BBC - OneMusic How to... - Buy a PA (page 3)

So if you can't tell how useful a PA is going to be without actually setting up and using it, how do you tell whether it will do what you want?

Trying before you buy is the way to go. Hire a bunch of different systems until you find one that really suits you. Then go and buy that one. Hire shops tend to stock gear from one manufacturer, so you'll probably need to visit a few to get a good picture of what's out there.

It helps to talk to people who actually own a system and have used it. There are loads of music web-sites for just this purpose. People who regularly use a piece of equipment can post their reviews for the benefit of people thinking of buying it. You can also try hitting some message boards with specific questions.

If you're researching a particular make and model of system, remember that putting quotes around phrases "like this" will force a search engine to match an exact phrase. That can narrow down the hits when you're looking things up. This could help answer other questions that you might like to consider, such as:

How robust is the gear? It worked for the gig you hired it for but will it let you down a year down the line when it's been around the country in the back of a van a few times? Will the screw threads on the speaker stands strip the third time you use them?
Where is a good place to buy this equipment from? It always pays to shop around with sound equipment and usually that means mail-ordering. But who's a good supplier and whose couriers can you trust to deliver on time?
What about after sales service? If your equipment fails how useful will the manufacturer be? If you send it off to repair how quickly will they send it back? Does it use peculiar components which cost a bomb to replace?