Which portable sound system provides the most power for street singers — without breaking the bank (or your back)?
Musicians often ask us to recommend a portable sound system that draws a crowd and is still small enough to carry home in a taxi.
Outdoor sound reinforcement – especially for a street performance – tests the limits of any PA system. There are no walls for the sound waves to bounce off, and more ambient noise (such as cars and pedestrians) means that you’ll need more power than you do indoors.
At the same time, you want a small portable sound system that’s easy to set up and take down, light enough to carry home at the end of a long day and won’t require a second mortgage to pay for.
So what’s the solution? Here are two suggestions:
1. A Nady Portable Mini PA System with 20 Watts of Power
Singers love the freedom of wireless mics, and Nady’s budget-priced portable sound system comes with a wireless lavaliere microphone as standard! Its wireless range of up to 200 feet lets you get up close and personal with your audience.
The Nady WA 120LT/O has an auxiliary input, so if you’re playing backing tracks from your iPod or other media player, all you need is a stereo to mono ¼-inch adapter. Better still, it has echo, reverb and bass and treble controls to add extra depth to your voice.
This Nady sound system runs on an internal rechargeable battery or regular alkaline batteries, so you can perform outdoors with no problem. It weighs a super-light 6.4 pounds.
The major drawback with this portable sound system is its lack of power. It’s fantastic for small crowds, but for outdoor performances with more than 30 to 40 audience members, 20 watts may not cut the mustard.
2. The Paso Procast 50-Watt Portable Sound System
The Paso Procast50 is a more powerful portable sound system. This Paso portable sound system provides 50 watts of power — more than enough juice to get you through most street gigs. Even better, it can easily accommodate larger crowds as your audience grows.
Like the Nady portable sound system, it has a built-in rechargeable battery, and inputs for a media player and a wired mic. Unlike the Nady, it features an output to plug in a digital recorder to document your songs.
The Paso Procast50 comes standard with a wired microphone, but a built-in UHF wireless receiver lets you add a compatible wireless mic down the road if you decide you really need wireless.
More Sound Solutions for Singers on a Budget
AudioLinks offers a full selection of small portable sound systems to fit all kinds of street events, no matter what you’ll be singing or playing! Browse our website or contact an AudioLinks representative to help you find your ideal portable sound system.
