Distributed by: Jands | Expect to pay: $1,829
The world of audio and musical equipment can be a tricky one to navigate at the best of times. With so many different products, conflicting opinions and confusing reviews, it’s hard to know what’s actually the best product for your needs.
Luckily, the team at Mixdown have put in the legwork for you, sifting through the spec-sheets and putting the products through their paces to bring you Mixdown’s Picks – a new series of expansive, category defining product guides across our digital channels. Anything that has made the cut has rated highly across the board with the Mixdown staff, garnering a unanimous tick of approval from our staunch critics.
As we all know, this upcoming holiday period is sure to be remembered as the summer where portable PA reigned supreme in backgrounds around the country, and it’s with this in mind that we are proud to present Mixdown’s Picks: Portable PA’s, showcasing all the best small scale PA, monitoring and portable sound reinforcement solutions on the market today.
Electro Voice Evolve 30M
Key Features: As one of the most revered names in all of audio (and especially in PA), it’s an understatement to say that Electro-Voice know a thing or two about speakers.The American brand have been there since the very beginning, with a reputation for sound and build quality that is basically unsurpassed in the space.
The Evolve 30M is EV’s latest contribution to the world of extremely portable, small scale column PA’s and rest assured it sure does pack a lot into it’s demure, compact footprint.
Boasting an eight-channel digital mixer, onboard effects and remote capabilities via Electro-Voice’s QuickSmart Mobile application, it may just be one of the most flexible portable column setups out there at the moment, with an impressive 1000w (500w at the HF and LF respectively) of power meaning.
The fact that up to six EVOLVE 30M systems can be adjusted simultaneously via the intuitive QuickSmart mobile app (which also offers smooth bluetooth streaming.) means a level of scalability and ‘Pro on the Go’ functionality rare for speakers of this type.
Peering around the back, we can see 4 XLR combination mic/line inputs, 2 XLR/RCA inputs and both mix/aux XLR out, meaning plenty in the way of input options. This versatility is further bolstered by its ability to provide phantom power from the balanced inputs, bringing with it a broad array of micing options, in turn making the Evolve 30m a standout for natural sounding acoustic performances and various other busking or open air applications.
The upper array holds six high quality 2.8-inch neodymium speakers, with a 10-inch EV sub underneath connected by a lightweight aluminium ‘stick’ style mount. Most remarkably, the 1000w Evolve 30m stands as one of the most portable units in its class, being nearly seven kilograms lighter than its predecessor, the Evolve 50.
Mixdown Says: It wouldn’t be a portable PA system without mentioning the elite portability of the Evolve 30M and this is an area where the lightweight, stowable Column system no doubt excels. With the entire system coming in below the 20 kg mark and with a majority of the system fitting into the optional carry case, for easy bump in/bump out, the 30m may well be the most portable of all the PA’s covered in this list.
With its 8 channel mixer, quality built in effects and ability to provide phantom power, the Evolve 30m is an absolute no-brainer for acoustic buskers and/or vocal groups, while the single-trip portability of the unit will no doubt also lend itself to the demands of itinerant DJ’s, travelling speakers and a whole host of other mobile, small scale performance and speaking/entertainment applications (as well as one hell of a clouty, premium bluetooth speaker to win friends and influence others.)
It’s also easy to imagine this system becoming the backbone of many a pop up gig, providing much in the way of coverage (120° to be exact). With this coverage combined with the max spl of 123db, the Evolve 30m is no doubt a frontrunner for mobile outdoor applications, allowing sound to cut through the elements and maintain it’s on-axis integrity front of stage.
The 3 and 7 band EQ’s ensure plenty of room for tonal shaping and tuning and the thirty studio-quality effects only further cement the Evolve 30m’s position as a flexible, portable live sound solution for the budding performer.
Overall: The name EV bears with it an assumption of premium quality drivers, rock solid finishing and incredible sound quality and the Evolve 30M more than lives up to this premise, albeit reimagined in the very modern, very ‘now’ context of lightweight portable speakers with onboard Bluetooth connectivity.
As one of the most trusted names in Pro Audio, the Evolve 30m bears with it all the hallmarks of a truly premium product. From the detail of it’s finishing, right through to the remarkable projection and sound quality of its output (especially given it’s small stature)-it’s a top shelf offering from one of the most reputable names in public address. As classy and as functional as Portable PA’s get.
Head to Jands to find out more about the Evolve 30 today.
