PA Systems & PA Speakers

Loudspeakers, amplification and processing for every scale of sound reinforcement, from a speaker on a stick at a function to flown line arrays on tour. The section covers point source cabinets, line arrays, constant curvature arrays, column systems, stage monitors, subwoofers, power amplifiers, and system processors, with NEXO, Martin Audio, Electro-Voice, Linea Research and Lab Gruppen all represented, plus the stands, covers and mounting hardware that finish a rig.

The sub-categories map to how systems actually get specified. Active PA Speakers and Passive PA Speakers cover conventional full-range cabinets for venues and portable rigs, and are where most bands and hire companies start. Line Arrays and Constant Curvature Arrays handle longer throws and larger audiences, where controlling how much energy hits the back wall matters more than raw output. Column PA Systems are the fast-deploy option for speech, acoustic acts and rooms where a conventional top and sub would dominate the sightlines. Fixed fit-outs, from 100V ceiling speakers to zone mixers and install DSP, have their own section in Commercial & Install Audio. Power Amplifiers and Speaker Processors & DSP serve both worlds, and PA Subwoofers and Stage Monitors fill in the ends of the range.

Order of decisions matters more here than in any other department. Work out the coverage the room needs first, then the amplification and processing to drive it, then the rigging, mounting and accessories. Buying cabinets before deciding how they will be powered and hung is the most common expensive mistake in this category, and it is usually discovered on the day. Pattern control is the specification that gets overlooked: a modest cabinet aimed properly beats a louder one spraying energy at a reflective ceiling, which is why column arrays have taken over so much wedding and church work.

The guides work through the choices in detail. Active versus passive settles the first question most buyers ask, matching amplifiers and speakers covers watts, ohms and impedance without the myths, and choosing and placing subwoofers explains why a centre cluster often beats one each side. If you are building a system from nothing, the small venue PA guide compares the topologies honestly.

Engineer-level system advice is available, and most of what a complete rig needs beyond the speakers, from rigging steels to covers, sits in the sub-categories here.

PA Systems FAQs

Active or passive? Active for grab-and-go simplicity; passive plus system amplification for multi-box rigs, installs and serious wedge counts. The honest trade-offs are in active vs passive.

How much amplifier do my speakers need? Matched to the cabinet’s programme rating and impedance, undersized amps clipping do more damage than big ones. Worked examples in matching amplifiers and speakers.

Point source or line array? Point source until the room or throw genuinely demands an array, see the NEXO P+ Series guide for how far one box a side now goes.