Passive vs. Powered Speakers: What You Need To Know As A DJ

As a DJ, it is important to know the system you are playing on and respect its limitations. Clipping is the enemy. DJ equipment outputs a very “hot” audio signal, much more powerful than that of a microphone, but that does not mean they are immune to clipping. Try to keep levels out of the red, and when connecting mixers, etc. make sure the speaker/amplifier is ready for a “line level” signal, otherwise you risk breaking things.

Good signal path and gain structure is critical so take the extra time at soundcheck to ensure everything is right and not clipping. Speakers can only go so loud so be mindful! A quick way to optimize things is to set the DJ mixer’s channel gain knobs at 10 o’clock and the master output at roughly 75%, then attenuating the speaker or amplifier gains to the maximum volume level needed. This way the loudness can be controlled by the mixer’s master knob and adjustments at the speaker are un-needed.

The same loudness can be achieved by maxing out the amplifier gain knobs (and feeding a less powerful input signal) or by setting them modestly and feeding the amp a hot signal out of the mixer instead, the latter of which being the better method.

A properly set up system should need no adjustments throughout the show and also be silent (no hissing or white noise) when music is not being played. Try to be gentle when setting an active speaker’s gain knobs, so that some headroom is allowed (in case you get louder than you thought you initially planned). Lastly, be reasonable – if there is only one subwoofer at the bar or gig don’t boost your lows and expect Excisison levels of bass!

Whenever one is considering purchasing new loudspeakers, at the minimum they must contemplate how many people will be in their audience and the sound pressure levels (SPL) needed. For instance, a basic pair of powered 15-inch speakers (such as Mackie Thump15’s) can “cover” anywhere from 50 to 500 people, depending on how loud it needs to be for the folks in the back.

For EDM, be very conservative on the coverage ratings and when in doubt, bring more than what you need. It is generally better to have more speakers playing softly than the bare minimum wailing, especially with subwoofers. One subwoofer for every top speaker is a good starting place. Always listen to speakers before you buy them and never trust the advertised wattage rating. We recommend closely reading spec sheets to find the RMS (root-mean-square) or continuous wattage ratings to more evenly compare products.

Also, it is imperative to know that on passive speakers the power amplifier output must match or exceed the RMS rating of the speakers, otherwise the speakers are at higher risk of blowing. It is also important to note that some speakers, like newer JBL subwoofers, come in both active and passive versions so pay special attention.

In conclusion, a show’s sound system has little to do with the overall vibe one feels when in the crowd. A good sound system allows any artist to express themselves and connect with the audience, without the crowd worrying about acoustical nuances. Anyone who wants their music/style/brand to be heard should take pride in the sound and means of delivery, since good sound is an art form too. The easiest way to get the most out of what you have is to read the owner’s manual and set things up accordingly. Never cut corners and never forget that amazing speakers cannot make up for less-than-amazing music.