, which are always cool! I repost it here with some updates, and encourage you to check out Carvin’s amazing line of products! Also – notification: I sometimes use affiliate links. Some purchases may earn me a commission! 🙂

The COVID-19 pandemic lasted a lot longer than anyone hoped, and one area hit hard was the live event industry. Whether you’re a gigging musician, public speaker, or a church, you no doubt had to adjust and change your way of doing things for a while – and for some of us, some changes were permanent.

So, outdoor events have become more important – likely that will be a semi-permanent change – and so what? Outdoor concerts are awesome!

But with outdoor events, you can’t often rely on house P.A. systems, so you may want to take a look at some portable options that can deliver great sound outside (and help keep your stage organized).

Luckily, that’s exactly what my friend at Carvin Audio specialize in, so I thought now would be a good time to introduce you to a few of their portable systems.

Carvin Audio’s TRX Series

Carvin’s top line systems are our TRX series. The TRC600A is an 8000 watt system which projects up to 400 feet. This is a fully equipped system, including two pair of TRX3900 column array loud speakers and four TRx3118A 200 watt powered subwoofers.

With DSP processing, incredible power and clarity, and a super lightweight design, the TRC600A provides enough power and portability for any event, any time. Rock bands, DJ shows, big outdoor church services: you name it.

Who should consider the TRC600A and TRX series systems

Churches, music venues, bands – anyone who’s got a big audience and needs to move things outdoors would do well with the TRC600A. If you feel like you don’t need quite that much, you might look to the TRC400A or even the 2000 watt TRC200A.

These systems offer the same transparent audio, small footprint, power, and built in DSP, with fewer components, for those “pretty big” outdoor events that don’t call for as many speakers and subs, but still need a robust solution.

An even simpler solution

Even if you’re not putting on big events, you still may find yourself outside, looking for a portable sound solution. Carvin’s Audio’s QX15A is an active P.A. loudspeaker suitable for use as a main or a monitor. With 1000 watts of bi-amped power, these can deliver plenty of crystal-clear sound for a wide variety of events and outdoor spaces. Since they’re powered, you don’t have to have a separate amp, and since they come with a built in 3-channel mixer with Bluetooth connectivity you may not even need a separate mixer.

The QX15A’s work perfectly as stage monitors too, so you can expand and contract your set up as needed. Using the Bluetooth feature, you can link cabinets together for a true stereo, wireless solution, or even link up the SCx18a subwoofer for a complete, fully wireless sound system with real oomph.

For an even more affordable solution, the QX15A’s little brother, the SCX12A main/monitor, provides just as much wattage in a smaller footprint, giving you the flexibility to travel and perform on even the smallest outdoor stage. The SCX12A packs a punch in a small package, includes a 2-channel mixer, and utilizes a DSP limiter to protect the driver and horns from peaks during a performance.

These active loudspeakers even have fly points, so they can be included in a multitude of setups.

Stay Safe, Make Noise

We’ve all had to make adjustments, and some may be permanent – but even without that, who doesn’t love outdoor concerts?? So, if you’re looking for a way to keep rocking, keep inspiring, and keep making noise – outside – Carvin’s portable P.A. systems are a great solution! 🙂

If you have questions or want to talk, just hit me up on Facebook @AaronJTrumm or Instagram

This article on protecting your hearing was written originally for the blog at Carvin Amps and Audio. I repost it here, and encourage you to check out Carvin’s amazing line of products! Also – notification: I sometimes use affiliate links. Some purchases may earn me a commission! 🙂

We talked recently about protecting your hearing on stage, which is vitally important if you want to continue performing for any length of time. What’s not talked about as often is protecting your hearing as a studio musician, engineer, mixer, or producer.

It probably won’t come as a shock to find out that recording studios can be just as loud as stages, and the same risks are inherent in working in a studio.

Not only are live drums common, so are all the other rock-n-roll basics – loud guitar cabinets, booming bass amps, and screaming keyboards. In addition, monitor speakers are often cranked up, headphones are blasted, and sessions can go for hours and hours, which can build up a cumulative listening fatigue.

So, it’s just as important to take care of your hearing in the studio as out on the stage. Here are a few ways you can do just that.

In The Studio

• Limit headphone volume (and time) – Common wisdom is that you shouldn’t do much mixing in headphones anyway (although there’s debate around that in modern recording), but you should also try to keep volume and exposure time reasonable during tracking, editing, and mastering sessions.
• Mix at low levels – Another common bit of wisdom which is not debated is mixing should be done at comfortable volumes. Generally, try to mix at a low enough volume that you could have a conversation while playing back the track. This will help protect your hearing and have the added benefit of making your mixes stronger.
• Get away from the sound – It may seem obvious but increasing the distance between you and a sound source – say a big loudspeaker or a drum kit – is a good idea whenever possible. While you’re at it, moving yourself off the main axis of a source (by moving to the side) will also help lessen the impact of loud sources.
• Take breaks – Just as on stage, make sure sessions include break time, and try to find a quiet spot for some down time. Don’t listen to other tunes or really anything, if you can help it.
• Get an SPL meter – A sound pressure level meter is a crucial tool for the studio, not only when you want to calibrate speakers, but also so you can make sure you’re staying within healthy level listening levels. Many engineers place an SPL meter on the desk so that clients can see when the levels are too high, which may discourage them from constantly asking for more volume.

