Four Pieces of DJ Equipment that Can Bring your Venue to Life

Getting your venue set up for the big show is definitely a challenge; you need to make sure it’s all functional, which is going to include some spot on wiring and a sound check, but you need to make sure it’s just freaking awesome on top of that. You can have all of your equipment set up and working properly but if your visitors aren’t completely engrossed in the environment that you create then you might as well just pack it up and go home. So how do you do it? How do you make sure that your venue is the most amazing thing that anyone has ever seen? It’s all about the right DJ equipment and the right effects; it doesn’t have to be as hard as you think.

Using DJ Equipment to Bring out the Best in your Venue

DJ equipment packageSo it’s all about bringing out the best in your venue, and only the right DJ equipment package is going to do that. Let’s take a look at four pieces of equipment you’re going to need if you really want to bring the venue to life and make the show one that your people are going to remember forever.

Lighting – Illuminating the Subject

You can’t make the perfect venue without some good lighting and it all starts with making the right choices. There are several different types of lighting that you will want to consider from strobe lighting, to spotlights, LED’s, and even lasers. There are several lighting equipment packages available on our website that are going to help you get the perfect setup the first time, and that’s definitely something that you don’t want to overlook. Without the right lighting package, you’re just going to be in the dark, and that’s no good!

Audio Interface – Bringing up the Quality

The modern DJ uses the best equipment available and that means a laptop computer for carrying the tunes far and wide. What you’re going to find out though is that not all laptops are equal – not by any means. The biggest problem you’re going to run into here is that with a laptop you can’t upgrade the sound card, at least not by conventional means. Most of the time laptop output is a bit crappy on the higher end, and definitely problematic on the low end. An audio interface can take care of that for you by upscaling the quality of the audio and definitely helping you do away with the need to buy a new laptop – that’s a quality increase that you can buy.

Visual Effects – Sometimes a Good Screening is in Order

When you think of DJ equipment you probably don’t think of screens but they can make all the difference in the world. Back in the 80’s DJ’s used a bunch of tube televisions put together in a square formation but today you can skip all that and just go with a flatscreen; it’s a great way to bring your room to life and get your customers more involved.

Microphones – Sounding Off

DJ EquipmentFinally we come to the microphones. We’re not saying that the items that we’ve mentioned are the only ones that you need to consider when it comes to your DJ equipment, we’re just saying that these are some of the most important. See how that works? Microphones work whether you’re having a stage act or simply need a PA system, but you need to make sure that they’re actually capable of the job you want to put them up to – we can’t really stress that enough. There are some microphones that need to have a screen attachment to ensure that they don’t capture the wrong sounds, which will make your presentation much more clear.

So now you know, there are four primary pieces of equipment that you must bring to your venue but you can be rest assured that there are a lot more for you to consider. Now would be a great time to start taking a look at what we have to offer and getting your venue ready for the big times.

 

Passive vs. Active Speakers – Which Ones Should you Use at your Venue?

Your DJ career is going to be an unending flow of decisions regarding what sort of DJ equipment you should be using, and that shouldn’t be too surprising – there’s a lot of it out there. That being the case, you are probably stuck on the decision between active and passive speakers, which isn’t a surprise by any stretch of the imagination.

Figuring this one out is definitely difficult for the raw beginner, but that doesn’t mean it has to be impossible. Let’s take a quick look at the two and help you decide which one you should be hauling to your next show.

Active and Passive -Choosing your DJ Equipment

To make this decision effectively you will need to know the difference between active and passive speakers which isn’t actually as complicated as it sounds. We’re going to start by talking about active speakers, which are probably exactly what you’ve been using anyway.

What are Active Speakers?

DJ equipment packageActive speakers are often referred to as powered speakers because they have a powered amplifier for each driver. In other words they do not depend upon an external power source, and all of the necessary components are stored within the casing. That being said, these speakers are most often used for home entertainment systems as they are incredibly easy to set up.

They are the simplest type of speaker to use and there is a good chance that you have one sitting around the house somewhere. If you need to pack up in a hurry, there’s a good chance you will be grabbing your active speakers first. Contrary to popular belief, however, active speakers are not powered speakers. We will get to the concept of powered speakers in a moment, but first let’s take a look at passive speakers; another piece of gear that you might find in a DJ equipment packages.

What are Passive Speakers

Passive speakers make sue of passive crossover components. They split the audio signal and send each band right back to the loudspeaker drivers. Additionally, audio signals are driven through a separate amp, and the unit features a separate power amplifier that send the audio signal to the speaker.

