Outfit a practice space of any size.

Using PA speakers during a practice session gives you a better understanding of how your band will sound when you play live. Detailed enough for low volumes, but powerful enough for your next gig, active speakers like these have power amps built right into them. And since active, powered loudspeakers eliminate the need for bulky outboard power amps and the additional cables that come with them, they're a perfect fit for your small practice space.

Finding the right levels for everyone during a practice session is crucial for perfecting your sound. By running your band through a mixer, you can establish a balance that works best for everyone, and assure that no one instrument overpowers the others. All of these mixers have built-in effects, so you can enhance vocals or instruments with reverb, delay, chorus, etc. without adding pedals and outboard gear. Some small mixers even have a USB output -- handy for recording a mix straight to your laptop.

With their rugged designs, tight pickup patterns, and ability to handle loud vocals and instruments, dynamic microphones are a must-have for any practice space. For singers, drummers, and acoustic instrument players, a versatile dynamic microphone is essential in assuring their sound is represented in the rest of the mix.

Swap your amp for a direct box and avoid the bouncing wall of sound that happens when you crank an amp up in a small room. With your guitar, bass, or keyboard connected to the PA via one of these D.I. boxes, you can skip the hassle of getting your amp stack in the back of your car or on the bus every week. Direct boxes are small enough to fit inside your backpack, but a must-have tool for reinforcing your sound whether you're rehearsing or playing a show. And you're playing through a modeler or a keyboard with line-level outs, try using a line isolator box instead of a DI to keep your signal at line-level all the way down the chain.