Here is my review of the Megavox Pro sound system that i bought recently for our mega harinam in Amsterdam.
update (4 sep 2008) :
I have used the Megavox now on 3 occasions in Amsterdam.
Since there are high voltage lines from the trams around the whole of Amsterdam it has a definitive impact on the wireless reception. With distances of 25m the wireless signal is less stable. I did not experience this when no power lines were present.
Secondly, the supplied headband microphone is not really stable and the microphone is not that sensitive. If you move a lot, or jump, then the headbanb will fall of your head. And you have to almost eat the microphone to get a clear signal. This might be improved when the “gain” is turned up on the bodypack. That i still have to try.
Last but not least i am getting more and more impressed with this little big noisemaker. I never had to turn the volume more then halfway, even in very crowded/noisy places…
kudos to Anchor Audio.
Index
Conclusions
Introduction
Package content
Usage and Harinam
Strong and Weak points
Availability
Prices
References, Guides and Websites
Conclusions
This is an excellent, quality built portable sound system. It is loud, very loud and lasts almost 7 hours when the volume is turned halfway. Although the total weight (6.8kg) does get an issue when carrying it for a long time, it has a nice handle to hold it. The included shoulder strap can also be used, but when carried on the shoulder the sound is more clear.
Because of its loudness you easily get feedback (the shrieking sound which blows your ears…). So keeping distance from the microphone is essential. Turning the Megavox away solves this problem. During our harinam i found that the best position is at the back of the harinam group, with the speaker turned forwards (over the people heads).
The battery life was amazing, although this might be expected from a 5.4 Amp battery. It charges in 8 hours, and it lasted for almost 7 hours (volume knob halfway). Your milage may vary of course, but you will get some nice harinam time. It should cover most harinam times
The megavox is sold seperately and as part of a package including a megavox, wireless mic, and speaker stand. Different packages are available depending on retailers. Anchor Audio, the manufacturer of the Megavox is based in the US so availability is strong there. The Megavox Pro comes with a warranty of 6 years, which might come in handy some day !
So if you need to cater a big harinam group with good sound, this is the best system available.
Introduction
The Megavox Pro is produced by Anchor Audio, a US based company, who do business with different dealers and government. They manufacture also other portable sound systems which are worth checking out. The megavox Pro comes in 2 flavors, with one or two wireless microphone receivers. Also the Megavox is often sold as part of a package containing the megavox, wireless mic and speaker stand. There are more options available if needed.
We bought a Megavox Pro Basic Package (MEGA-BP) with the optional protective bag and that is what we will be using for this review. The wireless mic comes in 3 flavors (handheld, headband or lavelier). We chose for the headband mic because this is convenient during the harinam.
Package contents
- Megavox Pro 6000U1 (meaning with 1 wireless receiver)
- Speaker stand (SS-550)
- Headband microphone (HBM-TA4F)
- Wireless bodypack (WB-6000)
- Wired microphone (comes with every megavox Pro)
- Power supply (RC-6000)
- Protective bag (NL-Mega)
The unpacking was easy ;-). The megavox was charged so could be used immediately. I tried the wireless microphone and with the first feedback still ringing in my ears i concluded that this baby is loud…
The built quality is very good. Some heavy duty plastic is used, and it looks like it can withstand a drop on the ground. The audio controls and inputs are situated on the back and are very easy the work with. I did not have to think about it or read the manual. Just switch on the megavox with the knob labeled “Wireless mic 1″. Switch on the wireless body pack and you are good to go.
The battery is not easily accessible. You have to remove the whole inner workings to reach it. This might void warranty so i did not try that. I still have to find out what kind of battery is used in this machine. Although not an option at the moment it would be nice if the battery was user-replaceable.
The protective bag that i ordered extra is needed for rainy conditions and it will protect your investment. But it will cover also the speaker, so the sound will be blocked. I would suggest to Anchor Audio to make the front of the bag open (with a mesh for example) so that the sound will go through. See the photo where i made this adjustment myself.
Usage and Harinam
I used the megavox on our annual Queens day 2008 celebration in Amsterdam. We had a group of 75 devotees joining the harinam. I decided to put the volume a little before halfway the scale. People were putting there fingers in their ears if they came to close.. This thing is loud. During the harinam i turned the volume a little up, so it was halfway exactly. I used this setting for 6.5hrs until the battery finally gave up.
