PA Speakers

Read here about what a PA speaker is…

The difference between active and passive PA speakers
 

We discuss the differences between active and passive PA speakers to help you figure out what and if PA speakers are right for your live sound needs
 

We specialize in PA systems and PA speakers. In fact, we have a dedicated PA specialist ready to help you find the right solution for your needs. Part of our job is also to advise you on different PA setups from PA speaker systems to complete installations for schools, theaters, stages, discos and venues. A big part of our job is being able to answer questions like "what's the difference between active and passive PA speakers?" online. So today, as a PA speaker specialist, we're discussing the differences between active and passive PA speakers, which are most commonly used for discos, nightclubs, cafes, restaurants, theaters and for musicians and bands.

Chances are if you're in a band, you're a mobile DJ, or you have a small venue or you want to start your own festival. If you're any of these and you need your own PA system, the question immediately arises, what kind of PA speaker system do you need? Do you need active PA speakers or passive PA speakers?

Before we help you answer these questions, you need to understand the basic differences between active and passive PA speakers.

The difference between active and passive speakers:
Active speakers have a built-in power amplifier - it might be one of the newer high-power digital amplifiers, and therefore you just need a power source (or battery) to operate, where passive speakers require an external power amplifier to operate.

In short, you need an amplifier for passive speakers, you don't with active speakers.

An active speaker is essentially an all-in-one system that controls your speakers, much like a combo amplifier that guitarists or bass players use. The amplifier is built into the speaker cabinet, so all you need to do is connect the PA speakers to power (or use a battery) and feed a line-level signal into it. This could be a vocal microphone, a guitar or even an MP3 player.

A selection of active PA speakers also includes mixers already built in, with EQ settings and self-amplified microphone preamps, so you can easily mix the sound directly on the speaker to professional standards. These are ideal for bands, DJ's, professional public speakers and the likes of cafÈ owners or schools who want to be able to play both live and pre-recorded music without too much fuss. There's also a great selection of battery-powered and portable PAs that are ideal for buskers, public speakers and even functions. An active speaker system is by far the best PA system

Passive speakers are slightly different as they require separate amplifiers or mixers to power them, and they also need speaker cables to transfer the sound from the amplifier to the speakers. Since passive speakers are NOT an all-in-one system, make sure your speakers and amplifier are compatible with their respective impedance and power values. If you get it wrong, you risk either burning out your speakers or not getting the best sound out of them.

If you are DJ or want to use your speaker system for live events, you can also use a subwoofer. To do this, you will need to have separate crossover components installed within the speakers or amplifier. This crossover path splits your signal so that the high frequencies can go to the tweeter (main speaker) and the low frequencies are directed to the sub-woofer or bass cabinet. This is part of the reason why passive PA speaker systems are sometimes better for larger live sound setups.

PA system deals

Before you make a decision you can always get a quote from us for a PA system and speakers whether small or large, but let's look at some of the pros and cons of active PA speakers to help you decide what could be the right set up for your needs.

Pros of active PA speakers:
Active speakers are usually set up as an all-in-one solution, meaning all you need to do is plug in your line-level audio and you're good to go.
In most cases, the amplifier is completely tuned to the speakers already. Which means you get the best sound right out of the box.
If you want to make changes, active speakers have the ability to scan the sound to how you want it on the back of the speaker, so there's no need for a sound engineer.
You don't need any technical experience to use one, they're easy to set up.
Most are designed to be battery powered, making them a great portable solution.
If you want to upgrade your system and you have active PA speakers left, you can reuse them for on-stage displays as the cabinets are often designed with an angled back so the sound projects up towards the artist or speaker. All you need to do is connect your additional speakers to the pre-fader aux send found on the back of your PA system and you can have a direct monitor mix fed to you.

Disadvantages of active PA speakers

Due to the fact that active PA speakers have an amplifier built in, they can be a little (or in some cases a lot) heavier to carry. For touring bands, this can get boring pretty quickly!
If you install your active PA speakers permanently in a setting and the amplifier breaks down, you may need to have an engineer come to you to fix them. Since the amplifier is inside the speakers, you'll need to take the entire unit to be fixed instead of just replacing the broken element.
If your active PA system goes down, you can't just swap out the broken element. The entire speaker will have to be sent for repair and will be out of action.
Active PA speakers

Benefits of passive PA speakers

Since passive PA speakers and amplifiers are separate devices, you can easily scale up your operation. You might have an amplifier with 4 channels on it, but only 2 speakers. But when the time comes, you can easily add more speakers. Just match the power rating and impedance and you're good to go.
You can upgrade your amplifier or speakers separately without having to replace an entire PA system.
Passive speakers are lightweight, thanks to the fact that they don't have amplifiers inside them. This means they are easier to lift and install. Especially handy if you take your PA on the road or to different locations.
Maintaining your PA system is much easier! If the amplifier breaks down, just replace it. If the speaker blows, you can swap it out for another while you get the broken one fixed. Maintenance is much easier with a powered system.
Once you've installed your speakers around the room, church or school, you can go back to the mixing area and change settings from your control center rather than driving around the room to make changes to each speaker separately. This is a great advantage if you have hardwired your speaker system into your venue.

