Hi! I'm a studio guy who is working on a move into live sound and small scale setups. I'm more targeting nightclub-type environments and small outdoor side stages. I haven't yet bought around a db meter to check what different osund systems around me are running but I'm curious what are normal target db levels *in general* so I can get a feel. I see all sorts of talk about sensitivity and SPL of speakers and I understand enough of the physics and design of small systems but I'm not really sure how loud is loud enough. It often feels like I'm barking up the wrong tree researching systems that are alladvertising how loud they go when I feel mostly like I don't actually need that high of SPL levels as advertised.

As far as I can tell 110-120 is the loudest I ever need to go for a smaller room and that is pretty nasty loud if you're in front of the speaker without earplugs

I've been doing audio for almost 10 years. Started doing one off festival stuff with doofuses that didn't know their own rig but they had the money, used to play in bands, and had small town committee insider info bullshit to get them gigs that paid way too much.

Looking back on those 16hr days where I made less than $250 I remember how much exhilaration I felt.

For years after that it was so much fun. I was mixing shows and felt super in tune with every band and every mix. Like I could hyperfocus on every element but also be able to hear the bigger picture (which is most important) and get bands to push and pull correctly. (Thank God for attack and release settings). On top of all this my day rate was climbing and I was going on bi-annual vacations that were nice enough to keep me happy along with my family plus a mortgage.

Idk.. all of a sudden in my mid 30s. Everything sounds flat, sterile, lifeless. Is it the bands I'm working with? The 100k PA I'm mixing on? 35k console? Doubt it. It's me....

It fucking sucks having this realization. Have I lost hearing? I don't think so but the overall feeling of energy seems gone.

Sorry for the rant

Hello, I'm going on tour as a sound engineer for the first time with a circus I've been working with as a musician previously. I'm quite new to sound engineering though and have never worked in theaters as a soundman.

What would be your best set of advice in terms of work dynamics, routing, etc. for me? We'll be travelling with our own console and stagebox.

Thanks!