Which PA System Is Best? (And 6 Things To Consider)

For businesses, a PA system is essential for conducting events and conferences. Such is necessary, especially if an event has a lot of attendees. With a PA system, businesses will not have to invest individually in equipment like speakers, a mic, amplifiers, and other related devices as it will already come as a system. 

That said, which PA system is best for businesses?

After careful deliberation, we discovered that the Yamaha Stagepas 400BT is the best PA system for businesses. It packs

• eight channel-powered mixers
• 1-inch voice coil compression drivers
• a pair of 8-inch speakers
• 2-band EQ,
• onboard feedback suppressor

These features make everything you say loud and clear, allowing people who are listening to hear and understand every piece of information you deliver. 

Which PA System Is Best?  

People in the entrepreneurial industry know that a public address system is an integral part of the business. One may think that the primary use of a PA system is to increase the volume of one’s voice, say during a performance. But companies can also use it for efficient information delivery.

Since a PA system is crucial for companies, it is essential to identify which PA system is best. This way, business owners can ensure that their announcements, advertisements, conferences, and related things will go smoothly. 

Introducing The Yamaha Stagepas 400BT

The Yamaha Stagepas 400BT packs all the essential features every business will need. This equipment is a 400-watt public address system compact enough that you can bring and set it up from one location to another. Even better, the system is very generous when it comes to features. (source)

Portability

One of the critical features Yamaha offers through this public address system is portability. Since you are likely to bring this system into various locations, the manufacturer ensured that transport would be quick and easy. You can lock the mixer into the back of one speaker, with all the cables fitting neatly. 

The Speakers And Features

This public address system has two 8-inch speakers, which are both detachable. The speakers also come with cables and stands, making them easy to set up in various locations. A detachable 8-inch channel-powered mixer provides users with sufficient output and controls multiple business needs. 

In addition, the lightweight speakers come with a power cord that allows you to quickly and easily combine the two speakers into a loud and clear system. Another impressive thing about this PA system is that it can quickly adapt to different uses and environments.

The system includes a variety of valuable features. It has Bluetooth input, which means you can connect your PA system to a Bluetooth device like a smartphone.

The system also has an onboard feedback suppressor, SPX digital reverbs, and a two-band equalizer. 

Input

The Yamaha Stagepas 400BT offers plenty of choices regarding input. You can use the mixer’s channels 1 and 2 for mic or line XLR. These two channels are also switchable. The other channels work as follows:

• Channels 3 and 4 – mono XLR ¼” jack combo inputs
• Channels 5 and 6 – stereo ¼” RCA jacks
• Channels 7 and 8 – ¼” stereo jacks.

You can also install a monitor and subwoofer. However, it is essential to note that these additional installations are passive; you will need to connect them to a power supply.

If you plan to use passive equipment for your public address system, the 4-00BT’s channel 4 is a Hi-Z channel. It means Yamaha added it to the PA system to accommodate passive equipment. You can also play audio from another device and connect it to your PA system via Bluetooth. A feedback suppressor also makes the system’s audio extremely clear. (source)

The Pros And Cons

Pros	Cons
Portable	Hardly any
Features plenty of input options
Fantastic sound quality
The mono/stereo inputs are switchable
Detachable mixer

6 Factors To Consider Before Getting A PA System

Knowing which PA system is best for your business is not enough. Instead, it is also crucial to understand the factors one should consider when buying a PA system. This way, you can ensure that the public address system you are getting will fit the needs and demands of your business.

Additionally, knowing the factors to consider when buying a PA system will help you understand the features of the system you are planning to purchase. 

Here are the factors you need to consider before buying a PA system. 

1. The Size Of The Room Where You Will Use The Pa System

If you fix install your PA system in a conference room, it is crucial to consider the size of the room where you want to place it. The room’s ceiling’s length, width, and height all play an essential role in the system’s installation. Such is because the size of the room determines how long it will take for soundwaves to stop ringing or echoing. 

If a ringing sound stays in a room for at least four seconds, the size of the room is not ideal for your PA system. A long reverberation time will make the sound of your public address system less clear.

Fortunately, you can fix such an issue with an easy method. You can make the room’s surfaces more absorbent by installing soundproofing panels. The soundproofing panels trap soundwaves within its pores, preventing them from bouncing from one solid space to another. 

Moreover, the size of the room and the event you are conducting will increase your PA system’s power requirement. If your room has a high ceiling, it requires more amplification to ensure everyone hears the information you are trying to deliver. 

That said, get a PA system that is slightly larger than what you need. 

2. How Loud Do You Need The Pa System To Be?

You are buying a PA system because your colleagues and employees want to hear everything you say. For this reason, you need to know how loud the PA system you are planning to purchase can get. But you also need to ensure that your system is not too loud, as it can sound irritating to some listeners. 

The loudness of your PA system will also affect the low frequency you have in it. You need a loud public address system with a large conference room. On the other hand, medium to large conference rooms will benefit from the usual volume used for speaking on a microphone. 

3. How Many People Are You Talking To?

The number of people you present to in a conference room will help you identify the public address system you need. If you are talking to only a few people from time to time, you probably only need a PA system with two speakers. You do not need to speak too loudly as a few people will already hear you using a regular PA system.

However, things are different if you use your public address system in an open environment or a room with many people. In such instances, you need a PA system with loudspeakers. You may even need one that allows for installing a subwoofer to increase the volume of the sound the system makes so that more people can hear it. 

