Electro-Voice has been an innovative force in the audio industry for almost a century, and they’re still one of the few brands that designs every part of their loudspeakers—from drivers to waveguides to enclosures—in house. If sonic linearity and transparency is the dream for your live sound, Electro-Voice has been making it come true for decades.
Specifically, EV’s family of portable PA systems offers the output, coverage and accuracy required for top-notch sound reproduction in a variety of venues for virtually any kind of performance. We’re talking everywhere from houses of worship, jam rooms, school gymnasiums, bars and cafes to nightclubs, theaters and outdoor stages.
Between battery-powered solutions, stereo speaker and subwoofer arrangements, and column PAs, Electro-Voice has something for everyone to take their show on the road.
Table of Contents
The Best Electro-Voice Portable PA Systems
Electrify Your Voice
People Also Ask ...
The Best Electro-Voice Portable PA Systems
Our selection of the top portable Electro-Voice PA systems is organized by series. We’ll highlight one of the best-selling models from each lineup, then briefly introduce you to other sizes and variations offered within the group.
Electro-Voice EVERSE
Why We Picked It: The EVERSE 8 is Electro-Voice’s first battery-powered speaker, and it boasts some impressive specs for such a portable package.
Key Features:
- 400W of Class-D amplification for up to 121dB SPL
- SST waveguide offers 100° x 100° coverage
- Up to 12 hours of battery life
Shop Now: Electro-Voice EVERSE 8 Weatherized Battery-Powered Loudspeaker with Bluetooth
Ideal for solo performers on the go—singer-songwriters, buskers, DJs—the top-rated Electro-Voice EVERSE 8 is compact, lightweight and extremely durable, complete with a weatherized enclosure for protection from the elements. Inputs include a pair of combo XLR/TRS jacks for microphones and instruments, in addition to a stereo 1/8" AUX with optional Bluetooth support for wireless connectivity to an external playback device.
EV’s efficient Class-D amplifier pushes 400W of clean power through the 8" driver, while onboard QuickSmart DSP powered by Dynacord offers automatic feedback suppression and audio ducking. It’s almost like having your own personal FOH engineer with you wherever you perform. To make the most of it, the free QuickSmart Mobile app integrates with the speaker, so you can conveniently access the full range of effects and signal processing.
The consensus among Guitar Center customers is all positive, too, with the portable speaker system scoring 4.92/5 stars alongside a 100% recommendation rate. The EVERSE 8 is also available in white, and if you need a little more power, the larger EVERSE 12 (in black or white) brings it.
Pictured: Electro-Voice EVERSE 8 Rear Panel
Electro-Voice ELX200
Why We Picked It: The ELX200-15P is the perfect gateway to a comprehensive live sound reinforcement system.
Key Features:
- 1,200W of Class-D amplification for up to 132dB SPL
- Two XLR/TRS combo jacks and stereo RCA inputs
- Onboard DSP with four mixing presets tailored to different program material
Shop Now: Electro-Voice ELX200-15P 15" Powered Loudspeaker
Electro-Voice’s ELX200-15P is a 15" powered loudspeaker that’s adapted to both portability and permanent installation in small or mid-sized venues, like clubs and theaters. For bigger setups and performances, one of this series’ key features is the ability to control up to six ELX200 units simultaneously from QuickSmart Mobile.
While you can run the ELX200-15P standalone or as a stereo pair, it works extremely well as part of the broader ELX200 ecosystem, which includes the 10" ELX200-10P, 12" ELX200-12P and 18" ELX200-18SP subwoofer. You can cover mains, monitors and subs between the series.
The Electro-Voice ELX200-15P portable PA is also a top-seller at Guitar Center, gathering 4.55/5 stars from reviews. Plus, if a white finish is more your style, the ELX200-10P-W, ELX200-12P-W and ELX200-18SP-W really pop on stage.
Pictured: Electro-Voice ELX200-15P Rear Panel
Electro-Voice ZLX
Why We Picked It: Versatile and easy to use, the ZLX-15P is a stellar all-around portable PA system.
Key Features:
- 1,000W of Class-D amplification for up to 129dB SPL
- Two XLR/TRS combo jacks, 1/4" Hi-Z input and Bluetooth
- Specially designed cabinet can be situated as a wedge or angled back
Shop Now: Electro-Voice ZLX-15P G2 15" 2-Way Powered Speaker
The Electro-Voice ZLX-15P (and ZLX series at large) strikes a balance between the ultraportable EVERSE and the more powerful ELX200 families, landing somewhere in the middle in terms of maneuverability, durability and sheer output.
With the ZLX-15P, a solo musician, DJ or event host can set up quickly on their own, leverage DSP-driven effects and the QuickSmart Mobile app to intuitively dial in their mix, and project to sizeable audiences given the 15" driver and Class-D amplifier’s raw power. Guitar Center customers who’ve done just that give it a solid 4.9/5 on the “greatness” scale.
Other models in the ZLX series are the 8" ZLX-8P and 12" ZLX-12P. For those who need the extra oomph, ZLX speakers seamlessly integrate with ELX200 subwoofers—this package moves some serious air.
Pictured: Electro-Voice ZLX-15P Rear Panel
Electro-Voice ETX
Why We Picked It: The ETX-15P is a high-end portable loudspeaker engineered for professional applications.
Key Features:
- 2,000W of Class-D amplification for up to 135dB SPL
- Two XLR/TRS combo jacks
- QuickSmart DSP with one-knob control
Shop Now: Electro-Voice ETX-15P 15" 2-Way Powered Loudspeaker
The flagship speaker of the ETX line, Electro-Voice's ETX-15P offers reliable performance for big-league gigs.
