Not every event needs a touring-grade sound system. A backyard birthday, a product launch, a bar night, or a DJ set for a hundred friends usually just needs clean, loud-enough sound that sets up in minutes. That’s what powered speakers are for. Here’s how to pick the right setup, what it costs to rent in Los Angeles, and when it’s time to step up.

What “powered” actually means

A powered (or “active”) speaker has its amplifier built in. You plug it into the wall, run a cable from your mixer, phone, or DJ controller, and you’re playing. There’s no separate amp rack, no speaker wire, and no engineer required.

That’s the trade-off against a professional system like Void Acoustics: powered speakers are simpler and more affordable, while a Void system is designed, delivered, and run by engineers for bigger rooms and higher expectations.

The three setups we rent most

1. A pair of tops: two QSC K12.2s

The QSC K12.2 is a 2,000-watt, 12-inch powered speaker with a 75° coverage pattern and a peak output of 132 dB. A pair on stands handles speeches, background music, and casual dancing for smaller gatherings, especially indoors.

Good for: dinners, toasts, presentations, small indoor parties, and booth monitors for a DJ. Rate: $150 per speaker, or $250 for the pair, per day. Stands are included free.

2. Tops plus a sub: two K12.2s and an EV EKX-18SP

Twelve-inch speakers can play low, but they can’t move air like an 18-inch subwoofer. Adding the Electro-Voice EKX-18SP gives music real weight, which matters most once people start dancing or the party moves outside, where bass disappears fast.

Good for: DJ sets, house parties, backyard events, and launches where music is the point. Rate: $350 per day as our Powered PA package.

If you also need a DJ setup, our XDJ All-in-One package bundles the same speakers and sub with a Pioneer XDJ-RX2 for $475 per day.

3. Studio monitors for listening and DJ booths

The JBL 305P MkII and 306P MkII are compact studio monitors, not PA speakers. They’re the right call for a DJ booth monitor, a listening session, a gallery, or a retail pop-up where the music should sound detailed rather than loud.

Rates: $40 per day (305P) and $50 per day (306P).

How to size it

Every room is different, but a few rules of thumb hold up:

Outdoors needs more than you think. There are no walls to reflect sound, so plan on adding the sub and keeping the speakers closer to your guests.
Dancing needs a sub. If the music is the main event, two tops alone will sound thin.
Talking needs coverage, not volume. For speeches, aim the speakers at the back of the crowd and keep a handheld mic like the Shure SM57 on hand. Mic stands come free with mic rentals.
Check your power. Each speaker needs its own outlet. Spread them across circuits, and if you’re off-grid, rent a quiet inverter generator.

If your guest list is growing past a casual party, or the venue has strict sound limits, that’s usually the sign to talk to us about a Void Acoustics system instead. A properly designed system sounds better at lower volumes and covers a room evenly.

How pickup works

Our powered speakers and DJ gear are pickup and drop-off rentals: you collect them, set them up yourself, and return them after the event. Speaker stands come free with speaker rentals. If you’d rather not run anything yourself, ask about an on-site engineer.

Ready to book?

Use the gear picker on our quote form to choose your speakers and quantities, add your date, and we’ll confirm availability within two business days. You can also browse all of our powered speaker rentals.

Renting speakers anywhere from Santa Barbara to San Diego? Request a quote and tell us about your event. We’ll recommend the simplest setup that sounds right.