Fender PD500 Ceremony System

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BKSound

New DJ
Dec 22, 2006
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St. Louis MO
bigkatsound.com
I think I have settled on the PD500 for my new ceremony system. Anybody used this? No one around here has one I can listen to. I like the PD250, but I think I might need a little more punch for some of the bigger buildings in this area. I have been using a pair of Mackie 450s for ceremonies and they have worked out OK. I like the idea of an all-in-one system like the Passports though.

Also, Fender makes a lav mic system for the Passports. Any experience with these? Worth the money?
 
BKSound said:
I think I have settled on the PD500 for my new ceremony system. Anybody used this? No one around here has one I can listen to. I like the PD250, but I think I might need a little more punch for some of the bigger buildings in this area. I have been using a pair of Mackie 450s for ceremonies and they have worked out OK. I like the idea of an all-in-one system like the Passports though.

Also, Fender makes a lav mic system for the Passports. Any experience with these? Worth the money?
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Well, I just bought the PD-250. I do wish I had spent the money - I think - for the 500..... I'm estimating that the 250 can handle events up to about 125 people for a ceremony... maybe a little more. I think if you have the extra cash, go for the 500.

BTW, I will be using my 250 for ceremonies, emergency back up, and most of all, my bubble party venture.

No thoughts on the lav system.... I will have my Shure mics.
 
Yeah, I have an SLX lav system that is foolproof. I have a chance to get the Fender lav system for about $75 more dollars, so I figure It's worth a shot. Might be garbage, but I've bought a whole lot of garbage for more than $75 before.

It might not be worth it to spend the extra for the PD500, (it's almost twice the cost) or it might be a wise investment. Who knows. I do hate to buy something I've not listened to first though.

Anybody heard this system? Somebody?
 
Although I haven't heard the 500, I use the 250 and 150 all the time.

Honestly for ceromonies indoors or outside the 150 will cover most of them for sound level. Remember the crowd is very quiet and really for the most part you don't need to have a lot of power for the vocals to carry well.

The 250 covered an outdoor (windy day) ceromony of over 300 with no problem at all so Papa you really don't need to worry about that one.

BK,

The 500 should cover any program material of this type with no problem at all regardless of the size.
 
Steve Miller said:
BK,

The 500 should cover any program material of this type with no problem at all regardless of the size.
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Thanks Steve. The Mackies have covered some fairly big rooms with no problem, but some of these old cathedrals here are huge and I was wondering if I would be losing too much bass with the PD250. I figure it's always a good idea to have too much and pull back, rather than push a small system too hard.

How does the bass compare between the 250 and the 500?
 
Well as I said I have never heard the 500 LOL.

Bass is not there for the 250 or 150 however when you think ceromony you really don't think bass anyway because it is not needed in vocal or 90% of ceromony music.

To be honest I pretty much use the 150 in 99% of the ceromonies I do because of it's much smaller easier to hide in these situations. Sound level wise I have never had any problem with the smaller unit in fact it has never been turned up past the halfway point.

You have to remember this is used mostly to just carry vocals to a very quite crowd, not dance music for a large group.

With a walkman sized MD player hooked into it for music it makes the perfect hidden ceromony system.
 
So you don't think the nuns want a little bump? :sqlaugh:

I'm just thinking of the classical stuff that features a lot of cellos and tympani and stuff.

One huge Greek Orthodox church here that I do a lot of work in has me on a balcony damn near at the ceiling and I don't think I've ever been happy with the sound in there. I guess I could run some satellites down on the main floor, but that would be a royal PITA.

I've tried aiming speakers at every angle you can imagine with not much luck. Any suggestions?
 
Yes,

With the smaller Passport units the entire system can be hidden on the floor, behind flowers, curtains, piano, organ, under pews, etc. As I said before it doesn't require a lot of power to carry sound in a quiet room.

Try this set a computer speaker on your front porch at 3AM and turn it up to where you can hear it clearly when 3 feet from it. Now walk down the road 100 yards and you will find you can still hear it without a problem. Why? because it is quiet just as it is during a ceromony.

