First Time Buyer

[mattshields 0]

I've been DJing for quite a while now and I’ve decided it's time for me to invest in my own equipment and delve into the mobile DJ business. So I thought I’d turn to some more intellectual people than myself http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif . I was wondering what you would advise me to buy ranging from cd players to cables. Also how much a good system would cost, as well as a budget one http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif.

 

http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/thanks.gif in advance

 

Matt

[cookiecat 0]

Good question.

I took am looking at setting up and would like a rough unbiased guide to what I need.Especially when it comes to speaker amps etc.

What would be a good wattage?I am looking at 300-500w rms per side,is it to much or to little?

Thanks

[Gary 0]

Well Matt, some of your decisions on equipment purchases will be based upon what you want to do with it, and how many people you might be playing to, in what sized venues.

 

I also see that you're regularly helping out a local drama group, which might have a slight influence on some of your sound and lighting choices, eg: A couple of spare music channels and mic channels on a mixer, and maybe some dimmable, controlable lighting, rather than just straightforward sound to light barrel-effects.

 

What sort of functions, and sizes of venue would you be looking at doing ?

[mattshields 0]

QUOTE (Gary @ Jul 19 2005, 03:42 PM)

I also see that you're regularly helping out a local drama group, which might have a slight influence on some of your sound and lighting choices, eg: A couple of spare music channels and mic channels on a mixer, and maybe some dimmable, controlable lighting, rather than just straightforward sound to light barrel-effects.

This is true that I help out with local drama groups, so it would be useful to have a few extra channels on the mixer, lights arn't usually a problem as these are already supplied. In more professional shows I do the sound equipment is supplied as well.

 

QUOTE

What sort of functions, and sizes of venue would you be looking at doing ?

 

What I am hoping to buy will mainly be used for mobile discos, a regular venue is quite a large community hall, big enough to fit 200-300 people. The type of functions will be the usual discos etc. laterly to my disco career I hope to delve into kareoke.

[jeffwall 0]

I set up last year, made a few mistakes on speakers etc so wasted money, i would defo reccomend powered speakers as they are plug and play. depends on your preference though...i would highly reccomend the Makie srm 450 powered speakers, 450watts per side and great sounding (approx 850 a pair new) Plus the bass bin if you are doin large venues where more bass is required (Mackie 1501 approx 530 new) A Beringer mixer vmx1000 (5 channel) is a great mixer for the money at around £120ish

You could start with just a basic twin player for about £160 Likes of Gemini, 2nd hand flight case and a mic....sorted!! Just buy 2 x phono to xlr leads for the speakers from your mixer. oh and a head set!

 

Lighting...you could just start with 2 or 3 moon/flower effects which would get you going NJD 2000 are ok

[cookiecat 0]

QUOTE

i would highly reccomend the Makie srm 450 powered speakers, 450watts per side and great sounding (approx 850 a pair new)

http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/scared.gif

Are these not a bit pricey for starting out?

[DJ Marky Marc 0]

you will need some quality speakers if you want to play to play music for 200 or more people... so the makies would be a good start.

 

and no 850 is not a lot of money for quality speakers

 

dont buy anything untill you have seen it in action

[brianmole 0]

QUOTE

i would highly reccomend the Makie srm 450 powered speakers, 450watts per side and great sounding (approx 850 a pair new) scared.gif Are these not a bit pricey for starting out?

 

No, don't forget they are powered speakers, so you will not need an amp. Why should starting out mean a poor setup which will not cope with 200 - 300 guests?

 

I would say the Mackies are a good start. Take Marcs advice, go find a reputable dealer locally and convince him you will not buy anything unless you have tried it, you can suggest they rent you a pair to try.

[ChrisPointon 0]

It's a bit like buying a house for the first time. Some people may have the money to splash out on a £400,000 dream house right from the start , but for other first time buyers it's usually a case of starting small but comfortable and then slowly moving up the chain to bigger and better as finances allow. I'm sure that we'd all be driving Bentley's if only we could afford them, it all comes down to how much you have got to spend. http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/laugh.gif .

 

I started off with a second hand Fal mono 50 Watt Deck (Twin Turntable) http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/fear.gif , which I would describe as only the next best thing to an Alba hi-fi system, however at aged 14, it got me established and people kept booking me despite being able to fry bacon on the heatsink at the end!. I DO NOT recommend that you follow this example, which is purely for historical and entertainment purposes, but I am sure that some DJ's on here previously used a similar set up at some point in the dim and distant? http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/tongue.gif

 

Since Matt has access to a more professional system for larger events if required, and given that although he has been DJ'ing for a while he is just starting out in the Mobile side of the business then perhaps a more modest set up would be advisable?, no offence to Matt, but he may have moved on to another interest in 12 months time or find that he doesn't enjoy Mobile Dj'ing as much as he thought he would. However for 200 people you do still need to be realistic in terms of headroom and perhaps budget, and not just go for the cheapest.

 

We still don't know exactly what Matt's Budget is for this, to some people £10,000 is realistic, to others £700 is a small fortune http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/533.gif , so perhaps Matt could tell us what his budget is, or at least give us a rough idea?.

