Bad wedding music sound system

[jont]

Re: Bad wedding music sound system

Many DJ's believe you are buying "personality" first and sound is a distant second.
For many young couples who request god awful top 40/rap/contemporary christian (so called music) the DJ is more entertaining and less painful than the playlist....

$1000 would get a used B52 matrix and a Alto powered box for announcements/fill/monitor, that would be a better rig than I have seen at most weddings.

[kblackmore]

Re: Bad wedding music sound system

2 Peavey's on a stick = monitors, NOT PA

[inspectorkevi]

Re: Bad wedding music sound system

So very well said! I agree 100 percent with what you have said.

Two Peavey's on six foot poles dosent cut it for 40 people let alone 175. Subs a must for any amount of sound.

Being a DJ myself, I do understand that reasonably loud music affects people in different ways.
Ladys with hearing aids complain about the high frequentcys.

Inexpensive DJ creates bad sound in most cases.
Most wedding DJ's do not want to carry all the heavy gear. In some cases the show up in their car.
Whers all the gear?

[kblackmore]

Re: Bad wedding music sound system

I got the RMX to cooperate with Win 7 (32 bit) on an old Dell laptop I have. Right now my son is using that machine, so I have an old pedastal server loaded with XP for the music. Don't need a sound card since the RMX is one. I upgraded to Virtual DJ 7.0 and the system works flawless. I went further to VDJ 7.3, but that introduced a whole heap of issues. I then reloaded VDJ 7.0 and I am once again satisfied with the performance. The RMX has a lot of limitations that can be overcome, but I am going to upgrade to the Denon DN-MC6000 now that I have decided that a controller is feasable solution.

[Paul O]

Re: Bad wedding music sound system

The idea of the whole system for $1000 is just riddikulus.

Yeah I don't know kind of quality you're getting for that money, the small DJ rental systems I send out to cover up to about 150 heads in a medium sized hotel ballroom cost about $3000 and I'm still struggling with reliability at that price point.

[wg_ski]

Re: Bad wedding music sound system

Did you ever get your RMX to work properly under Windows 7? I did not, and I'm seriously worried about when my XP box is going to give up the ghost. Any recommendations for a stand alone unit around a grand?

The idea of the whole system for $1000 is just riddikulus. That's about the cost of just the subs - four SS15's or equivalent - and I don't see how it can be done with any less and still "sound" professional.

[kblackmore]

Re: Bad wedding music sound system

I would love to see the DJ kit you would get when the total system cost is $1000. Using turntables, a cheaper DJ set is approximately $1200. Right now I am using a cheap "beginner" DJ controller (Hercules RMX $350) that I bought to see if DJing digitally with a controller would be a feasable alternative to turntables. Add in computer cost, amplifier(s), microphone(s) and speakers. I have NO concept where you come up with those #'s. Craigslist?

[ampnation]

Re: Bad wedding music sound system

Having the right gear is only half the battle. But it is part of the battle. Very often I respond to beginning DJs or DJ's with much more experience than I, where they don't know the first thing about certain aspects of an audio signal chain. They've never heard of gain structure or SNR. They don't know what a crossover does. They think their $300 PA speaker should be able to produce sound for 1000 people at dance levels. They think they can improve the sound of a 64kbps mp3 by upconverting it to 320. And these are the ones asking for advice. Many don't. And then they wonder why they can't get a gig paying more than $200.

I can put together a system that will rock house parties including PA and DJ kit for just over $1000 with off the shelf stuff but I couldn't have done that without investing time into learning.

[Sydney]

Re: Bad wedding music sound system

Certainly the best equipment in the world is worthless in the hands of someone who doesn't know what they are doing, and that includes signal manipulation and sound analysis tools.
And measurement/analysis tools and EQ cannot transform a bad design into a great one - even in talented skillful hands.

[BElstro]

Re: Bad wedding music sound system

The part that befuddles me the most is the fact that there are too many ppl here blaming the system, and not the operator. Just like computers, operator error is probably 90% of the issue. The other 10% being the room or expecting too much out of a system. Where was the operator in respect to the speaker system? If he/she was close to the speaker system, then its operator error (without question). If the operator was at a large distance, then it could be related to the room (but not limited to room anomaly, it could be they heard it fine but it sounded thin and tinny so they boosted lows to compensate for their given distance......). It all still depends on the good ole grey matter computer to make the final cut, and their bias is better than yours (read:opinion).

