What does PA stand for in music equipment?

PA stands for Public Address, which as the name suggests, relates to a speaker or presenter addressing the public.

What do I use PA music equipment for?

PA equipment can be used for amplifying any sound, this could be used for live music, DJs, speech and presentations, and even for amplifying sound in a cinema.

What equipment is needed for a PA system?

As most PA speakers today are self-powered, a basic PA system only requires a pair of speakers, speaker stands, a mixing desk and the relevant cables and microphones. If you are looking for something more powerful, we'd recommend adding a couple of subwoofers to fill out the low end.

What should I look for when buying PA equipment?

It's important to know that whatever you buy has enough power for your needs. PA equipment comes at different power ratings, so for instance a speaker designed for vocals would struggle to produce the lower frequencies of a bass guitar.

Should bands practice with full PA systems?

It's relative to the band, if you're a rock band with drums, bass guitar and vocals, you'd possibly be happy practising with a vocal PA, but a band that uses computers and samplers would definitely need a full PA to be able to hear everything clearly.