LIVE SOUND HITS THE ROAD!

The BEST Portable PA Systems

 for Gigging Musicians

Working musicians have specific needs for equipment that performs as hard as we do. We looked at a lot of the top portable PA Systems out there and picked the best ones for serious players who need dependable, roadworthy rigs.  Criteria such as cabinet design, weight and EQ/FX control were desirable features we evaluated. Here are the two systems that rose to the occasion.  These systems are recommended based on power, sound quality and portability.  And the winners are....

Fender Passport Deluxe PD-500

Our review of Fender Audio’s latest upgrade of their PD-250 Deluxe yielded a road worthy PA System with some added punch. Weighing in at only 53 lbs, you needn’t rent a roadie or a trucking service to transport your gear from gig to gig. Considering you are getting a whopping 500 amps of clear stereo sound, this is truly lightweight for the amount of power it packs. Features include an 8-channel mixer, patented Feedback Killer™, 48-volt phantom power, selectable digital effects and a 500-watt, class “D” stereo power amp.

PD-500 speaker cabinets feature Neo-Precision neodymium speakers designed by Celestion® which really shine in a live performance while saving your back with decreased weight. The Neo-Precision speaker design features two 8” woofers, with one titanium compression driver and horn per cabinet.

The whole system snaps together suitcase style and can fit in the back seat of your car. It comes with an onboard mixer to manage all eight channels and a convenient storage compartment for your cables. Two Fender P-51 Dynamic Microphones and cables are included with carrying pouches as shown below.

The Celestion speakers really seal the deal with clear tones and rich bottom end. I’ve seen other units that require you to snap off the mixer board with a screw driver. Now are you really going to have time to do all that and put it back together when you’re done playing? Once taken apart, the PD-500 system’s speakers each weigh under 20 pounds and are pretty light to lift onto tripod speaker stands.

So how does the PD-500 perform in real gig settings? We took it on the road this summer and used a BOSS Super Chorus foot pedal with a DR-3 Drum and Bass machine. We also used a preamp for vocal harmonies. Stereo switchable RCA plugs are on channels 7 and 8 so that is where we connected the DR-3. The guitar / Autoharp had its own channel and the two vocals, theirs. Plenty of room still to add a keyboard or second guitar although I would not recommend hooking up a bass. The mixing board was easy to adjust for each channel during the performance. 

Our pedals and effects processors attached easily and everything was set up from flight case to stage in under 20 minutes. We did a sound check and adjusted the volume while engaging the Feedback Killer. When we booted up, there was substantial feedback even though our microphones were pretty far behind and to the side of the speakers. There was also some hum from time to time during the performance but we had the settings on the vocal preamp pretty high. Compression, for example will cause nearly any system to feedback especially when using condenser microphones.  With that much power, we had plenty of beautiful, clear top end. This system wasn’t even breathing during the whole performance but handled our vocals, preamps, effects pedals and instruments with utter confidence and juice.  Also, the Fender PD-500 has internal wireless ability by simply connecting their UHF Wireless Executive Kit to the docking port in the storage area of the unit.  No wires or cables needed!

Fender Passport Deluxe PD-500

MSR $ 1,999.99      Street Price $1,399.99

Pros: Feedback Killer is active on all 8 channels and is surprisingly effective but less useful when switched to our more sensitive Audio Technica studio quality condenser microphones, (phantom power is available on channels 1-6). Dynamic P-51 microphones which came with the system did not feedback at all. Sound quality is excellent once all levels are adjusted accordingly and the on board mixer allows for a customized sound for each venue. Storage compartment is genius for storing all cables and extra microphones included with the unit. This is a complete PA system. The only thing you will need are a pair of tripod speaker stands.

Cons: Carrying the unit suitcase style is somewhat unrealistic with a system of this size and weight. We recommend a Rock n’ Roller Micro Cart which worked great for transporting the PD-500 from the band vehicle to the concert site. The speakers themselves could have benefited from recessed handles for more secure lifting.  Also the speakers are molded plastic and easily scratched so you may want to purchase a padded, fitted cover available from Fender.  Feedback killer was less than stellar in real, live performance settings.

Visit online at www.fenderaudio.com

PD-500 :www.fender.com/products/search.php?section=fenderaudio

Need Fender gear in a hurry?  Order Parts and Accessories like amp covers and the PD-500's

docking wireless system for the Fender Passport from Music Parts Guru :

Web:    www.musicpartsguru.com 

email : musicpartsguru@aol.com

or call them at:  630-521-9171

If you frequently gig coffee houses, worship services and other mid sized venues, this is the stage amp you’ve been waiting for. This 350 amp, 4 Channel stereo PA System has everything the performing artist could possibly want in an easy to carry, ultra-lightweight package.  The 25 lb amp head holds an onboard mixer and the subwoofer is only 23 pounds but packs some serious bottom end.  So we’re talking about well under 50 lbs total for the system making the SA-300 is the lightest portable PA in its class.

