How to Choose affordable Powered PA Speakers
All of these powered loudspeakers are under $400 and offer big value. We’ll go over the most important specs to look out for to help you determine which is best for your specific application. Whether you’re planning a corporate event or gearing up for a backyard party, at least one of these powered loudspeakers is sure to meet your needs.
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What Are “Affordable” Loudspeakers, and Who Are These For?
We’re looking at powered loudspeakers under $400, and we’re looking at speakers designed specifically as main speakers (not stage monitors or subwoofers). These loudspeakers are designed for public speaking applications, backyard gatherings, indoor parties, and small-scale band performances. To be clear, these are not the best speakers for medium- and large-scale stage performances or for installed audio in large facilities: those applications are better handled with passive speakers and separate power amplifiers.
| Powered PA Speakers | Watts | Max. SPL | Woofer Size | Onboard DSP Presets | Mic/Guitar Inputs | Bluetooth Pairing/Streaming | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What You Should Know | Published as RMS (continuous) or Peak (momentary): RMS can be an indicator of relative loudness, Peak is not an indicator of loudness | Your best indicator of how “loud” a speaker can get | 15-inch delivers more bass, 12-inch matches better with a subwoofer | DSP presets can improve sound for specific applications like Speech or Music | Mic or Guitar inputs allow you to connect directly without a mixer | Simplifies setup with wireless speaker pairing and Bluetooth music streaming | If you’re loading in by yourself, consider how much weight you can safely handle |
What’s More Important, Watts or Maximum SPL?
When you’re looking at powered loudspeakers, wattage is not as important as maximum SPL (sound pressure level). Manufacturers may publish their loudspeakers’ watts either as RMS (continuous) power or Peak (momentary) power, and it’s not always obvious which they’re publishing. The reason for that is that in powered loudspeakers like these, the amp is already matched to the speakers, and the numbers are basically academic. With non-powered speakers, you need to carefully match the amp to the speaker’s specifications; manufacturers are much more precise when publishing specs for systems you need to configure yourself.
So what’s the point of all of this? When you’re shopping for powered loudspeakers, make note of the wattage and see if you can ascertain whether it’s Peak or RMS, but look to the “Maximum SPL” spec for the best indicator of loudness. A speaker with a max. SPL of 125 dB will perform significantly louder than a speaker with a max. SPL of 115 dB, for example, with greater clarity and less chance of distortion.
Technically, maximum SPL should be published along with a distance measurement, such as “125 dB at one meter.” Frustratingly, many manufacturers only publish a decibel measurement, but maximum SPL is still going to be your best indicator of how loud a powered loudspeaker can get. Even if two loudspeakers claim to have the same wattage, the speaker with the higher max. SPL is going to be louder.
What You Need to Know About Woofer Size
The size of the woofer (the low-frequency driver in a loudspeaker) plays a large role in the overall sound of a PA system. To determine whether 12-inch or 15-inch woofers are more appropriate for your loudspeakers, consider how you’ll be using them most often. Loudspeakers with 12-inch woofers have tighter, punchier bass and tend to reproduce vocals with greater clarity and intelligibility. Loudspeakers with 15-inch woofers have extended bass response and handle sub-bass frequencies better. If your main application is public speaking and presentations, 12-inch woofers will provide greater clarity. If your main application is music for events, 15-inch woofers provide a fuller sonic experience.
However, if bass is your ultimate priority (for wedding parties, DJ events, and band performances), your best option is loudspeakers with 12-inch woofers combined with a powered subwoofer. The sub will handle all of your bass, and the 12-inch woofers on your main speakers will reproduce midrange frequencies with greater clarity than 15-inch woofers will; you’ll get the best of both worlds.
What You Need to Know About Onboard DSP Presets
In this under-$400 loudspeaker category, you won’t find a lot of advanced onboard processing, but some loudspeakers do offer onboard DSP presets to optimize your sound for different applications. Most importantly, a “Speech” or “Vocal” DSP preset is very useful for public address and speaking-only applications; it will make voices more intelligible while reducing excessive rumble and harshness. “Music” or “DJ” DSP presets will usually do some bass boosting and may cut mids for greater sonic impact.
