How Many Speakers Does a DJ Need?

Similar to getting the ideal pillow for a restful night's sleep, selecting the ideal number of speakers for DJing is a matter of personal preference.

The ideal speaker configuration is determined by your individual requirements and acoustic goals.

In other words, the number of speakers you need as a DJ will depend on the available area, the volume (loudness) you require, and the intended purpose of the speakers. Small parties, mobile DJs, and bedroom DJs just need one speaker; bigger gatherings require two or more.

Since sound is three-dimensional by nature, it is impacted by practically everything it encounters. Music sounds so good because of this. Continue reading to see how many speakers will enough for you.

Can a DJ use just one speaker? (Bedroom DJs, intimate gatherings)

There will be differences of opinion on this, but the majority of us prefer one excellent speaker over two subpar ones. One speaker can easily handle a small house concert for up to 50 attendees.

Simply make sure the speaker has stereo inputs before you buy it, as some PA speakers only have a single XLR input and won't accept a stereo signal.

A tiny (8-12′′) PA speaker with stereo connections is particularly useful for everyday situations where a full PA setup is not necessary, such as outside jobs, pool parties, etc.

You can DJ using just one speaker, yes. One speaker set to mono is sufficient for residential use. A single high-quality speaker is far preferable to a pair of inferior speakers. Nobody wants to hear awful music in stereo.

Consider it to be a sizable Bluetooth speaker. You only need to bring a phone and one speaker to create a sound system. Monitors for DJs are also suitable.

For the majority of speakers, you won't need to purchase a splitter; you can simply stream mono from your program or put both RCAs into the same speaker. At house parties, I usually bring mono. No one hears just one side because it takes away the sweet spot.

Instead of purchasing two average speakers that I would eventually need to replace if I were just starting out as a DJ, I would first purchase one nice speaker and then add another.

The ElectroVoice ZLX is a speaker that I wholeheartedly suggest if you're looking for one. They offer a better value in my opinion than the frequently suggested QSC K10. The QSC is slightly superior, but I believe the EV ZLX offers the most value for the money.

So if I were on a tighter budget and searching for a better but less expensive choice, I'd choose ZLX over the K10. A 12′′ ZLX costs roughly $150 less than a 10′′ K10 on average.

Wedding and mobile DJs

Some DJs employ a very simple system with just one speaker to save the amount of time needed for setup and takedown.

Some people think this DJ is bad because you need two speakers to achieve stereo sound because they don't aware that most wedding DJs utilize the mono setting. that is FALSE.

Any stereo effect is distorted because the audience is not evenly spaced between the two speakers. The unfavorable effect is amplified the further off-center an audience member is. The usage of two speakers is not only unnecessary, but it can also cause significant issues if they are not up to par.

We must sit at roughly a similar distance from each loudspeaker in our home audio system in order to achieve the stereo effect because we have a fixed listening position.

According to a standard DJ setup, only a very small portion of the crowd genuinely experiences a "stereo" effect, while the remainder does not hear the channel farther away from them.

Consider yourself to be in front of the left loudspeaker. Your ears detect this as "off" because the sound from the closer speaker wraps up the sound coming from the right loudspeaker, which is typically 6–10 dB lower in level than the left (which is closest to you).

More speakers interest the ignorant populace more. If you want to establish a mobile DJ service, you can get away with using just one speaker if your customers don't object (because they don't know any better).

The majority of digital mixers, controllers, and DJ software offer a Mono option. Just be careful to activate that.

While not quite as beautiful as the K10/DXR10, I would also suggest the QSC CP12 (loudest entry-level speaker), which should be $200 less expensive than the K10. It's plenty loud for most purposes and can be used professionally if you get a subwoofer.

When Are Two Speakers Necessary for a DJ?

When there are more than 50–60 people present, two speakers can significantly increase impact. Using two in stereo mode not only makes the place bump far harder, but it also enhances sound quality in larger "venues," which is something I learned when DJing college parties, house parties, and small events on campus.

You'll need two speakers for any sort of large gathering (more than 70 people) to balance out coverage and any amplifications in sound due to the sub-bass frequencies' omnidirectional nature, which makes it impossible for the audience to discern which direction the sound is originating from.

One subwoofer can only play one channel, and stereo pairing is difficult if you have more than one. In the case of horn-loaded subs, coupling results in a more noticeable bass extension and increases SPL.

The majority of single speakers include several small speakers packed in the same enclosure along with a lot of digital signal processing, yet the sound is mostly coming from one location.

It is impressive how much sound a single speaker housing can create with respectable quality. However, actual "stereo" sound from two different speakers is still preferred by most people since the image and soundstage are far better.

When you attend a festival, the PA speakers are dispersed throughout the space, so the sound does not emanate from a single location. not to think about the sound's reflections off the floor, the roof, or the venue's rear wall.

The fact that sound is coming at you from all sides is what makes live performances so powerful and exhilarating. Furthermore, because to the strength of your hearing, which hears several various directions, even a small change in your head position can change how the sound is perceived.

There aren't any DJ decks on the market that don't have stereo outputs.

After all, songs created by music producers in the studio need to be mixed and mastered before being included to our music library. Industry experts that specialize in mixing and mastering are in charge of fine-tuning the EQ, timbre, loudness, and panning of each note we hear.

And while doing all of that, you are seated in front of TWO speakers.

Do Speakers Even Need to Be Used for Home DJing?

DJing without speakers is possible. When you are recording a set or listening back to one for errors you might not hear in your headphones, it is useful to have a continual reference to your master.

DJing is also doable with just a pair of headphones. I bought a pair of studio monitors for the reasons mentioned above even though I often mix in headphones.

Recommendation: How to DJ using only headphones (article)

Since you can beat match by ear if you're a complete beginner, you should probably purchase some monitors. To connect your speakers to the controller, purchase an RCA wire as well. If you decide to start producing, buying a good pair will also be helpful.

These speakers were purchased by my nephew, and they perform flawlessly. Although inexpensive, they are nonetheless of very excellent quality: Black Pioneer DJ Studio Monitor with RCA and Mini-Jack (DM40)