Audio and visual equipment is the gear that helps people hear and see content in shared spaces. From microphones and speakers to projectors, video wall panels, and lighting, this equipment turns a bare room into a place where people can present, teach, perform, or meet.

What Do We Mean by “Audio and Visual Equipment”?

When people say audio visual equipment or audiovisual equipment, they’re talking about hardware that:

1. Captures sound and images
2. Processes and mixes signals
3. Sends those signals to speakers and screens
4. Helps you control the entire system

In short, audio visual (often shortened to AV equipment) is any combination of gear that delivers a clear audio signal and a clear video or visual image to an audience.

Typical systems include:

• Microphones, mixers, amplifiers, speakers
• Cameras, switchers, playback devices
• Projectors, LED panels, displays
• Lighting fixtures and lighting control
• Mounts, truss, staging, cases, and cabling
• A control system to tie it all together

You’ll see these systems in:

• Schools and campuses
• Corporate offices and boardrooms
• Houses of worship
• Concert & performance venues and studios
• Hotels, casinos, and event centers
• Sports facilities, arenas, and stadiums

The exact mix of gear changes based on the room, audience size, and visual needs of the space.

Where You’ll See AV Equipment in the Real World

Live Events, Venues, and Production

For live events, the equipment list grows. You might see:

• Large speaker arrays and subwoofers
• Moving-head lighting fixtures and stage washes
• A video wall behind the stage
• Cameras feeding to side screens
• Stage monitors and intercom systems

Over time, these systems change. Venues upgrade consoles, studios move to new camera formats, schools replace projectors with flat panels, and production companies retire older rigs. That equipment often ends up sitting in a back room or warehouse. Instead of letting it collect dust, companies can sell or trade those pieces to a reseller like AVGear and turn idle gear back into budget for new projects.

Music & Recording Studios

Professional studios depend on tightly integrated audio systems that support tracking, overdubbing, editing, and mixing. A typical studio environment includes:

• Studio microphones and vocal chains
• Audio interfaces and digital mixing consoles
• Studio monitors and headphone systems
• Recording software, control surfaces, and outboard gear

These systems help engineers capture clean audio, manage multiple inputs, and deliver mixes that translate across different listening environments. When rooms share similar layouts and hardware, artists and engineers can move between spaces without slowing down their workflow.

High-End Theaters

Premium theaters rely on AV technology to create an immersive viewing experience. Typical components include:

• High-lumen projectors or laser projection systems
• Surround-sound or object-based audio systems
• Large-format screens or LED cinema displays
• Automated lighting and environmental controls

System design often incorporates acoustical modeling, networked audio transport, and redundancy to prevent failures mid-show.

Education: Classrooms and Campus Spaces

Modern campuses rely heavily on AV gear. Classroom technology can include ceiling-mounted projector units, wall-mounted visual displays, ceiling speakers, and simple touch panels for control. In many schools, the AV department works behind the scenes to keep rooms ready for faculty and students.

Examples of classroom setups:

• A small classroom with a projector, pull-down screen, and a pair of speakers
• A lecture hall with multiple displays, microphones, cameras, and lecture capture
• A campus-wide system that routes content to many rooms at set hours of the day

Many institutions also provide technical classroom support so instructors can get help if something goes wrong during a presentation. If they need additional information about a room’s capabilities, they often contact an on-site technician.

Types of Audio and Visual Equipment

1. Audio & Sound

Audio systems carry sound from source to audience. Common gear includes:

• Microphones: Wired and wireless mics for vocals, instruments, lectures, and panels
• Mixers: Hardware or digital mixing consoles to balance levels and apply processing
• Amplifiers: Power amps that drive speakers
• Speakers: Main PA speakers, studio monitors, and stage wedges
• Processors: EQ, compression, feedback suppression, and more

These tools appear in classrooms, boardrooms, and venues. In many setups, the audio side needs more planning than the visual side, because people immediately notice when sound is hard to hear.

2. Photo & Video

On the visual side, video systems capture, process, and display images. Gear in this category includes:

• Cameras and camcorders
• Lenses and camera rigs
• Video switchers and routers
• Recording and playback devices

In smaller rooms, there might only be a single camera for meetings. In larger spaces, there can be multiple cameras feeding a switcher, with outputs going to streaming platforms and large displays.

3. Projection, LED Walls, and Displays

Projectors and light-up walls are the gear that the audience looks at:

• Projectors (short-throw, long-throw, laser, etc.)
• Projection screens and mounts
• Flat-panel displays and large-format monitors
• LED tiles that build into a video wall
• Digital signage displays in lobbies and hallways

These devices supply the main visual elements of a system. They present slides, live camera feeds, branding, and other visual solutions for the room.

4. Lighting & Effects

Lighting helps people see the presenter, the stage, and the environment itself. It also creates mood.

