I thought long and hard about a portable battery powered PA system. I am a DJ, but I can't always bring my big PA. Plus I like to have impromptu music all sorts of places.I debated about this or the Tailgater, and ultimately I picked this because I wanted it to get loud. It certainly gets plenty loud, but not much bass.The battery life is friggin sweet. I don't know how long because I am always done with it well before the battery runs out, but I don't doubt that it gets every minute of the 12 hours they claim.Also it seems to be very rugged. I know Ion isn't known for top of the line audio gear, but for under 200 bucks, this thing is awesome. In any case, if you want a big loud unit get this one. If you want something more portable, get the tailgater. Link: ION Audio IPA17 TAILGATER AM/FM I am thinking of getting the tailgater too, just to have something that I can always have with me.Pros:- Gets as loud as you would expect.- Good sound.- Ipod dock. I don't have an Ipod, so I haven't tested this feature.- AM/FM radio. This is cool for tailgating, you can listen to the game.- Two Mic inputs, and a stereo input. You can listen to all the sources at the same time, everything has independent volume controls.- Long battery life. They say 12 hours. I believe them.- Wheels, carrying handles and a retractable pull handle, like a suitcase.- Seems pretty rugged, metal grill and reinforced corners.Cons:- No audio output. The previous generation of this product had an output, so you could connect two or more of them together for more sound. This is a pretty big omission in my opinion, because having two could definitely come in handy.- Not as much bass as I would prefer. This is understandable for two reasons. #1, Bass requires more power, and the battery life would take a big hit. #2, having a bigger speaker driver in there would add to the weight.- No program on the radio. Every time you turn on the radio, it starts over at the bottom of the dial. It takes some time to get to your station.Non of these cons is enough to take away a star in my opinion, as I think Ion have done a very good job of putting a lot of thought into this excellent product.Suggested uses:- Backyard parties- Camping dance party!- picnic- beach- Intramural sports.- I think this would come in very handy for my friends at burning man.