Disadvantages of passive PA speakers

Getting the right amplifier for your speakers in terms of power ratings and impedance can be a bit tricky if you don't know what you're doing. Fear not though, our instore PA experts can help you!
If you're running a lot of speakers around the room, there's more risk of signal loss. Signal loss starts to occur when the distance of cable from amplifier to speaker exceeds 18.5 ft. So if you're running a large setup with standard speaker wire, this can sometimes have a negative impact on your sound. Just make sure you buy high-quality speaker cables.
passive PA speakers

The best active PA speakers

There are millions of active PA speakers out there, so choosing the best PA speaker system can be a little daunting.

PA speakers are one of the industry standard options out there thanks to their almost indestructible design, ease of use and the fact that you have 1000 watts of pure power ready to pump through a 10" speaker. It's extremely efficient, reliable and has Class D bi-amplified power, making it an ideal option for touring house bands or those in need of a portable PA system.

Active PA speakers also feature combo XLR 1/4" TRS inputs that accept both Mic and Line Level inputs, allowing you to connect a microphone directly to a guitar or keyboard.

In addition, you have a set of RCA phono inputs for use with MP3 players, CD players and line-level mixers. The easy-to-use rear panel allows you to dial in your EQ settings too! The QSC Touchmix 30 Pro allows you to mix your audio remotely too...

PA speakers for sale

Yamaha The DXR and Yamaha DSR series are both active PA speakers that come with a 7-year warranty, making them an extremely smart buy!

Best for:

Solo artists
House bands
DJs
Public speakers / public speakers
RCF ART 712-A 
RCF ART 715-A

The extremely reliable RCF ART 712-A active PA speaker is one of the best options on the market today thanks to its lightweight construction, power and no-wind connectivity. You have 700 watts of power to play with and a maximum SPL of 129dB, so it's an ideal option for houses of worship, pubs and clubs, as well as meeting rooms.

The easy-to-use control panel at RCF The ART 712-A active PA speaker includes a balanced XLR input, XLR link output and 3 LED indicators that allow you to see power status, signal indication and whether the built-in limiter is active. Simply connect your line input from the audio source or the signal from a mixer or your microphone via the XLR input and you're all set!

This is a great choice for bands, houses of worship and pubs thanks to the 12" speaker with 1" RCF driver that provides a full frequency range. You get sharp definition and solid bass response while the wide dispersion angles fill the room with sound.

A professional active PA speaker at a budget-friendly price.

Best for:

Pubs, cafes, discos and clubs
DJs
more than just an active speaker, but a complete all-in-one solution for performers. This portable, lightweight PA system is designed for smaller audiences of up to 100 people, making it an ideal option for house bands or acoustic artists and public speakers.

It's super lightweight so it's easy to travel with and there's no need to use speaker cables, stands or bass modules as you just plug your guitar, keyboard or microphone straight in.

You can set most active PA speakers in unique positions to suit your environment, and if you have a home recording studio, it's studio monitors you should buy
Best Passive PA Speakers
If you already have your amplifier, you're looking to upscale your rig or you want to permanently install your passive PA speakers into your space, here are some of the best passive PA speakers available today!

Public Address = PA

PA speakers are a term for larger sound systems whose purpose is to convey speech rather than music. PA stands for Public Address and refers to speakers that need to be heard by many people at the same time. A PA speaker unit will often be used in areas where large crowds are gathered such as schools, airports, train stations, shopping malls or festivals.

PA is ideal for small venues where bands often use them, or for professionals who will be packing and unpacking regularly.

These things are meant to be used and abused!

Best for:

Small music venues
Gyms - fitness centers
Churches
Cafes
Yamaha The Stagepas 400i Mixer is a great option for those who need a budget-friendly PA system with the ability to control their speakers from another location in the room. Easy to set up, pack down or install permanently, the Stagepas 400i passive speakers can be mounted on your speaker stands or used as folded speakers.

The two 8'' full-range speakers with 1" compression drivers provide professional sound at all levels, even when you hit 400w peak output. The detachable 8-channel mixer gives you a wide range of inputs and the SPX digital reverb, feedback suppressor and easy-to-use 1-button master EQ ensure quick setup and total control over your sound.

The cool thing about the Yamaha Stagepas 400i pa system is the USB input connection, which allows you to connect your iPod or iPhone - making it an ideal system for bars, corporate events and functions.

Best for:

Bars
Smaller singing gigs
Schools

Band practice rooms
Corporate presentations
Vocal performances
Schools

If you want to buy cheap, good, well-playing PA speakers and aren't sure what the right setup might be for you, or if you're having trouble with anything PA-related and would like help troubleshooting, give us a call. Our PA speaker experts will be able to help you with your PA speaker inquiries.