Fender PD500 Passport Deluxe Portable PA System

Web Item #FEN0691007000

This product can only be ordered by phone. Please call us at 866-SHIP-SDM (744-7736).

Overall User Ratings

Overall:: 8.5 out of 10
Quality:: 7.7 out of 10
The Wow Factor:: 8.4 out of 10
Ease of Use:: 9.6 out of 10

Features:: 9.6 out of 10
Value:: 9.5 out of 10
Sound:: 8.7 out of 10
Manufacturer Support:: 8.7 out of 10

User Reviews for Fender PD500 Passport Deluxe Portable PA System

Overall:: 10 out of 10
Features:: 10 out of 10
Quality:: 8 out of 10
Value:: 10 out of 10
The Wow Factor:: 9 out of 10
Sound:: 9 out of 10
Ease of Use:: 10 out of 10
Manufacturer Support:: 9 out of 10

80% of users found this reviews helpful (15 votes).

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By a customer from yahoo.com

Submitted: 10/1/2008

Style of Music: Rock, Blues, Bluegrass

Experience: Active Musician

"Portable Sound System to Go!"

Sound:

I've gigged with the Passport PD-500 for about 2 years now and it competently handles all of my signal processors, effects and phantom powered mics. A little touchy on feedback but that's only because I use condenser mics. The Dynamic mics that come with the system are no problem but not very sensitive.

Feature:

FX and effects are very good in the PD-500. I've simply plugged in my condenser mic, hit the phantom power switch and selected Plate Reverb and it was golden. Otherwise I use a signal processor as a preamp which sounds even better. Best feature is the docking UHF wireless microphone. It installs right inside the cargo area of PA. This is sold separately but eliminates the need for another power cable. The mic fires up as soon as you turn on the unit & the pack. Sweet!

Ease of Use:

This is very easy to set up, even when plugging in other effects and processors. With 8 channels, there is plenty of room for everything! Two of the channels have RCA plugs for stereo applications such as a drum & bass machine or CD player. I use all of these machines and it performs flawlessly every time.

Quality:

The construction is fine but Fender could have done better with the case itself. Maybe they were trying to cut down on the weight but the speakers are covered in a very thin plastic that easily scratches. I'm really pretty careful with my rigs but this one got marked up very quickly. I ended up investing in their $39.00 fitted cover which in my opinion, should have been INCLUDED with a unit in this price range.

Manufacturer Support:

I have called for basic operation questions and Fender has been helpful. I haven't had anything break but I've registered everything just in case. Basically, their stuff is very dependable but I would be cautious about some of the newer, cheaper amps they are making. They just aren't too roadworthy.

Value:

Based on what you are getting, I think it is a great value. Everything packs away neatly with room for a self docking wireless system. You get two dynamic mics and all the cables with the deal too. You have eight channels and 500 watts of power that will handle a medium sized venue with ease. I see other musicians going back to the truck two and three times to unpack their gear. We load up ONCE on a small a Rockin Roller cart and we're there! Better still, it fits in the backseat of my car. Can't beat that for convenience.

The Wow Factor:

I can't say this unit is terribly appealing aesthetically. The plastic on the speaker covers is easily scratched so that doesn't look too good! However, the speakers when they are mounted on the stands sit square and look very professional. Once snapped together, it looks like a 52 pound egg, if that gets your party started! I don't know. It gets the job done.

Overall:

I would most likely stick with this unit as it has enough power and features to cover my gigs. I barely have the volume up when performing and the thing completely fills the venue. I wish I had know that the plastic was thin as I would have ordered a cover a lot sooner. As it was, they were on back order at Fender and I had to wait about a month before it shipped. If it were stolen, I would replace it with the same unit. This is the top of the Fender Passport line so unless they added a CD player to THIS model, I'd most likely keep this one. I like that it is a one shot set up for concerts and sounds great. The least I like about is the thin plastic covering over the speakers.