Sound System on a tight budget - Help needed [Archive]

Casual77

15-02-2015, 09:23 PM

I'm looking for a reliable sound system on a budget and could do with some help.

I've got access to what I thought would be an adequate system but I'm having some technical issues and I'm not sure that it is going to be suitable for what I need (house music parties in small/medium venues).

The system I've got access to is a Behringer Europower PMH2000 2x250W power amp and a pair of 300W passive NJD speakers (15" I think) on stands. I've tried them and they sound pretty good and suitably loud for about 2 minutes and then the amplifier inexplicably shuts itself down for a few minutes before powering up again out of the blue. I'm pretty sure I've not been pushing it too hard and there is no sign of over-heating but it's clearly too flakey for me to rely on it.

So, the question is whether the speakers are suitable and I should be on the lookout for a suitable power amp (which from a cost perspective would be my preferred choice) or whether I need something higher powered and should be looking to buy some active speakers instead. Assuming that the speakers are suitable what sort of budget end amplifier could I look at that would be suitable? Do I need to be looking for a 600W amplifier or can I get something more powerful without damaging the speakers? There appear to be some cheap amplifiers on ebay that might fit the bill such as Ekho RX1200 for £99 but I dont want to spend money on something unless I know it would be fit for purpose.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

scott23

15-02-2015, 09:47 PM

Have you thought about maybe going for some active speakers? I mean the technology these days is is pretty darn good. That way the amp is built to work for the speaker its made for. That way you wont get your amp frying all the time and risk blowing your speakers. Plus uses less room. How much of a budget do you have? if you dont mind me asking??

Casual77

15-02-2015, 10:11 PM

hi Scott,

Thanks for the reply.

To be honest I was hoping that I wouldn't have to spend any budget on the sound system because the one that I've got access to (my dad's) is only a few years old and has only been used a couple of times. Frustratingly, it sounds fine until the amplifier just cuts out for a few minutes. I'm no expert but I'm guessing that it has developed some kind of electrical fault from being stored in a loft and not used for the past couple of years. And I know Behringer doesn't have the best of reputations when it comes to quality and reliability.

As far as budget goes.... I suppose the answer to that one is 'as little as I can get away with spending' because I was planning to spend what money I have at the moment on lighting. If the speakers I've got are suitable and I could get away with just buying an amplifier I would ideally like to pick something up for under £150. If the speakers aren't suitable I would definitely consider going down the active speaker route but I'm guessing I would need to be looking at £300+ as a minimum for a pair of reasonable active speakers unless I could get something suitable second hand.

Excalibur

15-02-2015, 10:18 PM

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

We'll do our best. First up, mixer amps like that one exist in many guises and badges. They're not known for being bulletproof. ( Says the man who has one he uses from time to time. :D ) Also, the quoted power outputs can be " optimistic ". ;) Basically, it's not the weapon to be running at high output for five or six hours, and it's either overheating very quickly, or the speakers are causing it to go into " protect", though my money's on heat, as they have no fans, and a cramped design.

Assuming your speakers are OK ( one way to test them is to run them on a trusted amp. If that doesn't go into protect, they're OK. )

So, what's a good amp for you? Not an Ekho. We have a slight dilemma here, as most of us run professional gear for reliability. We'd recommend buying quality, for that reason. Whether you can justify that level of kit, well that's the question. :)

You ask about active speakers, well that's an option. There are quite a few budget brands which will offer relatively good quality at low prices. The important thing is to know their limits. When they are running at high levels of noise, don't push them further. They won't stand it. ( Nor will your ears, either.

Here are a few ideas of reasonably suitable and reliable ones. These are just the first ones I found, you may find them cheaper or secondhand elsewhere.

QTX (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/QTX-Sound-QS15A-Active-DJ-Disco-PA-Speaker-1400w-Max-Kit-Pair-of-/130714868340?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Speakers_Monitor&hash=item1e6f369a74)

Alto. (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alto-Truesonic-TS115A-Powered-Speakers-Monitors-/201277115845?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Speakers_Monitor&hash=item2edd0d0dc5)

Mackie Thump (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mackie-Thump-15-V3-TH-15-V3-Active-Powered-PA-DJ-Disco-Speakers-PAIR-/191354957189?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2c8da4ed85)

My personal favourites: These are the newer DSR 15A. The older ones are PSR15A. Either are fine. Be warned though, these buggers are heavy.

