“Portable PA” could refer to a lot of things, because in a sense, anything that’s not in a fixed install can be considered “portable,” from a 128-box line array rig to a simple, compact single-driver powered enclosure mounted on a mic stand. But over the last few years, the portable audio genre has been more closely associated with the speaker on a stick (SOS) category, where a mostly full-range system can be pole mounted on a tripod stand or above a subwoofer box, creating a powerful, versatile system that’s easily broken down into its basic parts for transport. In fact, this SOS category has become incredibly popular with both M.I. and pro users to the extent that there are literally thousands of possible available combinations and permutations on the market today.
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That said, we’ve tried to limit the scope of this article to a representation of 12- and 15-inch, two-way horn systems that are large enough to provide respectable performance used stand-alone, but are easily expanded with one or more subwoofer boxes for some extra low-end kick. And in presenting these universal “grab and go” solutions, we’ve focused on systems that are both pole mountable as well as flyable, making these ready for anything, whether used as mains, delay systems, front/side fills, green room/lobby feeds… the lists goes on and on. Here, versatility is everything.
A few notes: To create some consistency between the product comparisons, frequency response specs are quoted as -10 dB, except as noted. And the data includes both heavily discounted M.I. products as well as higher-end pro offerings, so pricing is not included, as pro pricing can vary significantly depending on whether the products are purchased separately or as part of a larger system. In either case, a quick phone call or Internet search should provide up to date pricing info, and URLs are provided for your convenience.
