Speaker advice

The_Terg

Active Member
My friend has recently felt inclined to start his own DJing service for the local towns. He is a freshman, and someone who i often think speaks about more than he knows. The website is http://get-me.to/arient

He is always bugging me about these speakers that he owns, the PHONIC PA550's that are listed on his website. He really likes them, and thinks that they are quite nearly the best DJing speakers he could get. I am somewhat skeptical about these speakers. not the fact that they will be able to play nice sounding music, but the gain that they can achieve. I dont know, ive never heard them at full volume, but id swear that these things would't get loud enough to DJ a large gig. Nor would they have sufficient bass responce at this level...

Does anybody else here have any experience with these speakers, or knows more about them? I am trying to decide whether he should DJ the school dance. It takes place in a large cafeteria, about 50'250'. I am still hesitant to rely on these speakers.... Am I just being paranoid???
 
The_Terg said:
My friend has recently felt inclined to start his own DJing service for the local towns. He is a freshman, and someone who i often think speaks about more than he knows. The website is http://get-me.to/arient

He is always bugging me about these speakers that he owns, the PHONIC PA550's that are listed on his website. He really likes them, and thinks that they are quite nearly the best DJing speakers he could get. I am somewhat skeptical about these speakers. not the fact that they will be able to play nice sounding music, but the gain that they can achieve. I dont know, ive never heard them at full volume, but id swear that these things would't get loud enough to DJ a large gig. Nor would they have sufficient bass responce at this level...

Does anybody else here have any experience with these speakers, or knows more about them? I am trying to decide whether he should DJ the school dance. It takes place in a large cafeteria, about 50'250'. I am still hesitant to rely on these speakers.... Am I just being paranoid???

Well FWIW, I was a mobile DJ and did that regularly for over 10 years. I would suggest you not judge by their gear but by the music and ability of the DJ to entertain and have the stock of music desired by the party goers. For over 5 years I was one of my area's top DJ's and met or spun with several of the "best" DJ's in the country, and it had to do not with the gear I used, but the wide and thorough music selection and variety I was able to provide to appease the most. IME, Being a good and successful DJ is more than gear--its the ability to "read a crowd" and anticipate the music they will like, based solely on body language, attire and the "feel" of the crowd and room. Knowing when to play a certain song or style of music--and how to follow the music genre with popular hits that will be enjoyed and danced to, My service history still stands today in my area, as I still get random calls to do "retro" parties, and I have been out of the business and have not advertised for over 10 years. I still have my records and collection of music--all vinyl, plus turntables and complete set up..mostly cause it is fun to go out and do something completely different every now and then..especially if they will pay my price. People get music--no "emcee" or stupid cheesy crap that most lounge-lizard type of DJ's do. I do straight music with no breaks, everything from background and dinner thru to dance music and top-40 hits, and all music is programed by me on the fly and on the spot to follow genre and style and the desire of the crowd and how the desire changes thru the nite. People are always amazed to see REAL records or even know that music is still limitedly pressed...no CD's in my collection that I use. CD's I have are for my own listening. So rather then be concerned with the speakers--I would be concerned with this persons ability to please and their experience...especially if this is any kind of special event or high-profile event that has to be successful.

To answer more of your question--The speakers are Phonics--a lower end quality off-brand..and only 400 watts RMS...and while that can get loud and so forth, They are what is considered "speakers on sticks" as they are usually supported on tripods. They should work fine for DJ use tho...most DJ's only provide speakers to cover a dance floor area and not an entire room and a typical dance floor area is 20x20-ish.. Will they be HUGE thumping bass and top clarity that willfill the room from wall to wall equally--dunno...doubt it tho based on the design...but for a average DJ purpose they should be fine most of the time. I personally use a rig that is about 5000+ watts, and is bi-amp and actively processed...using 18" dedicated subs with 2 or 3-way mid-hi tops. Its a cleaner mix IMO..and no tripods that can be bumped and knocked over by drunk or rowdy party folks. Speakers on sticks in my experience have been poor choices for DJ's...but they are compact and loud which appeals to the typical DJ in a van. Speakers on sticks have problems mostly cause they get the sound over or equal to the peoples heads--which is fine but the bass dynamics want to be FELT and not shot over people's heads..and for that you need ground-level subs IMO.

Dunno if that helps..but IMO I would be more concerned with this fellow's ability to have the music desired and be able to play a variety for long periods of time and follow a crowd--know what to play and when, know how to hold a dance floor and know when to slow it down to a slow dance. I've seen too many DJ's have a great floor packed with dancers on a great song, only to watch them kill it by a break in the music or a sudden change of genre or style, with the next song being inappropriate for the mood. Its like playing Madonna and following it up with Linkin Park...big stupid mistake. Most DJ's just "don't get it"...and it leaves a crowd on a stop and go nite when the DJ is being paid to be all go and little stop...so that is a big consideration when picking a DJ IMO... He may be great and appeal to the crowd and pick song after song great...then again he may not...or worse--he may play only what HE likes or what HE thinks is cool..when the show iss not about what the DJ likes, its about what the crowd wants to hear and dance to. The best speakers and DJ rig in the world won't matter if the music selection is way off to what the crowd wants, or inappropriate to the crowd.

my 2 cents...
-wolf
 
I also was a DJ for about 5 years. Honestly, if he has the right music and his speakers can fill the room, I think you are in buisness. You dont always need JBL's or Mach's to pull off a good school dance. It's more the skill of the DJ vs. equipment. Sure I offered a 5,000 sound system and a full intelligent light show but really that was more of what I like to call "support". What makes a good DJ is his music collection, how he reads a crowd, and how he mixes. Hope that helps. It's not as good as Wolf's but hey it works. :)
 
Just a note about room filling bass...

Try to keep in mind your mix, if theres too much bass especially bass that just keeps goin and goin and goin. Thats bad. It screws up alot of the music. We had a dj for home coming that brought in a full mackie active set up, dual full range, and dual subs. He cranked those subs to the point that they didnt really sound good at all. The mute switch noise from his mic sent those things off like a peak signal. It was the most horrible system to listen to all night. And there were many complaints, so try to keep in mind quality and balence of sound before you start worrying about volume. :)
 
It's all about EQ. My criteria if I was hypothetically choosing a DJ would be first: ability to choose tracks, and second: ability to EQ their damn system so it doesn't a) take out people's eardrums with cymbals and/or b) cause excessive lines at the bathroom from muddy, loud bass.

System power is only a problem in huge rooms, that would be the third consideration.
 
Well, he got the job anyway. Reading what you all said, this could be good, or bad being that I have never seen the system in action for DJing.

I do, however, know that he is a lighting man by birth, and that I am definately gonna gave to give him some pointers on EQing....
 

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