# Small PA advice



## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

I am looking for a small portable PA for my daughter and her group. They play small gigs-jazz and pop stuff-and the line-up is drums, bass, guitar, and my daughter playing electric piano and singing. The guitar/bass guys have their own amps, so they really only need something that my daughter can plug in her piano and vocal mic to. Online I have found the Yamaha STAGEPAS 300, Fender Passport series, Kustom Profile system, Powerpod 620 Plus/SEM710 PA System, and Peavey Audio Performer Pack (so far). They all seem similar and fitting the niche the group needs, but I am wondering if anyone here has had experience with any of these small PA's, or perhaps some other similar one that I haven't heard of yet. Any help would be appreciated. Thanx,
-Mikey


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## suttree (Aug 17, 2007)

most of those small setups like the one you've mentioned are really too small to perform with, of those listed i'd say the yamaha is the one i'd feel best endorsing. i'd say that she's better off buying a nice powered speaker with a coupld of input channels and controls (EV SXa250, or a mackie SRM450 or something like that), and using it as a floor monitor (good training for bigger gigs).. that was she's halfway to a real PA, and the power to dollar ratio is going to be a lot better.


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

Thanx guys. I just found the STAGEPAS online last night, and I really like Yamaha gear, but I've never seen one upclose and personal before. Suttree, your suggestion bears some looking into as well, but I'm locked into the old mind set of two sides of the stage making two enclosures a necessity, and they won't be needing any really big gear any time soon-they're just looking at doing a few small gigs while they're home from school for the summer. I think she'd actually like to look for some solo restaurant/lounge type gigs as well.
-Mikey


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

Well, she bought the Stagepas 300, and it is excellent for her needs! And hey, surprise, surprise, Dad (me) can even plug in a guitar and mic and join in! COOL! The first thing she did was hook it up and stick a speaker on the front porch and start to play and sing. Our neighbours, who own a bakery, came out to listen for a while and before you know it, they had booked her for a small coffee-house kind of gig at their bakery! She, like me, is not afraid to perform, but she, unlike me, is WAY BETTER at self-promotion! LOL!
-Mikey
P.S. I found it kind of curious that the speaker cables included with it appear to be co-ax type guitar cables. Is that right? I was always under the impression that co-ax cables for speaker hook-ups are hard on the amp. 
The other thing is a small question...she was asking me if she can run the system with the amp/mixer inside the speaker. I told her I doubted that, but just thought I'd ask anyway. Thanx!


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## buckaroobanzai (Feb 2, 2006)

Speaker cables and guitar cables can look similar, but are built completely different. Speaker cables have much thicker wire in them to handle the power going to the speakers. Be careful not to mix them up. Most newer PA's use Speakon connectors now, so they can't be mistaken for guitar cables.


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