WE ROUND UP A SELECTION OF THE BEST BUDGET PA SPEAKERS AVAILABLE TODAY. THESE ARE THE 10 BEST CHEAP PA SPEAKERS THAT DON’T SUCK!
As part of our best instruments that don’t suck series, we thought we’d gather a selection of the best budget PA speakers that we think provide a pro level sound for those on a budget. These are 10 of the best cheap PA speakers that prove you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a great sound. We’ve included a range of speakers which we think are ideal for a range of different environments and uses. This includes speakers ideal for small venues, touring bands, artists and singer songwriters who need a PA speaker for vocals and acoustic guitar. These speakers are all under £500 and are all active, so you don’t necessarily need a mixer to operate them or a degree in sound engineering!
1. ALTO TX208 300-WATT ACTIVE LOUDSPEAKER
If you’re on a budget and you need a PA system designed for beginners, then the Alto TX208 300-Watt Active Loudspeaker is a great option. This is one of the best budget PA speakers as it's under £100 and is packed with 300 watts of power. This is a great monitor speaker or main speaker as part of your PA system as the built-in controls and connections, although minimal, help make set ups easy. The balanced XLR Mic/Line Input, Link Output and Volume Control allows you to hook up a line level instrument or microphone and the volume control is easy to adjust which makes it perfect for singer songwriters, public speakers and bands who need something that they can’t break! The 8 Inch LF Driver and 1.5 Inch Voice Coil pumping out 300 watts of Class D power make it a particularly powerful option for smaller venues, practice rooms and portable set ups.
2. TOURTECH PSM5 PORTABLE MONITOR SPEAKER
Next up we have the TOURTECH PSM5 Portable Monitor Speaker, which is one of our favourite cheap PA speakers designed for a wide range of applications. The smaller size of this budget PA speaker makes it ideal for electronic drum monitoring , parties and mobile DJ’s and the prices at just over £100 make sit affordable for all. You have total control over your sound, so there’s no need for a mixer, whilst the two combo mic inputs and two Aux inputs allow you to hook up a range of instruments. A 5” woofer, 150-watt Peak Power and a weight of only 2.8kg, all for under £120 makes this one of the best cheap PA speakers around.
3. ALTO UBER LT BATTERY POWERED PORTABLE PA SYSTEM
There is a selection of different Alto speakers in this blog as they create hard working, sturdy PA systems for applications of all levels and environments. The Alto Uber LT Battery Powered Portable PA System is one of our favourite portable PA systems as well as one of the best budget PA speakers around. The 50 watts peak power makes it a great option for public speaking, schools and smaller venues where you just need some background music. However, the inclusion of two Line/Mic Channels with XLR / ¼” Combo Inputs makes this one of the best PA speakers for vocals and acoustic guitar i.e. singer songwriters. The built-in rechargeable battery delivers up to 35 hours continuous use, and the Bluetooth connectivity allows you to stream music or backing tracks wirelessly to the speaker. This is perfect for venues, buskers and mobile DJ’s, whilst the budget friendly price means you wont have to break the bank to add it to your set up.
4. Wharfedale Pro PSX112 Active Loudspeaker
Next up we have the Wharfedale Pro PSX112 Active Loudspeaker, which is one of the best budget PA speakers under £200 and an option suited to pro-level set ups. You have 700W Peak Power at your disposal, Class D power amplifiers and a 2 band EQ that you can use in conjunction with the two combi-style inputs. One of the key benefits is the powerful 12" LF driver which makes it perfect for outdoor applications like mini festivals, cafes or restaurants with outdoor areas and even public performers or wedding duos. This is powerful enough for applications in churches, for speech and pretty much anywhere you need live sound.
Another key benefit is the 90 degree x 60 degree waveguide, which means you get consistent coverage and smooth dispersion which provides exceptional sound and audio clarity. Whether you’re playing instruments or just playing recorded music through them, you’ll hear everything you’re supposed to. At just over £170, this won’t break the bank and you can also get them as a pair. Shop the Wharfedale Pro PSX112.
5. ALTO TRUESONIC TS310 POWERED LOUDSPEAKER
The Alto Truesonic TS310 Powered Loudspeaker is quickly becoming an industry standard PA speaker, which comes as no surprise considering the budget friendly price tag and massive 2000 watts peak power. We think these are some of the best budget PA speakers as they are just over £200 and come packed with two combi-style inputs so you can use them for acoustic guitars and vocals, electric guitars, line level instruments and public speaking events. There’s also a handy 2-channel mixer with independent level controls built in! The lightweight, yet sturdy construction makes it an easy option for those who need to move the PA speaker around, and the fact it clocks in at 26.1 lbs. / 11.9 kg means you wont break your back trying to move them. The Alto Truesonic TS310 Powered Loudspeaker is perfect for flown applications, as wedge monitors or as a complete sound system for venues. Did we mention they’re some of the best cheap PA speakers that don’t suck?
