If you will use a sound system fewer than five or six times a year, hiring usually beats buying, especially if you need a technician, mics and transport.
What does owning a system really cost?
On top of the purchase price, you have to factor in transport, storage, maintenance, cables, mics and the time of whoever sets it up.
Transport is what people underestimate most: a system for 200 people won’t fit in a car. Then there is maintenance: failing cables, batteries, servicing. In associations and parents’ groups we often see systems bought with enthusiasm that end up in a storeroom because nobody knows how to set them up.
Hire or buy: which suits each case?
Quick answer: hiring makes sense for occasional use and important events; buying makes sense for weekly use in the same place.
For frequent use in one place, such as a dance school or rehearsal room, buying makes sense. For everything else, hiring gives you a system sized for each event and a technician to run it.
| Criterion | Hire | Buy |
|---|---|---|
| Use per year | Occasional (fewer than 5–6 times) | Frequent (weekly) |
| Technician included | Yes, with Alquiaudio | No |
| Transport and set-up | Included | Up to you |
| Maintenance | Ours | Yours |
| When to choose | Weddings, parties, ceremonies, events | Venues, schools, parishes with daily use |
What if I already have a system but it isn’t enough?
You can hire just what you are missing, such as a subwoofer, wireless mics or a technician for the big day.
It is very common with councils and associations that own a small system: for the town festival they hire the reinforcement. See the options on sound equipment hire or wireless microphone hire.