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DJ tips part 5, wireless PA systems, Califone PA Giveaway
DJ equipment, wireless PA features, introducing pintech instruments
| Volume 2: Issue 6 |
June 2005 |
Dear Friends,
School's Out For Summer!
It's June! And if I was still in school I'd finally be graduating! Wait... working here at AudioLink I'm always learning something new - sorta like school - so maybe the boss owes me a graduation present (hint)!
You know a nice guitar would be the perfect way to say "job well done."
At the very least how about some of those great Vinci strings that we just started offering for sale.
This month, to keep up the same theme (you do know I play the guitar right?) Audiolinks.com is featuring Washburn Musical Instruments and Gear.
Read on for the details on this special and for helpful articles, general audio information and useful links...
This month's newsletter includes articles, information and links pertaining to:
 Update Desk - What's New In Wireless PA Systems
Most PA systems that are available commercially are portable.
Now portable means many things to many people. For instance, I have personally worked with a portable PA system that weighed in at 75 pounds (that's 34 kilograms for you metric fans).
But, regardless of weight, a portable PA system is not meant to be permanently installed (although it certainly can be and AudioLink offers some interesting fixed installation options). But what a portable PA system does provide is a 'self-contained' unit which includes some or all of the following:
- Portable PA systems plug into a wall outlet (AC powered); and/or
- A portable PA system may operate from a rechargeable battery pack (DC powered).
- A portable PA system includes an amplifier with a mixer;
- and a portable PA has built-in speakers that will handle up to six channels.
Other features may include stands, microphones, tape decks and/or CD/DVD players.
However, now there is a new option in the market place: the wireless Public Address (PA) system.
I am not talking about the relatively new micro and mini PA systems that are one step up from a megaphone.
These small PA systems often have the added convenience of either a handheld microphone or a body pack transmitter. Small PA systems are ideal for small groups and meetings. But a small PA system is limited when it comes to a sizable audience. When convening a larger group, you are generally constrained to use more powerful systems and (until now) this meant using hard wired cables that are not only intrusive but also can be dangerous when speaker cables must be run throughout a venue.
Nor am I talking about those PA systems which call themselves wireless because they include a wireless mic. Even though AudioLink carries these so-called wireless PA systems (and I really do like them for what they are), I have never really felt comfortable with the advertising. Especially because I am the one tripping over those speaker wires.
But now, several Pro Audio manufacturers have produced true wireless PA systems. AudioLinks.com offers these new systems, starting this spring, as new, cost effective solutions to some old PA problems.
In the past, wireless PA systems were kludges. You had to adapt the portable PA to fit your special needs. For example, the Anchor Audio wireless feature necessitated converting one of the mic input channels on the mixer to a wireless transmitter. Of course, Anchor makes such a great product that I (and others) were more than willing to put up with this sacrifice of one of your three microphones. Now, however, you don't have to make that sacrifice.
With the advent of the new Califone PA-916 PowerPro a true wireless PA system is born!
Designed for any venue, the Califone PowerPro is the first portable PA system to offer wireless transmission to any number of its powered companion speakers, meaning it has virtually unlimited expandability to handle any situation. PowerPro is a complete self-contained, portable sound system with two built-in wireless mic receivers, a CD player, a variable speed cassette recorder/player and features 90-watts RMS of power with a single unit easily covering crowds of 500 people or more. You also get the option for two additional microphones for a total of four mics.
The Califone PowerPro also offeres some great PA features including visual confirmation of power, radio frequency and audio reception for each of its two wireless receivers through a set of five LED lights on the front of the speaker. Its 10” high-powered woofer is driven by a 40 ounce magnet (the heaviest and most efficient in its class) and a high-frequency compression driver for optimal audio reproduction. The Califone PowerPro also has independent bass and treble controls, digital master volume control, power status indicator, a universal power supply and is C-UL and CE approved safe for use in schools and other public venues.
Califone also offers other options for wireless PA systems - check them out here.
Don't forget our AudioLink FREE consultation. AudioLink account executives can advise you on both the best PA system for your venue. The wireless PA system by Califone is just one great option for you to consider.
Speaking of PA systems - it's time to announce the winner of our
May 2005 Monthly Giveaway Contest
Congratulations to Laurie S of Celebration, Florida, winner of the Anchor Audio MegaVox Pro with handheld wired microphone.
Now on to this month's FREE giveaway, and what could be more appropriate than...
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 This Month's Giveaway Contest - The Califone PresentationPro Wireless PA System Package with Lapel Microphone!
Enter AudioLink's June 2005 FREE Giveaway Contest for a chance to win a Califone PresentationPro PA Package with lavaliere microphone!
Count on this kit to deliver convenient hands-free operation with its comfortable lapel mic and belt-pack transmitter. It comes in two portable containers- the tripod with its own rugged carry case - and all the other components (speaker stand, speaker bracket and remote control) which are safely stored in a durable, foam-lined and form-fitted polyethylene carrying case.
The two cases are light enough to take anywhere, yet convenient enough for a single unit to deliver crystal clear audio to a medium sized audience.
