Personal Voice Amplifier – Portable Speaker with Microphone Headset for Classroom, Tour Guide, Presentations - Built-in MP3 Player & FM Radio – 12watt Black MR1700

I'm a tour guide here in Las Vegas and occasionally walk groups of up to 15-30 people through Fremont Street. For those of you who haven't been here, it is similar to Mardi Gras and Carnaval, lots of music and distractions. Usually, I would have to yell over the din to tell my stories and of course yelling gets pretty tiring, so eventually, you cut you're explanations and stories shorter and shorter as the night goes on, thus doing a disservice to your clients as well as yourself (tip wise).The Aker Portable Amplifier 16W version is just what I needed.-Now I can talk normally all night long and my group can finally hear me. It gets just loud enough so you can hear me like I was yelling, but my voice comes across in more of a conversational tone. With a slight adjustment of the volume knob, I can use the amplifier inside the casinos without disrupting anyone's gambling enjoyment, which is important, since you DO NOT want to upset the Casino in ANY way.-The amplifier projects in the direction you are facing. I can also swing the projector around to my back to talk while I'm leading the group.-I wear the item using the straps as a belt as the clip does seem weak and likely to break.-The microphone is meant to drape over your ears and BEHIND your head, not over. I was concerned about a previous review about the microphone not fitting anyone's head, but have since figured out that they were morons. Trust me in saying that this is a one size fits all mic.-Issues with Feedback were nil as long as I wore it as a belt and didn't bend over to bring the mic close to the amplifier.-Came with an additional amp cord so maybe you could play music from an ipod and talk over the music (haven't tried this)-Comes with a little sack to hold all the items-Seems to hold a charge well.-Charger comes with the item, though the battery isn't readily accessible. Directions says that the battery is good up to a year with constant use.My recommendation is to go with the 16W version as it seems to be the same size as the 14W and you can always use the extra volume in certain situations. The Aker Portable Voice Amplifier is black, small and unobtrusive. The voice quality is good and does an excellent job, especially for the price.(I wouldn't use it as a voice amplifier for singers - it's not that good - lol)Hope this review helps!

Omg...it's amazing volume...I loved it.

I occasionally have trouble projecting my voice. Therefore, I need an amp that will allow me to be heard by a small crowd outdoors or indoors even when I have to speak very softly. This 12-watt unit arrived charged and ready to test. At first, I had to turn the volume all the way up for voice amplification, and even then it seemed very poor. But then I connected my MP3 player to it and turned the volume dial way down before trying some music. Glad I did. WOW... the speaker was quite loud even at low volume. Clearly, it's more than capable of decent amplification. (Enough to do damage.) So, what about the microphone? I noticed that the instruction manual illustrated the mic being worn on the right side of one's face. Yet, the picture of the head band in this position isn't accurate. Actually, the mic can be worn in a variety of positions, provided the cable reaches the speaker (it's a very short cable). So I wore the mic over my left ear instead, putting the mouthpiece right in front of my mouth as before. SO MUCH BETTER in my case. Still not quite as great as I'd hoped, but it has proven to be sufficient for my needs. The speaker clarity seems pretty good, too.The speaker has a nice, tight metal belt clip on the back, plus two rings which can be used to hang it from a strap (included). Be warned, the wire connecting the mic to the unit is short and the head clasp can be rather loose, especially if it is not worn around the back of the head as intended. However, I did not find any of this to be bothersome. I tend to wear the speaker on the strap around my neck, as this gives the microphone cable more slack. I've had no issues at all with feedback or screech, which of course is possible if the microphone gets too close to the speaker.Some day, I'll have to try this unit with a different mic. But right now, I'm quite happy with this unit.

I have been teaching for ober a decade now and I don't know why I never thought to look for something like this a long time ago. I just got fed up straining my voice over classrooms of children who don't listen unless someone is shouting. This way I can keep my voice calm while being heard. It gets their attention. It is small enough to clip on your pocket or waistband without falling. The battery life for me is about 2 and half days worth of class so I think thas is pretty good especially since all you have to do is recharge it. It does get feed back when you walk by things like sinks, desk, etc. This works great for substitute teachers because it doesn't get old to the kids. Going into different classes they don't know what to make of you. Works great for field trips. I think it is a must have for educators who deal with lots of kids at one time. Some of the money we waste in schools would be better spent on staff being equipped with these. It would save adult vocal cords, we would probably get less frustrated because we will be heard immediately, and most kids will respond to the louder voice so you won't have to yell. Yes, kids do get yelled at in school because lots of times they don't respond otherwise.

this works so well for me in my meeting that I had in front of 100 people. I was very happy that I brought this with me and I used it. They do not have a microphone so I was happy to have my own voice enhancing machine with me. Easy to use easy to carry easy to travel with.