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Introduction
Let’s talk about the most overlooked aspect of PA system setup: how to set audio levels from your mixing console to your speakers. While countless tutorials cover PA basics, few address how to determine exactly how loud to run your system.
Getting these levels right is crucial—it’s the difference between muddy, feedback-prone sound and crystal-clear audio that perfectly serves your performance space. When I was starting out, I made the mistake of maxing out my speaker gain knobs while making adjustments only from the console to compensate. No one taught me there’s actually an optimal level setting.
Renowned audio engineer Robert Scovill introduced me to a method I now use consistently (video link at the bottom). Understanding this technique will dramatically improve your mixing precision, reduce distortion, and extend the life of your equipment—whether you’re running sound for a small venue, church, or touring band.
PA System Setup: Equipment and Testing
Luckily, there is very little equipment you need to know how to set your audio levels. We are not tuning the room, we are not optimizing the system for every seat in the auditorium. We are checking to make sure you are sending the optimal audio levels to your speakers. The things you need are:
- Sound decibel meter
- Being able to check the decibel levels will keep you in check of not getting too loud. You will want to aim for 85-90 dB’s A weighted when the whole band is playing. With a well balanced mix, this is plenty loud.
- Access to your speakers gain knobs
- Normally your speakers are hanging from the ceiling, so you will need a way to safely access the speakers to adjust the input gain.
- You may have a network connection to your speakers from a computer so you can access the gain remotely.
- Access to adjust the output level from your console to your speakers
- Most digital consoles have an output section that allows you to adjust the output gain from your console.
- Virtual Soundcheck (optional)
- Being able to have a virtual soundcheck would make this process easier, but it’s not necessary. Having a virtual soundcheck capability for a PA system setup simplifies your process and eliminates the need to have the whole band present during level setting.
1. How To set audio levels: Choose a playback
Now, let’s get into how to set your audio levels. There are two ways you can accomplish this; 1) Virtual Soundcheck, 2) Live Band. There are pros and cons to both, but I will talk about each of these methods specifically which will lead into the next steps of checking your audio levels.
A) How To set audio levels: Virtual Soundcheck
The easiest way to set audio levels for you system is by running a virtual soundcheck. There is more flexibility and you don’t need the whole band present to test your system. You are also not on a time crunch so you can actually dial in each instrument as you’d like. However, typically you are given a Trim option for gain levels instead of Gain. You may also feel tempted to stay on an instrument too long because it’s not “perfect”.
To setup a virtual soundcheck, you should have the following:
- Have a multitrack recording of your church’s band.
- This will give you a better understanding of how your instruments work with your system
- If you don’t have access to your church’s multitrack, then you could download free multitracks from Cambridge Music Technology or Multitracks.com. If you have an account with multitracks.com, then you should see the free song of the week. Try to get a version that sounds close to what your church plays and sounds like.
- You will now want to connect the computer that your multitracks are on to the console. Digital consoles will, typically, have a USB port on the back of the console so you can send and receive audio with your computer.
- Once you have connected your computer, Make sure the I/O settings in your DAW are set to the console and that your console is receiving audio from your computer.
- You can either reorganize the channel locations in the DAW to match your console’s layout or you can just send the output the channel in the DAW to the channel location on your console.
B) How To set audio levels: Live band
Testing the audio levels in your system is a little more difficult using a live band. You have to work with scheduling conflicts, and the band will want to be productive with their time so you have to adjust to what they are rehearsing. On the positive side, you will have your church’s band that you are mixing and testing. You also can set the gain levels to a close approximation of what they will be every Sunday.
All you need to do for a setup here, is make sure you have audio running through each channel.
After you have a way of running audio through your system, now let’s start learning how to set audio levels for our system.
2. How to Set audio levels: The Setup
1. Set Gain Levels For Console and Speakers
- If you have access to your speakers, move the gain level on your speakers to 0dB or the recommended settings by the manufacturer.
- Change the Output Level from your console to 0dB or the recommended settings by the manufacturer.
- These settings will basically start you from scratch. If it is inconvenient to get to your speakers, then leave the settings on your speakers for now.
2. Turn Off All Processing And Routing
- Turn off all processing on all of your channels and mix bus.
- You want to get a accurate representation of what your console and system are doing without the effects of processing that would your measurements. The typical process you would have on a kick drum for example would be Noise Gate, EQ, Compression, Make-up Gain, Parallel Compression, Bus Processing, etc.
- Cutting off all processing and routing will send your input channel from your input source directly to the Main output to your speakers
3. Turn All Faders Down
- Turn down all of the faders. Your input channel, DCA’s, Busses, Mains, and Matrices.
- We are going to be building a mix from zero. Having all faders off will allow us to build the mix one element at a time without being flooded by a ton of unprocessed noise.
3. How To set Audio Levels: with Kick and Vocals
- We will now be using our Kick drum and Lead Vocal to make sure our audio levels are optimal
- We are testing audio levels with Kick and Vocals because these are the two most foundational elements in your mix. The Kick needs to be impactful but not drowning out the Vocals and the Vocals need to be loud enough without hurting your audience.
- Have the band play or play your Multitrack (Just loop a big chorus section from your DAW).
- Adjust the gain levels for your Kick and Lead Vocal.
