Are you going to speak at an event and you need to reach a large number of people? Do you want to give directions during sports training sessions but you don't know how to make yourself heard in a rather large space? Or are you called upon to incite the fans at the stadium to sing for your favourite team? In all these cases the best solution is undoubtedly the use of a megaphone to expand your voice to comfortably reach as many people as possible in a larger or smaller area.
On Hi-FiTower you can find different megaphones, ranging from simpler to more sophisticated models featuring MP3 playback functions through a USB port, Bluetooth connection, built-in siren and the possibility to record your voice for loop playback. Read on to find out what makes a megaphone suitable for your intended use, and conveniently purchase the model that best suits your needs.
To be able to choose the best megaphone it is important to clarify the difference between a standard megaphone and an electronic megaphone. A megaphone is a cone-shaped device used to amplify the voice and direct it in one direction. An electronic megaphone is always a megaphone in shape, but smaller in size than a normal megaphone because most of the amplification work is achieved through the electronics of its components. These electronic devices also tend to be heavier and have several functions improving the user experience.
Megaphones are instruments capable of amplifying the voice and directing it in a specific direction, due to their conical shape and the narrow mouthpiece at either end of the device. In general, modern megaphones are defined as electro-acoustic and consist of:
All these elements are enclosed in a single housing, and some megaphones feature a separate microphone to connect to the amplifier through a cable. The megaphone basically collects the voice and amplifies it, but obviously, the vocal quality is distorted and is certainly not comparable to that amplified by a microphone, for example. But the purpose of the megaphone is making the voice audible at a great distance and not to reproduce it faithfully and sharply.
For some people, megaphones look all the same and are considered a simple device with limited features. The truth is, different models on the market may differ substantially in terms of power, performance and additional features, making them suitable for use in specific situations. Let's look at the most important features you should consider to find the megaphone that best suits your needs:
Depending on the use of the megaphone in particular situations, the more advanced models may offer additional features that improve its usability, which we list in the table below.
Some important extra features for your megaphone | |
removable microphone: this is an attractive solution for heavy megaphones. A removable microphone is usually small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, allowing you to have a more direct visual contact with the people you are talking to. | recording: some megaphones can record sentences and play them back continuously, so you don't have to repeat them all the time. For some people, e.g. some street vendors, this function is handy to have and allows you to repeat pre-recorded sentences by simply pressing on a button |
AUX, USB and Bluetooth input: some megaphones are equipped with a 3.5 mm AUX input to connected other devices; others have a USB port, and some even feature Bluetooth compatibility. This function is useful if you intend to use the megaphone as a loudspeaker, but keep in mind that a megaphone will always distort the incoming signal and heavily affect the audio quality, whatever model you choose. | portability: to facilitate transport, some megaphones are equipped with a folding handle and a strap to be used to wrap the wrist. These features are advantageous to reduce space when the megaphone has to be stored, and the strap also prevents the device from accidentally falling down. |
siren: almost all the most powerful megaphones are equipped with a siren function, useful to attract the attention of the crowd. The siren sound is the most classic, but the most advanced megaphones can reproduce different sounds and tracks at the touch of a button | torch: even if only some models are equipped with it, we can find megaphones with a torch. This function can be useful to have a useful tool which can illuminate even in low light conditions |
Take a look at our product gallery, and choose in megaphone that offers you all the functionality you need. For amplification that delivers crystal-clear sound quality, whether you're out in the open or when you need to enjoy your sound, discover all the solutions available on HiFi Tower for portable PA systems.