Primary School Sports Day

[icechris]

Could anyone share what they use for sports day audio in a primary school? 

We have a two speaker 1000W PA system that we use but every year after the event I get complaints that it's not loud enough. We do have quite a large field though for one of our sites.

 

The main complaint is usually that the microphone for announcements isn't loud enough rather than the music. What do you do for announcements?

[ColonelPogs]

Are you plugging the mic straight into the PA,  or are you using a mixing desk?   If the music is loud enough,  but the vocals are too low it sounds like you need to gain up mic signal.  

 

If you post up a picture of the kit I can probably make some suggestions.  

[dhicks]

On 23/03/2026 at 09:01, icechris said:

The main complaint is usually that the microphone for announcements isn't loud enough rather than the music. What do you do for announcements?

 

We generally use the athletics track / stadium at Battersea Park. It has a somewhat rickety PA system itself, but we've often taken along our own speakers. The main problem we've found is with the range of the wireless mics our staff want to use - they expect a wireless mic to work wherever they happen to be stood in the stadium.

 

If you're using a wired mic plugged in to a mixer, a classic SM-58 or similar, you can get an in-line pre-amp that will take power from the phantom power (possibly) provided by your mixer (£55, cheaper options might be available):

 

https://www.gear4music.com/Recording-and-Computers/TritonAudio-FetHead-In-Line-Preamp/3R9H

 

Check your mixer (if you're using one) provides phantom power - if not, or you're not using one, a small one might make a good purchase. We have one of these (£45) in our main hall:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/VONYX-VMM100-Interface-Bluetooth-Receiver/dp/B0BLD332WM/ref=sr_1_5

[ColonelPogs]

7 minutes ago, dhicks said:

 

Check your mixer (if you're using one) provides phantom power - if not, or you're not using one, a small one might make a good purchase. We have one of these (£45) in our main hall:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/VONYX-VMM100-Interface-Bluetooth-Receiver/dp/B0BLD332WM/ref=sr_1_5

 

Most mixers should have mic preamps built in,  it's more a case of using the correct input and making the correct adjustments.

 

Even something like this should do the job without extra preamps.

 

https://www.thomann.co.uk/behringer_xenyx_802s.htm  this has up to 60db should should be plenty gain for something like a SM58,  or for announcements even a cheapy dynamic mic will do.  Make sure who ever is doing the commentary understands they have to talk into the mic,  not whisper vaguely in it's direction.  

[icechris]

I believe the speakers are these ones - https://electromarket.co.uk/vonyx-vps152a-15-inch-active-pa-dj-speakers-with-bluetooth-stands-bags?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19752220993&gbraid=0AAAAAD8khilup3-r5BemaLZscSbilAwxI&gclid=Cj0KCQjwj47OBhCmARIsAF5wUEF1WN7Q3cxEO8P-DAFRnLkEVNKnoy3ySpzr68E9QT9Jx-kSK-32_JoaAvgLEALw_wcB

 

The microphone is a wired microphone, although not the one that came with the speakers. We don't have any extra mixers for it though so maybe that might be the solution. 

[ColonelPogs]

Erm,  I'll be honest, when I see Vonyx kit my heart sinks!!  

 

I've had a look through the manual,  and there isn't really much technical information.  Adding an additional may help the situation,  but on the other hand it may not.  The inputs are intended for mics,   so it should be fine without.  But it doesn't actually state how much gain it's added to the signal.  

 

I would advise hiring a mixer (or even better borrowing one) and trying before you commit to buying anything.  The other thing that may be worth trying is borrowing a radio mic,  these basically output at a higher level.  If you're buying a radio mic,  avoid anything that uses the 2.4ghz frequency. It's the same band as wifi and bluetooth,  and they have a habit of working great in rehearsal and then falling over when an audience (and all their devices) turn up.

 

Another thing is which input are you using,  if you're using the jack (Mc2) and the output on the mic is an XLR then you may have more luck getting an XLR to XLR cable.   

 

If you give us an idea where in the country you are,  someone may be able to recommend a PA hire who can supply some kit to test with.

[SamanthaD]

A lot of issues can be solved with placement.

 

Are your speakers placed effectively? Pointing at the crowd? Distance between the speaker and the audience? If the music is loud enough then maybe this is ok, but might be worth considering if that can be improved. Height is also worth thinking about - get the sound over peoples heads so it's not absorbed by the first row of bodies.

 

Also - microphone placement. Using mics outdoors is not the same as indoors and getting the most level into the mic at the start of the signal chain is essential. Indoors PA's tend to be more reinforcement systems that do very little - outdoors they need to take the brunt of the work. Tell the speakers to get the mic onto their chins, speak loudly, slowly, clearly. Standing 3 foot away is not going to work. Adjust the mic stand for every user. Push them into the mic if you need to. We used to use the acronym CLAP in the forces - Clear, Loud, As an order, With Pauses. Transfers pretty well here too.

 

For a comparison - we use a LD Systems Roadbuddy - 120w at 115dB - for our exams PA. One speaker on a tall stand fills a sports hall, just a little coaching and thought can produce excellent results.

 

Hopefully that gives you some no cost ideas to think about!

[ColonelPogs]

Another thing to bare in mind with placement is the higher frequencies are more directional.  So you will get a lot of the bass and low mids coming out in all directions, but the higher frenquencies where a lot of the detail in the vocal is sensitive to direction.  That's why most speakers have the hight freqency drivers at the top.    As @SamanthaDhas advised getting the speakers high and tilted slightly down is best.  

 

But if you're able to get music loud enough,  but not vocals from the mic I think the issues might be further down the signal chain.  

[icechris]

We are North Hampshire based.

At one sports day we have the speakers centrally located but at the other location we are restricted to being on the hill above the field due to distance from the building for power so I imagine some of the problem there is the sound will be travelling over the heads of the crowd.