Any new kit or any plans?

[Andy Goodtimes]

Anyone spending on their show for the New Year…bit of a refurbish or anything like that…or have you a 2011 wish list?

I’ve just spent about £700 and have about another £300-400 to go to just bring things up to scratch again, the kit has been absolutely hammered over the summer and Christmas season and pretty much had nothing done on it. Over several years I have worked up to kit like Pioneer, Martin Professional, Lampo, Robe, Denon, Bose, turbo Sound, RCF etc. and guess that with that sort of kit the danger is to be complacent and then if you aint careful it all goes wrong at once.

I have just bought new ends and wheels for my Ultimax stand and a new trusslight bar so that’s all shiny again. I got a Warwick 4ft wheeled trunk case with dividers…already got some of those and they are excellent value…about £130 from Absolute. Had a little bit of sowing done on the S+H cloth as it was just going about half an inch on one corner…Oh and spotted a KAM VR250 laser in the local store on sale for £140 so snapped that up and for now taken my Nebular off the main show…its nice, the purple or violet or whatever you want to call it is very bright and different…at times you would sware it was blue.

My console case is something like a 11/8 and far to big and too tall really, the Denon is in the top at the back and you have to stand on tip toes to read it, in the top is the DJM3000 and CMX remote panel and then the Denon at the back and in the front is the CMX slots, 2 Karaoke machines and a keyboard tray. Going to go for a 11/4 so I can have just the keyboard tray and slots in the front and then a 4u rack case for the Karaoke machines separate…ok, it will be a pain to have to wire the karaoke machines but they only get used from time to time and better to have the main console lower down and of course lighter.

Not really got any more plans for the kit but no doubt something will catch my eye :D

So what you all up to kit wise and what’s on the list?

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Had a little bit of sowing done on the S+H cloth as it was just going about half an inch on one corner…

I have exactly the same problem!

[TONYTIGER]

Led video cloth 5mm pitch 3mx2m to do all sorts of visuals ,save messing around with projectors will be my next major investment.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Replaced gig laptop but that is all.

I did buy 12 uplighters/floor stands/cases in December but my policy now is strictly only replacing failing equipment or if it is something that will draw in more money.

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Before the redundancy:

1x Deck Stand Booth Pro
2x iSolution iMove 250s
2x Martin Wizard Extreme
2x 2m Quad Truss
2x Winch Tripods

After the redundancy

.....


;)

[Charlie Brown]

I did buy 12 uplighters/floor stands/cases in December but my policy now is strictly only replacing failing equipment or if it is something that will draw in more money.

:agree:

I wouldn't mind swapping the Mackies for some RCF's. Something I'll look into in a couple of months.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

:agree:

I wouldn't mind swapping the Mackies for some RCF's. Something I'll look into in a couple of months.

I dont really see the difference being worth the money IMO. If your mackies died then yes but just to replace them no.

[ppentertainments]

I dont really see the difference being worth the money IMO. If your mackies died then yes but just to replace them no.
I agree, a lot of money for a sideways step.

[Megamix]

I'd like to smarten up my disco frontage...the wife doesn't seem to agree

[mattydinx]

Where do I start!? - Expensive year for me!

• Replace passive 15" Peaveys with Active JBL PRX612's, QSC K12 or RCF 712A's
• Fazer (since I lent my smoke machine to a friend and he burnt the pump out)
• Centerpiece lighting effect
• 2x Acme iRock 5B (or 7B if I can get a decent price)
• 4x LED PARs/Panels

and of course the Ultimax stand with trusslite (waiting to come into stock) and NJD starcloth.

[thex-faders]

We're looking at upgrading the speakers - NJD Celestion 300 watts & Soundlab 600 Watt amp. Which in all fairness given the make, has been very reliable with this set up
Will be getting a powered - 400 - 500 watt system to save space & give us more scope to the capacity we can handle.

Then setting up the uplighting. Have 6 ledj colourbusrts... want 12 ideally for average halls / venues plus leads & power etc is the main outlay.