It comes apart in two cabinets replete with handles which are elegant and chic in a design reminiscent of the slanted Marshall stacks. However, beyond those good looks are beautifully crafted speakers that deliver gorgeous midrange sounds and a robust bottom end. If that is not enough, it even has a switch to boost the bass for even more low end punch as well as another control to widen the sound. Therefore this system has the potential to completely fill whatever small to medium sized environment you might find yourself playing. Lightweight yet feature-packed, the SA-300 is powered by an internal 350W amplifier, which drives a pair of high-performance 6.5-inch speakers; a 200W amp drives the 12-inch woofer unit for booming bottom-end support. A 4-channel mixer is built in, with each channel equipped with a stereo and mic input (channels 3 and 4 are phantom powered for condenser mics).

Don’t be fooled. If you are doing a venue that requires a bigger sound system than this, then most likely, you will be plugging into the house PA and not bringing your own gear. Many musicians make this mistake when even a 300 watt system would be overkill for most gigs. You end up with amps which are just too heavy and bulky to be road worthy so they sit at home collecting dust. The SA-300 will change all that for you. 350 watts is more than enough power to fuel your vocals and instruments in a mid-sized venue.  Extra features include onboard vocal enhancement, reverb and delay. All digital FX signals are adjustable with a 3 band EQ on all channels. You choose a wet or dry signal according to your style as it is super easy to dial in. The vocal enhancer on channel’s 1 and 2 is amazing for clear, strong vocals similar to what a vocal preamp does with compression.  It really makes your vocal performance stand out with studio quality polish.

The SA-300’s Anti-feedback control works extremely well even when the microphones are placed directly in front of the speakers. That’s something you just don’t do with other PA systems!  The Feedback control was even effective when we switched from dynamic to recording studio quality condenser microphones by Audio-Technica. We didn’t have to back off the volume much either. We had it cranking pretty high. The advantage of the SA-300’s Anti-feedback system is that you do a sound sweep before you perform. The system analyzes the room’s dynamics so when you step up to perform, there are no surprises. Very effective.                   

How versatile is it? We have to give the Roland SA-300 the advantage over all the other portable PA Systems we’ve seen. We used a BOSS Super Chorus foot pedal and DR-3 Drum and Bass machine. We plugged in an electric Autoharp, a C.F. Martin D-16 acoustic guitar with pickup and a Stratocaster. We miked a harmonica and tambourine. We even connected to the BOSS BR-1200CD and used it as a recording studio monitor. Now that‘s versatility!

The C.F. Martin D-16 GT (gloss top) pictured here is known in the industry as the "Work Horse". This exquisite acoustic with Martin's factory intstalled Ellipse Matrix Blend pickup performed beautifully with amazing tone and presence over the SA-300 PA System.  MSRP $1,399.90

We used both dynamic and condenser microphones and this system handled both beautifully with clear, full stereo sound and no feedback. Each of its four channels accepts microphones via XLR inputs. In addition, 1/4-inch phone input jacks (L, R) are provided for each channel, and channels 3 and 4 include RCA input (L, R) jacks. We were able to use additional sound-reinforcement gear as the SA-300 offers 1/4-inch phone outputs and XLR connectors with dedicated ground switches for reducing hum noise.  We used a vocal harmonizer preamp plugged into channel 1 and it didn’t interfere at all with the built in digital FX on the SA-300.  If anything it enhanced it.

The best fit however was to replace our dynamic microphones, (Shure SM58 styles), with the new ATM710 condenser microphone by Audio-Technica shown below.  The ATM710 offers amazing vocal clarity and pickup.  Subtle nuances left behind by our dynamic mics came through with audible punch with the ATM710.  If you are serious about your vocals, this is the microphone you need for studio quality live sound. There is a reason the televised Country Music Awards have used Audio-Technica microphones for the past 14 years.  Consistant quality and solid performance.

Audio-Technica's ATM710

                                        Condenser Microphone

MSRP $299.00 - Street $169.00

Finally the Stereo Link jack lets you cascade two SA-300s, giving you a total of eight simultaneous channels, (700 amps total), plus the ability to position the two units on opposing sides of the stage. Therefore this system is expandable to accomodate even larger venues as needed.

Roland SA-300 Stage Amp

List $ 1,599.00      Street Price $1,195.00

Pros: Where do we start? This system was so well thought out for the gigging musician. Every detail was considered from ease of transport, to sound quality and versatility. It was the best suited for the road system that we tested with its light weight, reinforced cabinet corners and sturdy carrying straps. Perhaps our most favorite features in the SA-300 are the vocal enhancers and bottom end boost. This system has incredible sound with an Anti-feedback system that does the job.

Cons: None

Visit online at www.rolandus.com

Roland SA-300 Stage Amp : www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.aspx?ObjectId=698

C.F. Martin & Co.  : www.martinguitar.com

(D-16 GT Acoustic Guitar)

Audio Technica : www.audio-technica.com

(AT710 and AT2010 Condenser Microphones)

In our upcoming issue....

Check out how to set up your own home recording studio and start producing your own stereo CD's NOW!   We'll show you just what you need to get started so stay tuned.