When I received the call from Pro Mobile to review the Kinsman KPA500 it came as a surprise. Not only because I had retired from wedding and celebration discos to concentrate on my successful children’s party entertainment business but because, by coincidence, I had just learnt of this new compact line-array system by Kinsman and was on the lookout for a supplier so I could test the system myself. Having sold most of my large PA and lighting, I have been in the market for a quick and easy setup for my small indoor shows and wanted to see this latest entrant into what has been a growing market.

Being a children’s entertainer is different to working your typical evening events. There is a lot less need to go in with a huge sound system and loads of flashing lights. What is needed is an interactive experience where I spend the whole party as an entertainer rather than a DJ. As a children’s entertainer, I also have minimal time to set up and I need to pack down in the smallest amount of time possible to allow for the journey to the next gig. Whilst I don’t have the luxury of one event a day (often two or three short shows instead) I do benefit from getting home for the evening. So time – or lack of – is key. The KPA500 was very much in my sights.

It isn’t just children’s entertainment that the Kinsman KPA500 is suitable for, though. There is a growing demand for compact and easily set up systems for wedding ceremonies and background music provision during wedding breakfasts and other daytime events. So, whilst you may not be a children’s entertainer, the Kinsman’s versatility is reason to give this new unit some serious consideration. I really had my fingers crossed that the Kinsman – consisting of a 40W cable-free (click and connect) satellite tower, housing four 2.5” speaker drivers and an 8” 200W subwoofer – was the answer to my search for a new sound system.

Upon arrival, I unpacked the system from the box and it was a pleasure to see that the bags are included – they are nearly always an extra cost. You get a bag for the three sections that make up the tower, and one bag for the base unit. I’m happy to confirm that the system was very light and easy to put together.

You’ll find a built in MP3 player incorporating switchable Bluetooth, USB, and SD card facilities, and an easy-to-read LED display. In terms of connectivity, there are a lot of options. Inputs include 2 x Mic, 2 x XLR (both with Mic/Line switches), 2 x Line and MP3 switch, with controls for Effects 1 and 2, Level 1, 2 and 3, Master Music, and Speech Bass Boost.

It’s fair to say I was eager to test out the Bluetooth option. Most children’s entertainers will use an iPad or even a smartphone to control the music for a show, so this is an essential feature. All it took was an easy press of the Bluetooth mode button, a quick check of the settings on my iPad, and I had music playing instantly. You also have the option of a 3.5mm line input for using a cable from any device. Next up, I connected my headset mic. I have numerous systems and this time I used my Transtec S4/04. This also worked instantly, already the Kinsman KPA500 was ticking all the boxes.

I decided to put the speaker through its paces by plugging in a deck and testing it at a louder volume that would be equal to a party. Volume is controlled via the dial on the line input being used, and you have the master volume and a speech bass boost dial too.

For indoor shows my go-to system is a small case housing a mixer, radio microphone and hand-held microphone, as well as other inputs for various music sources. I just input the XLR cable from mixer into a speaker and I’m ready to go.

So, I hired out a hall to test the KPA500 at full capacity – not just for its sound but to see how it worked in my children’s bubble show. Having not performed inside a venue for a very long time, I wanted to check the setup times and have a little rehearsal. It all took less than half an hour and, thanks to the KPA500, the sound side of the setup was a breeze, taking just a few minutes.

The Kinsman KPA500 is a great system at a very low price point; perfect for DJs in need of an additional system that can easily handle speeches and background music. And at such a fair price, why not add two to your setup?

The KPA500 can be paired to a second KPA500, either hard-wired with a single cable or cable-free via the built-in Bluetooth connection. For children’s entertainers like me who run a magic show or a bubble show, this system does the job perfectly.