Out Of the Studio

Especially if you’re a studio professional, you’ll want to protect your hearing when you’re not in the studio too. Here are a few good habits to keep.

• Carry ear plugs – You could find yourself at a concert, in a noisy bar, or next to a jackhammer almost any time. Carry a set of ear plugs with you at all times and use them liberally.
• Stay aware of your aural surroundings – Being alert and aware of noise levels in the environment around you is crucial if your ears are your living. Trains, traffic, yelling, ball games – you’ll want to understand the effect various environments could have on your ears.
• Turn off the car radio – After a long day of work, most of us may want to jam on the way home. If you’ve been using your ears all day, though, consider turning the car radio off on the way home.
• Quiet time at home – Make sure you have time (and space) at home to rest your ears. As an audio professional, you may spend more time without the TV or stereo on than other people. Doing so will help you in the long run.
• Get checked – As a professional listener, you’ll want to get a regular hearing check up to keep tabs on your hearing health. Doing so may just help you head off permanent damage and will certainly keep you on track.

If you take your hearing health seriously, you should be able to make records for your whole life without issue.

If you have questions or want to talk, just hit me up on Facebook @AaronJTrumm or Instagram

This article on protecting your hearing was written originally for the blog at Carvin Amps and Audio. I repost it here, and encourage you to check out Carvin’s amazing line of products! Also – notification: I sometimes use affiliate links. Some purchases may earn me a commission! 🙂

If you’re like most rock-n-rollers, you like it loud. And who doesn’t? But if you’re serious about making music for a long time, you’ll want to protect your ears from long term damage. Contrary to popular belief, your ears don’t “get used” to being exposed to super loud music over time. Instead, they get damaged, and eventually, that damage can become permanent, leaving you at a disadvantage on stage or in the studio.

To drive it home a little bit more, consider the following numbers. Hearing damage can start to occur with long exposure (over about two hours) at as little as 80-85db, which is about the level of a noisy restaurant, heavy traffic, or a leaf blower.

A rock concert typically gets to 95, 100, even 115 db from the audience’s perspective, and it could be quite a bit louder on stage. At this level, hearing damage can start within a few minutes.

So, here are a few ways you can protect yourself on stage.

• Control stage volume – You don’t have to crank it to 11 on stage to give the audience a powerful show. Give some thought to controlling your volume on stage, which will help you sound better as well.
• Try in-ear monitors – An in-ear monitoring system like Carvin Audio’s EM900, the Shure P3TRA215CL Wireless System, or almost any other good system can not only clear up your stage sound dramatically, it can save your hearing too, by allowing you to dial in the sound you need without having to blast the monitor wedge. In-ear monitors can also simultaneously act as earplugs to protect you from loud sources like the drums. Just remember not to crank them up too loud, or you’re defeating the purpose!
• Use ear plugs – If you can’t use in-ear monitors, a well-tuned set of ear plugs can work wonders for you on stage. Try a set of plugs specifically designed for musicians, as these type of plugs attenuate sound more evenly across the frequency spectrum than standard foam plugs. This will allow you to keep a clear picture of your sound – only quieter. Even if you have to use a set of foam plugs or a rolled up wet tissue, get used to how you sound with them and use them.
• Take breaks – The longer you expose yourself, the more damage you may do. If you can give yourself some breaks throughout the night and over time – say by scheduling recovery days in-between gigs, you’ll do yourself a big favor.
• Protect yourself off the stage too – If you’re a musician, you’re probably a music fan too. Remember that a set of cranked up headphones can do as much damage as a big amp, and so can a concert or even a movie. If you’re serious about your hearing, you should carry a pair of earplugs with you at all times, and keep volumes reasonable at home.
• Exercise – Believe it or not, hearing is one of the many things that may be helped by regular exercise. Specifically, cardio exercise is thought to help ear health in a number of ways. Just beware of one thing: you can’t exercise your way out of actual damage. Once you cause permanent hearing loss with too much exposure, you can’t get it back. So, protect yourself early and often.
• Get checked – Especially if you’re a professional musician, you should keep tabs on your hearing with a regular hearing test. This will help you gauge how your hearing is doing, which will help keep you on track.
• Early warning signs – Watch for early warning signs that could indicate the beginning of hearing damage, including tinnitus (that hollow ringing you get after every show), having a hard time discerning speech in busy places, favorite songs sounding a little off, or hypersensitivity to certain frequencies. These are signs you may be causing damage, and a good indicator to get your hearing checked and change up your stage habits.

And of course – keep your head away from the snare and out of your guitar cabinet!

If you’re smart and consistent about protecting your hearing, you should be able to keep your ears healthy for a long time and keep rocking long after some people have called it quits.

If you have questions or want to talk, just hit me up on Facebook @AaronJTrumm or Instagram