Festival sound in Austin starts at $1,000 for a crowd of up to about 1,000 people and $1,600 for up to about 2,000, with delivery within 15 minutes of downtown Austin, setup and breakdown included. Anything bigger, with more than one stage, over several days or with lighting, is quoted job by job. Prices are before Texas sales tax and any mileage.
Here is how the number is built and what moves it.
Standard packages that cover small festivals
| Package | Price | Gear | Built for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Let’s Rumble | $1,000 | 6 dual 18” horn-loaded subs, 4 Turbosound Floodlight tops | Up to about 1,000 people |
| Earthquake | $1,600 | 4 dual 21” subs, 6 dual 18” horn-loaded subs, 4 Turbosound Floodlight tops | Up to about 2,000 people, maximum low end |
Both recommend about 3 hours of setup. Each includes delivery within 15 minutes of downtown Austin, plus setup and breakdown. A standard event is 4 to 5 hours of music. Longer events are quoted.
What gets added
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Texas sales tax on the rental | 8.25% in Austin and most surrounding cities |
| Mileage beyond the included zone | $2 per mile, one way |
| Front-of-house sound engineer | $75 per hour, 4-hour minimum, plus a 1-hour soundcheck |
For example, a 6-hour festival day with an engineer is billed for 7 hours, which is the event length plus soundcheck. At $75 an hour that is $525. The engineer bills for at least 4 hours.
Premium dates
Some weekends are priced at double. For F1 weekend and SXSW week, the Let’s Rumble and Earthquake packages are the ones offered online, at $2,000 and $3,200. Read more in our guides to F1 weekend sound and SXSW week sound. For ACL weekends in 2026, standard rates apply.
What gets quoted instead
These are custom, so the answer is a conversation, not a price on a page:
- Festivals and multi-stage events
- Multi-day events
- Extended events beyond a standard 4 to 5 hour event
- Full production setups
- Lighting
- Long-term rental
A custom quote is based on crowd size and layout, the number of stages and acts, power, setup time, staffing and distance.
What actually moves the number
- Crowd depth. A long crowd needs more coverage. See how delay towers work.
- Number of acts. More acts need more staffing and planning.
- Site. Power, truck access and soft ground change the plan. See our power and load-in checklist.
- Date. Premium weekends cost more.
- Distance. Mileage is $2 per mile one way past the included zone.
How to get a quote
Send us the date, address, expected crowd, number of stages and acts, and set times. The more specific you are, the faster we can tell you what it needs. Start with our festival sound system rental page, or use the booking page for standard packages. The 50% deposit locks your date and is non-refundable. If the date changes, we will move your deposit to another open date. The balance is due on the day.
For the full pricing picture of standard jobs, see our sound system rental cost guide.
A festival quote is a plan. Not a price tag.
Quick
answers.
How much does it cost to rent a sound system for a festival in Austin?
Our standard packages are $1,000 for a crowd up to about 1,000 people and $1,600 for up to about 2,000, with delivery within 15 minutes of downtown Austin, setup and breakdown. Larger festivals are quoted.
What is not included in those prices?
Texas sales tax, mileage beyond the included delivery zone at $2 per mile one way, and a sound engineer at $75 an hour with a 4-hour minimum plus a 1-hour soundcheck.
Are there dates that cost more?
Yes. A few weekends carry a premium. F1 weekend and SXSW week are priced at double for the larger packages.
What do you quote instead of pricing online?
Festivals, multi-day events, extended events, full production, lighting and long-term rental.
What is the deposit?
50%, non-refundable, to lock your date. If you need to change the date, we will move your deposit to another open date. The balance is due on the day.