 

Matt, in the meantime, you may like to browse through the DJU Members Interviews section, since each member who has taken part in one, has also listed the equipment which they use, so it may give you an example of what established DJ's are using.

[Steve_Mitchell 0]

QUOTE (mattshields @ Jul 19 2005, 12:59 PM)

I've been DJing for quite a while now and I’ve decided it's time for me to invest in my own equipment and delve into the mobile DJ business.

Why don`t you ask the people who`s gear you have been using if you can buy it from them..

 

Then re-build as you can afford it..

 

Everybody is sumizing here!!!

 

Do you have a budget Matt?

[jeffwall 0]

QUOTE (cookiecat @ Jul 19 2005, 06:49 PM)

Are these  not a bit pricey for starting out?

Hi, just suggested them coz i started last year with a 600watt system from dap audio, was ok to be honest, but as the gigs got bigger, the power i needed got bigger, so invested win the mackies, my opinion is to start out with a good set of speakers and not waste time and money on poor speakers like i did? You can always add the bass bin later on, when you start to make some dosh.

I have re invested all the money from my gigs into better equipment so now its all paid for and i can start to make some profit, the mackies are great sounding and powerfull on their own without the bin, so will be good for 100-150 people, with the bin you can easily do 200

 

ps The mackies tend to keep in good nick whatever their age if theyve been looked after and covers fitted etc, you might find a cracking second hand deal on ebay etc?

[DJTwinspin 0]

I think thats one of the mistakes i made when starting out i bought cheap gear and watched things go wrong with it.

 

I used to have.

 

A Behringer DX-1000 DJ Mixer i had nothing but trouble with it.

Numark CDN-22 (I broke myself by accident) But still not brilliant

Peavey Eurosys 3s (these took a fair bit of hassle but not powerful enough)

 

cheaper lighting effects

 

soundlab vastos, miniscans etc.

 

But in the end i did notice that cheap gear does the iob. BUT NOT FOR LONG!

 

For a PA System i invested a couple of grand on a Electro-Voice PA for the big gigs SX300 Tops and SB180 Subwoofers. (3.6kw) the system is driven by a PV-1500 Peavey Amp and a Peavey GPS-3500 Power Amplifier. Good system the EV im happy with the quality of it. Also ive got my peavey impulses for the smaller mobile jobs.

 

Any quality disco kit cost money!!!

 

apart from the odd exeptions which are priced very well.

Edited July 20, 2005 by DJTwinspin

[mattshields 0]

QUOTE (Chris_Pointon @ Jul 20 2005, 07:18 AM)

We still don't know exactly what Matt's Budget is for this, to some people £10,000 is realistic, to others £700 is a small fortune http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/533.gif , so perhaps Matt could tell us what his budget is, or at least give us a rough idea?.

My budget is around the £1000 mark, but the lower end of that figure would be better.

 

QUOTE

Any quality disco kit cost money!!!

 

But surely this is like saying only people with a lot of money can become a successful/good mobile DJ, if this is true then I know i'm out. My idea being I get a low cost, fairly good quality system and using the money I earn, gradually update it. It this a right or wrong way of doing it, bear in mind the budget issue.

[DJ Marky Marc 0]

your in luck... some people are advertising thre gear on forums as they have decided to hang up there head phones.

 

So if you hunt about and barter with them im sure you will find you can set your self up with some quality used but well looked after gear.....

 

 

 

[YourBigEvent 0]

QUOTE

Any quality disco kit cost money!!!

 

So does a quality motor, but Suzuki, Matiz etc are all doing well, like it has been stated, quality does costs, but we all started off with kit that we now think is pants, it is all relative.

I wouldn't dream of spending under £200 for a radio mic, but you get get them for £80 and below, but in the same breath I wouldn't spend £800 on one either.

 

Horses for courses

[Hayd 0]

From my experience the sound is the most important thing for you to spend your cash on as this is really what people will be judging you on. It is easy to get carried away spending loads on lighting to start with ( I made that mistake ).

 

For a start I would say get 4 x 250w twister type effects ( avoid the cheap soundlab and equivelent cheap high powered effects, they eat bulbs ) terralec are doing a good deal £69each for Manic 250w gobo moonflowers , great effect for the money and have 500hr bulbs.

 

Couple of T bar light stands to put them on. A 5 channel mixer ( should get something for around the £120-£150 mark ). Budget twin cd player around the same money.

 

Then you chould have half your budget left for a decent amp and speakers; or if you are lucky enough to find a cheap second hand pair, the mackie 450s.

 

Then start saving cos I'm selling my mackies at the end of 2006 LOL

 

Good luck starting out.

 

Hayd

 

Starmix Disco Website http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/thumbup.gif

[Kingy 0]

Well, I think now is the best time ever to buy DJ gear. It has never been cheaper.

 

The one comment I would make is that "Joe Public" does not care about the quality of the lighting rig, so you can get away with cutting the lighting budget. There are some nice and relatively cheap lighting effects on the market, an example being the Constella range. I also saw NJD swords on sale for £99 this week. Amazing value.

 

When it comes to sound, that is a different matter. My advice there is to go Active. If things dont work out Active cabs will hold their value better as they are considered by many to be the "Modern" way forward.

 

Whatever happens, good luck.