About it ... for now
Tom

[flatliners]

I am looking at getting
a website
Another sub
2 active speakers ( back up and a bit more power for bigger gigs )
4 led scanners
4 led 3 in 1 tri pars
2 winch stands
road ready dj table
and maybe an rgb laser

[NKR]

4 LED Par 64's
2 Martin EFX 500's
Lap top to have lighting control added for all the fixtures - dongle on order and to be sorted out by my sound and light mate.
Booth
Large starcloth backdrop to drape off the trilite as a full backdrop.
New 4m trilite (2x2m) to replace the (2x1.5m sections I use) Versatility.

Yeah that should eat about £3k I think. Better than giving it to the taxman :-)

Oh yeah trailer needs track and top shelve adding for the stands and trilite and folded flat booth (when it comes) to increase capacity.

I am going to have a load of stuff to offload very soon.

[Andy Goodtimes]

Daren; just wondered how you stop the booth from folding when someone leans on it or if you have to move it, problem is that when it moves it starts to fold and then the cloth can tear.

At first I used a long inch square bar bolted to each end of it on the floor level at the rear but now I use the Ultimax ends that are supposed to hold the curtain bar, I have them turned out to each side and then tighten the thumb screws on the edges of the booth, its the old style Ultimax curtain bar ends as the new ones are just clips and not strong enough, anyway it works fine and keeps it all stable. At the end of the night I move the booth out onto the dance floor for stripping down but me and the roadie have to lift an end each to save it folding and tearing. Dunno if you'll follow that but can take a picture next week-end if not.

A lot of my work is regular venues and I know the staff don't really matter that much but I am always concious of it being the same week in and week out. Each year we tend to get the same crowds in for the Christmas parties and also for the Tribute nights throughout the year and I like to think I have something new and breathtaking each time they see the show.

would also like to look into some more little add ons. This last year I bought a good quality limbo set and a giant connect 4 game, NY was a family night and we had loads of kids so the connect 4 went down well and then we had a right laugh with the limbo getting the Mums involved too with doing away with the uprights and having the kids holding the pole...viscious little b....

[Silver Bullet]

Just made my purchase, replaced the back up Peavey 2000 with a 2600.
The old deck stand is starting to look it's age so I will probably look at getting something new in the near future.

Other than that while everything is working fine I don't plan on anything else, well I may give my HiSys 2's a refurb.

[WWDJ]

:agree:

I wouldn't mind swapping the Mackies for some RCF's. Something I'll look into in a couple of months.

Same here. Just trying to work out a budget and which ones will reduce my need to take a sub.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Daren; just wondered how you stop the booth from folding when someone leans on it or if you have to move it, problem is that when it moves it starts to fold and then the cloth can tear.

At first I used a long inch square bar bolted to each end of it on the floor level at the rear but now I use the Ultimax ends that are supposed to hold the curtain bar, I have them turned out to each side and then tighten the thumb screws on the edges of the booth, its the old style Ultimax curtain bar ends as the new ones are just clips and not strong enough, anyway it works fine and keeps it all stable. At the end of the night I move the booth out onto the dance floor for stripping down but me and the roadie have to lift an end each to save it folding and tearing. Dunno if you'll follow that but can take a picture next week-end if not.



That would be good Andy. :)

[Shaun]

:agree:

I wouldn't mind swapping the Mackies for some RCF's. Something I'll look into in a couple of months.

Why? I thought you were happy with the Mackies? It just seems like such a needless expense if you've never had any issues with them.

[WWDJ]

Why? I thought you were happy with the Mackies? It just seems like such a needless expense if you've never had any issues with them.

Can't speak for Charlie, but for me it's the fact that they run hotter than my nan's house if you give then too much and they are a bit harsh sometimes.

I use them in my local WMC with a sub that is continually sited there and they are fine and because of noise complaints I have to keep it down and they never really get too hot

The other thing is weight. I want to be in and out of the gigs as quick as possible. I like DJing, not setting up / taking down.

I want
- Active
- sub 20kg and as small as possible really
- good bass response
- loud enough for 100 people and to play dance and RnB not just 60s 70s 80s
- No sub needed
- sub £1500 per pair

To me it looks like either RCF or QSC are the players at the moment, but I need to have a listen when funds allow. Lots of things on the 'want' list at the moment and not just DJ stuff.

[Andy Goodtimes]

DH...FBT might fit your requirements too...worth a look and listen anyway.

Really sorry Daren, no excuse, just not been back to this thread and forgot the picture but will do it this week-end.