- If the console is dBFS, then Kick should peak at -6dB on your Digital Console.
- If the console is dBFS, then Vocal should peak at -10dB on your Digital Console.
- Make sure you sign up for my newsletter to receive my Free Gain Structure Guide and read my article on Proper Gain Structure. Gain is the the key foundation to your mix. If you get that right, then your entire mix will be better and you will be more consistent.
- Bring your Kick fader level to 0dB (aka Unity). All of the other faders are still down.
- Now turn your Mains fader up. Move as high as you can until the Kick becomes too loud.
- Mains fader position is below -5dB, then your system is too loud.
- Mains fader position is above +5dB, then your system is too quiet.
- Mains fader position is between -5dB and +5dB, then you have optimal audio levels being sent through your PA. Go to Step 5 for Console Adjustments.
- Mains fader is at 0dB, then go to Step 6 Test the Vocals.
4. How to set audio levels: Speaker adjustments
If your audio levels need adjustments then let’s start with the speakers. You start with the speakers because we are trying to have the best settings going to your speakers and making adjustments on the speakers to accommodate the settings from your console.
My personal recommendation would be to only adjust the speakers in the range of -10dB to +5dB relative to 0dB. Anything outside of that might not allow your speakers to function at it’s best. Another way you can measure your changes if the gain level knob on your speaker is between 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock.
Another thing to keep in mind is if you have multiple speakers in your array, then you may need to adjust each speaker that they are producing the same perceived volume. For instance, you will probably want the speaker that is facing the front few rows quieter than the speaker that is directed at the back of the room. That way the people in the front row or not complaining about the volume while the people in the back are enjoying the music.
After making the changes from the speakers, go back to Step 3 to test your system again
5. How to set audio levels: Console Adjustments
If your Mains fader was between -/+ 5dB, then we can make a slight adjustment to the output level of your console so your Kick and Mains faders can sit at 0dB. You will want to navigate to the Output section of your console settings and adjust the output level until your Kick is at comfortable and impactful volume.
The reason we are adjusting the console after adjusting the speakers is because your console is at it’s best when it’s sending line level signal to your speakers. I know “Line Level” is a controversial topic these days, but every piece of of equipment is configured for line level. You adjust the gain levels at the Preamp to bring your audio signal TOO line level. Despite what people say, audio still revolves around Line Level.
6. How to set audio levels: Vocal Adjustments
At this point we know that we are sending enough volume to the speakers that comfortably fills the room and your entire audio system is at its optimal output. Now let’s add the lead vocal in. If you can get the fader of the vocal to at least -10 dB, then you are in a good spot. We will be adding some processing that will help bring the vocals forward.
7. How to set audio levels: Add the band and processing
Now you will want to bring in the rest of the band and additional routing you normally use for your mixes. You will most likely need to make adjustments to the other instruments. So first, add your processing to the Kick and keep the fader at or close to 0dB. Then build your mix around the Kick. To make sure everything is balanced correctly, consider building your mix in this order;
- Build your mix of the instruments without Vocals
- After you got the balance right, mute the instruments
- Start mixing your Vocals to a comfortable level
- Add the instruments back in to be just below the Vocals
This process ends up being very quick and organized where the vocals are nice and full and you have the instruments to support the song.
Common Issues
Feedback
After you have made your changes, you may experience some feedback when a live band comes in to play. There could be a number of reasons why this happens, but you will want to check where the feedback is coming from, where is that input located on stage in relation to the loudspeakers, and how much gain you have on that channel.
Troubleshooting and eliminating feedback is a whole subject on it’s own. Leave me a comment below if you want me to cover how to eliminate feedback from your system.
Room Treatment
Room treatment is important, but not as important as the internet would have you believe. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t want a dead room. There needs to be some natural reverb and noise decay. However, it is more difficult to mix in a room with no sound absorption. If the low end tends to be out of control then maybe consider installing bass traps in the room. If you have issues with higher frequencies feeding back or just hurting your ears, then consider installing wall panels.
Conclusion
Knowing how to set audio levels is a foundational skill that will transform your live sound and how you mix. Let’s recap the key steps:
- Choose your playback method: Either set up a virtual soundcheck or work with a live band.
- Prepare your system:
- Set speaker and console gain levels to 0dB (or manufacturer recommendations)
- Turn off all processing and routing
- Turn all faders down
- Set levels with kick and vocals:
- Adjust input gain (kick at -6dB, vocals at -10dB peak)
- Bring kick fader to 0dB
- Adjust main faders until kick sounds appropriate
- Evaluate and adjust:
- If mains fader is below -5dB: system is too loud (adjust speakers down)
- If mains fader is above +5dB: system is too quiet (adjust speakers up)
- Ideal position: mains fader between -5dB and +5dB
- Fine-tune console output: Adjust output level so both kick and mains faders sit at 0dB.
- Add vocals: Bring in lead vocal, aiming for at least -10dB on the fader.
- Complete the mix: Add remaining instruments and processing, building around kick and vocals.
Following this method ensures your system operates at optimal levels, delivering clean sound with maximum headroom. Remember, the goal isn’t just making things loud—it’s creating the perfect balance where your equipment performs at its best and your mix sounds professional.
What audio level setting technique has worked best for you? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below.