PA System Sizing Calculator
Calculate PA wattage and speaker count for a venue size and event type.
Inputs
sq ft
Results
Total Wattage
1,000 W
≈ 17 laptops
Amp Power (w/ headroom)1,500 W
Main Speakers2
Subwoofers1
Stage Monitors2
Target SPL100 dB
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter Venue Area, Audience Size, and Outdoor (0=No, 1=Yes).
- Set Type (0=Speech, 1=BG, 2=Band, 3=DJ).
- Review the Total Wattage result.
- Use Amp Power (w/ headroom) (W) and Main Speakers to inform your decision.
How the result changes with Audience Size
| Audience Size | Total Wattage |
|---|---|
| 10,009 | 50,045 W |
| 35,007 | 175,035 W |
| 65,004 | 325,020 W |
| 90,001 | 450,005 W |
What each input means
- Venue Area
- Total area of the venue in square feet.
- Audience Size
- Expected number of people in the audience.
- Outdoor (0=No, 1=Yes)
- 0 for indoor venue, 1 for outdoor (requires more power).
- Type (0=Speech, 1=BG, 2=Band, 3=DJ)
- 0 = Speech/presentation, 1 = Background music, 2 = Live band, 3 = DJ/club.
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters4 parametersVenue Area = 5000, Audience Size = 200, Outdoor (0=No, 1=Yes) = 0, Type (0=Speech, 1=BG, 2=Band, 3=DJ) = 2 = 4 input(s) provided
- Calculate Total WattageTotal Wattage1000 = 1000
- Calculate Amp PowerAmp Power1500 = 1500
- Calculate Main SpeakersMain Speakers2 = 2
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