Church planters have a unique need when it comes to a PA system. Church planters meet in all types of buildings and of different sizes. Sometimes throughout the church plant, they have to move to a different location. Of course, a new church does not usually have a large PA budget to have the top of the line equipment.
Things to Consider:
Portability – Is the system compact enough and light enough to move it each week?
Practicality – Do you have the means of transporting the PA system each week to the church location.
Storage – If you're able to leave your system up permanently means you can buy whatever you want. However having to take it down and take it home each week changes things. Some temporary rental facilities will allow you to store your sound equipment on sight. Keep in mind that you might need to move to another location, and they won’t give you any storage space.
I. Entry Level System
Be careful about buying used equipment. Older equipment is usually a lot heavier. Also, you are taking the chance of problems with the equipment.
A good entry level system is the Fender Passport Series. This series comes in three levels. The higher the level, the higher the wattage and the more input channels. With higher wattage you get more volume.
Fender Pastor Conference
Fender Pastor Event
Fender Pastor Venue
An excellent option in this level is the Peavey Escort 3000. This is an excellent all in one system that you can just roll in and out altogether. This unit will even hold your microphones and cables. You definitely want to check this one out.
Peavey Escort 3000
II. Mid-Range System
This is the system we would recommend for most church plants, if your budget allows.
The Harbinger speaker is light and is nice and compact. You can use them with or without the tower. No Speaker tripods are needed. You might think, who cares if there are no speaker tripods. Let me know what you think about that after you put those up five hundred times.
Harbinger MLS900 Personal Line Array Pair with Harbinger L1202 Mixer and Cables.
Harbinger System
III. High-End System
This system is the same set up as the Harbinger above. So, what is the difference? It is a Bose! Buying this system would meet your needs till you are running over two hundred in attendance.
If the layout of your sanctuary is suitable, you could get away with buying one speaker only to save about a thousand dollars. If you buy just the one, then it is about the same price as the harbinger above.
Bose Dual L1 Compact PA System two Speaker Package
With this system you will need to buy a separate mixer.
Lower end mixer – 4 microphone inputs, 12 channels
Higher end mixer – 8 microphone inputs and 16 channels, comes with 4 25’ xlr cables
IV. Additional Needs
A. Hand Held Microphones
1. Lower end – Sure PG58
2. Mid range – Sure SM58 excellent Mic
3. High end – Sure Beta58
B. Wireless Lavalier Microphone
You want to get a good quality microphone, but you do not need to get a real expensive one. It is best to buy the lavalier mic that comes with this one to start. When you have others in to preach, this is a good mic to share. Once you get going, you can get some good advice on an over the ear mic. This ear mic will be the mic that you personally use and you can change it out when you have a guest. Also, before you buy an over the ear mic, ask for some advice. There are some important features you need to think about before you order.
Audio-Technica System with Lavalier Mic.
C. Microphone stands
The areas that a mic stand might be needed is:
One for the pulpit
One for the piano
One to hold singers mics
1. Lower end
Only use if you do not have to take down and move each week. These will fall apart in no time if you are moving them each week.
Auray MS_5230T Tripod
2. Good Quality
Buy a good quality stand if you are taking apart each week. You can buy 1 for the pulpit and one for the singer’s mics. You can buy an attachment that holds several mics on one stand.
Hercules Stand
3. Multi-microphone Mic Holder
This will allow you to buy less mic stands. You can put up to 6 mics into one stand.
Gator Frameworks
D. Microphone cables
Never Buy a cheap microphone cable. If you take down and set-up each week, they will short out. Guess when you will notice that they do not work anymore? When you are setting up for Sunday. The one below is not the highest end, but it is a good quality.
Mic Cables
V. Miscellaneous
Things to Consider:
Portability – Is the system compact enough and light enough to move it each week?
Practicality – Do you have the means of transporting the PA system each week to the church location.
Storage – If you're able to leave your system up permanently means you can buy whatever you want. However having to take it down and take it home each week changes things. Some temporary rental facilities will allow you to store your sound equipment on sight. Keep in mind that you might need to move to another location, and they won’t give you any storage space.
I. Entry Level System
Be careful about buying used equipment. Older equipment is usually a lot heavier. Also, you are taking the chance of problems with the equipment.
A good entry level system is the Fender Passport Series. This series comes in three levels. The higher the level, the higher the wattage and the more input channels. With higher wattage you get more volume.
Fender Pastor Conference
Fender Pastor Event
Fender Pastor Venue
An excellent option in this level is the Peavey Escort 3000. This is an excellent all in one system that you can just roll in and out altogether. This unit will even hold your microphones and cables. You definitely want to check this one out.
Peavey Escort 3000
II. Mid-Range System
This is the system we would recommend for most church plants, if your budget allows.
The Harbinger speaker is light and is nice and compact. You can use them with or without the tower. No Speaker tripods are needed. You might think, who cares if there are no speaker tripods. Let me know what you think about that after you put those up five hundred times.
Harbinger MLS900 Personal Line Array Pair with Harbinger L1202 Mixer and Cables.
Harbinger System
III. High-End System
This system is the same set up as the Harbinger above. So, what is the difference? It is a Bose! Buying this system would meet your needs till you are running over two hundred in attendance.
If the layout of your sanctuary is suitable, you could get away with buying one speaker only to save about a thousand dollars. If you buy just the one, then it is about the same price as the harbinger above.
Bose Dual L1 Compact PA System two Speaker Package
With this system you will need to buy a separate mixer.
Lower end mixer – 4 microphone inputs, 12 channels
Higher end mixer – 8 microphone inputs and 16 channels, comes with 4 25’ xlr cables
IV. Additional Needs
A. Hand Held Microphones
1. Lower end – Sure PG58
2. Mid range – Sure SM58 excellent Mic
3. High end – Sure Beta58
B. Wireless Lavalier Microphone
You want to get a good quality microphone, but you do not need to get a real expensive one. It is best to buy the lavalier mic that comes with this one to start. When you have others in to preach, this is a good mic to share. Once you get going, you can get some good advice on an over the ear mic. This ear mic will be the mic that you personally use and you can change it out when you have a guest. Also, before you buy an over the ear mic, ask for some advice. There are some important features you need to think about before you order.
Audio-Technica System with Lavalier Mic.
C. Microphone stands
The areas that a mic stand might be needed is:
One for the pulpit
One for the piano
One to hold singers mics
1. Lower end
Only use if you do not have to take down and move each week. These will fall apart in no time if you are moving them each week.
Auray MS_5230T Tripod
2. Good Quality
Buy a good quality stand if you are taking apart each week. You can buy 1 for the pulpit and one for the singer’s mics. You can buy an attachment that holds several mics on one stand.
Hercules Stand
3. Multi-microphone Mic Holder
This will allow you to buy less mic stands. You can put up to 6 mics into one stand.
Gator Frameworks
D. Microphone cables
Never Buy a cheap microphone cable. If you take down and set-up each week, they will short out. Guess when you will notice that they do not work anymore? When you are setting up for Sunday. The one below is not the highest end, but it is a good quality.
Mic Cables
V. Miscellaneous
- You will need bins for cables and microphones.
- Get a cover or a bin for your mixer. You don’t just want to throw that in your car and pile things on top.
- If you would like to have your mixer board at the back of the auditorium and the mics at the front, you might need to buy a snake. A snake is a cable with multiple cables inside. These come in different lengths. You plug the one end of the snake into your mixer. At the other end, you plug in your mic cables and your piano. You can run the snake along the wall from the front to the back. Do not coil your snake. Coiling the snake can cause interference over your PA.