Common lighting gear:

• PAR cans and wash fixtures
• Moving-head spot and beam fixtures
• House lights and stage lights
• Dimmers and lighting control consoles
• Special effect lights and atmospheric effects

In many spaces, lighting and AV go hand-in-hand. A simple meeting room might need just basic overhead fixtures, while a performance stage needs a full rig.

5. Truss, Rigging, and Staging

Large-scale AV setups don’t just rely on sound and visuals. They also need the physical structure that holds everything in place. This can include:

• Truss segments and corners
• Rigging hardware, motors, and hoists
• Stage decks, platforms, and stairs
• Barricades and cable ramps

This equipment makes it possible to hang speakers, mount lights, and build safe layouts for shows and events.

6. Cases, Cables, Power, and Accessories

AV systems rely on a lot of supporting gear:

• Road cases, rack cases, and utility trunks
• Cabling: XLR, TRS, Speakon, HDMI, SDI, network cables, and snakes
• Power conditioners, distribution units, and power cords
• Stands, mounts, clamps, and adapters
• Test tools, DI boxes, and small accessories

These items keep your system protected, connected, and ready for travel.

7. Expendables and Computers

Expendables include the items that wear out or get used up:

• Lamps (for older projectors and fixtures)
• Gaff tape and tie wraps
• Fluids for hazers and fog machines
• Batteries and small parts

Computers are also part of modern AV: presentation laptops, media servers, control processors, and playback machines all support different systems.

How AV Systems Work Together

A single AV setup is more than just gear on shelves. It’s a connected system.

A simple example:

1. A presenter speaks into a microphone.
2. The signal travels to a mixer.
3. The mixer sends the audio to an amplifier.
4. The amplifier powers speakers in the room.
5. At the same time, a laptop sends video to a projector.
6. The projector displays slides on a screen.

A more advanced system might tie audio, displays, lights, and recording into a central control system driven by av technology. Users interact with a touch panel, and everything responds.

Because these setups can be complex, many organizations invest in AV support services. Technology teams provide audio visual department staff, on-call technician help, and long-term installation projects for new spaces. When users need visual support or AV technical support, they submit tickets that go to a dedicated group.

In larger venues, visual equipment, sound systems, and lighting rigs all work together for live events, so event support and visual services stay close to the action.

Selling Used AV Equipment 

Almost every organization with AV systems has a “gear graveyard” somewhere - a closet, cage, or warehouse shelf stacked with old mixers, projectors, speakers, and displays. That pile represents real money.

When consoles, cameras, or displays no longer fit your main rooms, they still hold value on the secondary market. Companies can sell or trade that equipment instead of letting it tie up space and capital.

Working with a professional AV reseller like AVGear gives you a simple path: send a list of what you have, get a quote, ship the gear, and receive cash or trade-in value that supports your next round of upgrades.

Buying Audio and Visual Equipment: New vs Used

When teams invest in AV gear, they often weigh budget, reliability, long-term use, and the level of AV support they need. New equipment delivers the latest features and factory-backed warranty coverage, while used or refurbished options can deliver solid performance at a lower price. Many organizations also look at B-stock equipment, which offers discounted pricing on items that may have minor cosmetic wear but are fully tested and backed by the manufacturer.

Used gear can be a smart option when:

• You want to upgrade from entry-level hardware
• You are building backup rigs
• You need more channels, more displays, or more lights without a large jump in cost

Partnering with a reseller that works specifically with AV hardware removes a lot of uncertainty. Instead of sorting through unverified listings or random auctions, you get equipment that has been tested, graded, and accurately represented before it reaches your hands.

How AVGear Fits Into Your Audio and Visual Setup

AVGear focuses on the same categories you rely on in daily work:

• Pro Audio & Sound: Mixers, microphones, processors, speakers, and more
• Pro Photo & Video: Cameras, lenses, recording gear, and switching hardware
• Lighting & Effects: Fixtures, controllers, and atmospheric effects
• Projection, LED Wall, & Displays: Projectors, screens, LED tiles, and signage displays
• Truss, Rigging, & Staging: Structural hardware, lifts, and stage platforms
• Cases: Road cases and racks to protect your systems in transit
• Cables, Power, & Accessories: The pieces that keep everything connected
• Expendables and Computers: The items that keep shows and rooms running smoothly

Because AVGear specializes in new, used, and B-stock equipment, you can match your budget to your goals. You might buy a new camera for a flagship studio space, a used projector for a small training room, and B-stock displays for a wall of visual displays in your lobby.

If you already have racks of older amplifiers, projectors, displays, lighting fixtures, or other AV equipment that you no longer use, AVGear can help you turn that stock into cash or trade-in credit. You can send us your surplus lists, retired show rigs, or decommissioned classroom systems, and our team will evaluate them, handle the logistics, and remarket the gear. Instead of holding on to aging inventory, you can free space, recover budget, and put that value into the next generation of audio, video, and visual equipment for your rooms and shows.

Browse our catalog for pro audio, video, lighting, display, and staging gear. And reach out when you’re ready to sell or trade the equipment you no longer need.