Yamaha STAGEPAS 1K Portable PA System Review
Although Yamaha STAGEPAS 1K portable PA system launched a few months back, it recently started shipping with a price tag of $1199.99. This product was also available on display at AES 2019 in New York. STAGEPAS 1k features 1000 Watts of Class-D power amplification. Out of those 1000W, 810 Watts are meant for the subwoofer and the remaining 190W for top speakers. The design is quite interesting and it sounds great. It supports 4 channels of inputs and also offers Bluetooth connectivity.
Yamaha STAGEPAS 1K features a line array speaker setup on the top of the subwoofer. There are a total of 10 speakers inside with 1.5″ drivers. With the help of this unique setup, you get 170 degrees of horizontal dispersion along with 119dB of loudness. In terms of low end, the bass sounds surprisingly good and deep without any nasty-sounding midrange, thanks to the 12″ subwoofer. The high end sounds quite open and broad and does not sound harsh even at loudest volumes. So with just one STAGEPAS 1K, you can successfully do a small gig.
It is not a PA system with just a speaker and a sub, you get additional features such as digital effects, mixer, etc. To offer versatility, this system offers 3 modes that focus on different aspects like speech, music, and club. The speech mode will roll off the lower frequencies to eliminate any rumbling noise. In music mode, there is probably a mid-range dip to provide more clarity in the sound. Lastly, in club mode, there is a strong boost in the low end and the change in sound is pretty obvious.
You already get a super-wide soundstage with the Yamaha STAGEPAS 1K PA system, but you can even expand the soundstage to 360 degrees by connecting more than one STAGEPAS either in stereo or mono. Another benefit of connecting this PA system is the amount of gain in loudness levels. Connecting 2 STAGEPAS together will result in a stereo sound as this system will smartly detect the left and right channel configuration. If you use this Yamaha PA system individually, it will convert the sound into mono.
If you’re an indie artist, you have plenty of connectivity options. You get three mic/line-level inputs, two of which support high impedance inputs. You will also get a few stereo input options such as:
- 1/4″ inputs (pair)
- 1/8″ inputs (pair)
- Bluetooth connectivity
The effects controls are also worth discussing since Yamaha STAGEPAS 1K incorporates them in a unique way. These effect controls are designed to make quick adjustments in a matter of seconds. You have the ability to control multiple parameters at once with just a single knob. Or you can use individual knobs that offer quick EQ controls. Since reverb is an essential component of a mixer, Yamaha STAGEPAS 1K PA system also offers a well-known reverb from Yamaha SPX processors. You also get different types of reverb such as hall, plate, room, and echo.
Even if you’re alone, you can easily carry STAGEPAS 1k with the included bag. Not only it is portable, but it is also very easy to setup. It is available for $1199.99 on Amazon.
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