Bodies Can Absorb Soundwaves

Another thing worth noting is that a room or area full of people will affect the volume of your PA system. People’s bodies can absorb and trap soundwaves, preventing them from reaching other people’s ears. Such is why producing sound in an empty room differs from making sound in a room full of people.

So, suppose you are aiming to use your PA system in an environment with many people. If you are advertising, you need a PA system that can produce loud volumes. 

4. Is The Pa System Versatile?

Another essential feature that your public address system needs to have is versatility. You may purchase your PA system for your conference room, but it is also ideal for keeping your options open. You never know when you will need to use your PA system outdoors. 

Your PA system should also be versatile enough to allow for additional speakers. This way, you can add a speaker when you need the system to produce louder sounds. 

5. The Connectivity Options Offered

A PA system usually has four primary connection options. These connections are for microphones, speakers, amplifiers, and similar equipment. Fortunately, the technology is continuously evolving, allowing public address systems to have more cables and compatibility, which means more connections. 

That said, look for a PA system with more connectivity options, such as Bluetooth. It is also ideal for your chosen public address system to have a ⅛” auxiliary input. Such a connection is helpful during instances when your Bluetooth starts acting up. 

6. How Much Do You Want To Spend On Your Pa System?

The last essential factor to consider before purchasing a PA system is the budget you want to spend on it. As a business, you must ensure a high-quality public address system. This system should pack features that allow you to use inside and outside environments. This way, you can bring your PA system to the location where you want to use it. 

Buying a PA system with premium quality, although it may be expensive, will provide you with a good value for your money. (source)

How Does A PA System Work?

After purchasing a PA system, the next thing you need to learn is how each component works. No two public address systems are alike. For this reason, you need to understand how your system works to ensure that doing a basic setup will be an easy task for you. 

That said, how do the components of the public address system work?

Speakers

The speakers are the first equipment that probably comes to people’s minds regarding a public address system. The speakers of a PA system come in different sizes, depending on your model. 

PA systems have three types of speakers:

• Main Speakers

This type of speaker creates most of the public address system’s sound. In the Yamaha Stagepas 400BT, the main speakers come in a pair, with a stand used to position them. The main speakers also produce most of the high-frequency sounds.

• Subwoofers 

These are usually larger than the main speakers. The Yamaha Stagepas 400BT does not come with a subwoofer, but you can always purchase a separate one and install it on your PA system. Subwoofers create low-frequency sounds, which makes the effects of filling out the audio that the audience’s ears will hear. 

You can separate the sound of the main speakers and subwoofer using a crossover unit – an essential part of the PA system. The crossover unit works by separating the signal it receives by frequency. It sends the low frequencies to the subwoofer, while the high-frequency sounds get into the main speakers. 

• Stage Monitors

You will usually find the stage monitors positioned near the person speaking in front of the listeners. This piece of equipment allows them to hear themselves. 

Stage monitors may come as a separate component. However, your PA system’s main speakers may also act as stage monitors when you need them. (source)

Mixing Consoles

This component is an integral part of every public address system. It has several channels, which you can use to combine sounds and change the audio signals’ timbre, volume level, and dynamics before feeding them into the speakers. 

In addition, a mixer provides the capacitor microphones with phantom power. It can also control the PA system’s channels you next must learn. 

Amplifiers

There are two public address systems – passive and active PA systems. A passive PA system has a separate external amplifier, which converts the level of the mixer’s signal to the volume needed by the speakers. 

On the other hand, active public address systems come with internal amplifiers, so you no longer have to purchase a separate amplifier. 

Moreover, an amplifier can be an expensive investment, but it is an integral part of a PA system.

Cables

PA systems use cables to transmit audio signals. This system usually has three types of cabling:

• Speakon – audio systems typically use this electrical connector to connect amplifiers and loudspeakers. Speakon is a trademarked name, so you may also find this cable called “speaker twist connector.”
• XLR And TRS – these two cables mainly work for the PA system’s main inputs and outputs. (source)

Equalizer

Some may find an equalizer a tricky thing to understand. Such is especially true if you are not familiar with sound systems. But for IT experts and businesses, a public address system’s equalizer is an easy concept. 

An equalizer, or EQ for short, is a term that refers to a piece of equipment that equalizes the audio spectrum of a PA system. It aims to remove unwanted frequencies and achieve a balanced sound. 

Additionally, equalizers are both simple and complicated. They are simple in tweaking a few nobs to control audio frequency. And they are complicated when you need to control several sliders, which may affect the PA system’s frequencies. PA systems also have a parametric equalizer. However, audio professionals commonly use it for music purposes. (source)

Source Of Sound

A public address system has a variety of uses for businesses. You can use it in conference rooms, make announcements, during events, and even for advertisements. Such is the reason why PA systems have various sound sources. 

A microphone is the most common sound source for a public address system. However, you cannot simply grab a microphone and connect it to your PA system. The reason is that microphones come in different types – a room microphone, an instrument microphone, and a vocal microphone. Since you are using your PA system for business, you need to ensure that you are using a room or a vocal microphone. Using either of these microphones will give you clear audio when delivering a speech or announcement. (source)

Summary

A public address system is a group of digital components that boost sound and audio frequency. Businesses commonly use this equipment when they have events or need to make announcements in front of many audiences. With a PA system, listeners can easily pick up the information a speaker makes. 

That said, which PA system is best for a business? After reviewing several systems, we found that the answer to this question is the Yamaha Stagepas 400BT. This PA system features two speakers, an amplifier, voice coil compression drivers, an onboard feedback suppressors. This PA system provides the audio needs and requirements a business has.