I’ve mixed sound in rooms where the PA was worth more than the building, and rooms where the PA should have been taken out the back and shot. After thirty-odd years, I can listen to two songs during soundcheck and tell you whether the system is up to the job.

Most venue owners aren’t audio engineers, and they shouldn’t have to be. But they need to know when their sound system has become a liability and how to spend money wisely on an upgrade.

Signs Your System Needs Replacing

Volume consistency complaints. If people at the front are getting blasted while those 20 metres back can barely hear vocals, you’ve got coverage problems — worn drivers, bad placement, or a system that was never designed for your room’s current layout.

Feedback that wasn’t there before. If your regular sound operators are fighting feedback that didn’t used to be an issue, components may be deteriorating. Frequency response shifts over time and makes feedback harder to control.

Repair bills stacking up. If you’re spending $2,000-3,000 a year on repairs for a system that cost $15,000, you’re throwing good money after bad.

You’ve outgrown your system. If you’ve gone from acoustic duos to full bands and the PA was sized for the former, it’s going to struggle. Underpowered systems driven hard sound terrible and break faster.

It’s more than 12-15 years old. A system from 2010 is almost certainly being outperformed by modern gear at a fraction of the weight and power draw.

What to Prioritise in an Upgrade

Not all upgrades need to be full replacements. Sometimes targeted spending gets you 80 percent of the improvement at 30 percent of the cost.

Speakers first, then amps, then processing. Speakers make the biggest audible difference. Modern powered speakers with built-in amplification and DSP mean you’re buying one integrated unit instead of separate components.

Don’t neglect monitoring. I’ve seen venues drop $40,000 on front-of-house and leave stage monitors untouched. If artists can’t hear themselves, they play worse. Budget 25-30 percent of your total spend on monitoring.

Room treatment matters more than you think. The best PA sounds ordinary in a room with terrible acoustics. Sometimes $5,000 in treatment panels and bass traps beats a $20,000 speaker upgrade.

Get the installation right. I’ve heard $50,000 systems sound worse than $20,000 systems because the installation was botched. Pay a qualified integrator. This is not the place to DIY.

Budget Ranges for 2026

Rough guides for Australian venues. Prices vary by brand and installation complexity.

Small room (100-200 cap): $8,000-$18,000 for powered speakers, a sub or two, four monitor wedges, and a small desk.

Mid-size room (200-500 cap): $20,000-$50,000 for a line array or point-source system with subs, stage monitoring, and a digital console. This is where most pubs and clubs sit.

Large room (500-1,500 cap): $50,000-$120,000 for a flown line array with distributed subs and professional-grade processing. Infrastructure that should serve you 10-15 years.

Add 15-25 percent for installation. Room treatment is separate but often essential.

The AI Angle That Actually Makes Sense

Here’s something I wouldn’t have written about three years ago: AI-powered audio management is starting to show up in smaller venue installations, and some of it is genuinely useful.

Modern speaker management systems use real-time room analysis to adjust EQ, delay, and output levels based on crowd density. A half-full room sounds different from a packed room — bodies absorb sound and shift the acoustic response. Systems that adapt in real time keep the sound consistent from doors-open to headliner. Some venues are also using AI-driven predictive maintenance to flag amplifier or driver issues before they cause a failure mid-show.

For venues exploring these kinds of integrated systems and not sure where to start, firms offering business AI solutions can help assess what makes sense for your specific room and budget. The technology is moving fast, and having someone who understands both the audio and the AI side can save you from expensive mistakes.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Buying on brand loyalty alone. Brands that were industry standard ten years ago may have been overtaken. Listen to multiple systems in comparable rooms before committing.

Oversizing or undersizing. An oversized system at 20 percent capacity sounds lifeless. An undersized system at 90 percent sounds strained and breaks. Size for your actual use cases, not your fantasy headliner scenario.

Ignoring power and rigging. A new PA might need more electrical capacity than your building provides. Flown systems need rated rigging points. Get a sparky and a structural engineer involved before you buy anything.

Skipping the acoustic assessment. If your room sounds bad because of parallel walls, low ceilings, or concrete, a new PA will just be a louder version of bad. Fix the room first.

My Honest Advice

If your current system works and your bands and audiences are happy, don’t upgrade just because something newer exists. But if you’re losing bookings because your sound reputation is suffering, or your repair costs are spiralling, or you’ve outgrown what your system can handle — then it’s time.

Good sound is the single most important thing a music venue provides. When it’s right, the room comes alive. When it’s wrong, nothing else matters.

Invest accordingly.