There's a heated ongoing debate in blues music circles about the use, and misuse, of PA equipment. The prime culprits are often performers who set up their own sound systems. Sometimes its a friend of the performers who likes to play at being sound engineering. Sadly it is all too often a professional sound engineers who one would think, should really should know better. 

There are two common complaints, the first being that many blues musicians use amplification when it isn't really required. They rig up a small cosy venue as if it was Carnegie or the Albert Hall – and even try to reach the equivalent volume level. However due to the small room size, half the audience is inevitably close to and level with the loudspeakers – and for them, too much volume is uncomfortable and physically damaging. 

Excessive loudness is also a disservice to good performers themselves. The natural defence mechanisms of the ear flatten and deaden the sound as volume goes above comfortable level. So all the fancy playing techniques and subtle vocal expressions are lost in the mush of ear-bending sound. recently heard a young band of US blues musicians in an acoustic rehearsal, and they were superb sensational playing on top-quality instruments and all the style and subtlety you could wish for. Then heard in performance over a PA system which was far too loud the sheer volume destroyed all the distinctiveness of their playing. Ears hurt, as one couldn’t actually hear what was going on within the solid wall of sound 

Furthermore it is not only unnecessary volume that offends, but the frequent and inappropriate over-use of other electronic facilities such as reverb, tone controls and special effects. 

Sure, a little reverb can do wonders for a voice in an acoustically dead venue, and a hint of subtle equalization can add warmth to an instrument. But for most blues music audiences, any more than a minimum of electronic correction is a distraction from what they want to hear. 

Electronic wizardry may be fine for contemporary art forms which happen to be based on blues traditions or styles. But for material which is presented as authentically traditional, using acoustic instruments and traditional singing styles, then their is only one legitimate purpose of a sound system. This is to enable the performance to be heard by people who in the circumstances would not otherwise be able to hear it at all. 

Purists often claim that the aim for traditional blues amplification should be sound reinforcement, not sound treatment. A professional sound engineer was heard to say that he considered the best PA system set-up, is achieved when nobody in the audience is aware of the amplification. Perhaps the audio amplification mixer should be an outstanding member of the performing band.