What equipment do you use?

Just talk about kJams stuff with each other, describe things you did that worked, talk about your setup, anything that doesn't fit into the other forums!
Brendan
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What equipment do you use?

Post by Brendan »

I'm thinking about purchasing a professional mixer/ amplifier/speakers for home parties and small clubs and am wondering what others are using. Does anyone have any recomendations? Do i need a "karaoke mixer/ amp? it seems that the only difference is the echo, pitch control etc.. since kjams already has these features, Can i buy a regular dj mixer combo instead? Most of the karaoke equipment i see on the internet is vocopro and i had bad experiences with them so would like to avoid their equipment. I would like to buy a kit that folds up (speakers, amp, mixer and stands) please advise :!: :!:

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Sedge
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Re: What equipment do you use?

Post by Sedge »

Ok Brendan - good stuff.

I certainly recommend staying away from anything with "karaoke" attached to it! This certainly includes Vocopro, although I don't mind their CDG players (I own one, but it hasn't been used in a long time).

I also would never buy a "kit" system. There's always some cheap elements to them that will die on you and leave you stranded, and if you shop a bit, you can beat the apparent price savings.

Here's a budget for a simple system that will put you way ahead of the game. Shop around for this stuff - Internet, Guitar Center, pawn shops, etc.

Mixer - $100
Get a cheap Behringer mixer, 8 channels or more, don't bother with the FX models - you don't need them.

Amp - $150-$200
You can find some crappy amps in this category, so choose carefully. I have a Behringer amp, and an American Audio one. Both were under $200 new, I think. You can certainly find something at a pawn shop, but make sure they will take a return, then go home and test the heck out it - at nominal volume levels for 4+ hours. If it starts cutting out, either return it or figure out a good way to cool it down (add space around it, or add a fan) - do this with any amp.

Speakers: $200
- I bought 2 Kustom loudspeakers, 15" and a horn, for less than $100 each. If you can find them in a pawn shop, get a pair of Yamaha or Electro-Voice. Again, test them. Oh, and I'd stay away from JBL - they are usually over-rated as far as power goes, and will blow up over time if you give them the power they are rated for. (This is probably inviting some flames, but I've seen it too many times to ignore it.)
Oh, and never buy a self-amplified speaker. Often, the kits have these, and they are a huge headache.

Rack: $100
You probably want a simple 6U rack box - try Gator or SKB for nice ones, but you can find cheaper. Buy used if you can on this, just make sure they aren't stripped.

Speaker Stands: $80
If you think you'll want them, go ahead. They normally come in the kits. Get ones with locking pins. Most everything else is the same on all of them, or unnecessary.

Total so far: $680

Now, put a couple hundred into quality cables to hook everything together, and another couple hundred into mics if you still need them. Don't go too cheap on mics - Shure SM58's are about $100 a piece, and won't break on you - and they have good sound.

You can easily have a decent party system for under $1000, and if you want to go get some extras, go ahead.
You might consider getting a furman power conditioner for your rack. Also a graphic equalizer. Possibly a simple vocal effects box. I have the Alesis Nanoverb - works great. A compressor is nice too - minimizes squeals and hums. I use an Alesis compressor, but it's not at all necessary. Of course, when you have some extra $$, upgrade parts of your system. Put down about $400 and buy a Shure wireless mic. Go get some nicer speakers, or a Crown amp.

If you want me to hunt down internet links for any of this, let me know.

- Sedge

Brendan
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Re: What equipment do you use?

Post by Brendan »

Wow! this is exactly the kind of advice i am looking for. Great starting point, atleast i know what to look for now. I may hit you up later when i am ready to buy some speakers, i want to get a decent pair of speakers. How about the output power on the speakers and amp? How do i match them? -Cheers

jfbiii
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Re: What equipment do you use?

Post by jfbiii »

I'm gonna plug my Peavy PR15's for speakers. They sound great in small venues and are super light weight. I wouldn't get 12" for small venue karaoke without a sub, but I've seen people do it. I'd rather have a sub for mine than not.

I'm using a Peavy mixer/amp that's maybe a little underpowered (600W). More power = more weight and space. In most small venues, you don't need a stereo mixer, but if you do, it's important to note that a lot of mixers are outputting a combined (mono) signal. If I had a sub, this amp wouldn't cut it. I'd probably get a powered sub if I was going to add one.

I do use speaker stands, but I went higher-end on these and also hang small LED lights (3 on each vertical post -- Chauvet's smallest spotlight LEDs) from them. It's not the optimum lighting but it's compact and more than bright enough for coming from the speaker stands. It makes a huge difference to the ambiance, IMO. I have a DMX controller but I don't use it...the built-in settings and programs are all you really need. DMX control is nice, but requires more attention than I have for karaoke, since I have other things to do than work lights for every song.

I second the SM58 advice. Never had a bad experience with one. Worth the $100. My current cobalt mics are ok for sound, but they don't have the build quality of the Shures. The other cheaper mics that I had also sounded ok but drunk dropping killed them after about a year. I recommend verbal public shaming for people who abuse your mics. That and not taking their songs for a week (and making sure everyone at the show knows it) stops everything but true accidents really fast.

