Looking for the best PA speaker under $500? This budget buys a real powered PA speaker with XLR inputs and onboard DSP, or a battery PA for gigs without an outlet. The most accurate PA speakers start at $750, and prices are per speaker, so a pair costs twice as much.
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Even coverage. The sound changes more as listeners move off to the sides than with pricier models.
Bass. Fine for speech, acoustic music and background playback; for DJ sets and full bands, plan on a subwoofer.
Extras. App control, Bluetooth audio and detailed DSP menus are rare. Expect a couple of inputs, a few presets and a volume knob.
Not reliability. Yamaha, RCF and Mackie have long track records, and these mains are built for gigging.
An affordable, light 12 inch powered PA speaker with a two channel mixer and simple main and monitor presets.
A light, portable 10 inch PA speaker with a built in mixer for mics, instruments and line sources.
A light battery PA speaker with a built in mixer and swappable battery, built for loud small gigs.
Spare batteries swap in for all-day events, but the latch and handle are weak points.
The best PA speakers under $1,000 sound noticeably more even. The QSC K8.2, a very accurate 8-inch PA speaker, costs $750. For a 10-inch box with more output, look at the RCF ART 710-A MK5 ($549). For battery power, the Teufel Rockster Air 2 ($500) has a very long battery life plus mic and instrument inputs.
Full rankings: 8-inch, 10-inch, 12-inch, 15-inch and battery-powered PA speakers. Related picks: best battery-powered PA speakers, party speaker vs. battery-powered PA, and the PA buyer’s guide.
