PA Systems & Speakers
Is your message getting lost in the mix? Is your PA the culprit? Let Sweetwater help you find the right sound system for your space, with powered speakers, subs, and line arrays that deliver clear speech and powerful bass to every seat in the house.
Read our PA Speakers Buying Guide48-month financing* on select brand purchases.
Featured in PA Systems & Speakers
Top PA System Brands
- Adaptive Technologies Group
- ADJ
- Aguilar
- Allen & Heath
- AlphaTheta
- Alto Professional
- Anchor Audio
- Argosy
- ART
- Ashly
- AtlasIED
- Audio-Technica
- Avantone Pro
- AxLabs
- BASSBOSS
- Behringer
- Blaze Audio
- Bose
- Bose Professional
- Celestion
- Crest Audio
- Crown
- Danley Sound Labs
- dBTechnologies
- dbx
- Devialet
- Dynacord
- Dynaudio
- Electro-Voice
- Eminence
- Fender
- Focal
- Fostex
- Friedman
- Galaxy Audio
- Gator
- Genelec
- Harman Kardon
- Headrush
- Hercules Stands
- IK Multimedia
- ION
- IsoAcoustics
- JamStands
- JBL
- K&M
- KEF
- Klipsch
- KRK
- Lab Gruppen
- Laney
- LD Systems
- LEA Professional
- Line 6
- Mackie
- Marshall
- Meinl Sonic Energy
- Meyer Sound
- Middle Atlantic Products
- MIPRO
- NUX
- Odyssey
- On-Stage
- Peavey
- Pioneer DJ
- PMC
- Polk Audio
- Positive Grid
- Powersoft
- Precision
- PreSonus
- ProX
- QSC
- RCF
- Revel
- Roland
- Rolls
- Samson
- Scrim King
- Sennheiser
- Sheeran Loopers
- Shure
- SKB
- Sonos
- Sony
- Sound Anchors
- Soundboks
- Symetrix
- Tannoy
- TC-Helicon
- TOA
- Triad-Orbit
- Turbosound
- Ultimate Ears
- Ultimate Support
- VocoPro
- Waves
- Yamaha
- Yorkville
- Zero-Ohm Systems
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How to Choose a PA System
Whether we realize it or not, PA systems (short for “public address systems”) are everywhere today. Retail stores, bars, restaurants, art galleries, schools, gyms, houses of worship, airports, and music venues all rely on PA systems to distribute music and speech to their guests and patrons.
Some PA sound systems are small, perhaps even hidden; others are monolithic and can blast audio to millions. The Grateful Dead’s 1974 “Wall of Sound” is one such example. The Dead’s concert PA system included hundreds of concert speakers tethered together to produce over 25,000 watts of power.
Understanding PA System Components
What is a PA system? It’s an interconnected network of PA speakers, amplifiers, mixers, and accessories. Each component plays a role in reproducing speech and music in a live setting.
PA speakers and subwoofers
Main and monitor speakers are central to every PA speaker system. They take electrical signals from an amplifier and convert them into room-filling sound. PA speakers vary widely in power handling, size, and function. Some speakers can handle upwards of 1,000 watts of power, ideal for larger venues, while smaller loudspeakers designed for classrooms, retail stores, or other small-to-medium spaces may only need 100 watts to get their message across. PA speakers achieve their full-range sound by employing multiple driver types in combined or separate housings: a mid-frequency woofer, a high-frequency tweeter or compression horn, and a low-frequency subwoofer. Together, these discrete drivers give PA speakers their characteristic clarity and low end.
Power amplifiers
Speakers aren’t very effective at dispersing sound waves on their own. They need an amplifier (or simply “amp”) to boost the low-level audio signals of a microphone, instrument, or laptop and feed them into the drivers. The commercial power amplifiers used in PA speaker systems perform this power boost efficiently, introducing minimal harmonic distortion as they raise audio signals and distribute them over long distances. These amps are typically built into powered speakers but may be housed separately when driving passive PA speakers.
Sound mixer
A mixer (also known as a mixing board) is the part of a PA system that splits, balances, and distributes audio signals. Basic mixers are built into most all-in-one active PA speakers today, so separate mixers aren’t always required for smaller numbers of speakers or performers. For larger stage productions with greater numbers of mics and sound sources, a separate mixer is a good idea.
Portable PA System
Looking for a portable PA system? Choosing the right one depends on how and where you plan to use it. Most of today’s portable sound systems combine live audio inputs, mixing, and speaker amplification into an “all-in-one” unit. Singer/songwriters bouncing from one gig to the next will find solo performance systems well suited to their live audio needs. Worship leaders and public speakers might look for something that brings crisp sound into a boardroom or other small venue, and schools shopping for a sound system for an auditorium or classroom have their own needs to consider. For a compact coffeehouse setup or small-scale public speaking, check out our PA systems for sale and choose an option with an RMS rating of at least 90 watts. Need something permanent instead? Our commercial audio hub covers fixed installs for businesses and venues.
PA System Accessories
Sophisticated PA systems consist of more than just speakers. Sweetwater carries a variety of wall mounts, speaker stands, carrying cases, and more. If you’re looking to permanently mount PA speakers throughout a ballroom, school auditorium, or venue, speaker wall mounts are worth a look. Speaker stands offer a more portable way to raise up your speakers.
Carrying cases and bags provide a smart way to safely move gear, speakers, stands, and the like, from location to location. Most carrying cases are made for specific speaker models. Padded interiors and reinforced carry handles make these bags a convenient, durable way to protect your gear on the road.
Shopping for Your Next PA System? Find It at Sweetwater
Whether you’re looking to expand your PA system or start from scratch, Sweetwater carries many products and brands for every setting. Call one of our Sales Engineers for advice, or browse our extensive online catalog today.
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