I am looking at some of the (very) small speaker/personal PA systems for small groups. I've seen some really cheap (in both senses, I assume) products from some of the usual suspects, as well as some less-cheap versions. Has anyone had any experience at all with the waist-worn (and similar size) products for supporting a single presenter's voice?
Here, I'm talking about groups under 75 (at larger sizes, my training client provides audio support). This is primarily to allow me to talk a little softer - my voice is normally loud enough to talk to up to 80-100 people without support, without much issue. The problem here is that I often speak for 6 hours a day, up to 4 days in a row. That can create a lot of strain, especially if the room is cold (had that last week with a group of about 40, and strained my voice).
My limitation here is that I'm trying to keep all of my gear in two bags (for flight). I carry one suitcase with all of my clothing, etc. for a week. My other bag is currently an 18" catalog case, which contains all of my training equipment (notes, cables, gaffer tape, and all the other little sundries for the day of the seminar). I don't have much room, but would like to add a speaker to what I carry (I currently only carry a speaker when driving, as my current solution won't fit in my suitcase with my clothes).
What I hope to find is something to keep in my training gear as a standard piece of kit. I'd love it if it has some sort of integrated mixer (at least input for mic and PC), but I can always pick up a tiny mixer if needed. IK Multimedia's iLoud is currently high on my list to replace my current speaker (a GoSpeak Pro), but I'd like to also find something smaller, which would also travel as a backup when I'm driving. I've seen tiny "tour guide" models by VocoPro, Nady, and the other cheapo providers. Has anyone seen/heard/used any of these?