For ceromony music the 150 has more than enough bass output for those instruments.
 
BKSound said:
PD250 = $500
PD500 = $1000

Are you saying that it isn't worth spending the extra $500 for what will strictly be a ceremony system?
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Since I have the PD 250, my input is.... "I" wouldn't spend the extra $500 if it was ONLY going to be a ceremony system. But I use it ( the PD 250 ) as an emergency backup system, and my bubble party system.

I have now heard the 500.... I can't say that the extra bass alone is worth it. There is some extra bass, it seems, but I couldn't "A-B" the system.
 
To answer your question BK, I can only base it on what I know and do.

I do not know nor have I heard the 500, but it is almost twice the size of the 250 (the 250 is almost twice the size of the 150) based on the fact that 99% of the time I use the 150 instead of the 250 for ceromonies, I would say save the $500 or spend it on the 150 or a battery pack for the 250. This would allow you two seperate systems and or a system that can be used outdoors without having to run a drop line for power. BTW these things seem to last forever, I have had mine since they first came out and neither have had issues.
 
BKSound said:
Much appreciated Steve. I think I'll save the $500 and blame it all on you if I don't like it. :sqcool:
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LOL that will work!:sqwink:

I think for a ceromony system you are going to be more than happy!

I don't know if Fender is still selling the battery packs or not (I bought one for the 150) but it is actually cheaper to just get a 110 minute UPS unit, it will supply you for about 35 minutes on the 250.

PS be sure and cut the alarm wire to that damn piezo beeper!
 
I now own the PD-500 as well as P-250...When I first demoed the 500 at home,I thought "What a Letdown"..But after using it at a banquet hall for a small wedding Reception I think differently..It does not appear to be louder than the 250's...but unlike the 250's, around the dance floor and room,I could actually "Feel" the bass.. I am going to keep it..If it has the longevity of my P-250,I will be happy..It would probably be overkill for just ceremony use..In size,there is no difference between the 500 and the 250's...Same Size and Same Weight..
 
So I switched my course altogether and decided to get the Yamaha Stagepas 500.

I listened to both (finally) side by side and the Yamaha sounded better to me than the Fender. The bass response was deeper. The highs did not sound so tinny, it got louder then the Fender before it rumbled, and I like the looks of the system better than the Passports.

I ended up spending a thousand anyway, but I think I'll be happy with this system. I have a ceremony in two weeks and I'll let ya know how it goes.
 
I haven't heard the Yamaha pas unit, I am glad you found something that you are happy with and that's what counts (even if it had been a B _ _ _ system)
 
Steve Miller said:
I haven't heard the Yamaha pas unit, I am glad you found something that you are happy with and that's what counts (even if it had been a B _ _ _ system)
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You know for a minute there I seriously considered going with an L1 stick just to hack you off. :sqlaugh:

If you get a chance you should listen to the Yamaha system. I don't know if it will be durable or anything, but it sounded great to me.
 
Well actually owning the Pasports and having owned the PAS system I think the two are comparable in sound quality and volume level. Another plus to the PAS unit is that it would be fairly easy to hide.
 
I already own FBT MaxX 2A's...I can only assume that the Stagepass 500 is similar in sound as both are 250 watts Per Channel with 10 Inch Woofers..It would also appear that you have to purchase an additional Travel Case for the Yamaha whereas the Fender is Totally Self Contained.
 
Don Niles said:
I already own FBT MaxX 2A's...I can only assume that the Stagepass 500 is similar in sound as both are 250 watts Per Channel with 10 Inch Woofers..It would also appear that you have to purchase an additional Travel Case for the Yamaha whereas the Fender is Totally Self Contained.
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Yeah I spent the extra 70 bucks and got the case for it. I would have bought the nylon cover for the Fender anyway.

How do you like the Maxx 2A's? I've heard that coupled with a good sub they make a perfect reception system for small rooms. Are they as good as advertised?
 
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