Ernie n Tara said:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/behringer-ub2442fx--harbinger-aps15-pa-package
http://www.kraftmusic.com/catalog/audio/paspeakers/index.asp?product=10615
Let?s first discuss the mics and mic booms of each system. These items should not be the deciding factor on your system because both units are using similar setups that are basically good sellers because they are cheap. Since you have an SM58 you?re well covered in that regard and unless you fall on one, either boom stand will do the job. Don?t expect the cables to be pro-quality either, you might find that they don?t fit quite right in the mics, they might be too loose or too tight, but they will work. Just remember that in order to sell a system at a low price, corners have to be cut.
The Peavey: The first thing you must do is wade through the BS that makes up a lot of ads trying to make equipment sound better than it is, such as the line in the Peavey ad about "60mm faders." One look at the photo on the Peavey Escort page tells you so much more about the faders than the words will. I had to Google the system to find out that the speakers are only 10" and that the wattage is 150 per side (ad claims "300 watts"). The Peavey claims a 5-band EQ which is correct although it can be misleading. One might think each input has 5-band controls, not so. Each input has only bass and treble controls and the 5-band EQ affects only the output of ALL channels not each individual channel (even though the wording suggests that this approach is best, it is not since it does not give more adjustment to each individual channel). The Peavey does have onboard reverb and that is good although how important it is to your music is your personal choice. Peavey boasts 15v Phantom Power, the standard is 48v so I?m not sure why they even advertise this.
All in all though the Peavey is a good system, it should be American Made unless they?ve sourced it out. One thing the Peavey wins points for is that it folds together into a nice case for moving and storage. Here?s a link to the manual for the system, it?s important to look at the manuals before you purchase: http://www.peavey.com/assets/literature/manuals/03513400_4.pdf
The Behringer: Behringer is one of those manufacturers that inspires arguments from buyers. Some love the quality and price, others complain that Behringer simply rips off other designs and slaps their name on it. If you can get by this point you can look at Behringer with a better eye, they do in fact make quality products at a fair price, where they got the design from may not matter to some of us. I would not own any of their guitar amps (perhaps I?m an elitist), but I do have a Behringer A/B pedal that works great and was much cheaper than other versions.
This Behringer system has a much larger mixer which as one poster said might be overkill, others might look at it as something to grow into. Who knows, maybe you?ll play somewhere that you?ll need the extra capacity. You?ll also love all the bells and whistles that are standard on the Behringer (auto send and returns, headphone jacks, subgroups, true monitor capability). If you Google the mixer you?ll see that it sells online for approximately $300 just by itself. Here?s a link to the manual: http://www.behringer.com/assets/UB1622FX-PRO_P0161_M_EN.pdf
The mixer has a far better EQ setup giving you better control over your sound (3 bands on each individual channel and 4 bands on stereo channels with a 5-band EQ on the final outputs). It also has true Phantom Power compared to the Peavey. The Peavey has onboard Reverb, but the Behringer has an effects processor which offers Reverb (12 styles of reverb!) and 24 other effects such as a phaser, a flanger, a delay, and even a noise gate.
The speakers and price also make the Behringer more appealing (at least to me). While I?m not a fan of powered speakers, the 15? Harbinger (a brand owned by Guitar Center) speakers should give you better response and certainly better bottom end than the 10? speakers in the Peavey unit. There are two mic/line inputs on the back, as well as a pair of RCA inputs that let you connect a CD or MP3 player if you like. Each input has its own input level control, and there is also a master volume control. Finally, there is a 5-band graphic equalizer that lets you tailor the sound from 250 Hz and up. I almost have to wonder if the speakers, a couple of boom stands, and another mic wouldn't fit the bill for you. If you're looking at a 100' by 100' outdoor venue, I believe these speakers would be a better choice than the Peavey's. Here's a link to the manual on the Harbinger speakers: http://www.harbingerproaudio.com/pdf/Harbinger_APS15_manual_LR.pdf
If it were me, I would get far more bang for my buck with the Behringer although I?d have to deal with moving and storing the gear every time I moved. This is where you must decide which is more important to you.
When it comes to pricing, give Musician's Friend a call as they will match anybody's price on the same item and they always include free shipping (give them the web site address for the item and the price listed and they'll check it out while you're on the phone with them). I've dealt with them for years and swear by them. I ordered something last night and it shipped this morning.