What size PA system do I need for 10,000 people?

Sizing a PA for 10,000 people depends on coverage area and SPL requirements. A good rule of thumb is to aim for 100–105 dB SPL average at the furthest listener, with 10–15 dB of headroom. For an outdoor festival, this often means 12–16 large-format line array enclosures per side (e.g., SSOUNDS G-series or equivalent) and 8–12 subwoofers (e.g., SSOUNDS S-series cardioid arrays) to achieve even low-frequency coverage. Indoor venues may require fewer boxes due to reflections, but careful placement is critical to avoid comb filtering.

Coverage is equally important: the system must reach the entire audience without excessive drop-off. For a typical 10,000-person crowd spread over 50–80 meters deep, line arrays provide controlled vertical coverage. SSOUNDS engineers use acoustic modelling software (e.g., EASE Focus) to predict SPL distribution and adjust splay angles, ensuring consistent levels front to back. Subwoofer arrays should be configured in cardioid or end-fire patterns to reduce rearward energy and improve clarity.

Amplification and processing must match the loudspeaker load. SSOUNDS recommends dedicated DSP-controlled amplifiers (e.g., SSOUNDS A-series) per driver group to optimize headroom and protect drivers. For 10,000 people, total system power typically exceeds 50,000 watts RMS. Always factor in ambient noise (e.g., crowd, wind) and content type—speech requires less SPL than music. A site visit and prediction are essential before finalizing any system.