Fender PD250 Passport Deluxe Portable PA System
6 input mixer. 250 watts (125 per channel) stereo.
Overall User Ratings (based on 190 ratings)
Submitted March 17, 2005 by a customer from midconetwork.com
"BAR NONE!!!!The best system for the price, portability, value, features and versitility.... SEXY SEXY SEXY!!!!"
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I will have this system for a long time, basically until I need more output for huge outdoor gigs. (Which will never happen)
Sound
The sound is great. Distinct highs, great mids, could use a little more bass response, but overall terrific.
I added a Behringer Eruorack UB1622FX Pro mixer/effects board by using two of the inputs on the Fender system. I have 4 mics, Ovation guitar, Fender mandolin and a Kawai ES1 keyboard all plugged into the board and through the system with power to push two floor monitors out front and still have two empty inputs. NO PROBLEM! Our bass guitar is plugged into its own Peavey TKO 115 amp. We have enough bass. I have played in rooms as small as 100, outdoor concert from a gazeebo, to a high school gymnasium packed with 1400 people. NO PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!
Someone wrote that it has no monitor outs. It sure does. All I did was bought a 5 dollar dual in/single out adapter for speaker out.. and one for the monitor out channels. NO PROBLEM!! I love this simple, effective, versitile, portable , great sounding system!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Features
Has great features. EQ, reverb, pan, and the VIP is great when you need to talk over or announce during a break while music is playing.
Quality
I'm satisfied with the quality, just a lil apprehensive of the speaker clamps (plastic) and other "plastic" cabinet components. Once they break.. they are broke. Got the optional padded cover for added protection.
Value
For the money there isn't a system that comes close.
Manufacturer Support
Never dealt with Company. Never had to. lol
The Wow Factor
Ease of use, ease of functions, absolute ease of portability... it is soooooo "sexy".
Musical Background:
Active musician/Family Gospel Group
Musical Style:
Gospel/Bluegrass
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Submitted June 13, 2005 by a customer from aol.com
"Karaoke KJ's... LOOK NO FURTHER!!! Inside or outside gigs... this system rocks!!"
This review has been selected by our experts as particularly helpful.
Just purchased my second one... I hope the Deluxe is as good as the P250... because I love mine!! If you run Karaoke, especially if you are a female, as am I, this is perfect... I can lug it around with no problem and set up and break down myself... system is under 60 lbs and easy to pack up!
Sound
I own a Karaoke business, and for my line of work, this is the best!! I own a P250, and have used it for 6 years with no real problems except after this long, playing 6 days per week for 4 hours per day, it is getting a little tired, so I just purchased the PD250, and I'm hoping that I have the same luck with the new one! I'm keeping the P250, it still works fine, just time to replace and renew!
Features
I run a Beheringer Effects unit through the aux and the vocals sound great!! The reverb itself is very good, as far as reverb goes, and I operated the karaoke with just that for a few years with no complaints, but I wanted to snazz up the vocals a little. Also, I run a DVD burner out of the cassette out, and have been recording excellent DVDs with video added out of this unit! The sound quality is perfect!
Quality
I've seen a few comments about the fact that this is made out of plastic... this unit is SOLID!! It has been dropped, fallen, banged bumped, and tossed in and out of the truck... NO PROBLEM!! It holds up to abuse... trust me on that!! I don't think any other PA would hold up to what mine has been through and still play awesome!
Value
A friend of mine payed less for the Peavy system and he's kicking himself for not getting the passport instead! At this price, there is no better!!
Manufacturer Support
Haven't needed it...
The Wow Factor
I couldn't live without it!! Practical but very cute... love the set up... and everyone always asks me, "What is that???" Especially when they hear very loud, full music coming from these little bitty speakers!!!!
Musical Background:
Professional DJ / KJ / Vocalist
Musical Style:
Rock / Alternative
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Submitted February 11, 2007 by a customer from earthlink.net
"If you have a folk group, BUY THIS PRODUCT!"
I don't just buy things without researching them first, so I read all the reviews I could find. I was hesitant at first because it looked too small to produce the sound it delivers, so I tested the unit out at the dealers and was IMPRESSED.If you're thinking about this unit for a folk group, STOP NOW. JUST GO BUY IT. You'll love it. Some people said it was only good for practice sessions, and if you're a rocker, that may be true, but I'm not looking to blast out anyone's eardrums. I have a unit that delivers great sound for a great price. What more can you ask for.
