[Organizers] Soundsystem question for community band

Hello Contra Dance Organizers! I hope this question is ok for the organizer list. Is it a fit? Is there a better place to ask? I'd love some advice on an appropriate sound system for a community band! *The context:* www.ottawacontra.ca started a "Community Talent Contra Dance" in September 2012. As part of this, we created a community band that anyone can join... right now we have about seven regulars as well as other drop in musicians. None of the musicians are mic'd, only the caller. However, we have some really quiet instruments (e.g., nykleharpa) and we want to get into playing dynamics ... thus we have tested and would like to purchase a soundsystem that mic's kind of like a choir (pencil mics etc). The band will be doing it's own sound and we want something relatively light and easy to move around. *Might anyone have advice on the system and mics we might buy??? Here is what we are thinking (although we are open to many suggestions!)....* *System:* We're thinking of getting the Samson XP308i. It would allow us 1 caller mic, 3 pencil mics, plus a couple more inputs for say an electric piano or the like. It would be nice to have the option of 1-2 more pencil options but that could be too much. Samson has a more powerful version but it costs more and even if we get 20 players out to the community band, we don't have to mic everyone. *Are there other options we should be considering??? Any experience with this system???* * * *Caller mic:* I'm thinking a Shure 58. * This is the common wired mic yes?* *3 pencil mics:* We had tested Samson C02... I wasn't necessarily completely sold on these but they could be all right. *Do you have any preferred suggestions that would each work to mic a couple of instruments beside each other?* * * Much thanks for any advice! Emily Addison Ottawa, Ontario