Best Auctioneer sound system.

[Auctioneer45]

I am an auctioneer who sells to both inside and outside venues. I want to upgrade my sound system. I want it to be somewhat portable. Most venues with systems just are never good enough. I conduct large inside and outside sales. I need to be be clear yet loud enough for my audience. Any help or ideas would be awesome. I don't mind spending money but want a great product not just an overhyped brand.

Location. I generally put two large speakers in the front. Could you recommend a better system for inside/ outside sales?

I am looking at possibly getting a long range hailer style system. Would you recommend the best one in the industry? It would be cost effective to use just a hailer system for everything. How many speakers and where?

Who makes the best handsfree mic out there? Would prefer a wireless handsfree system.

Would you use a traditional style speaker for indoor and smaller audiences?


I was also considering a smaller system which would be portable. Something like a hailer style speaker and mic incase the venue doesn't have electric or as a backup because a failed system can lead to a sore voice.
Thank you in advance for your help!

 

[soundmig]

What do you mean by Hailer system? I've been involved with Pro Sound for some 40 years and have never heard that term. Here is what I would recommend. Get a couple sets of Yorkville Unity U-15's and a high quality "all in one" mixer amp (say a Yamaha or a Mackie). The Unity speakers use the Danley Synergy Horn design and are farily reasonable priced. This design will give your voice great clarity.
Wireless mics are expensive (good ones that you will want to use that will last and will work in unfriendly EMI environments). Shure and Audio Technica both make good ones, but don't by the entry level series. A really good wireless will cost you $1,500 + for the transmitter/reciever (the ones you see used on TV are around $5,500 each). For the headset mic I would highly recommend the Crown CM-311. It has outstanding feedback rejection (when worn properly) and it sounds very very good. This is the mic that Michael Jackson always wore - so does Kenny Rodgers.
I dont' know what you were wanting to spend, but the above rig would be HQ but minimal (IMO) and would run somewhere in the $6K range altogether. If you need to run more speakers, you may want to get the powered version of the Unity's as you can't run more than 2 (safely) of of one of those powered mixer type set-ups.

 

[soundmig]

Additionally, you will want to have someone who REALLY knows what they are doing help you "set-up" your mic and the mic channel on your mixer/amp. The most common cause of "bad sound" is improper balancing of the input/output levels in the gain stages. The microphone itself (for a wireless) has to have the level set for your voice to get the best and most Noise Free sound. Then the receiver also needs to be tweaked for the signal input and output for best low noise and low distortion operation. Then, the input trim on the channel that you use on the mixer/amp has to be set for proper gain without distrortion, and etc., etc., etc. throughout the mixer/amp gain stages. Pro Sound is not a "plug and play" proposition - not if you want it to sound good.
I would also recommend that you have a compressor on your voice channel. Many (especially the Yamaha's) have these built in to some of the channels. Again, have someone who really knows what they are doing help you se the compression. Proper compression can give you higher gain before feedback and greater "intelligibility" for your voice.

 

[Auctioneer45]

Thank you for the reply. By hailer I mean the half mile hailer pa system by Amplivox. I was looking at their SW662.

 

[Schurkey]

Hard to beat Bose 901 speakers for both portability and sound quality in a sound-reinforcement venue.

A decent 200-to-400+ watt amp that will drive <4 ohm loads, reasonable preamp run in "mono" mode, and a couple of pairs of 901s on stands or hung from poles/rafters/top of the trailer, etc. should be loud, reliable, portable, and intelligible. Turn the bass down on the 901 equalizer to conserve amp power, as midrange will be all you need for voice.

If you're inside a building, pay attention to echo. Echo really screws-up being able to understand what's being said over the "PA".

 

[spicer]

Thank you for the reply. By hailer I mean the half mile hailer pa system by Amplivox. I was looking at their SW662.

Based on your opening statement I would stay away from the hailer type system. I would call that a squawker system... up scale but still a squawker. It's not cheap either for what it is... although, it will be heard... it has penetrating power. To be have good, quality sound you need a reinforcement system, more than just a PA system. The suggestions here from the pro sound folks will produce great sound although for your needs the mic system might be a bit of overkill, but maybe not. My suggestion would be go to a place like Guitar center and check out stuff... armed with some practical knowledge you'd be surprised what you can get without spending much more than what that hailer system costs... especially compared to that Amplivox system. With good, superior sound in mind, you want some type of sound reinforcement not a PA system, and a bit of schooling in how to use it. You'd be delighted.