I believe that I have purchased the last sound system I'll ever need. If it does wear out before we retire the group, I would purchase another one in an instant. I looked at other brand name units like the passport, but they fell short in many ways. You didn't get half the "stuff" and paid almost the same price. The best thing about this unit is it's ease of use and portability. I needed an appliance dolly for our old equipment, but I can carry this in one hand.
Sound
We have a small folk group that plays for church folk services. After 13 years of lugging heavy equipment around, the PD250 is perfect. We play for 100-500 people and half-volume more than handles that. I currently use a Roland E200 Keyboard, a couple of guitars with the sound effects boxes, a mic for a flute, and a couple microphones and it handles those with ease.We found the two passport speakers just a little lacking on the bass so I added a Fender speaker with a 12" woofer and that absolutely took care of it. The first time we used the system we had people who have heard us play for years, ask what we changed because we sounded so much better.
Features
We got two mics and cables, the speaker stands, which are super light but really sturdy, all the cable we needed and ours has the receiver for the wireless mic. The dealer threw in a stereo line for the keyboard hookup. The best feature the PD250 has is its "fit anywhere" size. I can put the mixer next to the keyboard and you can barely see it. The speaker stands are great. We can cover a greater area with more sound than ever before. The only thing I'd like to see are a couple of headphone jacks and a lighted front panel. It's tough to see the control panel in dark places.
Ease of Use
What learning curve? I read over the owners manual once and completely understood it. It almost seemed too easy, but I discovered that the PD250 is actually that easy to use. The PD250 cut down our set up time by 1/2 hour. Our other guitar player likes the sound so much he stopped bringing his Peavy guitar amp and just uses our Fender Passport.
Quality
So far so good. QC seems to be tight. I just love this thing. Reliability is huge for us because we are on the road 3 out of 4 weekends a month. I don't doubt that this unit will be there for us whenever we need it. I still have my old amp system (we called it Robo-Amp due to its size) mainly because it's not worth much to anyone except me, but that one was our only system for 13 years and it never let us down. I consider the Passport to be a much better unit than Robo-Amp, so I'm looking to use the PD250 until we retire the group in 15-20 years.
Value
My wife and I are the road crew now that the kids are gone. Since I'm not 25 anymore (a long way from it) we needed something easy to move and set up. The unit paid for itself the first time I did NOT have to lug all the old equipment in and out of the van. The Passport is undoubtedly the most important part of our folkgroup, (sound sells) but it's almost the least expensive piece. Our instruments cost as much, if not more, than the Passport. I think the piece is perfectly priced, since we work for free. Anything we purchase for the group comes out of our pocket and it's refreshing to know that you can purchase quality at an affordable price. I'm certain that you can purchase a much better sounding system, but I don't plan on playing at the superbowl anytime soon and I don't have unlimited funds.
Manufacturer Support
I rated this category the best because so far I have not needed service.
The Wow Factor
The first time we used the Passport, the entire look of the group changed. We looked "professional", with the speakers up on the stands, and no huge unit sitting around taking up space. The entire space we use looks neater and uncluttered. I actually like the black color because it tends to blend into the background. Is it sexy? Why not?
Musical Background:
Active Musician
Musical Style:
Folk
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Submitted June 26, 2008 by a customer from excite.com
"If you're playing to an audience up to 150 people I highly recommend as a simple to use light wieght, compact system."
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zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
Sound
What else could you expect when Fender choose Bose to help engineer the speaker system.
Features
Simple is good... The reverb sounds great
Ease of Use
Again ...simple is good. So compact for such a loud system.. the sound is awesome and quick to set up.. I definetly recommend purchasing the padded cover..
Quality
I bought a PD150 and used it alot before getting the PD250. Both products are made very well in my opinion. When I got the PD250 there was something "not right" with the system.. Zzounds quickly replaced it and I have never had any problems since.
Value
A little pricey..but you get what you pay for.
Manufacturer Support
Never had to deal with Fender
Musical Background:
active musician
Musical Style:
country, old rock
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Submitted November 11, 2017 by James Learned in Redwood City, CA
"PD250 Comes with powered monitor outputs"
The Passports come in two basic models, and Fender is not good at making this clear. The p and pd250 units have two volume knobs, left and right BUT they are also labeled Main and Monitor. There is a small slide switch that changes the mode. READ the BOOK. This great for bands!OF course you have to buy the monitor speakers separately.The newer Venue and Event models have just one master volume knob and no monitor function. Lousy for bands!And you really should add handles to the speakers tops; use large sheet metal screws. The difference in handling will amaze you!