That's enough to be going on with. Plenty of food for thought. You may find someone on here selling something suitable for you as well. Any questions, keep asking.
W Audio. (https://www.djkit.com/w-audio/w-audio-dsr15a.html?gclid=COaS6deJ5cMCFWfJtAodxGkA_g)

scott23

15-02-2015, 10:24 PM

Casual77

15-02-2015, 10:54 PM

My dilemma here is that I want something that will do the job but, because whatever I get will probably only be used a few times a year, it is difficult to justify spending the sort of money a professional DJ would spend. Having said that, I still need to be 99% sure that whatever I use won't pack in on me mid-set even if I aren't getting paid for doing it!

If I had the available cash I would definitely go for a pair of powered speakers and all the ones you have provided links for look as though they would fit the bill. My gut feeling is that the speakers I have would be ok but, like Scott, I think the amplifier has had it so perhaps getting a better amp is the more cost-effective option for now. Assuming the speakers are OK is there any particular amp that you could recommend that I could maybe pick up second hand? Are the amps by Mackie, W Audio and Alto worth considering, and if they are, what sort of Wattage should I be looking at?

Excalibur

15-02-2015, 10:58 PM

Its hard to say whats wrong with the amp. But it sounds to me like its goosed maybe from over heating, over powering, over pumping. You could try it at a lower volume and see if it holds up?! Otherwise another power amp is in order.
Correct.

I would honestly have a try on fleeby or bumtree for a second hand either power amp or active speakers.

And if we go for secondhand amps on Ebay, there are a few Behringer EP1500, a few Peavey PV1500, and a couple of Numark Dimension 3 between £100 to £200 delivered. While I'm looking at Thomann, the T-Amp E-800 costs £123. The older design TA-1050 IS £177. There are worse amps on the market, and they have a 3 year warranty.

We're estimating the power ratings of your cabs, so if there's a panel on the back with figures, that would help. The old EP Behringers are reliable, but the EP2500 is probably too big for your cabs, as is the Numark Dimension 4

scott23

15-02-2015, 11:05 PM

Depends on the wattage of your speakers.. You need a power amp mate! I know what your saying but if you want to do a good job ie sound good then you need pro equipment , otherwise you might aswel be using a hifi system ;-) as Excalibur was saying it need not cost the earth though.
Alto speakers as far as im aware arent to great, I have a mixer though and its fine. god knows about there amps though?!

Casual77

15-02-2015, 11:12 PM

I know the speakers are 300W but I'm not sure of the other specs. I'll take a photo of the panel on the back and upload it tomorrow morning so you know what we are dealing with. £123 for the Thomann amp with 3 year warranty sounds promising if you think that might be up to the job.

Excalibur

15-02-2015, 11:34 PM

yourdj

15-02-2015, 11:52 PM

Get/borrow another amp and test the speakers.
Check that you have wired them up properly and are putting a decent audio feed into them in the first place.

Then if its the amp get a second hand one off Ebay or ask on the Facebook groups.
People have amps kicking about. I have two that I never use ;)

There is a lot of crap on Ebay, but the digital T amps (1u ideally) are excellent.
Watch out for brand and weight. the Thomann ones are brilliant for the price.

Something like this would suffice. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SubZero-AA500BX-750W-1U-Power-Amp-Nearly-New-/191512403731?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2c97075f13

Personally I would save up for the Mackie thumps or second hand Mackie SRM'S (much better).
The V1's are well priced as they are flipping heavy, but not bad performing.

funkymook

15-02-2015, 11:53 PM

yourdj

15-02-2015, 11:55 PM

Rather than spending money on budget gear that won’t really be adequate or reliable, if it’s only a few times a year hire something in, you’ll end up with a far better PA.

Or that :agree:
Hiring PA is well priced for what you get.

fullcontact68

16-02-2015, 08:23 AM

Drop me a message if you want to test with a different amp. I've got a couple of different ones you can try. (I Live in Rotherham)

One which was for backup, but I don't use anymore, Skytec Pro 600 (Never had a problem with it)

Also, (but my current backup), a Yamaha P6000S.

Casual77

16-02-2015, 09:00 AM

Thanks for the offer fullcontact68. I might take you up on that. Having said that, the speakers seem to work fine and sound quite good when the amp is working so I'm sure there is nothing much wrong with them. I usually get about 3 minutes of music before the amp inexplicably shuts down. I think as other people have suggested, the amp is just not up to the job and quite probably faulty.

