Hey guys,

As I'm completing a new set of shows (both kid and non-kid related), I'm soon going to be in the market for a good portable wireless P A system that would work for shows with 200 or less people in the audience.

What I'm really asking here is the one Penguin Magic sells. It's the 'Portable Wireless P A System Version 2 - by Florida Magic.' It sells for $371.07 at the moment and I'm curious if anyone here owns this or knows about it. It has both a headset mic and a clip-on lapel mic which is what I'm interetsed in. I'd like to know how dependable it is such as the sound for both indoor and outdoor shows with 200 or less people. And can the system be set anywhere during the show without any type of interference or should it be set in a specific position.

At the Cafe, reviews on this item were scattered all over the place, from 'very dependable' to 'okay' to 'junk.' Some reviews have suggested cheaper models which actually have a better sound. Some have said this is way overpriced. Others have said it is worth it for this type of show, again, with 200 or less in attendance and that they use it all the time.

I know it's a one speaker system and so you get what you're buying but some at the cafe say the sound is great and worth it and others don't think so. So f this system isn't that great, I don't want to shell out about $400.00 for something I won't use... and I won't if the system doesn't fit what I'm looking for since a proper sound system is fundamental in this type of business.

I will be checking local stores as well but I like to support magic stores and magic companies so I am considering this Florida Magic system.

I know I could have posted this elsewhere in Penguin land but since I post mostly in the kids forum and this will be used extensively in kids shows, I decided to post this here.

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can give.

Penguin specializes in magic. A pro music shop specializes in sound reinforcement. Just keep that in mind. I would check out Musician's Friend or your local Guitar Center or equivalent.

I did buy a single speaker system (Nady) with two wireless mics (some lessor brand) less than two years ago for our Cub Scout pack. Even though I did my homework and it got reasonably good reviews, it didn't provide enough sound coverage for 40 noisy cub scouts and their chatty parents. I think a two speaker setup is going to be preferable for the number of people your talking about. Speakers have a fairly narrow pattern. Two cabinets will cover both sides of a room much better that a single cabinet. Cabinet stands are also a must to get the cabinets off the floor and at ear level.

Outdoor sound reinforcement is an even bigger problem. You'll want some horsepower.

Just my 2 pennies...

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, those two ideas to consider (double speakers and Penguin specializes in magic) I, in fact, did. Double speakers placed at different places can fill up a room much better than a single speaker. But several magicians at the cafe say they use it successfully without any problems including uo to 200 people. They've said the sound is really great and loud.

However, others say it doesn't work for that number (200) let alone 30-50 people. I was wondering that if Penguin were offering this one for sale, then it must be a tried and true system that works for magicians, hence why they decided to sell this very system.

But with so much negative writing about it over at the cafe and with what you also said, a double speaker system (and with more power for the outdoors) will probably be the one to get.

I'll probably end up buying locally from some sound/music shop (that'll save me on shipping too).

Thanks again for your reply.

Sneak,

We went round and round about which system to purchase for our daughter. We wanted something that was solid, but didn't break us. We eventually went with a Hisonic tower recommended by a magician friend. He had been using one for several years with good luck with it. It came with the speaker unit, two handheld mics, a lapel mic, and 2 headset mics all packaged in a nice carrying case. I did a lot of price checking before purchasing it and finally got it for around $345.00. I will say that you will get much better clariity out of it if it is plugged in.

Just more info to ponder.

Thanks, Kristen.

Does this Hisonic Tower come with one or two speakers? Even if it is one that's fine (and more portable too). And I'm assuming your daughter is still using this system?

So far in all my shows, I have only needed a speaker system once and borrowed it but obviously it's much better to have your own. All the other shows, the audience was grouped close enough so that they could hear everything clearly. This included school gyms, libraries, and a fairly large but small enough outdoor fenced in show (twice). But I'd like to be able to expand to a bit larger of an area with the new shows I'm working on and it's time to move to a sound system of my own so I can do just that.

Thanks again, Kristen.

Sneak, here is a picture of the unit we purchased, just scroll down to the HS322 Unit and that is the one we bought. As I stated above we got it for a much better price than shown here by doing some comparative shopping. I wish I could remember where I bought it from but you know how it is when you get old(er).

http://www.hisonic.net/mixingamplifiers.html

I've only used it for a few outdoor venues, and it was fine for those, however if it was a LARGE outdoor event I'm not quite sure how far it would extend out.

We have used it indoors with great success. In fact, at our last SAM show we do annually the theatre's sound system did not have the wireless mic system as promisesd Luckily, we never leave anything to chance and had thrown our system into the back of the SUV just as a precaution--- good thing too! Everyone in the show used ours and it worked like a gem. If you watched my daughter's video on her website you are hearing her speaker system so you can judge the clarity for yourself.

Hope this info helps!

kristenl,

Thanks again for the help and the link to a seller of the system. It gives me the option to consider it as it would probably fit my shows.

My plan to purchase a sound system is for next year when I get some other things together and am ready to start with the new shows. I'll also chat with another local magician friend in regards to this and will check out his system (though he's set up for much larger shows than I plan on performing for the next while so his system might be a bit too big but we can look at something specifically for my show).

And we all get older, kristenl, but I like to think wiser too (just that darn memory you mentioned!!!!!).

Sneak,
I use a Hisonic Hs 321.. $299.00 It has a wireless head set, lapel mic and a hand held Mic. Small Light weight with great sound.
Check out their site.

Thanks, sluggo.

I like it and I'll keep it as a possibility.