One other point: make sure you're getting equipment that fits your vehicle. I'm almost currently maxed out in my Galant with the PA in there. One reason I don't have a sub is that I don't have any room left in the car.
From he to whom much liquor is given...much singing is expected.

dave
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Re: What equipment do you use?

Post by dave »

I use a Motu Ultralite myself. makes it awesome with GarageBand running together with kJams, you can record your singers and music on separate tracks!

seanphafer
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Re: What equipment do you use?

Post by seanphafer »

I currently use the house PA at my weekly gig, but before that I used a pair of Mackie SRM450's. They are powered and I used them anywhere from 2-5 times a week. They are still running great after 7 years. I use a behringer mixer, with a little delay/chorus on the vocals. For Mics I have an SM58 and two AKG UHF Wireless mics. In my rack I have the mic receiver, a power conditioner, a Samson 4 channel compressor/limiter. and the mixer up top. Kjams is running on an intel macbook, with a behringer USB audio interface that came with the mixer as my output.

dave
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Re: What equipment do you use?

Post by dave »

yeah i use firewire audio for output, it has less latency than USB.

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Sedge
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Re: What equipment do you use?

Post by Sedge »

Yes, less latency for firewies audio, but more $?

I also use a behringer usb audio device, it cost about $30.

I looked at the MOTU that you use, it's MSRP is around $500 to $600, if I remember.

Also, I believe you have to run additional software to use firewire audio, where USB audio is natively supported. I've never had to run any other software or drivers to control audio output.

Oh, and the Behringer USB that I use has a separate input channel (to record back into GarageBand off the mixer) and a switched cue/monitor mode, where I can plug headphones into it and not push out sound to the board, in case I need to quickly preview something.

Not too shabby for $30. I've never noticed an issue with latency, and if I did, you have the global sync/slip controls built into kJams to correct for it. Huzzah!

- Sedge

dave
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Re: What equipment do you use?

Post by dave »

I believe you have to run additional software to use firewire audio
that is false. plug and play.

Brendan
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Re: What equipment do you use?

Post by Brendan »

I see Behringer also makes a fire wire audio interface for $99.

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Sedge
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Re: What equipment do you use?

Post by Sedge »

Good to know. :)

I suppose I assumed that because it seemed those units always came with a fancy software pack. My bad - they've done the same thing with pointing devices for years and years.

- Sedge

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Sedge
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Re: What equipment do you use?

Post by Sedge »

Brendan wrote:I see Behringer also makes a fire wire audio interface for $99.
Sweet - that might go on my "to buy" list - I could use a USB port freed up to run a webcam.

I really want to try the whole video behind lyrics thing live soon.

- Sedge

Fairyoke
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Re: What equipment do you use?

Post by Fairyoke »

Sedge wrote:I really want to try the whole video behind lyrics thing live soon.

- Sedge
Interesting. Nearing Halloween, I would like to sync up karaoke tracks from the Rocky Horror Picture Show with the movie. I thought I would have to use two separate monitors but your idea just might solve some of my logistic issues. Yes, I think I will try exporting the music as QuickTime movies, keying out the solid background and overlaying the lyrics & vocal-less tracks at the right places in the film. No live syncing woes. It's so simple I should have thought of it sooner. Thanks Sedge. :D

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Re: What equipment do you use?

Post by dave »

i'm sure you've seen this but in case you haven't:

I'm working on it. not ready yet:
Image

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cfspinner
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Re: What equipment do you use?

Post by cfspinner »

Speaking of Behringer, I use their equipment pretty much exclusively and love it. You can't beat their prices. You can get their mics in a three pac for 59 bucks!!! And don't think they're cheap mics. They are not. looks like they tried to copy the sure 58 and did a damn good job of it. If you had your eyes closed and held a sure 58 and a behringer mic in each hand you couldn't tell the difference, same holds true for sound quality. And they're just as durable if not more so.

Been using that set of three mics for over two years and their still going strong. Hell of a deal.

As mentioned earlier, don't scrimp on cabling. High quality cables are well worth the money. Cheaper cabling doesn't hold up well.

For sound I use the Behringer Europro series speakers. An 18inch subwoofer and a 15 inch main running off a Europro 1400 power amp coming off a behringer mixer. Started out with Mackey cz300's using a powered mixer. They're great speakers, but in my shows, I play dance music between singers and pump it pretty good. Wound up blowing 3 of the mackey's(I use the fourth remaining one now as a monitor). Decided to go with separate sub and mains so the low end would be fuller and wouldn't work the main as hard. Works out great but definitely on the heavy side so not for those who want a really portable lightweight system.

Also, stay away from powered mixers. Convenient yes, but something goes wrong on the mixing side your dead in the water. Somethings goes wrong on the amp side your dead in the water. With separate components, somethings goes wrong its a cheaper to swap out the one component.

All in all, I'm quite satisfied with the performance of Behringer products. Don't let their low prices scare you away.
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