I've got the spec of the speakers now. They are 300W RMS and 8 Ohm. Here is a link showing the details.

https://www.djkit.com/njd-celestion/njd-celestion-12inch-300wrms-speakers-nj560.html

Having said that, they aren't as big as I thought. They are only 12" rather than 15" so I may need to go for something bigger/ more powerful in the longer term if the parties end up being as successful as I hope.

Excalibur

16-02-2015, 10:13 AM

.

I've got the spec of the speakers now. They are 300W RMS and 8 Ohm. Here is a link showing the details.

https://www.djkit.com/njd-celestion/njd-celestion-12inch-300wrms-speakers-nj560.html
.

Good news, bad news. Celestion innards mean they should be of adequate quality. 12" drivers means you'll probably find them wanting in the bass department,compared to 15". I'm guessing that you will need very little microphone use, so 15" will be better for music. Better still is to put 15" subs under your 12" tops, but that's an unnecesary expense for your circumstances.

Personally,I'd recommend trying to find some s/h actives in your price range. They do turn up from time to time.

If you decide to go for a power amp instead, you need one delivering between 300-500 watts RMS at 8 ohms. Yes, your cabs are rated at 300, but don't worry. Another can of worms, but as long as you don't hit any clip lights, or push the mixer into the red bits, you'll be fine. My previous Thomann suggestions are both acceptable, although if it were me buying one for regular work, I'd go up a model to the TA, or TSA 1400. That pushes the cost up again, so probably not an option.

yourdj

16-02-2015, 10:15 AM

Having said that, they aren't as big as I thought. They are only 12" rather than 15" so I may need to go for something bigger/ more powerful in the longer term if the parties end up being as successful as I hope.

Naa. Don't look at power in watts or size! No1 mistake. Every bad speaker company advertises in WATTS
You will however need to stay at 12 or 15 to get a better bass response though.

Look at Watts RMS and especially max SPL. Funnily enough your speakers don't seem to have a rating (funny that).
That is basically the speakers efficiency to convert the sound. My RCF 10 inches are only run at 125 watts per channel and are well loud.

They are 128 max SPL or something like that, which is pretty good.
Its logarithmic so one number means more. Most crap speakers are about 120 ish.

Peavey make sone very well priced high SPL speakers. They are very light too.

Here is an example of a pile of junk promising 1000 WATTS!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pair-of-Skytec-12-Inch-Speakers-Skytec-SPL-1000-Power-Amp-Cables-1000W-/321363155118?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4ad2bc98ae

These are the 15 inch versions of my RCF's (perfect for you) and are 300 WATTS.
The difference is they are 127 max spl swill convert that 300 watts many times more efficiently and be louder/clearer. :)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RCF-ART312-MK3-Passive-Speakers-Pair-2-/400860667807?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item5d55285f9f

Find something like this at auction and you cold get a really good deal - they are 133 SPL!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peavey-Impulse-1012-Passive-12-Speakers-Pair-inc-Covers-Second-Hand-/271771398523?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3f46d6717b

I would however consider actives to make your like easier. Mackie thumps and Tapco thumps can sell for peanuts.
You then have two amps as well as speakers all in one. Easy for storage and operation.

Here we go - get this one singularly and I bet it will be much cheaper as people want them in pairs:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DISC-Tapco-Thump-TH-15A-Speaker-15-single-Drum-Speaker-Cab-/141575376760?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item20f68ccf78

Just wait for another one to come up on its own.

Good luck.

mattydj50

16-02-2015, 10:28 AM

Al's already coming over to see me on 28 February to look at my lighting rig. It just so happens that I also have 2 x Numark Dimension 3 amplifiers surplus to requirements.

As mentioned earlier in the thread by Mr Excalibur, one of these may be suitable, so if you want, you could borrow one off me, give it a try and either exchange it for a wad of case or return it.

Excalibur

16-02-2015, 10:31 AM

yourdj

16-02-2015, 11:00 AM

2 x Numark Dimension 3 amplifiers

Wont go wrong with them.
I got two of those when I started running sound systems in club nights and illegal raves.
I had no clue at the time and found them easy to use.

Casual77

16-02-2015, 12:27 PM

Wow - There is certainly more science to all this Watt and SPL ratings which I clearly have little understanding of!

I can see the definite advantage of going down the active speaker route and the second-hand Tapco thump looks like it would be a good purchase for the starting bid price and is local enough for me to pick up.