6. YAMAHA DBR10 ACTIVE PA SPEAKER
The Yamaha DBR10 Active PA Speaker makes our best budget PA speakers list because they cost just over £300 and provide exceptional sound and portability. These are some of the best budget PA speakers for small-to-medium sized DJ venues, stage performers and public speakers. The Class-D amplifiers pump out a massive 1000 watt of power, providing a maximum SPL of 132 dB. However, it’s the inclusion of Yamaha’s FIR-X tuning, D-Contour switch which instantly optimises the DBR10 for positioning between a floor monitor and ear-level front of house, DSP protection which protects the speaker at higher volumes and extended warranty that owners will love. All of these aspects make your life as a sound engineer or venue owner easier! If you just need a budget PA speaker to take to performances or public speaking events, this has got you covered too. The combi-style inputs can accommodate microphones and line level instruments and you can adjust the levels via the built in mixer. Want a bigger speaker? The DB12R is also available.
7. QSC CP8 COMPACT POWERED LOUDSPEAKER
Well, obviously we’ve got include the QSC CP8 Compact Powered Loudspeaker in our blog. At under £400, they’re a little more pricey, but they’re still under the £500 mark. So that makes them some of the best budget friendly PA speakers for those who need a pro-level sound at all times. We’re now in the realms of small to mid size venue PA speakers here as the CP8 provides 1000 watts of peak power thanks to a Class-D amplifier module. We love these PA speakers as they make sound engineers’ lives a lot easier thanks to the intuitive Contour controls. These selectable contours automatically set the PA speakers to the optimal setting depending on what you need them for. You have a range of different settings suited to dance music, floor monitoring and even public speaking – just select your contour and you can enjoy a sound tailored to your needs.
8. RCF ART 710-A MK4 DIGITAL ACTIVE LOUDSPEAKER
The RCF ART 710-A Mk4 Digital Active Loudspeaker is relied upon by professionals all over the world thanks to its 1400-watt peak power and innovative DSP processing. We love the ART 710-A speakers as they sound amazing at high volumes, offering up 129 max SPL and a frequency response of 50 Hz – 20kHz which means you get a consistent and coherent sound without phase distortion and almost zero latency. You have connectivity options thanks to Mic/Line inputs and the ability to change whether you want the speaker to operate in Flat or Boost mode. You can also change the volume directly on the speaker, which is great for those with minimal experience in using a PA speaker. These speakers are perfect for flown applications, as floor monitors and can be pole mounted, whilst the lightweight construction, sturdy chassis and integrated handle make them easily portable. These budget PA speakers are perfect for any sound application, large or small.
9. ALTO TRANSPORT 12 BATTERY POWERED PORTABLE PA SYSTEM WITH WIRELESS MICROPHONE
The Alto Transport 12 is an all-in-one PA system for performing musicians and public speakers. This is easily one of the best PA speakers for acoustic guitar and vocals, buskers and those who need a high-quality speaker that they can transport easily. For just over £400 you get 400 watts of peak power pumping out through a 12” woofer and 1” HF compression driver. There’s an included wireless microphone, built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery that provides up to 8 hours of use and plenty of connections for adding extra instruments. There’s also USB playback, so you can utilise backing tracks or play music from your USB device should you need to use it at parties. The built-in speaker pole socket, lightweight construction and sturdy chassis also ensure you’re ready for all applications and environments. The ideal self-contained performers PA system.
10. YAMAHA STAGEPAS 400BT BLUETOOTH PORTABLE PA SYSTEM
Last but not least we have the Yamaha Stagepas 400BT Bluetooth Portable PA System. This is another all in one PA system and makes our best budget PA speakers blog thanks to the fact you get two speakers and a mixer all for way under £500. This is another PA speaker perfectly suited to acoustic guitar and vocals as you have a nifty feedback suppressor which means you don’t have to worry about those nasty sounds creeping in whilst you’re playing. In addition, the Yamaha Stagepas 400BT is also an ideal option for small to mid-size venues thanks to the fact you get a mixer included – no need for extra gear! The Bluetooth connectivity is ideal for streaming backing tracks and live music in between sets. A great way to enjoy high performance sound on a budget.
Shop a full range of PA speakers and PA systems over at PMT Online today or call in to your local PMT store to speak to our PA experts about your bespoke needs. Whether you need a small system or a complete fit for your venue - we can handle it all.