Watch out for the VIP knob! It needs to be at 0 unless you have read the book. It makes mic one kill all other channels when turned up.
Musical Background:
I do the sound
Musical Style:
Christian and bluegrass and classical
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Submitted October 24, 2007 by a customer from yahoo.com
"You won't regret it"
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zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
If our Passport got lost or stolen, I'd buy another one right away. There's really nothing else on the market that can compare.
Sound
Our bluegrass/jazz/funk band was looking for a nice clean sound, and this system is perfect for us. It always sounds quite good. Many of our regular fans said that we'd made huge improvements as a band, when all we did was buy the Passport system. We use the Passport for 3 vocal mics, 1 banjo (though a pre-amp) and one hollowbody guitar (through a VOX amp). My acoustic guitar also sounds great when I plug directly into the Passport.
Features
This is a basic system, but that can be a great thing if you want simplicity. There's not much control over the reverb, but the basic reverb works fine for us. The speakers sound great. The included mics are OK, but we prefer to use our Audix OM3s. It would be nice if there were more mono line-in jacks (2 of the six lines in are stereo), but this can easily be fixed with a $2 mono-to-stereo converter from Radio shack.
Ease of Use
We can set the whole thing up in about 15 minutes. We just leave the settings the same for each gig, and we can get a good sound with minimal tweaking to fit the space. Just plug and play, and it sounds great. We usually point one speaker toward the band as a monitor, and the other speaker out toward the crowd. And we can get plenty of volume just from the one speaker pointing out.
Quality
The first model I received had a defective speaker, but the replacement came right away and that one has been fantastic. The whole unit seems pretty sturdy and like it should last a while.
Value
We are thrilled with the quality, compactness, and ease of use. It's a screamin' deal.
Manufacturer Support
I haven't dealt with Fender, but the Zzounds support was outstanding when my first shipment had a problem.
Musical Background:
active musician, accidental sound man
Musical Style:
bluegrass/funk/jazz
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Submitted December 27, 2013 by David W
"A couple of issues"
I play in a couple of bands. One acoustic folk band & one loud rock band. This unit is perfect for the acoustic band, but way inadequate for the rock band. I needed to use it (at a pinch) for the rock band & regret that we blew one speaker box. Fender Australia has so far not replied to my service requests & I am feeling frustrated. Also, the speaker boxes need their own moulded or attached handles for greater ease of use & less back pain. Otherwise a great, elegant PA. For the right occasion.
Musical Background:
30 years. Rock guitar, acoustic guitar. Professional gigs.
Musical Style:
Garage Rock, Russian Folk.
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Submitted October 16, 2004 by a customer from cox.net
"The Fender Passport's a headache-reliever"
So far so good.
Sound
We play in a duet, bluegrass-influenced traditional and original material, with several friends sitting in now and then. This PA has been the headache-relief we've been looking for. No hassels. Great sound, minimal tweeking. Just giving the audience an honest approximation of what we're playing. Loud rockers look elsewhere. This little gem performs for the acoustic musician in a non-arena venue. Wish the EQ was more nuanced but, hey, you can't have everything.
Features
Needs better EQ. Single nob system doesn't cut it for all instruments.
Quality
Just got it so who knows, but it sure seems road-worthy.
Value
I researched far and wide. This is worth the money. Think of the years in stress it'll save you.
Manufacturer Support
Not an issue yet, knock on wood.
The Wow Factor
The Passport is easy to set up and easy to use and delivers accurate sound. We're about playing music and accurate amplification of it is we want out of a sound system. You guys who are about technical mumbo jumbo look elsewhere. The Passport works.
Musical Background:
Gigging musician for 25 years
Musical Style:
Bluegrass and original singer-songwriter
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Submitted July 1, 2003 by a customer from vgernet.net
Fender Passport PD250 Customer Review
Verified Customer
zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
Sound
What the Passport has in convenience it lacks in power. Cranked up to 8, it would probably be fine for the spoken voice, but for music it lacked warmth and depth, sounding rather ringy. Even at 8 it would barely handle, say, a 100 person coffeehouse, and it's probably not healthy (for the system) to run it that high for extended periods anyway.