I hate to bash on DJ's, but one around here that operates on a large scale here doesnt know an RTA from an EQ.... they use a system worth upwards of 15 grand (Vertec rig IIRC), and depend on a DR to do all the 'alignment'. Just because you are a top-dog doesnt mean you have an ounce of knowledge on system deployment or acoustics, or that they are smart enough to hire someone who does.....

[kblackmore]

Re: Bad wedding music sound system

Bose has been and always will be marketing hype, a bad DJ system is due to the fact most DJ's today have no clue what a system is supposed to do and are succombbing to the "Just Enough" theme. I started DJ'ing in 1986 when you had to bring a show the same as if you were a band; meaning large speaker systems and accompanying light shows. I still foster that belief. If someone is going to pay you comparable to what a band makes, you should be able to compete. Todays DJ's have not "paid their dues" by accompanying accomplished DJ's to their shows and witness how it should be done. This includes controlling your system (restraint on the volume), learning the proper way of using a mic and how to work an audience. It is far too easy nowadays to take your computer with a simple music program and a cheap set of speakers to start booking gigs as a DJ. I believe the author of this thread has fell victim to an inexperienced DJ that thought his system was "just enough". These inexperienced DJ's are giving the ones who have been there for years a serious black eye and the overall opinion of DJ's a bad name.

[Randy L]

Re: Bad wedding music sound system

Bose has been telling everybody for decades that they're the best, so it must be true... right?

Yes, it is true! And now Bose has just come out with a new version of the L1 bass module called the B2. It now has 2 10" woofers and is supposed to have double the bass output of the old bass modules that used 5" woofers. Judging by the pictures, it is not a fancy cabinet design as the drivers are front-firing. I think the old bass modules were rated at 110db SPL max. This will definately shake up the DJ industry.
(Hmm. where is the smirk smilie?)

I laugh every time my friends who have the Bose HT systems tries to show it off. hahahaha....

[Paul O]

Re: Bad wedding music sound system

one of the most well recieved speakers by wedding guests and clients are the Bose L1 speakers. They really love the slim appearance AND the sound. NO highs and little deep bass, AND they can't get to a decent SPL for larger venues/parties. But guests LOVE them!

Well... that right there may be the main reason anything Bose is well liked, when 98 out of 100 PA systems sound so bad all you got to do is provide less of everything and you're a winner. Plus there's all that marketing... Bose has been telling everybody for decades that they're the best, so it must be true... right?

[Sydney]

Re: Bad wedding music sound system

IMO bands seem to have a clue, as if they sound good they'll be invited back.

The weddings I enjoyed the most were the ones that had live bands.

[Randy L]

Re: Bad wedding music sound system

Ah, OK. One thing I see many DJs do is eat the mic. Really makes for a muffled sound. ugh.
On the note about bands, there's a local 80's tribute band here that has a pretty good following. They are frequent returns to several venues. Went and saw them one night and they were one of the worst "sounding" bands I've heard in many years. Their mains were a pair of Behringer 2 ways, on top of 15" subs (Peavey if I recall). Vocals were so harsh and distorted. Looked like a Yammie powered mixer, off to one side of the stage. No sound man (typical for smaller bands). Took all I had NOT to go over and adjust their settings. They really were a pretty good band, but their equipment was horrible!
I've seen this quite often, and it seems to me that bar patrons don't care as much about exceptional sound, and like a band for their stage show, songs, energy, and musical talent.
I would even argue this to be true for DJs too. After all, one of the most well recieved speakers by wedding guests and clients are the Bose L1 speakers. You'd be surprised by the number of customers that will choose a DJ because they use the L1's. They really love the slim appearance AND the sound. What? When I hear the L1's with 2 of their B1 bass modules per side, they have NO highs and little deep bass, AND they can't get to a decent SPL for larger venues/parties. But guests LOVE them! Could they be the same that swear that the Bose Home Theater systems are the best sounding?