Are any of you finding that those booking you are using "YouTube only" songs that aren't commercially available? Even with a YouTube subscription, I find myself putting extra effort into those tracks, so they don't sound like complete garbage when replayed on my setup.
Licensing issues aside, the time and effort required to do this often seems to go unappreciated.
Does anyone here think a bride will be able to tell the difference between a white Yamaha setup and a white column array? My issue with column arrays is the compromises in sound and output made to get that easy setup/teardown and sleek look. The subwoofer has to play too high, so it isn't acting like a subwoofer and most self-limit to the point where I notice it. I also don't like the orientation of mid/high frequencies emanating from below my waist. Put enough bodies in front of them, and no more mid highs further towards the back of the dance floor.
I'm only asking because I am seriously thinking about going with the white Yamaha DXS15XLF topped with a DZR10. One production company that hires me to DJ their weddings uses the white RCF 18AX with the NXL 14-A. While I would love to go that route, I'd need to invest in a trailer which I am trying to avoid. Sorry, but the DXS15XLF has more output than the 15AX. I tossed that idea around as well, but I don't want to compromise on headroom.
Finally, all the wedding planners seem to care about is a white setup and I had that posed to me one too many times, so back to the drawing board with my black EVOX 12s.
One of the conversations I was having with some of my DJ friends lately is why did column arrays become so popular? Don't get me wrong, when I started DJing again in 2023, I went with a set of EVOX 12s because they fit in my then company car.
Well, I thought the EVOX 12s were decent UNTIL I came across a great deal on a used QSC system, a pair of KW181s with some K12.2s for less than ONE EVOX 12 stack costs. That is when I started to notice the compromise of the EVOX 12 setup. The self-limiting low end, the hollowness in the transition between the subwoofer and the 4" full-range drivers, tops that will out scream the subs as they approach the limit, etc.
Unless I am in a super small venue or in a place with a ton of reflective surfaces, I always feel like I am lacking something with the EVOX 12s and am currently looking for a 15"point source setup to replace it with. I'm torn between the Bassboss BB15mk3 with some Yamaha DZR10 tops or just going full Yamaha with some DXS15XLF subs with the DZR10s. Yeah, the Bassboss are more expensive, but they are also light and pack some serious output for their size! Then I can couple the subs and break out the tops for maximum impact!
Oddly, I don't really care for the SV9 or DV12s and I think I insulted a DJ when I told him for the price that was paid for the DV12s, I expected them to sound better. After the last firmware update, they do sound better, but man I would have been disappointed paying for them with the OG firmware. They were just harsh no matter how they were set on the as shipped firmware.
Anyway, I was just wondering why the column arrays became so popular when they are a compromise of sorts. The neat look only goes so far when the bride requests something like Low by Flo Rida or Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-a-lot and the lack of bass disappoints them. I blame the social media DJ influencers, lol.
I figured this group would appreciate this. I received a call from my former employer demanding to know why I didn't file a Texas franchise tax report for them. I had to remind them that they wanted me to file a zero-income report for a state that they were located in, which had about 8M of revenue, and I would not put my name on it. Their CPA claimed that they would do it, so I said "have at it because I REFUSE to put zero income when I know income exists!"
Their CPA's argument was that since all the revenue was picked up in the corporate office's main state, it didn't matter. My retort was that he was lazy and if he wanted to do it that way, be my guest because I'm not doing it and putting my CPA signature on it.
Well, guess what, he never filed one for them, and somehow that was my fault. I'm about to block those jackholes in my cellphone.
Rather than continue in my QSC thread, I wanted to comment on my friend's Yamaha DXR12MK3s that I had the pleasure of hearing this past weekend. OMG, for their price point, they are an extremely impressive cabinet. As much as I raved about my own Yamaha DXR10MKIIs, these sound even better and put out some serious sound. He was barely driving them during my demo and I was super impressed! Then when he cranked them up, I was REALLY impressed at how clean they remain all the way up to the limit light. WOW...
Since I heard another DJ's DZR15s last year, I became a Yamaha fanatic for their tops using the NEXO components. While I do think the plywood cabinets sound a little better due to less resonance, the DXR is a livable compromise when it come to sound and weight savings/portability.