Features
Pretty much what you'd get in a small mixer, except that I saw no way to run a pair of monitors, nor can you "daisy chain" the speakers. What you have is what you get.
Quality
I had no qualms with the mixer quality, but the speakers were a mite lightweight, which is one thing that may account for the lack of depth and warmth.
The Wow Factor
Aesthetically elegant and well-designed, but a lightweight, not for the professional musician.
Musical Style:
Southern Old-time
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Submitted January 28, 2005 by a customer from hotmail.com
"Clean, clear sound. Powerful and portable."
I'd simply supplement with some processing
Sound
I've rated it a 8. I'm comparing it to the half-dozen small systems I've used in my own solo and small group performance and in providing concert sound for solos and duos. Ease of operation and clarity of sound are its best attributes. Clean and silent, but plenty of say it best. By using a 10 band EQ in the send and return circuits with just a modest boost of the low end, I was able to create the best sound I've ever mixed for a singer-songwriter-guitarist considered to be one of the best of the genre. Feed back is never an issue.
Features
The p-51 mics aren't bad. I prefer and use SM58's, but wouldn't hesitate to substitute in a pinch.
'
Quality
So far, so good. Fender provides a 5 year warranty. I'm a couple of years in and hope I have no experience.
Value
I paid below street price, I'd have paid more if necessary.
Manufacturer Support
No contact
The Wow Factor
I was initially wary of its non-standard, not black rectangles and boxes look. Now I'm happy that I resisted my initial tendency toward conformity.
Musical Background:
Active musician
Musical Style:
Folk-Blues-Bluegrass
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Submitted June 9, 2010
"Great little PA for acoustic soloists or duo."
I expect I'll hang onto this unit until it fails me. I have other PAs for bigger rooms and will sell and upgrade them before i send this puppy packing...
Sound
The quality of the sound is excellent for the most part. The speakers are very responsive and clarity is better than one would expect from a unit at this price point. The downside is fender's oddball set of dials and limited tone control. heck its just a single master dial and single dials on each input. But, still I've found it works to a point.
Features
Adequate for a duo, but there was no way we could get three singers and two guitars onboard. Limited reverb. Fender could have put in a few more effects, but its still okay if you are only looking to reproduce acoustic sound.
Ease of Use
Simple enough to set-up anyone can figure it out. The channel inputs are well marked but the tone and volume controls are far from intuitive.
Quality
Very well made. As light as you need to haul around on gigs. it is only plastic but I've never had a problem and I've banged it about as anyone would on a gig.
Value
Dollar for dollar you can beat the value with any of their competitors products, though Yamaha comes pretty close. I get as good a sound from my unit as some folks get from their fancy Bose towers.
Manufacturer Support
I have never had any trouble and never had to have it repaired. But I do know Fender has great supprt.
The Wow Factor
Hey, equipment generally isn't "sexy" to me, so I'm not a fair judge. The speakers do look nice atop my stands, but the powerhead is a bit goofy and gawky sitting on stage at small venues.
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Submitted October 25, 2004
Fender Passport PD250 Customer Review
Verified Customer
zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
Quality
High frequency drivers burned out twice on both channels. One time I cranked it but the other time was only moderately loud. Both times took 8 weeks to get new drivers. I heard that they were Bose drivers. Probably the same bookshelf speaker drivers. Can't cut it as loud PA. No way I'd depend on them for a paying gig.
Manufacturer Support
After 8 weeks I called Fender and they got the drivers to my repair shop. So I guess that's cool/
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Submitted September 21, 2004
"Good for what it is supposed to be."
I am happy for now for what i use it for, accoustic gigs and rehearsals.
Sound
Sound is good for it purpose - a portable system that requires minimal setup time. What it has in clarity, quiet operation and brightness, it lacks in bass. That is understandable for its size and power rating. I recommend this for an indoor event less than 200 people. Anything more you need major juice for you PA system. Best suited for acoustic gigs, full rock bands look elsewhere.
Features
No real monitor outs for this system. They had it in P-250 but removed it from the PD-250. Funny. Monitor outs would be nice. Reverb is close to unusable.
Quality
So far no problems for me. I am worried as I heard of quality issues with the cabinets.
Value
Price is good for a portable system in a small package.
Manufacturer Support
N/A never dealt with them.
The Wow Factor
Looks cool. Everyone likes it when we gig. Not suitable for loud rock gigs tho.
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