On 2001-11-01, George Stone rated this Fender Passport 250 PA System a 4...(759)
Purchase: Purchased unit used from a music store for $275. It was complete except for mics and mic cables.
Purchased to use for practice system as well as for performance in small venues. Have used in outdoor and tent settings with 300 plus people with good results.
I was looking for a decent but modestly priced piece of equipment that would get only occasional use.
Pros: Very pleased with ease of use and portability of system. Reproduction of vocals, acoustic and electric guitar and a variety of recorded inputs (tape/cd, etc) has been excellent.
With the addition of speaker stands, sound carries will to the audience.
Excellent variety of inputs makes the system very flixible.
The vocal input priority is an outstanding feature. I have used the unit for background music in a tent setting and a speaker or vocalist could walk up to the mic without any additional adjustments to make comments or announcements...then the music just comes back on, but not abruptly.
I'm a novice in using sound equipment. I found the instruction manual to be very user friendly.
I feel the cost benefit ratio is excellent. It meets my needs for small venue use.
Cons: The reverb is just about useless.
The small speakers do not make it suitable for electric bass.
The speakers do not have parallel jacks to facilitate adding speakers for good room coverage.
A separate output for a stage moniter would be a nice edition so volumn and mix could be controlled.
Quality: This is a very rugged unit. I have used it in fairly hostile environments without damage. It will take a lot of abuse because of the metal screening over the speakers and the impact resistant plastic housing on all components.
Review Summary: I am pleased with the purchase. Others people from musicians to magicians have looked the system over and liked what they have seen.
If I were looking for a professional system for a small rock band the system would be pushed to the max if not unsuitable.
But for acoustic guitar presentation with some electric keyboard input and vocals, it is ideal for modest size groups. As a system for simple public address, like a speaker, it is excellent.
