I did a bit of research and came up with my current PA:
2 - EV SX300 (12" woofer, 1" horn, 300w handling pwr each)
QSC PLX 1802 power amp (~300w/ch 8ohms)
Behringer cheapo board
Rane stereo EQ.
I can't say enough about the SX300s - 35lbs ea., tough cabinets, small, and they honestly sound better than any speakers I've heard - Mackie, Community Sound, etc. I can put the whole PA in my trunk and still have room left over for other stuff. Not cheap ($500-$700/pair used), but honestly worth it if you care about your sound and can afford 'em!
The QSC power amp is also incredible - I was running an old EV Entertainer head and it was pretty good but the QSC 1802 is perfectly suited to the EV speakers power-wise, and it has a built in crossover in case you want to power a sub, plus @ 4ohms you can power the mains w/one side and monitors w/the other. And the clarity of the highs through the EVs is really something... 8)
I only needed the EQ to notch out a little around 500Hz for my guitar - other than that it's flat. The board was $129 and works fine. :shock:
Get the best speakers you can afford to start with. All equipment will sound better through good speakers! :mrgreen: