Humpter B3 Plus

[Benny Smyth]

I'm about to make you make a noise.

In June 2013, I bought the Liteconsole XPRS for £799.00. Since then, that very stand has been used at every event that I have worked. The XPRS has been a good soldier, and the only thing that has ever been replaced was the front perspex panel - Trigger's broom it certainly ain't! Of course, after 11 years, it's looking like...well, like it's been used hundreds times for more than a decade.

I've spent the last couple of years trying to find a booth that piques my interest. I could be lazy and dismantle grandad's old shed so I can use the wood to build a 'rustic setup', because that what all the other Wedding DJs are doing, innit?

Humpter (https://www.humpter.co.uk/) has been on my radar for a while, but the price of the booths are certainly...yeah. Plus, me being me, I'd want the B3 Plus (https://www.humpter.co.uk/b3-plus/) and not just the B3 (https://www.humpter.co.uk/b3-humpter-mobile-dj-table/). If this stand catches on like the XPRS did, I dare say that most mobile jocks will stick with the standard B3, so getting the expanded booth keeps it different enough. Having the Plus also means that I can still just take the central B3 unit for tighter spaces.

Let's be honest though - the expanded looks better, and would not look out of place in a contemporary venue or a large corporate event. You know where this is going, don't you?

Yesterday, I made the purchase. It's being branded up today, and hopefully will be sitting on my doorstep tomorrow. I'm 90% sure that the main B3 stand will fit in the flight case I use for the XPRS, so I just bought the padded bags for the expansion units. All in all, I purchased the Humpter B3, an under counter shelf, the expansion pack, bags for said expansion pack and my branding to be put in it.

Ready to make that noise?

£3,090.00.

I have it on good authority that - after seeing that price - Peter has just been killed off, so a Mod position on these forums is now available.

It hurt to pay, but I'm getting excited to use it. Needless to say, more thoughts will follow!

https://i.ibb.co/s9myQyM/IMG-20240724-WA0006.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/rbvskhj/IMG-20240724-WA0008.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/gdx2s20/IMG-20240724-WA0012.jpg

[DJ Jules]

It always sounds like a lot, but based on how long your last booth lasted, I'd guess that probably works out at about £10/gig.

I'm yet to really be inspired by anything else out there and I spend quite a lot of time stood in front of DJ booths these days (running photobooths) so I see a lot of different set ups in action.

I think I might go with a sheet of 8x4 ply cut with a cloud profile on the top edge, leaning against a couple of venues chairs with a net of fairy lights pushed through it and a tablecloth draped over the top. That one particularly stood out from the crowd.

Julian

[Benny Smyth]

I think I might go with a sheet of 8x4 ply cut with a cloud profile on the top edge, leaning against a couple of venues chairs with a net of fairy lights pushed through it and a tablecloth draped over the top. That one particularly stood out from the crowd.

I was proud of that, thank you very much!

[DJ Jules]

I was proud of that, thank you very much!

:p

Sadly I saw this at a wedding only a few weeks ago.

Julian

[Excalibur]

Alright you two, behave! :Naughty:

Benny, I had to make serious use of my emergency spray before reading the price, so I'm still here. I'm sorry, but that booth, while nice, isn't really wowing me. I can see it really working for you, so a good idea, yes.

And re the palletwood/old shed booths, there are some really grim ones that are just taking the mickey. Nearly as bad as the marquee set up for a truly Rustic wedding, tastefully done, with a ridiculously expensive scaffolding booth ( don't know the make ) in the corner. Incongruous much? :whistle:

Julian, I'm really sold on the plywood and fairy lights idea. Different. :thumbs_up:

[DJ Jules]

And re the palletwood/old shed booths, there are some really grim ones that are just taking the mickey.

I'm embarresed to say that I'm probably in this camp. I've been looking forward to the day when I can throw a garden party and use it for firewood, but people keeping booking the damn thing. I have also had other DJ's make me an offer to buy it!

Julian

[Benny Smyth]

Alright you two, behave! :Naughty:

At lease give us a hint as to what we have supposedly done wrong.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Personally for that price it doesn't really wow me. If it's an easy setup in ten minutes jobbie and all that while being bombproof I would be more understanding of the price tag.

I've been wanting to get a new booth for awhile but nothing has jumped out at me. Not a fan of those new T shaped ones so I'm still rocking the 2005 starcloth frontage.

Like most things in DJ land, it's pretty much down to us to notice the differences.

Be interested to see a video of it once you got it setup though Benny!

[Imagine]

For that price, I'm sticking with the booth's I've got. Believe it or not, the rustic booth has hardly been out this year despite being the setup of choice since Covid. I'm back to pretty much using the white starcloth Equinox booth on a very regular basis at the moment.

A word of warning - I've known people that have had those booths, and got shot of them fairly quickly as they're not (or weren't at the time) the quickest and easiest things in the world to set up.

[Benny Smyth]

A word of warning - I've known people that have had those booths, and got shot of them fairly quickly as they're not (or weren't at the time) the quickest and easiest things in the world to set up.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4WFqG1r0tE

I want to make a sarcastic comment about rocket science and brain surgery, but that video conveys the point.

https://i.ibb.co/VqTx3gv/20240725-0002.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/Bzf9sPt/20240725-0001.jpg

Booth delivered this afternoon and made it's debut mere hours afterwards. Tonight's wedding was #2 of 5 on the bounce, so I'm going to use this booth for the rest of the week and give my full thoughts when I recover.

