One of the most common questions I get from new hosts is: “What equipment do I actually need to start?”
The honest answer depends on your budget, the venues you’re targeting, and how serious you are about making this a real gig. Here’s how I break it down.
Three Tiers of Karaoke Setups
Tier 1: The Starter Kit ($300 to $600)
Good if you’re just testing the waters. Works fine for small venues, house parties, and casual bar gigs where volume and audio quality aren’t top priority.
What you need:
- An all-in-one Bluetooth karaoke machine
- A pair of wired microphones
- A phone or tablet for your song library
Good: Cheap, easy to carry, fast setup Not so good: Limited sound quality, won’t cut it in a bigger room
Tier 2: The Working Host Setup ($800 to $2,000)
This is where most working karaoke hosts end up, and for good reason. You get professional-level sound without needing a crew to set it up.
What you need:
- A laptop or dedicated karaoke computer
- Karaoke software (KaraFun, PCDJ Karaoki, or Karaoke Builder Studio)
- A powered speaker system (300W or more)
- A mixer with at least 4 channels
- 2 to 4 wireless microphones
- A TV, monitor, or projector for lyrics
Good: Pro sound, versatile, easy to scale up Not so good: More time to set up, higher upfront cost
Tier 3: Full Production ($2,500 and up)
For hosts running bigger rooms, corporate events, or venues where the audio needs to be serious.
What you need:
- High-powered PA speakers (1000W or more)
- Professional wireless mic system
- A dedicated karaoke server with a large song library
- Lighting rig
- Subwoofer
What I’d Tell a Beginner
Start with Tier 2. It gives you results that look and sound professional, and good gear at that price point will last you years if you take care of it.
I’ll be doing full reviews of specific equipment picks on the blog and YouTube channel. Stay tuned for those.
In the meantime, check out the Resources page for my current recommendations.