I admit, I like this product..

[witesol]

The fender passport. Many times I've used them because of where I worked for the past 8 years. I'm a pro, 30 years experience, lots of equipment. But, I admit, I like the Passport; easy, small, quick, sounds good. Used one yesterday for a talking head banquet thing. I don't own one but if one of the smaller 4 channel units came up used at a good price, I would buy it.

[Al Poulin]

Convenient yes, but I've never been a fan of their sound (the ones I've heard anyway). Maybe it was the users, but they seemed to lack those sweeter highs or deeper lows. Very middy, which I guess makes them OK for vocal applications, but personally I much prefer the Yamaha Stagepas where sound quality is concerned.

 

Al

[witesol]

I've not used the stage pass..but this 300"pro" (lol) model sounded nice. Ram music through it, a computer and opulent mics.

[Reson8tor]

I only had one experience playing through a Passport, a few years ago when I sat in with a band playing a contradance. I didn't provide the system, but I was able to adjust the EQ to make the best of a bad situation (poor room acoustics, under-powered rig). The speakers had a mid-range emphasis, like Al said, without much going on in the highs and lows. Probably better for ultra low budget reinforcement of a speaker at a podium than for a band.

I wouldn't recommend it, when you could get one decent powered speaker and a compact passive mixer for about the same price, then add another speaker when finances permit.

[monthlymixcd]

Encouraged my previous employer to pick one up for public address at smaller neighborhood and community events... was a P-250 and IIRC was like new and only $250 used with a pair of stands and did exactly what we needed. Had a problem once with the grill coming loose, but was an easy fix. Good to have around for when the need arises. EDIT: This was all before the proliferation of cheap powered speakers with basic input mixers built into them... that's what I use these days.

[Shaster]

I've been forced to use them on a few occasions, and really don't like them. Actually that's an understatement. They are also as heavy, or heavier compared to a small mixer and one or two modern small powered speakers.

A few years back, I did a few harbour cruises where the Passport was the house system. I had to lug the thing from the Ticket House to the boat - no dolly was supplied because "they're so light". But they aren't so light  after a very long walk on a wobbly surface. But that's just my opinion.

[witesol]

I can see that. I have used the older gray or black ones. Too heavy yes, bulky. But the 300 pro isn't bad. 300 watts. I think a 10" and horn. Seems about 40 lbs total. Sounded very decent. Anyhow, enough said about it. It was just funny that I've done 3 gigs with them in the past few weeks.

 

 

[Craig Vecchione]

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witesol wrote:

The fender passport. Many times I've used them because of where I worked for the past 8 years. I'm a pro, 30 years experience, lots of equipment. But, I admit, I like the Passport; easy, small, quick, sounds good. Used one yesterday for a talking head banquet thing. I don't own one but if one of the smaller 4 channel units came up used at a good price, I would buy it.

---

 

For general speach they are fine, and pretty convenient.

As noted, there are a lot of similar products, with varying performance. I'd be reluctant to use any, including the Passport for music other than maybe a Starbucks gig with solo guitar, etc. I'd still go with the Bose L1 for a compact music system for solo or duo, but the cost difference is, to put mildly, significant.

[Gregidon]

It seems like the Fender passport and similar made a lot more sense before the advent of low weight powered speakers. Now that low weight powered speakers with small, built in mixers are the norm, I don't see much of a future for these combo systems.