A few words of sound advice

If you're bringing a sound system to Nowhere, then we love you... and we want everyone to still love you by the end of the week!

Nowhere is a 24-hour experience on a smallish site. Not everyone will be sleeping or dancing when you are. There are also plenty of things at Nowhere that are best enjoyed without background dubstep. So  while we don’t want to tell you how loud you can be within your barrio, we do ask that you control how far your sound travels across Nowhere and that you pre-register with This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it so we can make sure you're in the best spot.

As a guideline, your volume shouldn't interfere with what is happening in the Middle of Nowhere or anything happening on the other side of the site. If people in the main camping areas can still hear you after putting in earplugs, your sound is travelling too far.

Some tips to reduce how far sound travels

All speakers should be raised off the ground

Sound travels through the ground very easily at Nowhere. You should put your speakers on top of something, ideally at least 50cm off the ground. Most speakers can be put on stands. Larger bass or sub speakers can be placed on scaffolding or a strong table.

Point speakers away from the site

Speakers should face away from the site and be angled so that sound doesn't echo from nearby hills.

Block the sound coming back onto the site

If you have a large van or truck, place it between your sound system and the site to block the noise. Try hanging heavy curtains behind your speakers – putting curtains around your party space makes it seem louder inside and quieter outside, so win–win!

If you have more than a 1k system, have a limiter

It doesn't matter how many times you ask them, DJs always end up mixing the next track just a little louder than the last and your volume creeps up over time. So, if you have a PA over 1k or you're running a bass speaker, have a limiter on your system. If you're using bass speakers, you may find it useful to have a separate limiter for these.

Use a graphic EQ

If you have a bass-heavy sound, you can use a graphic equaliser to control how far your bass travels, without reducing your overall volume. The more channels of EQ you have, the more you can tweak your bass to reduce distance, without compromising your overall sound. Some graphic EQs also feature a low cut filter, which enables you to completely cut out the very lowest frequencies, which you can't hear near the speakers but travel a long way across the site. The simplest and cheapest option we've found so far to provide a limiter, graphic EQ and low cut filter in one box is the Behringer DEQ1024. Let us know if you find something better.

Use a compressor/expander

You can set up a compressor to act as a soft limiter, so that you don't get the sharp volume limit of a standard limiter, and an expander to boost the quieter parts of your music, without increasing your overall volume.

Add a sonic exciter

Using a sonic exciter will make your system sound louder and more focused, without the need to add more power or volume. Devices such as the Aphex 204 or the BBE Sonic Maximizer range can often be found on eBay for around €100.

If all else fails, just turn it down a bit!

While we want you to enjoy your music at full volume, if it's still too loud on the other side of the site we may come and ask you to reduce your volume a bit.

If you have any questions, just drop us a line: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it