Live Sound Reinforcement

Over 100,000 copies sold across previous editions.

Thirty years after its first publication in 1996, Live Sound Reinforcement returns in a third edition updated for 2026. Scott Hunter Stark and Mike Lawson bring its practical approach to today’s stages, from analog signal paths to digital consoles, networked audio and performer-controlled monitor mixes. Bob Bralove’s original foreword remains part of this edition.

The equipment has changed. The physics of sound, the importance of a clear signal path and the need to listen carefully remain central to the work. This edition connects those foundations with the decisions engineers face at sound check and during a show.

Updated coverage includes:
• Analog and digital console operation, stageboxes, shared preamps, routing, buses, DCAs and scene recall.
• Tablet and phone control of monitor mixes, with attention to what happens when the control connection fails.
• In-ear monitoring, performer mix requirements, latency and hearing protection.
• Networked audio, digital clocking, gain structure, metering and system troubleshooting.
• Loudspeaker processing and alignment, modern amplifiers, and revised electrical-safety and grounding guidance.

Newly created diagrams and illustrations explain signal flow, connections, acoustics and system operation throughout the book. Seventeen chapters cover sound and hearing, audio measurement, microphones, equalization, consoles, signal processing, loudspeakers, power amplifiers, system planning, monitors and wiring. A linked subject index makes the ebook useful at the workbench, in the classroom and while planning a system.

For students, musicians, educators, technicians and working engineers, Live Sound Reinforcement offers a practical foundation for making speech intelligible, music clear and live systems dependable.

Third Edition • 2026
Scott Hunter Stark and Mike Lawson
Foreword by Bob Bralove
Published by artistproMedia