If you knew then what you know now.... a newbie's rig!

[Corabar Entertainment]

OK, imagine you are just about to start up as a mobile DJ (so you are probably on a tight budget), but you have all the knowledge you have now.

1. How much do you think is a realistic budget to set for a complete rig (sound, lighting, stands, leads, cases, frontage, etc - but excluding music), and

2. What would you spend that budget on (ie the kit you would buy)?

(Apart from being a bit of fun, I thought this might be useful for anyone looking to start out now)

[RabbittsKaraoke]

Excellent thread Angela!! :D :D
Looking forward to some replys on this....definitive ones :p

[rob1963]

OK, imagine you are just about to start up as a mobile DJ (so you are probably on a tight budget), but you have all the knowledge you have now.

1. How much do you think is a realistic budget to set for a complete rig (sound, lighting, stands, leads, cases, frontage, etc - but excluding music), and

2. What would you spend that budget on (ie the kit you would buy)?

(Apart from being a bit of fun, I thought this might be useful for anyone looking to start out now)

Interesting thread, Angela.

I know I'll be shot down by people who like spending money on equipment, but if I was starting out today & buying all the things you mentioned, I'd spend about £2,500 (excluding music). This would be broken down roughly as follows:

Console box - £100
Digital playout system - £350
Mixer - £150
Speakers - £300
Frontage (home made) - £50
Lighting - £600
Cases - £400
Stands - £400
Leads - £150

[SC Events]

Well my rig has cost be about £4000 :o :(

The only addition I will make to is to buy either some Mackie SRM450 V2's or some RCF's - More likely to buy the RCF's and a couple of Martin Mac 250 moving heads

[rob1963]

Well my rig has cost be about £4000 :o :(


That wasn't the question!

:D

[SC Events]

That wasn't the question!

Apart from my recent Denon purchases and a couple of flight cases, everything else I have, I started with and so what I have now is 90% my first rig.


Anyway,

Sound = £750 (at least inc. Cables, stands, speakers, amp, mixer)
Lighting = £500
Star cloth = £100
Deck stand = £85
Cases = £315

Grand Total = £1750!

[Corabar Entertainment]

Actually, neither of you have completely answered the questions...
2. What would you spend that budget on (ie the kit you would buy)?:lol:

[rob1963]

Actually, neither of you have completely answered the questions...:lol:


2. What would you spend that budget on (ie the kit you would buy)?

Sorry Angela, but that's your fault for not making it clear! :D

When you asked what kit we would buy, I thought you meant in general terms rather than specific makes & models.

[RabbittsKaraoke]

:bang: :bang: :bang: :D :D

[rob1963]

107 views so far...but only two replies giving figures.

:confused:

[RabbittsKaraoke]

90 of those are me :o

[rob1963]

90 of those are me :o

:Laugh:

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Right.

After realising that its a false economy "building" yourslf up to the good gear i would jump straight in with the stuff that matters...sound:

So (providing i was CD based) i would go for...

2x RCF ART 315a - £995.00
Denon DN-D4500 - £479.00
Denon DNX500 - £332.00
Flightcase - £139.00
Ultimax Stand, 1.2 with Single Bar - £184.00
Ultimax Curtain - £49.99

Lighting, i would probably similar to what ive got now top be fair as it does the job and suits a budget, so....

2x Acme magic Gobo - £139.00
2x Acme Dynamo (250w) - £234.00
1x Acme MiracLED - £119.00

So not including any additional cables, extensions, speaker covers, back-up or lighting cases (and id make the ultimax shelf myself because they are too highly priced), my total cost would be:

£2670.99

[rob1963]

Whoaaaa...only £170.99 more than my own suggested budget.

Respect!

:D

[Dynamic Entertainment]

But i havent included leads and case in that. I reckon an extra £300 on top for that lot :) - Or blag some of it when making your main purchases :D

[Corabar Entertainment]

But i havent included leads and case in that....or speaker stands, or mic, or headphones, or.... :eek: :eek: :eek: (It's amazing when you really start to add it all up!!!)

[StarZSoundS]

...or speaker stands, or mic, or headphones, or.... :eek: :eek: :eek: (It's amazing when you really start to add it all up!!!)

As we know....


There are so many people jacking it in is there not a case for buying a quality second hand rig??

Someting you can hear working totally before parting with your cash??:eek:

[Dynamic Entertainment]

...or speaker stands, or mic, or headphones, or.... :eek: :eek: :eek: (It's amazing when you really start to add it all up!!!)

Good point lol.

[Charlie Brown]

Sound is key.

I must have spent double (what my current system is worth now) on sound over the past few years. My first purchase was at Maplins...Two 15inch speakers, amp and mixer cost me near to £500! I then spent £300 on an new amp when the Maplins one went bust. I then spent £270 on Class D speakers and £250 on an amp to power those. Then replaced the Maplins mixer with a dual mixer/cd deck for £220.....It was a night mare!

SO:

I should of saved up and brought a decent pair of Mackies either new or second hand.

Decent mixer...get a good deal on a 2nd Denon!

Decide what playout you want to use...CD? Laptop? Digital hardrive?

Buy a couple of LED pars and a dotty light.

ULTIMAX STAND! Don't buy cheap Rhino or Kam rubbish! DON'T buy the the Ultimax black cloth or LEDJ starcloth - RUBBISH! Purchase the NDJ one's for the same price!

Buy it all 2nd hand or from the same shop...that way you can get cables etc chucked in for nothing! Barter. ;)
:approve:

[NKR]

Because I know what I know it would not be too hard to pull another rig together of good quality at reasonable prices.
If you are starting up you have no jobs so you need to ensure you don't break the bank.
For me it would be another set of my trusty RW3's - Say £125 second hand. (I have two and a half sets already and apart from my first set got them cheap as chips - spare parts in a dead one too).
I bought my Denon DN4500 and DNX900 second hand for a total of £500 - happy days.
Mics - one Sennheiser 835s - £85 cable £10.00
My amp is a QSC RMX2450 - bought second hand for £200 (thats a lot of amp for those pennies and I know he has another one for the same money - done)
Lighting - 2 Martin MX4's - you should get them at £300 for a pair - I have already done so in the past.
Couple of NJD Chaos 2 as fillers £160 for the pair - new
One abstract Monster Moon - Second hand say £50 (mine was £16.00)
Speaker stands - £30 for a starter set.
Stands and Truss - £200 was my first set so would have to do.
Speaker Cables - make myself so £20 for 20 metres of cable and £10.00 for some Speakon Ends.
XLR Cables £10.00
Case for the Playout system - £50 for a carpet covered number.
Roadtrunk for other guff - My second hand one was £70.00, so would look for similar.

I believe I am road ready with decent sound and good enough lights for £1820.

New that would have been considerably more, but if you know what you are looking for and at you can do it much cheaper.

Edit of course I would then buy some headphones, extension leads, velcro ties, surge protection, etc, etc, etc

[Larry B Entertainment]

Lighting - £600


That would get you a few hundred pin spots Rob :D