This handy wireless PA package is perfect for board meetings, small theaters, assemblies, churches and of course schools (where Califone's name is synonymous with quality) - and that means the PA300UHF-PL is all you’ll need to amplify your voice for multi media presentations.
Enter NOW - one per customer - no purchase necessary!
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DJ-man's Helpful Hints for Aspiring DJs - Part V - Self-Promotion and Duplication
Well, it seems DJ-man has wrangled another column. This month he shares some more insights on how to market yourself and your professional DJ talents. Take it away DJ-man!
Thanks AudioMan!
One thing I have learned: tenacity is the key to success. Whether you want to win a regular newsletter column or land a lucrative slamming gig -- you don't succeed by quitting in the middle of a jam.
Ok, so does this sound familiar?
You've practiced in your bedroom until you have giant, fader-flicking fingertips. Man, you're ready. I mean ready. You can mix like a high speed blender and your friends (who pretend to never get tired of you spinning the same tunes) all say you're the best DJ they've never heard of. So what's next?
Gigging, of course!
And the best way that I know of to get a DJ gig, without actually being friends with a promoter or club owner, is to make a really good mix CD and hand it out to as many people as you can.
I don't care who it is: the cute clerk at the record store; your new neighbor; the postman... you never can tell just who these people know. And the more samples you hand out, the greater the possibility of being heard by the one person who can deliver your first big break. That means "makin' the copies" - many, many copies.
That's why I've chosen to focus this month's column on Duplication.
In particular, I want to put in a plug for the much maligned cassette tape. I know you probably think this is uncool. But dollar for dollar and pound for pound the little buggers still make an impact. In fact, I'm going out on a limb here but if you can do both CD duplication and cassette tape duplication you are ahead of the game. Man - if I could - I'd dup some wax and send out records. Marketing is not what YOU want, it's what THEY want. And now you only have to find out who THEY are and you're set.
In a nutshell, there are 3 major manufacturers of cassette duplicators: Recordex, Sony and Telex. Sony has virtually abandoned the marketplace so that the only place to get their equipment is from a warehouse. Telex is basically relying on their prestigious brand name and has at least twice in the last year threatened to pull out of the market. But ya know, that's aok. Because the best manufacturer by far for this type of machine is Recordex and they still seem to be going strong. I recommend Recordex tape duplicators for your marketing and self-promotion needs and (God bless him) so does AudioMan.
The reasons we like Recordex are:
COMPARISON OF FEATURES BY MANUFACTURER
| |
Sony |
Telex |
Recordex |
| Ferrite Erase Heads |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
| All-Steel Construction |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
| 110/220 Volt Switch |
No |
No |
Yes |
| Price |
$3,549.00 |
2,599.00 |
$1,499.00 |
By the way, tape duplicators also work well if you want to protect your inventory of old cassettes by making back-up copies. The same of course goes for CD's and DVD's and in that department you have a lot of choice in the current marketplace.
Basically, digital duplication mixes and matches various components in different arrays to get you decent quantities at varied rates and quality of reproduction. The most expensive and the best of these machines can also print labels for you which are the heart of promotion. Your name and a contact address are a must on all the marketing material you send out.
You've probably heard of Microboards and of course AudioLinks carries their full line. There are a bewildering array of machines which are specialized and fit many broad applications. But I have recently learned about a relatively new product from AudioMan which blows away Microboards on price and is just the right size for the DJ just starting out: the Acronova Apus-EZ. After you burn your jams you can make up to hundred copies in one sitting.
The EZ-5810C is a powerful and high-speed automatic CD duplicator with simple operation at an affordable price. And, it's a true standalone auto-duplicator because no computer connection is necessary. With a 52x burning speed, the Apus-EZ completes duplicating a full-data CD in less than three minutes. As a result, one hundred CDs can be copied in approximately four hours. It's really quite impressive.
If you don't want to buy a machine, there are also some good companies where you can out source your duplication needs, and the prices are usually pretty good. But if you're going to duplicate CDs on a regular basis, especially if you are doing relatively small runs, you'll want to own your equipment.
In fact there is so much to consider on DVD and CD duplication that I want to devote a whole column to it later this summer. Stay tuned for that (AudioMan and space permitting).
One more thing before I leave this self-promotion topic. Always send a note (handwritten is ok) with your demos and always, always follow-up.
Remember persistence and tenacity matter.
Ultimately, it all comes down to being heard. Whatever you can do, go ahead and do it. I know it might be tough to promote yourself, but if you just make your best demo mix, have it duplicated, get out of the bedroom every once in a while and hand them out, you'll be very surprised by the response.
Hopefully these suggestions will help you find your way to becoming a paid professional.
Remember: if you're good - and you apply yourself - you'll land a regular gig. So keep at it!
Back to you AudioMan!
Thanks Deej - we'll see about a column on digital duplication in a future issue. I hear there are great thing on the horizon! Stay Tuned!
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 Introducing Pintech Electronic Drums
AudioLink Services is proud to announce the addition of Pintech Electronic Drums to our line of Musical Instruments.
Pintech gained their reputation for turning out road-warrior quality staging equipment and multi-pin connectors for stage-quality audio cables. They've recently turned their core competencies loose on electronic percussion, and in conjunction with Roland have developed some great new products.
