PA system for demonstrations?

[Rob Price]

Our local turning club is looking into a PA system of some type for our demonstrations. We meet in a high school construction lab, the AC unit is quite loud and we can't turn it off. We had a recent demonstrator who was very quiet and soft spoken and no one could hear him and it was kind of a flop. Some of our demonstrators have brought their own systems, but we figured we prob need to have one ourselves just in case. Ideally some kind of over the ear wireless mic that could go to a separate speaker of some type. I figured with all the pros here someone would have some recommendations.

Thanks in advance.

[Mike Lipke]

Guitar shop or Pawn Shop. Pick up a used amp.
Under 100 bucks.

[Jim Burr]

For a mic...I use what I use for my guitar in church. Audio Technica Freeway 600 (about 10 years old?). I have a pickup plug for my guitar, but also a lapel mic that...get this...can used inside a Trend! All for less than an ER visit with insurance. Mike has a great idea...digital amps can be found anywhere for under $100.

[Mike Lipke]

Mike has an idea about a Mic?

[Jim Burr]

All mic's are possible Mike:D What mic's has Mike used? ;)

[David C. Roseman]

Rob, great topic. With all the talent here on SMC, I'm guessing there are a lot of members that can help with this. Since yours is a turning club, a consideration will be whether the wireless transmission of whatever system you get will be affected by the lathe's electronic variable speed control, if it has one, or by the method of display of your video cameras.

My input is only anecdotal, but I have a Nady WA 120 Portable PA System with a wireless lavalier mic that I've used for lectures in small venues without dedicated sound systems. It uses a VHF frequency, is very inexpensive and compact, and has always been very clear. But when I recently tried it at our turning club for a particularly soft-spoken presenter, the sound was a bit fuzzy. Don't yet know whether it was due to the lathe, or to the method of projection of our video cameras (onto a large HDTV used as a monitor), or maybe just my unit itself, since it's five years old and has been bumped around. Going to experiment with this if there's time before the next meeting. But the entire Nady system is only around $100 on Amazon, so if there's a simple solution to this, it may be a good way to go.

David

[Stephen Cherry]

I would recommend something like this:

265586

[Jim Matthews]

I purchased a Behringer EPA150 (http://www.fullcompass.com/product/377475.html?utm_source=googleps&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=googleps&gclid=CPHl1afIj7gCFfBaMgod8CoADw) for SWMBO, to teach her Zumba class.

It has the important benefit of being genuinely portable.
The more powerful, larger bass driver units are considerably hefty.

I do not recommend buying electronics second hand.
These things are rarely serviceable, any more.

For $350, it's a genuine bargain.

[Rob Price]

Thanks for the suggestions. I know a guy who owns a guitar shop- hadn't even thought about it. I'll go talk to him.