Regardless, for anyone who suggests a QSC K12.2, I'll see that and raise them one Yamaha DXR12MK3. Don't get me wrong, I can make a QSC sound good, but the Yamaha sounds better out of the box without having to toy with the eq presets.
What is the deal with the KS118? I have three different friends (2 DJs and one bar owner) and all three of them had issues with at least one of their KS118 subwoofers. I'm still rocking my KW181s and those things seem to be built like tanks compared to the current model.
Two different DJs faced blown drivers, and both had issues with QSC's warranty. One eventually managed to get QSC to give in but the other was unsuccessful and just listed his pair for sale, notating that one has a blown driver. QSC immediately cited "end user error" for the reason the driver blew for both DJs. If that is the case, why did just one go up in smoke when the pair were set the same and both running at the same time?
The third one had his amplifier module take a dump and it took the subwoofer with it after sending what appears to be DC to the sub. The driver was literally frozen in the out position after the amp went into thermal mode. It was so bad that I could see it frozen in the out position using my phone's flashlight through the grill. It even had the lovely burnt electronics smell. I've seen this all too many times in the car audio world when the power supply takes a dump on the amplifier, but rarely in the DJ world...
The crazy thing is I was there when it happened, and the sub was not even cranked. Even the gain was set less than 12 o'clock in the 10 o'clock position as it was a brand-new subwoofer and he was "breaking it in." He will probably lose his ish if QSC fails to warranty it.
As of now, if anyone asks me what 18" subwoofer to put in their bar or small club, I'm recommending the Bass Boss DJ18S over the QSC. Yeah, it is more expensive, but avoiding the headache of dealing with a blown KS118 will quickly make up for that, lol.
Oddly, I don't mind the KX.2 series tops and even own a pair of K12.2s myself. I do, however, find myself using my Yamaha DXR10MKIIs more than the K12.2s because I think the Yamahas sound a little better with subs when crossed over at 100 Hz. If I need tops only, I prefer the K12.2 when running no sub because it digs a little deeper than the DXR10.
Finally, I love the way the KS118 sounds, but I can't get over how unreliable it is compared to the KW181. Keep in mind, all of the failures that I am speaking of happened on subwoofers purchased within the last six to eight months, with one being 4 days old...
After my last wedding reception, I realized that I need to up my lighting game for control over them vs letting them run amok to the sound. I generally use Virtual DJ, so I am thinking about snagging an Enttec Open DMX USB device and giving QLC+ or Soundswitch a try.
I tried using Rekordbox for a party this past weekend with the DMX out on the FLX10 and let's just say I configured something wrong because it barely did anything to control my Gigbar Move+ ILS, even though I set it to DMX mode and assigned it in the Rekordbox software per the instructions, but was left underwhelmed. Basically, all I had was color, with my moving heads just sitting there doing absolutely nothing. The dumb thing was I could control the moving head positioning in the software, but they did absolutely nothing when the music started playing. As a result, I went back to using the auto programming, which I have grown to hate.
I want something that will control my Gigbar and Bothlighting tubes. I also have an Apeconnect with a 12 pack of Ape Labs uplights, but, that is not as important for DMX control as those can generally remain a static color at wedding receptions. For school dances, I usually break my lights up into two groups and assign them the school colors or the event colors. One of them had a pink theme, so I made all the lights pink and just put them to sound, which works good enough for uplights, lol. I'm sure someone will say "just wait until you can DMX a chase effect" and make me change my mind. Hell, it may make me convert to the Ape tubes as well and start getting more Ape fixtures...
One of my good friends suggested a Wolfmix like he uses, but, I hesitate to use yet another auto show that just goes to the sounds requiring more manual intervention on my part. I'd rather the beat of the music feed the light show vs me having to press buttons on yet another device. I get that I will have to program some stuff no matter what I do but I figure I can at least assign some DMX buttons to my DJ controller for things like blackout OR a static color for slow dances.
Ok, I went off on a tangent there, but the TL/DR version is what are you using and/or what would you recommend to control DJ lights with Virtual DJ.