Initially, product offerings were based on improvements over existing drum pads, and priced just under competitors. If you're looking to get into an electronic drum kit, or even add to your existing kit, you will want to take a look at the Pintech line. You'll also want to keep an open mind as you ponder the price tag..."Considerably less expensive than some of our competitors," says Pintech's President Jonathan Karow. "But we don't want to be known as just the 'affordable electronic drum company.' The fact is, many of our products are more costly to produce than those of our competitors. Professional drummers want quality, dependable products and a company that will back them. If we can do it for less money than everyone else, we do."
Here's what David M. of Palmdale, California had to say about the four piece E-Gig Kit which he recently bought:
"This is the first set of e-drums I have owned, and I must say they are GREAT! I bought the E-Gig package as the basis of my kit and turned it into a nice concert set. For the same price I would've paid for a traditional drum set, I got much more from Pintech. Don't let the prices fool you - they make a HIGH quality product!!
Click Here to learn more...
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 Do you have pro-audio questions? AudioMan's got answers!
Hilda R. asks:
I need some FM translation equipment for an upcoming conference and I see you rent it. Can you fill me in on the details? Thanks.
Hi Hilda,
We offer FM translation and hearing assistance equipment by the largest, and best known manufacturers. Call us for a FREE Consultation anytime. You'll be amazed at how affordable it can be to wire your next event for simultaneous interpreting.
I don't have the space to go into the details of the rental pricing in the column, but I will say, however, we have the best rates in the US and that we have the equipment for a variety of functions in whatever size audience you require. Give us a call at 1-800-516-6955 and let one of our sales staff fill you in.
Hope this helps!
Bud O. writes:
I am interested in the Califone PA-916 and the Nady 401 Quad for conferences of 150+ in classroom settings at hotels around the country. Do you recommend this set up? Also, I have seen some presenters pipe their PowerPoint audio through the system. Will this work?
P.S. You have a great website! Thank you for your help.
Hi Douglas,
I'm glad you like our website [and so is our webmaster]. We put a lot of hard work into it!
I definitely recommend the wireless Califone PA-916 for this set up. In fact this system can handle even larger crowds. For convenience, it's manufactured in the roll around luggage style with a telescoping handle included;
and, it's ON SALE through June 30th 2005!
The Nady 401 Quad is an excellent choice because it includes four wireless microphones with the option of using only one channel on your mixer (as opposed to four). In addition, the outputs can be mixed in the receiver unit individually or as a whole. You can choose your microphone configuration (lavaliere, headband or hand-held) and it's a completely rack mountable system.
To answer your other question, most PCs and laptops have a 3.5mm output from the sound card which is interfaceable with the PA (so long as you get the proper adapter - which is easily found and purchased locally).
I hope this is helpful!
Lesley A. had this inquiry:
I would like to purchase a PA system like the Fender Passport Deluxe, but I need two lapel microphones. The system is being used for live events on the grounds of Mission San Juan Capistrano. Can you help? Thanks.
Hi Lesley,
The Fender Passport Public Address system has a proprietary lapel microphone kit which is known as the Executive Wireless Microphone System.
You get two types of mics - the lapel (or lavaliere) and the headband.
However, you can use only one at a time. The included docking receiver actually plugs into a slot on the mixer using channel 1. So to operate more than one lapel microphone, you'll need an "outboard" wireless microphone system. Simply plug that receiver into channel 2 and away you go!
Give us a call at 1-800-516-6955 and we'll fill you in on some technical issues that are a little more complicated than can be discussed here - particularly frequency interference.
In the meantime, here's a list of compatible wireless lapel microphones that will give you a head start.
Hope this helps! And if so, we hope you'll return year after year, after year...always on the same day!
Keep those calls, cards and letters coming. Maybe we'll feature your question in an upcoming issue!
For more information about other audio topics Click Here to see Equipment Reviews, the Newsletter Archive and related Articles
AudioMan
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Current Specials
If
you're in the market for a solution to your presentation
requirements, here’s a link to our current Specials
This month we feature a "Father's Day" special - the Washburn Guitar Combo Kits - on sale for a limited time at 25% off list!
Order yours today and receive a FREE A-frame guitar stand!
AudioLink - Sound Solutions© for your special needs.
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 AudioLink
Services
You already know that AudioLinks.com
is the premiere
source for audio equipment discounts, but are you aware of the other
services we provide?
Conference &
Meeting Planning,
Equipment Rental,
Interpreting,
Recording
& Transcription as
well as Voice
Over Production are just
some of the other areas of the industry we can help you with.
 Well, that's about it for this edition. In future issues we plan to offer reports and updates on different types of audio equipment, links to useful sites and to answer questions posed by you and other readers. We hope you will find this newsletter useful and we welcome your feedback.
Looking for something that's not on our web site? Contact Us and we'll respond as quickly as possible, or, visit AudioLink's product pages and see for yourself why we are known as: "The Home of Sound Solutions"
Until then,
That's sound advice...
Regards,
AudioMan
SiteManager@audiolinks.com
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