Ever needed to do a gig where AC power was unavailable or very far away? Or where you need to add a fill speaker out by the parking lot, across a stream or halfway down the street? On the consumer side, there have always been inexpensive, low-power “party” systems of questionable quality, but lately an increasing number of pro audio companies have entered the market with some DC-powered systems offering high-SPL performance, clarity, portability and long battery life. Paired with an IEM receiver feed or other wireless source, these can provide a convenient solution (even over longer distances) when AC power isn’t available. We check out a few solutions for the pro user.
COLUMN ARRAY SYSTEMS
The Anchor Audio Beacon 2
(anchoraudio.com; $3,000) has eight 4” neodymium speakers, three 8” woofers and a neodymium compression driver with 150 onboard watts to produce 120 dB max SPLs. The built-in 3-channel mic/line mixer also has Bluetooth streaming. Rechargeable batteries offer up to eight hours on a charge and the 43-pound unit moves easily on rear wheels and a carry handle.
Carvin Audio’s StageMate S500 (carvinaudio.com, $799) combines a 5-channel mixer and 400-watt amp, four proprietary 2.75” HF drivers and an 8-inch subwoofer into a compact 32.4-pound package with 100° x 20° (HxV) coverage. The rechargeable battery provides up to five hours of service and onboard Bluetooth can pair a second S500 up to 500 feet away for stereo operation. The entire system breaks down to fit in the included CBS500 carry bag.
The JBL Pro Eon One Mk2 (jblpro.com; $1,249) has a 1,500-watt amp driving a C-shaped array of eight 2” tweeters and a 10” woofer for 119 peak SPLs on battery power, 140°H x 30°V dispersion and performance down to 45 Hz (-3 dB). The swappable battery provides six hours of operation. A built-in 5-channel mixer has 3-band EQ, Lexicon effects and dbx DriveRack processing; and can be remotely controlled via the JBL Pro Connect app.
LD Systems’ MAUI 5 GO 100 (ld-systems.com; $999) provides up to 20 hours of operation at 98 dB (six hours at 120 dB) in a 28-pound, four-piece system with an integrated 4-channel mixer with Bluetooth audio streaming and 200 RMS watts of Class-D power. Drivers include an 8” woofer and four 3” neodymium MF/HF speakers for a wide 120° x 20° (HxV) dispersion.
SINGLE ENCLOSURE/POLE-MOUNT SYSTEMS
The Bose S1 Pro (bose.com; $699 with battery) features an onboard three-channel mixer with ToneMatch, reverb and EQ controls and up to 11 hours of play on its rechargeable lithium-ion battery. The 15.7-pound, multi-angled cabinet allows the S1 Pro to be set down on the floor, on a table or mounted on a speaker stand. The Bose Connect app lets users access options such as Stereo Mode to stream Bluetooth audio to a second system for even more output.
Galaxy Audio’s Traveler Quest 8 (galaxyaudio.com; $289) is a 19-pound, ground or pole-mount package with a three input mixer, built-in media player with Bluetooth and a 150-watt amplifier driving an 8” woofer and 1” horn. The TQ8 can also be configured with up to two wireless receivers, with handheld mic or body pack transmitters.
HK Audio MOVE8’s (hkaudio.com; $849) dual-battery design allows powering via one or both batteries simultaneously and batteries can be hot-swapped during operation without interruption. The 60-watt amp driving the 8” woofer and 1” horn tweeter yield a 65 Hz – 18k Hz (±3 dB) response and the 4-channel mixer has Bluetooth audio streaming or wireless remote control via Android and iOS devices. Weight is 18.7 pounds.
Mackie Thump GO (mackie.com; $449) packs an 8” woofer, 1” compression driver, 200-watt am, 2-input digital mixer and up to 12 hours of lithium—ion battery life. Bluetooth streaming a remote control app and linking to a second Thump GO are all standard. Onboard DSP includes a feedback eliminator, a music ducking mode and both indoor and outdoor voicings. Specs include 115 max SPLs and LF response down to 57 Hz (-3 dB).
Mipro’s MA-505 (avlex.com; $1,249) has a one-piece, 18.7-pound molded enclosure with an 8” woofer and 1” titanium compression driver, driven by 145 peak watts of onboard amplification and up to eight hours of battery life. The onboard mixer has one wired and two wireless mic inputs with built-in or detachable wireless receiver options. Coverage is a wide 130° x 90° (HxV) and a siren function can be used for emergency warnings.
The Samson Expedition XP312w (samsontech.com; $599) is a 300-watt (peak) system with a 12” woofer and a 1” tweeter in a 27.5-pound enclosure and up to 12 hours of battery life. Standard items include a 4-channel mixer with Bluetooth input, integrated Samson Concert 88a handheld wireless mic system, telescopic handle and rolling wheels.
Technomad’s DragonFly (technomad.com; $2,933) packs a 200-watt amplifier, coaxial neodymium driver, 4-input mixer, integrated wireless microphone and streaming audio capacity into a 24-pound, weatherproof design that’s capable of 128 dB max SPLs. Battery life is 5 hours and in addition to the pole mount, Dragonfly has two threaded rigging points and two yoke mount points.
Yorkville Sound’s EXM Mobile 8 (yorkville.com; $659) is a lightweight 3-way, battery-powered speaker with Bluetooth technology with an 8-inch woofer and a coaxial MF/HF driver. The cabinet can be displayed flat, tilted up vertically, wedged horizontally or pole mounted. The unit has three inputs and an internal mixer; multiple EXM Mobiles can be linked via an XLR cable to run all speakers simultaneously. A matching 30-pound, dual-8” EXM Mobile Sub ($899), the first-ever lithium-ion battery powered portable subwoofer, is also offered.