At the heart of the speaker’s pristine sound quality is EV’s FIR-Drive (Finite Impulse Response) technology. Essentially, it uses steep crossover filters to optimize the transition between high- and low-frequency drivers, so each unit receives only program material it can most accurately reproduce.
As one Guitar Center reviewer put it, following a successful gig in a large space, “These speakers sounded amazing—completely covered the room in powerful, balanced and clean sound with so much headroom to spare.” It’s hard to argue with that.
The cabinet itself includes eight individual suspension points for permanent installations, but it’s also pole-mountable—the matching ETX-18SP subwoofer functions as a base, too.
Electro-Voice additionally makes the smaller 10" ETX-10P and the 12" ETX-12P. On the opposite end of the spectrum, though, is the 3-way ETX-35P, which incorporates a 6.5" midrange driver to complement its 15" woofer and 1.25" tweeter.
Pictured: Electro-Voice ETX-15P Rear Panel
Electro-Voice EKX
Why We Picked It: The EKX-15P is a more affordable alternative to its cousins in the ETX family, but it still boasts renowned Electro-Voice fidelity.
Key Features:
- 1,500W of Class-D amplification for up to 134dB SPL
- Two XLR/TRS combo jacks and stereo RCA inputs
- QuickSmart DSP with one-knob control
Shop Now: Electro-Voice EKX-15P 15" Powered 2-Way Speaker
The Electro-Voice EKX-15P is ideal for next-level sound without the major price hike. It retains essential EV tech related to fidelity, like their patented Signal Synchronized Transducers (SST) waveguide that supports even, consistent coverage. It’s also got an intelligently controlled heat management system to help it stay cool; you can drive these speakers hard, whether you’re under the hot festival sun or in a packed club after hours.
These are rugged, durable speakers, and though they’re on the heavier side of portable at almost 54 pounds, they’re specifically designed with the rigors of the road in mind.
Jay, a DJ from Houston, TX, said in his Guitar Center review, “I play five gigs a week, so they are getting plenty of use, and so far, they’ve proven very durable (a little heavy, but durable).” As far as sound quality is concerned, “I have had ZERO distortion at higher levels of volume. The clarity has been quite an eye opener.”
The 12" EKX-12P, 15" EKX-15SP subwoofer and 18" EKX-18SP sub round out the EKX series.
Pictured: Electro-Voice EKX-15P Rear Panel
Electro-Voice EVOLVE
Why We Picked It: The EVOLVE 90 portable column PA system is the ultimate all-in-one solution for mobile live sound.
Key Features:
- Eight 4.7" drivers in the column array and one 18" subwoofer
- Two XLR/TRS combo jacks, stereo line/RCA inputs, AES/EBU digital I/O and Bluetooth
- Ultrawide, 120° arc of horizontal dispersion for maximum coverage
Shop Now: Electro-Voice EVOLVE 90 Portable Column PA Speaker
The latest in Electro-Voice’s column PA lineup, the EVOLVE 90 is the first in its class to offer an 18" subwoofer. There were no sacrifices to portability, though, because the whole unit is still constructed from lightweight, durable materials to make transport and set up a breeze. EVOLVE 90 follows EV’s “3-2-1” deployment rule: three pieces, two clicks, one PA system.
With the 18" sub, bass extends all the way down to 28Hz, while eight midrange and high-frequency drivers take the response up to a full 20kHz. The system gets crazy loud as well—up to 134dB SPL—so there’s no doubt it can fill a massive room with powerful sound.
The EVOLVE 90 is the biggest, baddest portable column PA Electro-Voice offers, but you can scale it back a bit with any of the EVOLVE 30M, EVOLVE 50 or EVOLVE 70 models.
Pictured: Electro-Voice EVOLVE 90 Rear Panel
Electrify Your Voice
Electro-Voice’s portable PA range is wide enough to encompass solo artists, DJs, bands, public speakers, party hosts and more. What they all share is careful attention to every detail of their design, so you’ll sound your best under a variety of circumstances.
As always, if you have additional questions, please don’t hesitate to contact a Gear Adviser, who’ll help determine the right Electro-Voice speaker system for your needs. You can, of course, also visit your local Guitar Center to see how these portable PAs stack up in person.
People Also Ask ...
What is a portable PA system?
A portable PA refers to a powered loudspeaker with a built-in mixer section where you can directly connect microphones, instruments and other devices for amplification. They’re entirely self-contained, designed for maximum portability and ease of use.
What size PA system do I need?
The size of the venue and its capacity will determine your PA power needs. When pros are sizing a PA for a room, they’ll sometimes pick an average overall volume level in dB SPL, then choose speakers according to their ability to produce an even frequency response at that desired level.
For most of us, though, we can go with our guts. Smaller speakers and configurations will work for smaller rooms and audiences, while we’ll obviously need more power, and even multi-speaker arrangements, for bigger spaces and crowds.
Does a portable PA system need a subwoofer?
If you perform bass-heavy music or run speakers with smallish woofers between 8"–10", adding a subwoofer will increase the power, punch and clarity of your low end. It could also prevent you from distorting your main speakers, especially during a loud, bassy set.
On the other hand, if you’re a singer-songwriter performing at intimate venues or cafes, adding a subwoofer is likely overkill, as well as an unnecessary cartage hassle.
How do I choose a portable PA system?
Of the Electro-Voice portable PAs in this article, some are optimized for mobility, some for power and some for integration into larger systems, but they’re all dialed in for sonic performance. Ultimately, you should think about your primary application—DJ performances, public speaking, karaoke parties, solo busking, full-band gigging—to help narrow down your choice.
You can also check out our companion guide, “How To Choose the Best Portable PA System,” which answers many common queries on the topic.