When Bose launched their classic system, it took the PA speakers world by storm. Since that time, other products and improvements have changed the way we think about traditional PA systems. A newer PA system is an amazing collection of tiny but high-quality speakers that mount on two poles. These poles snap together atop a power stand which gives the speakers their power of amplification. You can also plug in one or two small bass speakers on the side.
The newer PA systems are designed so that solo singers and musicians can use it for small and medium venues. They will not work as efficiently in larger venues, like those for two hundred people or more. These systems will allow you to show up to a set five minutes early and set up in minutes. You'll also get a better sound than most conventional systems you have heard or used.
Before you purchase a newer PA system, you may be strapped with a much bigger system that you need a van to haul around. With the new classic systems, you can fit all your gear in a small van with room left over. The quality is unlike the sound even from bigger, older systems.
Musicians who play small venues can use the classic PA speaker system with keyboards, iPod tracks, and two microphones. You can use a separate mixing deck if you like, but if you sing solo, and you only need to hook up a microphone and a track player, you can plug straight into the new classic PA speakers system without needing another mixing deck.
If you perform with a group, you can link two of these PA systems together, and attach bass subwoofers to each one. Two of them will give you the volume of the music that you used to get from one older, bulky system. If you plan to replace an old PA system with a newer, smaller system, make sure you have the same volume from the smaller system.
Older PA systems once used a 2000w amplifier to power conventional speakers. Now, with a single smaller system, you will only have about 750w. So it's obvious that you can't replace a full large system with one classic smaller system. But you may be glad you bought two smaller systems, when you go to set up and tear down.
When you listen to a classic PA speaker system, you'll be surprised to know that it sounds like it has more than 750w of power. It sounds like it has more power than it does. It can do this because it disperses the sound in a special way. Each small speaker in the classic “pole” will radiate music to each nook and cranny in your room. This is in contradiction to the way the older systems work, where each PA speaker pushes the sound straight out. You'll notice the loudness will drop off when you move more than ten feet away from the speaker in an older system. This doesn't happen with new PA speakers systems.