This all comes back to my trade off dilemma though.... I've got a limited budget to spend on sound system, lighting, haze machine, DMX controller, DJ stand etc and whilst I need something that will be fairly reliable I have to accept that this will probably only get used a few times a year (unless of course I love it that much that I decide to jack the accountancy day job in to become Barnsley's newest professional mobile DJ).

It seems to be established that whilst the speakers I've already got may be lacking a bit of oomph in the bass department, that they might at a push be fit for purpose, if only as a short-term stop-gap option. This leads me to think that a dependable 2nd hand power amp like Matt's Numark Dimension 3 might be the cost-effective solution (depending upon how big a wad of cash we are talking). I'll end up buying my entire set-up from Matt at this rate! Would this amp be suitable for the speakers I've got or would it be too high-powered?

Shaun

16-02-2015, 12:46 PM

My advice, ALWAYS put the emphasis on getting your sound system right first, lighting second. Put every available pound towards your sound then worry about lighting later. It's the one mistake I wish I'd learned earlier on as I concentrated too much on lighting purchases and ended up having to replace/repair my sound system several times in the earlier years as it wasn't up to the task.

Good luck. :)

DazzyD

16-02-2015, 01:30 PM

As someone who has always used power/mixer amps due to my background in karaoke (they are ideal for karaoke!), it sounds to me like a thermal cut-out is kicking in so I'd guess the unit is overheating. My first one was the often-slated Soundlab G-742 and I made the mistake of trying to power 4 speakers in chain with it. It got really hot to the point it was smoking!! It took around 50 seconds to get this stage so your 3 minutes is pretty good!! I had mine repaired by an electrical repair engineer who also put a couple of small fans inside for better cooling and I've never had a problem with it since. Paired with my speakers it sounds really good, too. It's not immensely powerful but I don't do huge gigs so it's more than enough sound for me.

But I'm (finally!) heading for actives this year so I think that that is probably your best advice right now.

Casual77

16-02-2015, 03:39 PM

I suspect you are right Dazzy but I have no idea why it is over-heating unless it's faulty. I had the gain set to half way, the master volume only up to about a third of the way round and the master output on my IDJ Pro at halfway. The level meter was only going up to 0db so I'm pretty sure I wasn't pushing it beyond what you would expect its capabilities to be. There were no obvious signs of overheating either, at least not from the outside of the unit.

I think I will give it another go tonight at a lower volume and see if it works for any longer.

Pe7e

16-02-2015, 04:23 PM

I can see the definite advantage of going down the active speaker route and the second-hand Tapco thump looks like it would be a good purchase for the starting bid price and is local enough for me to pick up.

Despite being a fan of Mackie speakers, I would not recommend the Mackie Thumps, I've known a lot of people who have bought them, but nobody who still have them, there's a good reason for that. they're :Censored: Actives are the way to go, but go for something decent, the cheap stuff is almost always rubbish. As Shaun as already pointed out you sound system is more important than your lights. My recommendation for a budget buy would be to look out for a S/H pair of well cared for Mackie SRM450v2s, especially the earlier 'blue cased' ones, they had better drivers fitted, from personal experience, I've found them to be bullet proof even when pushed hard. I would avoid the V1s, they're much heavier and prone to overheating, the V2s have digital amps and run much cooler

Excalibur

16-02-2015, 04:44 PM

I think I will give it another go tonight at a lower volume and see if it works for any longer.

And what will that gain you? It may run all night, as long as it's no louder than headphones. Not terribly useful in that scenario. It would be more useful to borrow another amp and speakers, and swap over. If the fault moves with the speakers, they've got an internal fault. If the fault stays with the amp, the fault's in there. That way, you'll know what works and what doesn't.

Nakatomi

16-02-2015, 06:54 PM

Despite being a fan of Mackie speakers, I would not recommend the Mackie Thumps, I've known a lot of people who have bought them, but nobody who still have them, there's a good reason for that. they're :Censored: Actives are the way to go, but go for something decent, the cheap stuff is almost always rubbish. As Shaun as already pointed out you sound system is more important than your lights. My recommendation for a budget buy would be to look out for a S/H pair of well cared for Mackie SRM450v2s, especially the earlier 'blue cased' ones, they had better drivers fitted, from personal experience, I've found them to be bullet proof even when pushed hard. I would avoid the V1s, they're much heavier and prone to overheating, the V2s have digital amps and run much cooler

The V1s certainly are heavy, I can attest to that. The V2 model are some 5 kilos lighter than the V1, but there are reports aplenty in internet land about the class D amp shaking to bits (cracked component leads etc).. nothing a competent electronics person couldn't fix themselves though. Then again, if you spend any time searching for brand X model Y problem you'll uncover untold horrors before you know it.

