Some sound advice

My hometown had a high-end hi fi audio store whose tagline was '...for some sound advice'.  What better way to share tips about PA/loudspeaker suggestions?  

There are alot of manufacturers out there that advertise great systems...but beware of a simple trick that the cheaper companies (and some DJ's use):

Measurement of wattage.

A 1000W amplifier is not always 1000W sustained, useable output.   Cheap speaker companies advertise that their speaker boasts incredible wattage...but what you really should be looking for is buried in the technical specs...namely:

What is the sound level in Decibels?  85-120 is good.  Higher the better.  What good is a 3000 watt system that can't cover a large gym? About 120 Db is a rock concert or a jet engine at close range.


What is the peak wattage vs RMS (average)? Peak wattage is what the amp can handle in short bursts vs long, sustained loads.    If you're going to drive your system hard and loud, be sure it can handle it with a high, continuous wattage load.


What is the size of the woofer? Size matters.  12" and higher can hit low, bass-heavy notes and give punch to regular music as well. 


What is the cabinet made of (for durability)?  Particleboard is cheap, heavy and chips easy. 


While this link deals with home theater speakers, the fundamentals still apply to mobile DJ's

PA systems generally break down into two categories:  Active (powered- has its own built-in amp) and Passive (requires an external amp).  I chose active because its less equipment to carry around and generally less expensive. 

I started out with a Fender Passport 150.  It was a big expense for a DJ just starting out...but it has paid for itself many, many times over.  I still use it mainly for wedding ceremonies (if its in a separate location from the reception area) but it used to be my main system.  For a system with only 150 watts, I've sure made alot of money on that little system that could.  Any of the Passport systems are a good starter...they all have a built in mixer, independant mike channels, EQ and even a laptop/ipod input.  They're extremely light and durable too.  However there are two drawbacks:

1.  Lack of power for larger events.  I couldn't fill a gymnasium with 150 watts (though they do make larger Passport systems).
2.  Lack of low-end frequency (bottom).  Hip-hop music needs a bass-heavy woofer.

When you're ready to graduate to something with more power and thump, a larger powered (active) speaker system is the way to go.  Of course, you can always add a powered subwoofer to your current system...which is what I started to do, but I really needed more 'oomph'. 

My next purchase was an all-in-one solution by B52.  It had a 15" subwoofer, (2) 10" speakers and 700 watts of power...perfect for larger events and enough bass to please high school kids.  Even though it was a fantastic system, it too had some problems:

1.  The amp and subwoofer are built into the same cabinet which makes it very heavy (180 pounds including satellite speakers).  Mercifully the cabinet has heavy-duty casters.
2.  I'm rough on my gear.  The particle board workmanship is easy to chip, scratch and dent.


I sold the system to a good friend (and up and coming dj) of mine and bit the bullet on the QSC K-Series   It has 1000 continuous watts (500 tweeter, 500 woofer), has built in mixing controls, has an ABS plastic shell and is just over 40 pounds.  QSC has great tech support and a six year transferrable warranty, too.  While the K-series has built-in bass circuitry, I later bought a K-sub to round out the system, giving even deeper, more chest-pounding bass for special events.  The extra wattage doesn't hurt, either.

You can go even further by investing in larger systems that boast 2-5,000 watts - but that's an article for another day.  I honestly don't think I'll ever need that kind of power.