It’s a more technical setup but is great for advanced users. The one problem that passive speakers tend to have is heat dissipation which can cause the amplifier to lose up to 30% power. That said, as the unit heats up, the sound might begin to lose quality, and for this reason it is definitely recommended that you stick to active speakers if you plan to host a longer show. In some cases bands have been known to take an intermission which will give the equipment time to cool down.

You know the disadvantage, but is there an advantage here? The most important advantage you have with this type of speaker is the ability to upgrade the amplifier at will, which is something that would be incredibly difficult with an active or powered speaker.

What is a Powered Speaker?

DJ equipment packageFinally we get to the powered speakers which are an entirely different animal. The powered speaker has its own amplifier and can be plugged right into the wall. Keep in mind however that it tends to have many of the same attributes as a passive speaker.

If you need a good example of a powered speaker all you need to do is look at your computer desk – computer speakers are definitely a great example and they are one of the most widespread. In the end, they can definitely help to reduce clutter, and the built in amplifier eliminates the need for additional components. They’re easy to set up and perfect for the novice user.

There are definitely merits to each type of speaker and when you buy DJ equipment package you’re going to have some trouble deciding. We recommend that you try them all out just to see how they sound, you never know what your venue could use.

 

How to Raise your Mic Quality Without Buying a New One

We’ve spent a lot of time talking about microphones and we’ve definitely tried to encourage you to buy new ones but you know what? Sometimes that isn’t actually necessary at all. Sure we want you to buy the latest and greatest tech but we kind of want you to be happy with what you have. We’re going to be perfectly honest here; sometimes ‘problems’ with microphones can be easily fixed with a little bit of knowledge – which we’re going to drop on you in this post. Hang on, strap in, or do whatever you need to do because we’re about to take you on a pretty technical ride. Don’t worry, it’s easy to understand.

Keep your Sound Recording Equipment Sounding Great – There’s a Reason

buy sound recording equipmentSo you’re trying to make a high quality recording with your microphone and it’s just not coming out right. Well don’t worry about that, it’s a really common problem. We’ve dealt with it a lot, and we have to admit that sometimes our first instinct was to go online and buy a new one. Live and learn, right? Well, as it turns out there are a few ways to make a microphone sound better and we’re going to go over a few of them.

Before we get into how you can make your microphone sound better we’re going to mention the fact that there are many different types of microphones on the market. Some are high quality, some are low quality, and some are in between. It always helps to buy the highest quality microphone you can get but we understand that’s not always feasible. Don’t worry, there are still plenty of ways to make it sound better, so let’s take a look.

Change the Angle of your Mic – It Really Works

When you buy sound recording equipment you can expect it to have a few innate quirks that you have to watch out for, and in the case of microphones it’s going to be puffs. So what are we talking about here exactly? Well actually we’re going to cover a wide range of different things including:

  • * Pops
  • * Puffs
  • * Clipping
  • * Background Nosie
  • * Reverb
  • * Static

 

All of these probably sound like the end of the world when you’re in a recording session but you know what? They’re all completely fixable.

Fixing the Pops and Puffs

The headline for this section probably sounds a bit crazy but you’ve heard it before, even if you don’t’ realize it. The pops/puffs are just that massive popping sound you hear with P words – you know it now, you hear it everytime you talk into the mic. Well you could buy a pop screen, which is what most studios do, or you could try angling the mic 45 degrees to the side during recording. Fun fact: the puff only goes to the front, but your voice goes everywhere. It’s really cool and we definitely recommend trying it if you want to make the best recording.

Get Rid of Clipping

sound recording equipment storeThis is another one that you’ve already run into – it occurs when your voice is too loud for the mic. For example when you’re trying to do your death metal screams you end up with distorted sound. This can actually be fixed by lowering the sound recording volume on your PC, assuming your sound is actually going through a PC. If it is, good for you, because you already have more control than many other people.

Cut Through the Static

When you buy sound recording equipment you’re probably going to be a bit worried about the potential for static and rightly so. The best way to get rid of this is to make sure you’re moving the mic away from all sound sources other than your own voice. This is precisely why most performers work in sound proof booths. If you’re recording next to a computer, make sure the mic is nowhere near it – that will help immensely.

Finally – The Reverb

At any sound recording equipment store they’re going to tell you that reverb is a pain and they’re not wrong, not in the least. This is essentially just the background echoes that your mic will pick up when the sound rebounds from the walls of the recording space. What you’re going to need are walls that can absorb the sound instead of reflecting it, and one of the best ways to achieve that is by lining those walls with foam. Acoustic foam is definitely a good idea, so consider that before you start recording.

You see, you don’t have to replace your mic just to get the sound you want – there are simpler ways to do it if you just believe in yourself and your abilities to implement makeshift solutions. Still, there is nothing out there that beats good microphone.