Audio is one of the key elements that can spoil even the best event, if done incorrectly. For this reason, it is important to pay as much attention to the audio as to content or scenography. Unfortunately, sometimes clients decide to cut corners in this regard (in terms of money or time) and end up with angry visitors, a load of negative comments on the internet, and a damaged reputation. We talked about the subtleties of audio with a pro of this field – Kastytis Šliužas, Technical Project Manager at Seven Live.
What does the cost of an event audio depend on?
There are a lot of price components. The price is affected by the size of venue, duration and type of event, and, of course, requirements of performers or bands.
You have mentioned the size of venue as one of the components. Do these costs depend only on the size? Are there any other specific details of the venue that could have an effect?
Costs are mostly affected by the size. A bigger space usually means that there will be more people and more audio equipment will be needed to ensure high-quality sound. For example, the costs of event audio in Vilnius Siemens Arena, where I have to work most often, are more or less the same as in other venues of similar size, but this arena has another big advantage – it has everything that is necessary to get ready for an event quickly and conveniently. When you have a tight event schedule, it becomes extremely important. The faster everything is set up, the shorter the duration of renting the venue.
In the beginning of the season, Siemens Arena introduced a new space for event organisers, called Cozy by Siemens arena. Does it cost less to provide audio services in this space than in the entire arena?
Yes, the Cozy by Siemens arena space can be attended by up to 4,000 people, while the maximum capacity of the entire Siemens Arena is 12,500 spectators. The new space
comprises around 45% of the total area of Siemens Arena. Furthermore, in the Cozy space the audience sit directly in front of the stage, which means that the sound does not have to be additionally directed to the sides or higher levels of the arena. This significantly reduces the required amount of equipment and the audio costs. Based on my estimates, the Cozy space can be audio-equipped for a live concert for 2000 euros. Naturally, depending on the performer’s requirements, this amount can be higher. High-quality audio for a conference or a seminar in this space would cost even less – starting from 1500 euros.
Everyone always wants and tries to save money. Is it possible in providing audio services for an event?
Savings are possible by reducing the sound quality, which is not a good solution. For every event the most important factor is the happiness of the attendees, so you need to do everything to make them happy.
What are the typical audio mistakes made by Lithuanian event organisers?
Two mistakes are very common. Organisers still often fail to adequately take into account the space or try to save money by hiring inexperienced audio specialists for their events. The best way to avoid these errors is to hire those specialists that already have experience in specific venues. This ensures fewer problems for the organiser, and the attendees are much more likely to be happy.