100v pa system advice please?

The ones I used to see lots of (mk3 i think) were wired as two sets of four with the centre four having a capacitor in circuit, which would regularly need replacing due to the legs snapping off.

But yes, if you dont allready have them, dont buy any now. They were only 'waterproof' in so far as any plastic cab is and those little drivers cost about the same (each) as a decent 12".

Toa (who know what they're doing with 100V stuff) make a 100v 'music horn' with better frequency response than your standard re-entrant horn, although I've never actually tried one I always thought they were worth an audition if I need this sort of thing. Clever audio make one too.

RCF do the P series that are very good outdoor speakers. Can be 8 ohm or 100v line. Not cheap by any means though. JBL do something similar.

Price wise, £500 a day is quite a lot of money. You will probably be undercut at that rate. There are plenty of one man bands who have a few horns and will work for beer money. I know one bloke who charges £150 for a commentary box WITH PA. Ok its just four horns on the roof, an amp, battery and mic, and is a set up and left, but you get the picture. What you want to charge, and what event organisers will pay are two different things. A lot of shows just want sound to come out of speakers, and as long as it is legible, does the job and keeps working, they are happy. They don't really care if the equipment costs ten grand or ten quid. Or if it says Electrovoice on it or QTX. One promoter we worked for really didn't give a stuff, however there are some that do.

Regards VAT, it is definitely negative for small shows, and we have lost most of the small pony club events near us, due to a non VAT registered competitor. You still have to charge VAT to charities, trust me on that one- I have checked! Bigger shows either accept and absorb it, or are registered themselves. Most big big shows (county level etc) however, won't take you seriously if you are not VAT registered, as they will doubt your company is big enough to do their job.

You may also find a lot of suppliers do package deals on multiple kit, like two way radios, and particularly for showjumping, timing systems. Radios are not too pricey and easily purchased from the bay and suchlike, but timing costs an absolute effing fortune and rarely crops up second hand. So you wanting to do just the sound can be detrimental if Joe Bloggs down the road can do the lot!