I've never encountered the boss' ones overheating, and I've played out on 450 V1s almost every week since I started DJing again. But then, I've not been summertime in non-airconditioned venues with them yet ;) Not that I work them very hard anyway. I ran my own pair pretty hard but not to the hilt last Saturday & the heatsinks were slightly warm to the touch at the end of the night. One thing to check with anything that has a heatsink is that the thermal grease hasn't dried out. It happens & only worsens any heat issues you're likely to run into.

Before Christmas my sister asked for advice on a vocal rig speakers.. Knowing her budget was £400 I advised her to go for 2nd hand pro gear but no, she bought a pair of useless Skytec junk. They lack power, they lack clarity... the only thing going for them is that they're light. When the time comes for her to upgrade, she can rest assured she won't get anything like the money she paid for them.

If you can't afford to buy good gear brand new, buy it 2nd hand instead. Don't resort to buying cheap. It's a generally a complete false economy.

I'm not a brand snob.. it's certainly possible Skytec might one day bring out a pair of really good speakers but not for less than £500 a pair :D

Casual77

16-02-2015, 09:24 PM

And what will that gain you? It may run all night, as long as it's no louder than headphones. Not terribly useful in that scenario. It would be more useful to borrow another amp and speakers, and swap over. If the fault moves with the speakers, they've got an internal fault. If the fault stays with the amp, the fault's in there. That way, you'll know what works and what doesn't.

I've already given up on the idea of the amp being any good for me. I was thinking I would see if it cut out at lower volumes just to support the idea that the problem was an over-heating issue. If it still works ok at lower volumes my dad might as well keep it for whatever he wants to use it for where high volume isn't needed.

I'm pretty much looking at getting a suitable second-hand power amp (Matty's Numark amp is sounding like a good possibility) for now and looking to pick up a pair of second hand active speakers when something turns up in my price range.

mattydj50

16-02-2015, 10:22 PM

Wont go wrong with them.
I got two of those when I started running sound systems in club nights and illegal raves.
I had no clue at the time and found them easy to use.

I used them to power pairs of Peavey HiSys2 speakers. Bomb proof they were but bloody heavy which is why they had to go.

fullcontact68

17-02-2015, 06:59 AM

I used them to power pairs of Peavey HiSys2 speakers. Bomb proof they were but bloody heavy which is why they had to go.

I happen to have a pair of Hisys 2xt, you welcome to come and look/listen to them too.

Shakermaker Promotions

17-02-2015, 07:46 AM

I can see that you're in one of those situations where it's mainly down to your budget.
If I were in the same position and only doing a few gigs a year then I would go down the second hand route myself and try and get some Mackie SRM450s or RCF's.
You don't generally hear many people complain that have them. I have the V2 versions of SRM450s and they never ever let me down. They're pretty powerful active speakers.

As already said, the sound side of things is much more important than the lighting side. If you have a small budget and want to stick to it then you are limited as to what you can get. If a whole bunch of people are recommending a particular product to you then maybe it's worth (if possible) exceeding that budget to get what you really want rather than just going for something because it's in within your price range and potentially regretting it.
Hire some first and see what they can do for you and if you like them. Go to a retailer and test them out with some of the music that you'll be playing so you can get an idea.

If you have a decent system then why not make the most of it and not just do "a few gigs a year". Make them pay their way and get as much use out of them as possible.
I'm sure the majority of us have all been there in the past where we've bought stuff that we weren't that happy with and have regretted it. That's why when the questions get asked you get a whole bunch of replies from people who are experienced and don't want you to go down the same route as they did.

It really IS worth doing the research and taking on board the advice to get what you want otherwise in reality you're just throwing money away on mediocre equipment that won't do what you want it to and probably won't last that long.

Casual77

17-02-2015, 09:19 AM

That's all sound advice and I agree fully with pretty much all that you say.