[DJWilson]

The design doesn't wow me, but surely it won't be long before Equinox etc bring out a similar design for a fraction of the price?

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Yeah sorry but I'm really not seeing what you're seeing here.

How was it using though and does it do anything the other setups don't?

[ppentertainments]

Slightly off topic, but resale - I have just got rid of a S&H booth, with starcloth (needing repair). Aournd £1200ish and I have GAVE IT AWAY FOR FREE.
Only way I could get rid of it.

[Benny Smyth]

Overall, I like it.

I made the order on Tuesday and it was on my door step Thursday afternoon, delivered personally by Humpter's UK guy, Marcin. The process of ordering was done via WhatsApp which I did not like, but I have to say that it was really easy and smooth. Marcin himself is a very personable chap. When he dropped off the booth, we had quite a chat and I got to know a bit more about him while he gauged what my needs are.

The booth itself? Engineered fantastically, if a bit too precisely. The B3 itself is set up by folding out the main frame and placing the shelf. The shelf has half circles cut into the sides, which then slots onto bolts with plastic surrounds protruding on the inside of the frame. Those half circles are cut to the exact size of the bolts, which means that you cannot mindlessly 'dump it on' - you have to line it up perfectly. Perhaps a bit more practice from me will result in being able to autopilot, but slightly bigger half circles would make things a little bit quicker and easier. The main shelf has two cutouts for cables, and those cutouts are perfectly placed handles when moving the shelf. Saying that, it's not a conformable carry - it's not a sharp edge, but the holes could benefit from having a bit of a plastic lining. Regardless, the B3 is up in less than a minute and I don't fully have my eye in yet. With the expansions, it's less than three minutes.

The undershelf (plus brackets) plays no role to the integrity of the booth, but comes at an extra cost. I'd have liked to have seen it be standard, especially since the booth is supposed to be a clean look. Having (for example) the mic receiver on top contradicts that clean look, and placing it on the undershelf is the solution. Other extras include laptop and tablet stands, player stands, TV mounts and side shelves for monitors or moving heads. Neither of those are of use to me as because I use a Prime 4+ (so no laptop) and I prefer to have my lighting separate from the booth. As an aside, I think those side shelves look ridiculous.

The B3 and shelf (plus undershelf, if you are so inclined) are carried in separate padded bags, with the two expansions needing a bag each as well. Simply put, two-to-four trips from the van. All four at the same time will be too wide to sit on a Rock 'n' Roller, assuming you stand the bags on end, which you would have to because laying them flat will stop you getting through a door. If you just go with the B3 without the expansions, you'll be fine using a single RnR. I was hoping that the B3 would fit in my old Liteconsole flightcase, but alas it is not to be - I have the bags for now but I'm going to spend some time evaluating the best way to transport.

Oh, bags are an extra too.

The B3 and the expansions, when folded in for transport, have a bracket that stops them unfolding. When you take that bracket off to set up, there's nowhere to put them. It's obviously not a huge thing, but...I dunno...for more than £3k, give me a hook under the booth to store these brackets. Is that me being unreasonable?

There are two great things that I love most about this booth. Firstly, it's heavy (bear with me here). Not too heavy that it's a difficult carry, but the extra weight of it means that it'll take a pretty decent bump from an enthusiastic dancer to move it. It's not bolted to the floor, but it certainly isn't skidding around on the ice. It's sturdiness is definitely a huge plus point.

The second thing that I love is that this booth is imposing. I used it at four weddings last week, and I honestly cannot tell you how many times staff, suppliers, clients and guests stopped mid-stride to check it out - both from afar and up close. I originally thought the expansions would have been a big reason for that as they make it a large booth, but during the process of setting up on Friday, the marquee/sound/light/live event guy made a point to talk to me about the booth before I added in the expansions. Maybe it's noticeable because it's brand new and shiny - and I would accept that conclusion up to a point - but I still think that this booth feels more than just somewhere for the DJ to stand and put their decks on. It feels like a featured centerpiece, and I would say that it goes a long way to make up for the lack of 'Wow' from the Gigbars. Not completely, but definitely makes a good dent.

[Excalibur]

Heavy. That's AED Deckstand Booth territory. Never failed to repel boarders.

Benny, I wish you and your Humphrey many happy years together, I really do. Value for money? Jury's out on that one.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

The way you say "overal I like it" gives me the impression you're a bit underwelmed by it?

Shouldn't an outlay like that be like "oh boys this is the mutts nutts"?

I get that whole it makes an impression just by the size of it as so many of us are tiny little roadshows now.

[Benny Smyth]

The way you say "overal I like it" gives me the impression you're a bit underwelmed by it?

Shouldn't an outlay like that be like "oh boys this is the mutts nutts"?

I have to admit, I think this may be the first time a post of mine has been moderated for a perceived lack of emphasis.

[SimonJeez53]

In June 2013, I bought the Liteconsole XPRS for £799.00, and it’s been my trusty sidekick at every event since then. After 11 years, though, it’s definitely showing its age. So, I’ve been on the hunt for a new booth that really catches my eye.