I experienced some problems with the wireless reception or the bodypack. The signal would stutter a lot and sometimes drop completely. I dont know if this is related to the bodypack. The distance between the megavox and bodypack was never more then 10 meter. Also the microphone piece of the headband (part HMB-TA4F ) was not too stable. So if you are jumping a lot, a better headband mic is recommended.
The weight can become a problem after carrying it for more then 3 hrs. So make sure you have somebody to help you. I have walked around with the megavox on my shoulder the whole time. I had to shift it from one shoulder to the other when it was hurting too much. But all in all it was a nice austerity. But i recommend using earplugs if you have this thing next to your ears…
The battery was good for almost 7 hrs. Then the wireless connection would stutter too much and the voice will fail. A little later the system just turned off. The battery is unfortunately not user replaceable. It would be nice if Anchor Audio would make this possible. The battery is a standard led-geal battery, and should be easy to get from local “Radio Shacks”.
After the harinam i received many compliments about the soundsystem. When crossing a very noisy outside stage i was able to overpower them by putting the volume way up… The Christian booth still remember us. 
Availability
The company that makes these Megavox systems (Anchor Audio) is based in California, US. So to buy it in the states is easy. But for the rest of the world it can be a problem. And when it is locally available, it will be expensive (especially when you are in a euro country). The dollar is so low these days compared to the euro that travelling to the US and buying the megavox yourself there to bring it back home is almost cheaper then buying it locally. I recommend to get a good discount on the “normal” price. Some dealers are willing to do that.
In the US you have many online stores that sell Anchor audio products. In particular i would like to mention the Anchor Audio Club. They only sell Anchor products and seem to have reasonable prices (although i saw other online stores that sell cheaper).
In the rest of the world it can be difficult as i said before. Since i am based in The Netherlands i found a local dealer (Eurocase.nl). Although the prices on their website are high compared to the low dollar, you can work out some discount with them. They also offer service to Anchor products. After some digging around i could find more dealers in England and Germany. The dealer from Germany ships to Europe, so if you are living there this might be an option. You can work out some nice deals with this dealer.
Strong and Weak Points
Strong points
- Loud! (for larger harinam and ratha yatra’s)
- Solid built quality
- Longer lasting battery (min. 6 hrs). Battery is a 5.4 Amph type
- Multiple wireless mic options
- Optional speaker stand (35 mm)
- 6 year warranty
Weak points
- Still heavy (6.9 kg)
- Clear sound. Good for speech, less for singing
- Sensitive for feedback (you know the shrieking sound that blows your ears)
Prices
Prices do change, so my current listing will be outdated over time. Also it is based on the retail prices and discount is not considered (although you should try to get some). And the US prices are without sales tax
US-based (prices from anchoraudioclub.com)
$ 1116 : Megavox Pro Basic Package (megavox, wireless mic, bodypack, speaker stand)
$ 668 : Megavox Pro, 1 wireless receiver. (Without microphone)
$ 78 : Headband microphone
$ 240 : Body pack wireless sender.
Euro prices (from germany)
€ 1154 : Megavox Pro Basic Package
As you can see the European dealers are trying to make a lot of profit. So get a discount from them. Or buy a ticket to the states, buy a megavox, have some vacation, and still save money… 
References, Guides and Websites
Here are some references that i used and links to websites and other interesting info. I could not find any review of this Megavox, so i am the first!! Hope you like it
Websites
- Anchor Audio offcial website
- Megavox Pro Product Page
- Anchor Audio Club (authorized dealer)
- Dutch dealer of Anchor Audio
- German Anchor Audio dealer
- English Anchor dealer
Product manuals and more
Filed under: Audio, Harinam, Reviews | Tagged: megavox, pro, review
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Great review. 6 year warranty is awesome! That thing must be built to last.
The Roland Street Cube has a 15 hour battery life, so we replace the batteries about once a month. 6xAA. It can be done very quickly, and if you don’t have spares on hand you can quickly buy some.
It’s good that the Megavox came with wireless mics. Since we already have those for our fixed environment it wasn’t such a consideration when we looked at the Street Cube. Although the total battery consumption for the unit, with the wireless mics, is about 14xAA / month.