PA System Speakers

What You Need To Know

I have chosen to discuss PA system speakers before amplifiers for one very important reason. After everything is mixed, we must reproduce the music so that everyone can hear it. When most people think about volume, they think about amplifiers (watts). The best way to increase volume is NOT bigger amps. There are two important reasons for this:

1) Due to physics (magic), you must triple the power of an amplifier to make it sound louder (A 300 watt amplifier will only be noticeably louder than a 100 watt amp). To double the volume you hear you have to increase the power TEN TIMES!!! In other words to make a 1,000 watt PA system twice as loud you'd need 10,000 watts!!!

2) Some speakers are more efficient than others (one will be louder than the next). This comparison is measure by the speaker's SPL (sound pressure level). Try to find a speaker with the highest possible SPL to get the most bang for your amplifier buck. By the way, some companies try to cheat this rating. Make sure that the SPL was measured at "1 watt/1 meter".

If your looking for well rounded, bang for your buck PA system speakers, JBL, Yamaha, Carvin, and EV are all good picks. When looking for speakers, I recommend you look for a double 15" and horn speaker. These are usually 4 ohm cabinets. You don't have to know what that means, just know that you will get more power (and therefore more volume) out of the same amplifier than with 8 ohm cabinets. There are trade offs, of course, but they can easily be minimized. These cabinets also tend to be slightly more efficient (louder per watt) than their single 15" counterparts. Besides, I think pole mounted speakers look cheesy, don't you?

There are so many variables to speakers, and their response in a particular environment, that it would be a waste of time to even bring them up. Instead of burying you in useless technical garble I will give you some tips on PA system speaker selection.

Go listen to different speakers at your local music store. If possible go someplace where they know you, so you won't feel rushed. Compare speakers by playing a familiar CD through them.

* Be sure to use the same song and amplifier on each speaker and don't use any EQ.

* Listen to the way the PA system speaker sounds at different volume levels. Don't get stuck buying something that sounds like a wet fart when you turn up the volume, just because you were afraid to turn it up at the store. The same speaker will not sound exactly (sometimes not even vaguely) the same at two different volume levels. Be sure to ask first before you crank it up!

* Ask the salesperson if you can try them out in a club that you play often… absolutely do this if you are installing the speakers permanently.

* If they say no and you're still not totally comfortable, go somewhere else. Most good mail order companies offer a thirty day return policy. Try your local retailers first to avoid return shipping costs. If you threaten to use a mail order company, many stores will make concessions, rather than lose your business.

* Remember… you're just trying to get your money's worth. Don't let anyone rush you into a decision you'll regret later.

* Never make a decision about a PA system speaker without having another to test it against--- Don't buy the first speaker you listen to just because the salesperson tells you it sounds good. Go forth and compare!

These guidelines should put you on the right path to finding a set of speakers to suit your individual needs