Generally I don't ever like to settle for second best but financial constraints mean that I am faced with a choice between waiting and saving until I have the money to buy exactly what I want or get something I can afford that will 'do for now' to get me started, and then upgrade as I go along. I'm quite keen to get started as soon as I can while I have the drive to do it because if I wait too long I will lose the drive to get things up and running. I will probably do the same as I have done with my DJ equipment... buy second-hand gear and make do until I can raise the funds to sell it on and upgrade to something better. It may take a few years of buying and selling but eventually I'm pretty sure I will end up with a set-up that any mobile DJ would be happy to turn up to a gig with.

My cousin's wedding aside (which I am only doing as a favour for her) my real drive in all this is just to get a group of friends who have dispersed around the country back together on a regular basis to have good nights out like we used to have. After we all met up for a party in Solihull a couple of weeks back the momentum to make it happen is there and I really want to get things moving while there is still a collective buzz to make it happen.

As for doing paid gigs..... I'm not sure I can see myself doing regular weddings because I've got a full time day job that keeps me pretty busy and a young family that takes up a lot of my free time. Having said that, if I do my cousin's wedding and it goes well I wouldn't completely rule out doing the occasional one for contacts of friends and family on a word-of-mouth basis.

Pe7e

17-02-2015, 12:40 PM

That's why when the questions get asked you get a whole bunch of replies from people who are experienced and don't want you to go down the same route as they did.

It really IS worth doing the research and taking on board the advice to get what you want otherwise in reality you're just throwing money away on mediocre equipment that won't do what you want it to and probably won't last that long.

That's excellent advice from Gary, in fact I would not disagree with any of the complete post, but let me put another argument forward as to why you should save up a bit more cash and buy genuine 'professional grade' equipment. Being an accountant you will be aware of 'cost of ownership' concept, 4+ years ago I purchased a pair of 450v2s from a former forum member, the speakers were in excellent condition and came with a pair of 'tired' gig skin bags. I've still got the speakers and they are still in excellent condition, the bags have seen better days, but that's what they are there for. I've spent a tenner having the bags patched up a year ago, other than that, I've not spent a penny on the speakers. If I sold these speakers tomorrow I would only loose £100 (possibly less if I got lucky) of the original outlay, now divide that by 4 and you get a £25 a year, or put another way, just 50p a week cost of ownership. I think this is a very powerful reason to buy professional grade kit first, not last, and then look after it.

Casual77

17-02-2015, 01:25 PM

This is very much the way I look at a lot of my purchases. I work out how much things will cost and what the expected re-sale value is likely to be to calculate how much it will cost me over the length of ownership. Over the past 10 years I have enjoyed plenty of high-end DJ equipment from Pioneer, Denon, Vestax, Native Instruments and more recently Numark and have never lost a significant amount of money as a result of largely buying good condition second-hand gear and looking after it well.

I've little doubt that down the line I will have a top quality, professional set-up, it's just cash restraints that will stop me getting there straight off.

I would always prefer to buy top-end products in good used condition rather than spend the same money on low quality new gear. So, if anyone has any good quality used equipment whether it is PA system or lighting related equipment that may suit my needs and budget at the moment please feel free to drop me a private message or point me in the direction of a thread on the 'Sales' section.

yourdj

17-02-2015, 05:22 PM

bloody heavy

I meant to say that. Yes they are.
But heavy now days = cheap :p

try and get some Mackie SRM450s or RCF's.

We agree on something. :)

If this dude was starting a mobile business then that would be fair enough, but he only wants them for the "odd gig."
I would suggest stay passive and get a cheap, but reasonable amp - assuming is not the speakers. :)
If things change then refer back to this thread.

Spend the rest of the money on lighting.

but - remember back up. Imagine if the speakers/amp blew at the wedding?
I suggest you find someone with a half decent active speaker you can bring with you.
Or sell the crap you have and just hire in decent PA/lighting for the day and get your cousin to pay for it :lol:

£45 a night!!
http://www.sheffieldpahire.co.uk/sound-systems.html

Parbars - £25 a night!
http://www.sheffieldpahire.co.uk/lighting.html

If you can then get them to deliver it to you and pick it up for small fee. You are sorted.
I would go this option for 3-4 gigs a year, but make sure you get good branded stuff.

RCF, Peavey, JBL, QSc, Bose, Mackie etc...

Casual77

17-02-2015, 09:40 PM

Right.... I've given myself a bit of a reality check. As much as I would like to buy myself a pair of top end active speakers right away I can't justify spending money I haven't got especially until I know these parties are going to take off.