Just been shopping again, went to Absolute for a rack case and some cables...I like the Horizon, never had any issues with them...bit pricey but I have found the cheaper cables false ecconomy.

Went to GAK for a wheeled trunk and also got some SM58s off them for £105 each...that's the switched version.

Got some Slappas off HTFR.

Think that's prob about it for now.

[Excalibur]

After seeing what someone on here was doing, which in turn was an idea picked from another forum ( yes, they do exist!!:D :D ) I may try it on one of the cases. I only wish I'd seen it suggested before I embarked on the refurb, because it's the most obvious solution to two problems at once that I've ever seen.

[Alchemy]

:agree:

I wouldn't mind swapping the Mackies for some RCF's. Something I'll look into in a couple of months.

Don't submit to peer pressure Charlie <Mackie owners stick together> :D :D :D

[DynamoTom]

Hello,

First of all, I would like to start off with the presentation of my setup. For the last couple of years I have been using a 8 way Prolight IEC switch panel rack mounted in my playout flight case, I had to run up to 8 IEC leads out the rack of my playout flight case up to my lighting fixtures either on my 4ft deckstand with dual over head or my 4 metre trussing system.

I have now replaced this unit with a Show Director made by Prolight (Transcension). I now have the 8 way switch panel mounted in the playout rack with 1 VGA serial lead coming from the back of the unit up to the 8 way power pack on my 4ft deckstand or trussing system.

The next stage of this process is to pre wiring my deckstand and trussing system to make sure all the cabling is out of sight from the guests and to make life easier when rigging and de-rigging my system from a gig.

Once I have completed the pre wiring task, I am then going to move onto making a home made booth frontage to fit around my 4ft deckstand. I would ideally like to purchase a S&H DJ booth at some point in the near future but for the time being, I think a nice starclothed booth frontage around my deckstand will set my setup off nicely. I am going to have the choice of 3 cloths for my new booth frontage, I am going to have plain black, plain white (good for LED uplighting the booth), I am also going to buy a black starcloth with white LED's to use on the booth frontage for those elegant type of venues in my area that I work in.

Moving on to my current sound system - At the moment, I am currently running a Peavey Pro Messenger series speaker system consisting of 2 15 inch tops and 2 15 inch subs all powered a Peavey PV 1500 power amplifier. If I am working in a small venue or their is flights of stairs, I will use my back up Tapco Thump 15A active top speakers.

Ideally, I would like to sell the Peavey system and buy a pair of Bose L1 speaker systems because I would like to compact with my system and I feel the Bose will give me the compactness I am looking for. I also feel that the Bose L1 system with give me the sound quality I am looking for when I gigging with the system. Once I have made the big purchase of the set of Bose L1's, I would like to buy a pair of Mackie Thump 18S active sub woofers to go along with my Tapco Thump 15A active speakers to use for bigger venues or as a back up system.

Moving on to my lighting rig, I am currently own -

2x Acme Dynarock 250 Watt Barrel Scanners
2x Acme Dynamo 250 Watt Flat Mirror Scanners
2x Acme Dynatwin 100 Watt Flat Mirror Scanners
2x Acme Magic Gobo 100 Watt Moonflowers
2x Acme Baby Falcon 100 Watt Gobo Moonflowers
2x Acme Tango Dual 100 Watt Moonflower Scanners
1x Acme Impossibled LED Moonflower (Centrepiece)
1x Acme Miracled LED Moonflower
1x American DJ Revo 4 LED Moonflower
2x American DJ Sun-ray TRI LED Starballs
1x Kam Starcluster 3D Defraction Laser
1x Intimidation Starcluster Laser

I am looking to sell my Acme Dynamos, Dynarocks and Dynatwins to put money towards or buy a pair of Martin EFX 500 barrel moonflowers. I am going to be using these fixtures for my 4ft deckstand rig mainly and I am also going to be using two Pulse LED Par Can 56's along with a Acme Impossibled and a Kam Starcluster 3D.

I am also considering selling most of my other lighting to buy money towards a set of 4 Martin SCX 500 scanners or 4 I-Solution I-Move 5S moving heads to use on my 4 metre trussing rig for bigger venues.

This system upgrade is going to take a few months maybe a year or two to complete but I think it will be worth it in the end.

What do you guys think?

Sorry for the long post!!!

Many Thanks,

Tom