# Mr. Microphone for grown-ups? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 5, 2011, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-microphone-for-grown-ups/598708 "2011-10-05T18:03:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cayuga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Cayuga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cayuga)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-microphone-for-grown-ups/598708/1 "2011-10-05T18:03:41Z")
I’m going to be running a trivia night at a local restaurant. I’d like to have something that will amplify my voice so that I don’t have to shou— er … project all evening. Nothing fancy, just a mike and a speaker, preferably cheap. I don’t really care about sound quality, as I won’t be singing. I just want to be audible and comprehensible. Does anyone know of such a product? ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-microphone-for-grown-ups/598708/2 "2011-10-05T18:39:56Z")
you might look to rent from an audio/visual store a lectern PA. various electronics stores might have small inexpensive PA amplifier/speakers with a wireless microphone though they may not work well enough as loud as you might need it. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-microphone-for-grown-ups/598708/3 "2011-10-05T20:02:01Z")
The [Fender Passport](http://www.samash.com/p/Fender_Passport%20150%20PRO%20Portable%20PA%20System_-49952897) might be overkill for your needs, but it is a very capable PA that folds up into a totable package. You can probably rent one for a day for about $100, or buy one outright for under $400. Having used these little beasties, I can advise buying a mic with a “professional” XLR cable - the amp just seems to run louder with a pro mic instead of one with a 1/4" plug. As a side benefit - XLR stuff tends to be more durable in the long run. ---
**Author:** ![Cayuga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Cayuga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cayuga)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-microphone-for-grown-ups/598708/4 "2011-10-05T20:08:38Z")
OK, good info. Thank you both. As I’m going to be doing this every week, I was sorta hoping to buy something. For under $50. Is that a laughable goal? Like I said, I just want to be heard from 25 feet away; I don’t care if I sound like a cyborg. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-microphone-for-grown-ups/598708/5 "2011-10-05T20:19:40Z")
> [@Cayuga](#): > > As I’m going to be doing this every week, I was sorta hoping to buy something. For under $50. Is that a laughable goal? > > Like I said, I just want to be heard from 25 feet away; I don’t care if I sound like a cyborg. In that case have you considered a [megaphone](http://www.amazon.com/Pyle-Pro-PMP40-Professional-Megaphone-Handheled/dp/B002PAZZM6/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1317845875&sr=1-1)? ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-microphone-for-grown-ups/598708/6 "2011-10-05T21:07:37Z")
What about something as simple as hooking up a microphone through a computer, and hooking speakers up to the computer? I’d have to dig around to figure out the precise method needed to make it work, but if you get the mic input playing through the speaker output and then crank the speakers… voila! Cheap computer mics and speakers could easily keep you under $50 in expenses, since you probably already have a computer that can do it. Here’s a link with some info that may get you started: [Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos](http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070902102732AAC5lnf) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-microphone-for-grown-ups/598708/7 "2011-10-05T21:12:08Z")
> [@Cayuga](#): > > As I’m going to be doing this every week, I was sorta hoping to buy something. For under $50. Is that a laughable goal? Amazon has a ton of [stuff](http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_p_36_0?bbn=11975001&qid=1317849087&rh=n%3A11091801%2Cn%3A%2111965861%2Cn%3A405757011%2Cn%3A11975001%2Cp_36%3A3000-5300&rnid=386685011&low-price=25&high-price=53&x=15&y=8) in that price range. Including some hideous fanny pack models. ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-microphone-for-grown-ups/598708/8 "2011-10-05T21:16:21Z")
Hey good lookin! I’ll be back to pick you up later! ---
**Author:** ![Cayuga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Cayuga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cayuga)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2011, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-microphone-for-grown-ups/598708/9 "2011-10-05T22:32:26Z")
**dracoi** : That’s brilliant! I should have thought of it myself. Thank you. **Dr. S** : That’s exactly what I need, if I don’t go the laptop route. Thanks! And **Duck**? I practically peed myself laughing. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-microphone-for-grown-ups/598708/10 "2011-10-06T00:40:17Z")
> [@BlinkingDuck](#): > > Hey good lookin! I’ll be back to pick you up later! You stole my joke! And I still laughed. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![pyromyte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d26b3c/32.png) [@pyromyte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pyromyte)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-microphone-for-grown-ups/598708/11 "2011-10-06T18:06:35Z")
I often play trivia at a local restaurant/bar. Our quiz master has a PA, but it’s speaker sounds completely blown (he sounds kinda like the adults sound on the _Peanuts_ cartoons…“wah wawahh wahh”) Please buy a decent PA. It is very frustrating to have to go up and ask him to repeat the questions. He also does a name-that-tune segment, and often a recognizable song is completely lost in the ambient sounds of the bar due to the crappiness of his sound system. I am sure I would play more often, and others would be more likely to join-in, if he had a halfway decent PA. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-microphone-for-grown-ups/598708/12 "2011-10-06T20:05:34Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > The [Fender Passport](http://www.samash.com/p/Fender_Passport%20150%20PRO%20Portable%20PA%20System_-49952897) might be overkill for your needs, but it is a very capable PA that folds up into a totable package. You can probably rent one for a day for about $100, or buy one outright for under $400. > > Having used these little beasties, I can advise buying a mic with a “professional” XLR cable - the amp just seems to run louder with a pro mic instead of one with a 1/4" plug. As a side benefit - XLR stuff tends to be more durable in the long run. You know, I use that exact model of PA at work, and we’re looking to replace it. Our audience is getting larger, and the hassle of setting up the speakers and cables is extreme, given the availability of wireless models now. Of course, they’re honkingly expensive. Sidetrack: does anyone have a recommendation for a **great** PA system, budget up to $3K, wireless, battery operated, etc? ---
**Author:** ![Cayuga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Cayuga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cayuga)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-microphone-for-grown-ups/598708/13 "2011-10-07T01:08:29Z")
Noted, **pyro**. You’re right — I’ve been there, and it isn’t fun. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2011, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-microphone-for-grown-ups/598708/14 "2011-10-13T12:13:03Z")
Just saw a portable PA system at Target for $99.99. No idea on the sound quality. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-microphone-for-grown-ups/598708/15 "2011-10-14T03:27:14Z")
[QUOTE=araminty] Sidetrack: does anyone have a recommendation for a **great** PA system, budget up to $3K, wireless, battery operated, etc? [/QUOTE] Wireless mics are great. Wireless speakers are a drag - the only truly wireless speakers are battery powered. At decent crowd-penetrating volume levels, and running for more than five minutes, you’re probably looking at hauling around a 60-pound car battery for each speaker. Otherwise, you still need to run AC power to them, and if you’re doing sound outside, don’t be surprised when your extension cords wind up running to the same place the PA/mixer is plugged in. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-microphone-for-grown-ups/598708/16 "2011-10-14T03:47:15Z")
I’ve used this [Anchor amplifier](http://www.fullcompass.com/product/250657.html) in a lot of situations with very good results. You need a mic and cable to go along with it.