I want to upgrade my existing 12 year old Fender 300 watts portable system to a higher version.

I am deciding which one should I get, a Fender 500 PRO or a Samson Expedition XP510i?

I noticed that the Samson has more features like the Ipod dock and Ten studio-quality 24-bit digital effects. I think it is also easier to control the system because it is removable while the Fender Passport you have to slouch to be able to control it.

Aside from these, I am also using the new Samson Air Synth Earset Mic which is compatible, my existing Passport gives a strong feedback to it.

Here are their pictures and specs:
Fender: http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0694405000
Samson: http://www.samsontech.com/samson/product....../xp510i/

The price of the Samson costs around US$700 while the Fender is US$1000

Which of these would you get? If not, is there a better portable system than these?

You should hear them first. Test them both under performance situation. Speakers can have the same dimensions but will not cover the same area. Bring someone with you whom you trust - if possible someone who can hear precisely. Test with your own music. How is the sound? Then test with your voice - are there unwanted resonances? Is there the tendency for feedbacks? Consider the mounting and usability of the mixer unit. Do you have the controls you need? Can you adapt the sound for different venues? Do you want to use the mixer unit as a stand alone unit or do you want to mount it into a table or rack?

The Samson is the much superior of the two. I've used both these systems and the Samson is punchier, with warmer more natural tones. I found the Fender quite cheaply made too. Hope this helps - but at the end of the day, it's personal preference!

Thank you abrell and garydunn, I bought the Samson yesterday. Yes, I tested both and the Samson sounded much better in all aspects. I was also considering the Yamaha Stagepass 500. It was also good but more expensive. I guess Samson copied the Stagepass and improved on it.