In short, if your applications are mostly speaking-only, get a loudspeaker with a Vocal or Speech DSP preset. Outside of that, check the user manual for the loudspeaker to understand exactly what the DSP presets are doing, and decide whether they are a benefit to your applications or not.
Onboard DSP Presets Explained
- Voice or Speech: Focuses on the midrange and reduces rumble and harshness for better vocal intelligibility.
- Music or DJ: Usually boosts bass and highs while scooping mids for more excitement.
- Wedge or Monitor: Alters the speaker’s dispersion and other characteristics for use as a floor monitor.
Powered Loudspeakers: What Can You Connect to Them?
All powered loudspeakers are equipped with line-level inputs, with the intention that you will use some type of mixer to optimize signals before they reach the loudspeaker. Many powered loudspeakers also allow you to connect a microphone directly; this makes it easy to use a single speaker as a mini PA system.
You generally cannot connect acoustic-electric instruments like guitar directly to a powered loudspeaker; even if it has a 1/4-inch input, it will not have the correct impedance for your guitar. Unless you use an acoustic instrument preamp or DI, your guitar will sound thin and weak plugged directly into the loudspeaker.
Powered Loudspeakers and Bluetooth: Wireless Pairing vs. Streaming
When you’re looking at powered loudspeakers that advertise onboard Bluetooth, be careful to confirm what kind of functionality that actually gives you. If a loudspeaker claims to have wireless pairing, that means you can configure two loudspeakers as a Left/Right pair without using a physical cable to link them.
Some loudspeakers with Bluetooth only allow you to stream music from your phone or other Bluetooth device, and still require a physical cable to link two speakers. And some loudspeakers that support wireless speaker pairing do not support wireless music streaming. The point is that if speaker pairing or music streaming are important to you, double-check that the loudspeaker you’re looking at offers the functionality that you need.
Do I Need a Separate Subwoofer?
If you want powerful bass for DJ events and live bands, you really should add a powered subwoofer to your system. The subwoofer will handle all of the deep bass, leaving your mains with more headroom to reproduce mids and highs clearly. If you’re using a separate subwoofer, you can go with 12-inch woofers on your mains because they aren’t handling the bass. If you don’t use a separate subwoofer, get main speakers with 15-inch woofers for maximum bass impact.
| Feature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watts | 1,000W (Peak) | 1,300W (Peak) | 1,300W (Peak) | 400W (Peak) | 1,000W (Peak) |
| Max. SPL | 125 dB | 129 dB | 129 dB | 116 dB | 132 dB |
| Woofer Size | 15-inch | 15-inch | 12-inch | "15-inch" | 12-inch |
| Onboard DSP Presets | None | Flat, DJ, Live, Wedge | Flat, DJ, Live, Wedge | None | None |
| Inputs Line/Mic/Guitar | Line, Mic | Line, Mic | Line, Mic | Line, Mic | Line, Mic |
| Bluetooth Pairing/Streaming | No | Streaming only | Streaming only | Streaming only | No |
| Weight | 38.9 lbs. | 36.4 lbs. | 30.6 lbs. | 32.6 lbs. | 27.6 lbs. |
| Feature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watts | 600W (Peak) | 800W (Peak) | 400W (Peak) | 600W (Peak) | 800W (Peak) |
| Max. SPL | 125 dB | 122 dB | 115 dB | 124 dB | 121 dB |
| Woofer Size | 15-inch | "15-inch" | 12-inch | 12-inch | 12-inch |
| Onboard DSP Presets | None | Speech/Monitor, Contour, Max Contour | None | None | Speech/Monitor, Contour, Max Contour |
| Inputs Line/Mic/Guitar | Line, Mic | Line, Mic | Line, Mic | Line, Mic | Line, Mic |
| Bluetooth Pairing/Streaming | Pairing and streaming | Pairing and streaming | Streaming only | Pairing and streaming | Pairing and streaming |
| Weight | 42.3 lbs. | 36.5 lbs. | 30.8 lbs. | 34.2 lbs. | 31.5 lbs. |
Behringer Eurolive B112MP3 / B115MP3
Price USD: $339 (12-inch) / $399 (15-inch)
Links:
- Behringer Eurolive B112MP3 12-inch Powered Speaker
- Behringer Eurolive B115MP3 15-inch Powered Speaker
Behringer’s Eurolive B112MP3 and B115MP3 powered loudspeakers offer plenty of power for solo musical performances. The built-in MP3 player allows you to plug in a thumb drive with backing tracks or intermission music and play it directly from the speaker.
