Does this PA offer all you need to get started on the gig scene?
Item: Yamaha’s STAGEPAS 300 Portable PA System
Price: US $479, UK £362
Mic Scale: 
At a Glance: Yamaha’s STAGEPAS 300 is a portable PA system designed for use in small venues. It incorporates a clever design whereby the mixer and your cables can be packed away in the back of the speakers to make it easy to transport – there’s even enough room to put your mic in there too. It has an onboard mixer with a built in amplifier to power the speakers as well as enough inputs to satisfy most users.
High Notes: The system provides plenty of volume for small venues, with a surprising amount of bass considering its small size. Each speaker contains an 8″ woofer and 1″ compression driver which are driven by a 150W Class-D amplifier built within the mixer. The mixer has four mono mic/line channels, plus two stereo channels for connecting a keyboard or MP3 player. All channels have a basic 2-band EQ section and there is an in-built reverb that can be assigned to any of the mic channels. Finally there are outputs to connect to a recording device and to a monitor speaker.
Off Pitch: The in-built reverb is useable but not spectacular. Also, it only has “global level”, meaning that the level of reverb is the same across all channels that it is selected on. There are no controls to make a separate monitor mix; so if you connect a monitor speaker, you will only be able to have the mix the audience hear, not being able to increase the relative level of your vocals. The speakers also do not fit on standard speaker stands without using adaptors; these adaptors are not included and need to be additionally purchased.
A VoiceCouncil Reviewer Says: Even considering some of the criticisms, the STAGEPAS 300 is still an excellent choice for singers performing in small venues. Although it has limited features, it offers enough to fulfil the needs of most performers and produces good sound quality on a modest budget. It is probably better suited to solo acts or duos than it is full bands, however for rehearsals or for more acoustic/jazz groups the system could also work well.
If you are interested in the Yamaha STAGEPAS 300, you may also want to consider the Fender Passport 300, Behringer EPA300, JBL Eon 210P, HK Lucas Nano, or even the Yamaha STAGEPAS 500 (if you need more power).
Manufacture’s Website: http://www.yamaha.com
