So here you go, you’re going to start planning for a new sound system. You’ve decided that your present equipment is too old and tired, or maybe you’re purchasing PA gear for the very first time. Who is going to set the budget? On what basis are they going to establish that budget? Are they going to pull a number out of the air that just "feels right?" Are they going to base it simply on what so and so’s church down the street spent?

None of those approaches are really fair to your church or to the sound company who has to try and deliver a great sounding system that will meet your needs far into the future, especially if the budget figure is too small to pull it off.

What should a sound system cost? The problem is that is an unanswerable question. The variables are too numerous to answer it. How large is your sanctuary? How high is the ceiling? How many seats are there, and how are they arranged? Does the room sound good from an acoustics standpoint? What style of worship music is performed? What musical instruments are used for that worship music? The list goes on and on. You need a capable designer to help you work through those details in order to arrive at the optimum solution and best choices for your available budget.

The unfortunate reality is that far too many churches simply have no basis for setting a budget for their sound system. Where many small churches pick a figure like $5,000 or $8,000 out of the air, the reality is that they should be setting aside more like $12,000 to $20,000 for a basic startup system, one that will serve the needs of a small music group and a congregation of say 300 or so, and that will still sound good ten years from now.

To bring a sense of order to this chaos, let’s put together a basic list of equipment. We’ll assume that the church is roughly 200 to 500 seats, that the sanctuary is reasonably well-behaved acoustically, and that the noise from air handlers and lighting equipment is not excessive. We’re going to assume that you want medium-priced, professional grade equipment, both for its sonic quality and for its durability. And we’re going to assume that you have the money approved and you are ready to pay cash for the purchases.

Here is a bare bones list of the equipment you will need to get started. Obviously there is a wide diversity of equipment and prices from which to choose. In an attempt to find a happy medium, I’ve offered up a range of prices for equipment suitable for this application. The prices shown are ballpark averages of the retail prices for that equipment. For example, for the console suggested (32 inputs, 4 subgroup outputs, a stereo/mono master output plus 4 auxiliary sends), the retail price falls anywhere from about $1,300 for a simple analog console to $20,000 for a capable digital console. Only you can decide what level of quality you can afford, what features you need versus what features would be great to have. (Not to mention the fact that money doesn’t always equal best quality or preferred options in this marketplace.)

Description	Comment	Retail Cost
Sound Mixing Console	32 channels	$1,300 to $20,000
Effects & Signal Processing	two devices	$1,000 to $4,000
Main Loudspeakers	four devices	$3,000 to $16,000
Subwoofers	two devices	$2,000 to $4,500
Floor Monitors	four devices	$1,500 to $5,500
Personal Monitor Mix System	four stations	$4,000 to $6,000
Loudspeaker Management (DSP)	4 inputs x 8 outputs	$1,500 to $4,500
Power Amplifiers	four devices	$5,500 to $10,000
Equipment Racks	two units	$2,800 to $4,000
Wireless Microphones	four systems	$4,000 to $12,000
Cabled Microphones	eight microphones	$1,500 to $4,000
Mic Stands	ten stands plus boom arms	$700 to $1,500
Cabling	for microphones, speakers, etc.	$1,500 to $3,000
Miscellaneous	hardware, connectors, supplies, etc.	$1,000 to $5,000
	TOTAL Basic Package (retail)	$31,300 to $100,000

Shocking, isn’t it!?! Include professional installation labor, and those costs can rise to as much as $40,000 to $120,000.

And remember that budget figure does not include the infrastructure to support those systems, nor does it account for construction techniques or materials related to the room acoustics. Conduit, technical power, and additional air conditioning requirements to keep the amplifier rack or lighting dimmer cool can add up quickly and often catch the uninitiated off guard. Also, remember that the theatrical lighting fixtures themselves will add to the heat load of the auditorium as well.

Of course there are always ways to push the price even higher. For example, the larger the auditorium the more valuable a Production Intercom system becomes. Expect to spend anywhere from $100 to $400 per intercom station plus the base station.

It is unlikely that you’ll have to pay full retail price (MSRP) for any audio gear. Manufacturers allow dealers room to work with in regards to discounts. Some dealers are willing to give deeper discounts than others. But please understand, you WANT your dealer to make a reasonable profit when they sell that sound system to you because you want them to still be in business years from now when you need to expand that system or have it repaired. You also WANT to be a good witness to the dealer in your community because you are in effect representing all houses of worship in your region by how you conduct your business with that dealer.

One thing you might want to consider is hiring an independent audio consultant to design your system, and then bid out his list of equipment to your local pro audio dealers. As long as the local company is trustworthy and competent, it can behoove you to use the services of your local dealer when it comes time to purchase the gear and have it installed. Life after the sale can be much happier if you do, particularly in regard to warranty repair service.

The reality that is some manufacturers stipulate that dealers may only provide warranty repair service (where the original manufacturer reimburses the dealer for the repair work and parts) on equipment physically purchased from that dealer. It’s part of the contract between the manufacturer and the dealer. If you buy the gear from another store across the state or across the country, it could be that their hands are tied. Most local dealers would do the repair for you – refusing billable repair work for the sake of a grudge isn’t exactly a smart business move – but you will have to pay them for the work. These days, repair work on audio gear will cost you anywhere from $35 to $65 per hour.

You needn’t spend a fortune to purchase a quality sound system. If you do your homework and use common sense, you’ll find yourselves with a sound system that will sound great, be simple to operate, and serve the needs of your church for many years to come.