Cases

Cases for Stage, Event & Touring – Your Professional Transport Solution

Whether you are heading to a festival, setting up a club night or shipping gear across Europe, the right case is the difference between equipment that arrives ready to perform and equipment that does not arrive at all. LTT stocks a comprehensive range of professional transport cases — from rugged flight cases and 19" rack cases to dedicated DJ cases, hood cases and heavy-duty transport cases on castors.

Every case in the range is selected for the demands of live event technology: reinforced corners, secure butterfly latches, shock-absorbing foam interiors and construction materials that stand up to the realities of touring. Browse the full range and find the optimale solution for your setup today.

Types of Cases: Flight Cases, Hood Cases, Rack Cases & DJ Cases

Professional cases for event technology fall into several distinct categories, each engineered for a specific use case. Understanding the differences helps you choose the right protection for your gear.

Flight Cases

A flight case — also called a road case or touring case — is a hard-shell transport box built to withstand the rigours of repeated loading, unloading and shipping. Classic flight cases feature a plywood core (typically 7 mm or 9 mm birch ply) laminated with PVC or ABS, reinforced with ball corners and butterfly latches. The lid is fully removable or hinged, and the interior is lined with foam cut to the equipment's dimensions. Flight cases are the standard choice for amplifiers, mixing consoles, effect units and moving heads.

Hood Cases (Haubencase)

A hood case — known in German event technology as a Haubencase — differs from a standard flight case in one key way: the lid forms a deep hood that slides or lifts over the equipment rather than opening like a suitcase. This design is particularly popular for speaker cabinets, subwoofers and stage monitors, because the equipment can remain on its feet while the hood is simply lifted off. Hood cases save setup time and reduce the risk of damage during rapid changeovers.

Rack Cases (19" Rack Cases)

Rack cases are designed around the universal 19-inch rack standard. Internal height is measured in rack units (U or HE), where 1 U = 44.45 mm. A 4U rack case, for example, provides 177.8 mm of usable internal height. Depth is equally important: shallow rack cases (around 300 mm) suit patch panels and signal processors, while deeper models (450–550 mm) accommodate power amplifiers and touring-grade signal processors. Many rack cases include shock-mount rails that isolate sensitive electronics from road vibration.

DJ Cases and Controller Cases

DJ cases are purpose-built for mixers, controllers, turntables and media players. A dedicated DJ controller case is sized to the exact footprint of popular controllers, with recessed hardware so the unit sits flush and secure. Mixer cases often feature a slanted top panel for ergonomic use during a set. Choosing the correct internal dimensions — length × width × depth — is critical; even a few millimetres of play can cause damage in transit.

Transport Cases with Castors

For heavy equipment such as subwoofers, power distribution units or multi-channel amplifier racks, transport cases fitted with heavy-duty castors are the practical choice. Look for castors rated to the total loaded weight of the case, with at least two locking wheels to prevent movement on stage.

Materials & Construction: Plywood, Aluminium and Polypropylene

The material a case is made from determines its weight, durability and the level of protection it provides. Professional buyers need to understand the trade-offs.

Plywood (Birch Ply)

Birch plywood — typically 7 mm or 9 mm thick — is the traditional material for flight cases and rack cases. It offers an excellent strength-to-weight ratio, is easy to repair in the field and accepts standard hardware (butterfly latches, ball corners, recessed handles) without special tooling. A well-built plywood flight case with aluminium extrusion edging and steel ball corners will survive decades of touring use.

Aluminium Cases

Aluminium cases use an extruded aluminium frame with aluminium or ABS panel infills. They are lighter than equivalent plywood cases and resist corrosion, making them a popular choice for camera equipment, measurement instruments and broadcast gear. The downside is that aluminium cases offer slightly less impact absorption than plywood, so foam inserts become even more important.

Roto-Moulded Polypropylene

Roto-moulded cases — manufactured from polypropylene copolymer in a single-piece shell — represent the highest level of impact and water resistance. The construction is crushproof, chemical-resistant and corrosion-proof. Integrated neoprene O-ring seals and automatic purge valves for pressure equalisation make these cases suitable for outdoor use, air freight and extreme environments. Double-throw latches and stainless-steel padlock protectors complete the security package. These cases are the preferred choice for emergency services, broadcast crews and anyone shipping equipment by air.