What They’re Best For:
- B112MP3 (12-inch): Solo musician performances, public speaking, and presentations where vocal clarity is important.
- B115MP3 (15-inch): Solo musician performances, backyard parties, and music playback where fuller bass response is preferred.
Harbinger VARI V1112 / V1115
Price (USD): $249.99 (12-inch) / $299.99 (15-inch)
Links:
The VARI V1112 and VARI V1115 powered loudspeakers support wireless pairing, which makes it easy to set them up in a large event hall without connecting them with long audio cables. And wireless music streaming makes it easy to play background music between performances.
What They’re Best For:
- V1112 (12-inch): Public speaking, presentations, and DJ events where vocal clarity and wireless pairing are useful.
- V1115 (15-inch): Weddings, house parties, and DJ events where fuller bass response is a priority.
Mackie THRASH12v2 / THRASH15v2
Price (USD): $349.99 (12-inch) / $399.99 (15-inch)
Links:
Mackie’s THRASH12v2 and THRASH15v2 boast impressive maximum SPL, giving them the volume to handle live sound for a full band. They also have a built-in feedback eliminator, which makes them easy to use in rehearsal spaces without creating runaway feedback; it’s also useful for bands that mix themselves from the stage.
What They’re Best For:
- THRASH12v2 (12-inch): Live band performances and rehearsal spaces, especially when paired with a powered subwoofer for stronger bass.
- THRASH15v2 (15-inch): Full-band performances and rehearsals where additional bass response is useful without a separate subwoofer.
Peavey PBK12BT / PBK15BT
Price (USD): $249.99 (12-inch) / $299.99 (15-inch)
Links:
Peavey PBK12BT and PBK15BT combine rugged utilitarianism with convenient Bluetooth speaker pairing and music streaming. Their mid-power design is ideal for music playback and all-purpose public address.
What They’re Best For:
- PBK12BT (12-inch): Outdoor gatherings, public speaking, and general-purpose PA applications where clear vocals are important.
- PBK15BT (15-inch): Outdoor gatherings, house parties, and general-purpose music playback where fuller bass is preferred.
Samson RS112A / RS115A
Price (USD): $299.99 (12-inch) / $349.99 (15-inch)
Links:
Samson’s RS112A and RS115A are the lowest-volume speakers on this list, so they’re more suited for speech-only applications like corporate events. Fitness instructors will also appreciate the built-in wireless connectivity for headset microphones, which makes it easy to create a grab-and-go fitness instruction PA system.
What They’re Best For:
- RS112A (12-inch): Fitness instruction, corporate events, and speech-focused applications where portability and vocal clarity matter.
- RS115A (15-inch): Corporate events, fitness instruction, and general-purpose PA use when a larger woofer is preferred for music playback.
Want to Optimize Your Live Sound Experience?
Check out this article for stage accessories you don’t want to be without!
- Introduction
- What Are “Affordable” Loudspeakers, and Who Are These For?
- What’s More Important, Watts or Maximum SPL?
- What You Need to Know About Woofer Size
- What You Need to Know About Onboard DSP Presets
- Onboard DSP Presets Explained
- Powered Loudspeakers: What Can You Connect to Them?
- Powered Loudspeakers and Bluetooth: Wireless Pairing vs. Streaming
- Do I Need a Separate Subwoofer?
- Behringer Eurolive B112MP3 / B115MP3
- Harbinger VARI V1112 / V1115
- Mackie THRASH12v2 / THRASH15v2
- Peavey PBK12BT / PBK15BT
- Samson RS112A / RS115A