I've had another go with the speakers and amp I've got access to and whilst the amp is clearly not up to it, the speakers are not too bad. They are maybe a bit thin in the bass department but with a suitable amp they will do for now and I'll look to upgrade them later.

So, I need an inexpensive power amp that will work ok with the NJD Celestion speakers (300W RMS 8ohm). I can probably stretch to the Thomann t.amp T800 for £130 and still leave some free for my first few lights but would prefer to pay a bit less for a better calibre second-hand amp, unless the consensus is that the T800 is the best option for the money. Can anyone suggest a good amp that will fit the bill for £100 or less?

Daryll

17-02-2015, 10:10 PM

Hows this on ebay

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/W-Audio-Horizon-1100-1U-Lightweight-Switch-Mode-Amplifier-/171674692003?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item27f89be9a3

I have its bigger brother the horizon 1300 , had it it for years, and apart from a 10 minute glitch ( cold and damp), has performed well.

Daryll

Casual77

17-02-2015, 10:28 PM

Thanks Daryll. That certainly looks like it would fit the bill. I've put it in my watch list and might bid if it stays in my budget.

Anyone else got any suggestions?

Shakermaker Promotions

18-02-2015, 08:04 AM

I meant to say that. Yes they are.
But heavy now days = cheap :p

We agree on something. :) Ha! Ha! Have you been on the booze then Toby?

If this dude was starting a mobile business then that would be fair enough, but he only wants them for the "odd gig."
I would suggest stay passive and get a cheap, but reasonable amp - assuming is not the speakers. :)
If things change then refer back to this thread.

"This dude"....classic! I understand that mate but as I said in my post, it might end up being more than the "odd gig" here and there (ok, it might not) but if he gets 'the bug' and starts enjoying it, finds he is going out doing more gigs than expected etc, well it might be worth biting the bullet and exceeding his budget and getting decent speakers that (as someone else said) would hold the price IF he decides that the whole thing isn't really his cup of chawolla if you know what I mean?
I know we've all done the upgrading thing and we still continue to do so but then again the majority of us are full timer's and it has to be done but to me it seems like a bit of faffing about buying cheaper stuff (which isn't always crap by the way :p) and then trying to sell it on and getting pennies for it when you do want to upgrade.
I totally, totally understand the 'dude's' situation though and I guess it's a classic case of "that's easy for you to say".

Spend the rest of the money on lighting.

but - remember back up. Imagine if the speakers/amp blew at the wedding?
I suggest you find someone with a half decent active speaker you can bring with you.
Or sell the crap you have and just hire in decent PA/lighting for the day and get your cousin to pay for it :lol:

Blimey Toby! Say what you mean eh mate!
Firstly, I agree with YOU on the back up thing. That is the MOST IMPORTANT thing in my opinion. It kind of contradicts what you've said though. I am honestly not having a dig mate but come on....Firstly, saying someone's equipment is crap is pretty harsh. There may be others who have the same equipment and cope perfectly well with it and they may read this and be offended? Secondly, the guy has a small budget as he says. If he is going to buy some speakers that are either second hand or possibly low end then buying back up speakers or an amp is just going to blow the budget isn't it? As I said, some decent active speakers (even second hand ones) are pretty reliable, will keep their price and last longer if looked after and you could probably get away without back up if you are only doing the odd gig here and there. I know a guy who just DJ's for friends and does it for fun yet he has RCF speakers and no back up. I saw him at the weekend as he wanted to borrow some lights and the speakers are in pristine condition. His way of thinking was that when he bought them 2 years ago (and he's done about 6 gigs in that time) he wanted something that would last (ok, he bought new and the OP is unable to do that due to his budget).

£45 a night!!
http://www.sheffieldpahire.co.uk/sound-systems.html

Parbars - £25 a night!
http://www.sheffieldpahire.co.uk/lighting.html

If you can then get them to deliver it to you and pick it up for small fee. You are sorted.
I would go this option for 3-4 gigs a year, but make sure you get good branded stuff.

Lastly, this is what I did before I went full time. I was DJing regularly twice, sometimes three times a month and promoting my own Indie/Alternative nights. I hired all of the equipment off a local DJ and once I'd paid for the hire and hire of the venue I was usually left with a decent enough wad of dosh. I ended up putting some of that away. I knew what I wanted and I eventually got it. This might be the way forward at the end of the day?

RCF, Peavey, JBL, QSc, Bose, Mackie etc...

That's just my opinion anyway.