Hardware Details That Matter

Regardless of material, the quality of the hardware defines the long-term reliability of a case:

• Butterfly latches — the standard recessed latch for flight cases; choose stainless steel for touring
• Ball corners — steel or aluminium corner protectors that absorb impact and prevent delamination
• Recessed handles — sit flush with the case surface to prevent snagging during loading
• Castor plates — reinforced base panels that distribute the load of heavy-duty castors across the plywood

19" Rack Cases – Choosing the Right Rack Units (U/HE) and Depth

Selecting a 19-inch rack case requires more precision than simply counting the rack units your equipment occupies. Here is a practical guide for AV professionals and touring engineers.

Calculating Rack Unit Requirements

One rack unit (1 U or 1 HE) equals 44.45 mm of internal height. Always add at least 1 U of spare space above your tallest unit to allow for cable routing and ventilation. A typical touring rack might contain:

• 2 U power amplifier
• 1 U digital signal processor
• 1 U power distributor / mains conditioner
• 1 U patch panel
• 1 U spare

Total: 6 U minimum — so a 8 U or 10 U rack case gives comfortable working room.

Depth Selection

Internal depth is the dimension most often overlooked. Standard 19-inch rack equipment ranges from 150 mm (simple patch panels) to 480 mm (high-power touring amplifiers). Measure the deepest unit in your rack, then add 50–80 mm for rear cable management. A rack case with 500 mm internal depth suits the majority of professional touring setups.

Shock-Mount Rails vs. Standard Rails

For sensitive electronics — digital mixing consoles, DSP units, media servers — shock-mount rack rails suspend the equipment on rubber isolators, absorbing road vibration that would otherwise cause connector fatigue and hard-drive failure. Standard steel rails are sufficient for passive equipment such as patch panels and cable looms.

Lid-Off vs. Integrated Lid Designs

Many rack cases feature a detachable front and rear lid so the rack can be operated in-case during a show, with the lids removed and stowed. This is the preferred configuration for touring FOH racks and monitor engineer racks, where quick access to front-panel controls is essential.

Transport Cases with Wheels & Castors for Heavy Equipment

When a flight case exceeds 20 kg loaded weight, castors stop being a convenience and become a health-and-safety requirement. Professional transport cases for heavy event technology are engineered with this in mind.

Castor Specifications

Heavy-duty castors for event technology cases are typically rated at 75 kg to 150 kg per wheel. A four-castor configuration on a subwoofer transport case should therefore have a combined rating of at least 300 kg — well above the loaded weight of even the heaviest touring subwoofer. Look for castors with a polyurethane tyre (quiet on stage floors, resistant to oil and solvents) and a double-ball-bearing hub for smooth rolling under load.

Locking Castors

At minimum, two of the four castors should be locking swivel castors — ideally the rear pair, so the case can be steered with the front castors free. On raked stage floors or loading ramps, all four locking castors should be engaged before the case is left unattended.

Castor Boards and Trolleys

For cases that were not originally built with castors — such as standard flight cases or hood cases — a castor board (a flat platform with four castors and a non-slip top surface) provides a practical retrofit solution. Castor boards are available in standard sizes to fit 12", 15" and 18" speaker cabinets as well as custom dimensions.

Load Distribution and Base Reinforcement

When castors are bolted directly to a plywood case base, the load is concentrated at four small points. Professional case builders reinforce the base with a full-width aluminium extrusion frame or an internal plywood doubler (minimum 12 mm) to distribute the load and prevent delamination over time.

Application Scenarios: Lighting, Sound, DJ, Bands and Broadcast

Cases are used across every discipline of live event technology. Here are the most common professional applications and the case types best suited to each.

Stage Lighting Transport

Moving heads, LED PAR fixtures and profile spotlights are among the most expensive and fragile items in any touring rig. A purpose-built flight case for moving lights typically holds two or four fixtures in a foam-lined interior, with a central divider and recessed yoke supports. The case exterior features butterfly latches and stackable ball corners so multiple cases can be safely stacked in a truck.

