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.
Top PA System Brands
- Adaptive Technologies Group
- ADJ
- Aguilar
- Allen & Heath
- AlphaTheta
- Alto Professional
- Amphion
- Anchor Audio
- Argosy
- ART
- Ashly
- AtlasIED
- Audio-Technica
- Avantone Pro
- AxLabs
- Barefoot Sound
- BASSBOSS
- Behringer
- Blaze Audio
- Bose
- Bose Professional
- Celestion
- Crest Audio
- Crown
- Danley Sound Labs
- dBTechnologies
- dbx
- Dynacord
- Dynaudio
- Edge Sound Research
- Electro-Voice
- Eminence
- Ernie Ball
- Fender
- Focal
- Fostex
- Friedman
- Galaxy Audio
- Gator
- Genelec
- Harman Kardon
- Headrush
- Hercules Stands
- IK Multimedia
- IsoAcoustics
- JamStands
- JBL
- JBL Bags
- K&M
- Klipsch
- KRK
- Lab Gruppen
- LD Systems
- LEA Professional
- Leslie
- Line 6
- Mackie
- Marshall
- Meinl Sonic Energy
- Meyer Sound
- Middle Atlantic Products
- MIPRO
- Odyssey
- On-Stage
- Peavey
- Pioneer DJ
- PMC
- Polk Audio
- Positive Grid
- Powersoft
- Precision
- PreSonus
- ProX
- QSC
- RCF
- Rok-It
- Roland
- Rolls
- Samson
- Scrim King
- Sennheiser
- Sheeran Loopers
- Shure
- SKB
- Sonos
- 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 or not we realize it, PA systems (short for "public address systems") are ubiquitous in everyday life. Retail stores, bars, restaurants, art galleries, schools, gyms, houses of worship, airports, and music venues all rely on PA systems to distribute full-fidelity 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 speakers tethered together to produce over 25,000 watts of power. This was certainly a far cry from a 1920s-era Magnavox PA system capable of only outputting a few watts.
Understanding PA System Components
PA systems are interconnected networks of speakers, amplifiers, mixers, and accessories. Each of these components is required to reproduce speech and music in a live setting. What follows is a look at the role each component plays.
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 sounds. PA speakers exhibit a huge range in power handling, size, and function. For example, some speakers may pack 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 require 100 watts to get their message across. PA speakers achieve their rich, full-range sound by employing multiple driver types in combined or separate housings. You have the mid-frequency woofer, the high-frequency tweeter or compression horn, and the low-frequency subwoofer. Together, these discrete drivers lend PA speakers their characteristic crispness, clarity, and venue-shaking 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 with incredible efficiency, introducing minute levels of harmonic distortion as they beef up audio signals and distribute them over large distances. These amps are built into powered PA speakers but may be housed separately in passive PAs.
Sound mixer
A mixer (also known as a mixing board) is the part of a PA system that splits, balances, and distributes audio signals. Rudimentary mixers are conveniently integrated into most all-in-one active PA speakers today. As a result, 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 Systems
Choosing the right portable PA system depends on how — and where — you plan to use it. Most of today’s portable PAs combine live audio inputs, mixing, and speaker amplification into an “all-in-one” unit. If you’re a singer/songwriter who’s bouncing from one gig to the next, then solo performance systems are perfect for your live audio needs. Worship leaders or public speakers might look into something that brings crisp sound into any boardroom or other small venue. 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.
PA System Accessories
Of course, sophisticated PA systems include more than just speakers. Sweetwater carries a variety of wall mounts, speaker stands, carrying cases, and more. If you’re looking to permanently elevate PA speakers throughout a ballroom, school auditorium, or venue, then you might look into speaker wall mounts. Speaker stands offer a more portable way of elevating speakers.
Carrying cases and bags provide a smart way to safely move gear — speakers, stands, etc., — from location to location. When it comes to speakers, 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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