Sound Equipment and Amplifier Racks

Power amplifiers, signal processors and mixer consoles are natural candidates for 19-inch rack cases. A touring FOH rack in a 12 U shock-mount case protects the digital mixing engine from road vibration while keeping all controls accessible during the show.

DJ Equipment

For DJs, the right case is part of the professional image as much as the equipment itself. A well-fitted DJ controller case protects the controller during transport and doubles as a performance surface, keeping the unit at the correct working height. Turntable cases and mixer cases complete a professional DJ equipment setup.

Cable and Accessory Trunks

Cable trunks — large flight cases with a hinged lid and internal cable reels or dividers — are essential for touring crews managing hundreds of metres of XLR, DMX and power cable. A well-organised cable trunk reduces setup time and prevents the connector damage that comes from loose cables rattling in an unpadded box.

Broadcast and Emergency Services

Roto-moulded polypropylene cases are the standard for broadcast crews, emergency services and medical teams who need equipment to survive extreme conditions — rain, dust, pressure changes during air freight and rough handling. The automatic purge valve equalises pressure after air travel, preventing the lid from being vacuum-sealed shut on arrival.

Custom Foam Inserts and Bespoke Case Solutions

A case is only as good as its interior. Even the most robust outer shell will not prevent damage if the equipment inside is free to move during transit. Custom foam inserts are the professional solution.

CAD/CNC-Cut Foam

For high-value or irregularly shaped equipment — camera systems, measurement instruments, custom electronics — CAD/CNC-cut foam inserts provide a precise fit. The equipment dimensions are entered into CAD software, and a CNC router cuts the foam to exact tolerances. The result is a snug, padded cavity that holds the equipment immobile and distributes impact energy evenly across the contact surface.

Pick-and-Pluck Foam

Pick-and-pluck foam (also called cubed foam or pre-scored foam) is a cost-effective alternative for users who need a custom fit without CNC tooling. The foam is pre-scored in a grid pattern; individual cubes are removed by hand to create a cavity matching the equipment's footprint. Pick-and-pluck foam is included as standard in many roto-moulded cases and is available as a replacement insert.

Padded Dividers

For cases carrying multiple items — a set of wireless microphone receivers, a collection of effect units or a camera kit — padded divider systems allow the interior to be reconfigured as the equipment changes. Velcro-attached dividers in various heights and widths create individual compartments without permanent modification to the case.

Lid Organisers and Accessory Panels

Many professional cases include a lid organiser panel — a foam-lined or fabric-lined insert fitted to the inside of the lid — for accessories such as power supplies, cables, remote controls and spare parts. This keeps small items secure and immediately accessible without a separate bag.

Care, Maintenance and Repair

Flight cases are long-term investments. Butterfly latches can be replaced individually when the spring mechanism wears out — a five-minute repair that extends case life by years. Foam inserts can be refreshed when they compress over time. Ball corners and extrusion edging are available as spare parts for field repairs. Storing cases in a dry environment and periodically lubricating latch mechanisms with a dry lubricant will maintain smooth operation for decades.

LTT – Your Expert for Professional Event Technology Cases

With over 25 years of experience in professional event technology, LTT is the specialist partner for touring engineers, DJs, event agencies and AV professionals across Europe and beyond. The cases range at LTT covers everything from entry-level transport cases to professional touring-grade flight cases from leading manufacturers including Roadinger, Adam Hall Hardware, Accu Case and Magma — brands trusted by professionals on stages worldwide.

As a manufacturer with its own production facility in Germany, LTT understands what professional application demands: reliable protection, practical design and hardware that survives the realities of the road. Every order benefits from free shipping on orders from €69, with express delivery options available and worldwide shipping for international customers and resellers.

For questions about rack sizing, foam insert options or bespoke case configurations, the LTT team is ready to help — visit the contact & service page or explore the full cases, racks & bags range to find the right solution for your next project. Resellers and trade buyers can enquire about wholesale conditions directly. Backed by the 3-year LTT warranty, every purchase is a long-term investment in professional protection.

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