A question or two for solo ops who have multiple systems...

Papa Deuce said:

This new Bose system has me thinking.....

If you have 2 entirely different systems, each with their own plusses and minuses, do you charge the same?

I've been wrangling with this thought.... you can't rent a Lexus for the same price as Ford, so shouldn't the same apply to your DJ systems?

Or let's say you buy 2 of these new, smaller Boses, and you already own a full Bose - but the new smaller Bose works well for small events, even for dancing.... would you charge the same?

I have no idea if the new Bose will do well for small crowds for dancing, but I bet it will handle groups under 100 quite easily....

OTOH, why not always put what you consider to be your best foot forward?

I'm really thinking about 2 tier pricing.... one for my JBL / QSC system, and another for my Bose....

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Good question Papa. I have several systems and multiple configurations. Small rental/setup from $150.00 to large system 2,000 people in a hall about $2,000.00 and everything in between. For outdoors i may rent additional equipment to add to mine and charge more. Lights are always extra!

Ever since I bought my 2L1 4B1 system that is all I have used, a couple of times only 1 L1 2B1s.

If I need my big system ( 2 Mackie 1232s and 2 Mackie Fussion 1800 subs[rent these I sold them to a friend]) due to crowd size I will charge more definitely.

I also still have my Mackie 450s and Mackie SRS1500 subs, if I used it price would be the same as using the Bose.

I sell myself. I don't base it on the gear I bring.
If I'm doing a wedding for 40 people or 240, the rates are the same. I bring the gear that will do the job properly.

Also, the 2 systems (and extra speakers) that I bring to each event are the same. (1 is the backup) If I'm DJing a reception for 240 people, and it fails, it would be a nightmare and not fair to my clients to try & do it properly with a Fender Passport type of system.

I go with Bill on this one....

People who might need a bigger system may only want to pay for a smaller system, right or wrong, it is you out in front of all the guests. If you system is lacking the crowd does not know that the B&G were cheap. All they know is that you sound like crap.


Now if you have 2 exact same systems that can cover the same crowd, but one has a "Name" that might give the impression of a better quality sounding system some people might pay for that.

But the ones that can't will just think that then you are bringing in a lesser quality system (true or not) and no matter how good a job you do, that will be the picture you painted in their minds.

Papa Deuce said:

don't rent a Lexus for the same price as you do a Ford.... why is your equipment any different?

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you can't compare us to cars, the public has a higher regard for what they drive than they do for who they hire to DJ.

I would have to say: No, I'd still charge the same. Since I would incur the same expenses and time spent on an event for under 100 or over 200 the only difference being the system I thought appropriate to get the job done well should be my decision and not one based on price.

Now that said, if I felt I would need more equipment than I currently own they sure there would be a price increase especially if I had to rent it.

I would charge to do the job with the right equipment.

I wouldn't give them a cheaper option, As some will take it......

Then your gonna be doing a job without the proper system, Name dropping equipment names will only get you so far...

Papa Deuce said:

Ok, let's put it this way.... let's just say you charge $750 for a wedding... and the vast majority of your weddings are 150 people or less.... Your speakers are a pair of EONS... perfectly acceptable speaker by many people's standards.

Now let's say you go buy a set of the bigger Dynacords.... $7K, I think.....

You still charging $750?

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Yes. You need write offs sooner than later

Papa Deuce said:

Ok, let's put it this way.... let's just say you charge $750 for a wedding... and the vast majority of your weddings are 150 people or less.... Your speakers are a pair of EONS... perfectly acceptable speaker by many people's standards.

Now let's say you go buy a set of the bigger Dynacords.... $7K, I think.....

You still charging $750?

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Let's just say you do raise your price for your Bose system or just simply lower it for the EONs....

What do you think your clients will percieve as the better value for them?

If I were given the choice.... I'd have to go by price rather than quality... and you'll find the vast majority of brides doing this....

Here's another thing to chew on.... assumeing you use online instant quote systems and the such.... how confusing is it going to be to potential clients when they see a low price and a high price for seemingly the same package?

Five years ago, there was only one DJ in my area with the BOSE L1s. Me.

The previous system was 4 - 802 Series 3, 4 - MB4, 2 502a, and 2 - 502b, powered by 2 - Crown K2 and 1 - Crown MacroTech 2400.

Seeing and hearing the potential business benefits of the BOSE L1, I marketed them almost exclusively to banquet halls, giving the banquet owners and sales staff personal in-their-facility demos ESPECIALLY any that were known to be acoustically challenged.

Once they were blown away (in every case), they kindly did the word-of-mouth to customer recommendation. "This guy is really good and has the best sounding system we've ever heard."

I sold all my previous gear outright, all the way down to the Kosmos and BBE. Didn't need any of it anymore, which also meant there could not be an honest alternative pricing package for a lesser grade system/sound. So, I raised my rates $100/event and recouped the entire investment in less than a year. So I bought two more and they too were paid for in less than a year. With 4 L1s / 8 B1s I'm confident in providing perfect sound in anything I'm called upon to contract.

Now? There are approximately two dozen of the 90+ jocks in this area who use the L1. They've become almost a regional standard for the heavy hitters so while the competitive name brand marketing "I'm the only one" edge has long gone, I enjoy hearing folks comment negatively about other systems. It confirms my business decision was a good. In fact, it ranks third on my all-time good DJ business moves behind going full-tume (#1) and going 100% digital (#2).

If you're promoting your BOSE exclusivity just to clients, you've missed the greater picture entirely. If you offer your BOSE L1 as an upsell, that market plan had better be reputation-wise air tight, or, offer it as an upsell but always throw it in free. That doesn't seem totally up-n-up but that's not for me to judge.

Papa,
to me, if you raise your rates solely because you've invested in $7,000 in new equipment...it just shows you could have raised your rates before.

While I certainly believe the Bose name helps because of name recognition, the main reason people are buying is because they believe that I can give them the evening they want.

having said that, I do occasionally give discounts for smaller events to get the deal done. I still supply the same equipment(90% of our events are done with 1 stick and 2 bins, other one just back up)

As a multi-op, I'm excited to hear the L1 compact. Obviously, I see it as a ceremony/dinner /cocktail system in another room. But perhaps also for the small 40-50 person parties that we do on occasion, so the more expensive systems can be used at the bigger shows. I also wonder about how it can fair as a emergency back up.


My point is that getting the deal done has little to do with what equipment i'll supply to the show. ill supply the equipment needed to get the job done. Hopefully, the L1 compact will just give me more flexibility.

Papa Deuce said:

You don't have to be exclusive... but more importantly, like I said, you don't rent a Lexus for the same price as you do a Ford.... why is your equipment any different?

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The same reason the plumber charges $X to replace a busted p-trap regardless of whether she uses a Titanium Craftsman wrench or a No name no blame unit. It is the performance and the results that determine the value, NOT the tools.

My prices are based on coverage (Size of Hall & Quantity of people), it does not matter what name brand equipment I am using to achieve this, as long as its quality and has excellent sound.
I think what Papa was referring to when he used the comparison between cars is this; Pretend you are the driver and you have a transportation company with several sizes of vehicles. You have to transport 5 people 50 miles across town, so you use a passenger Limo. Next someone else hires you to transport 40 people the same distance and you have to use a Bus/Coach. would you charge the same because you are the same driver? Same trip but different equipment! You had better be charging more. Doesn't matter what make or model of the Limo or Coach, each task is the same.

DJRox :

It is the performance and the results that determine the value, that not the tools.

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Way too broad a statement. Sometimes doesn't the tool enhance the quality of the job? Are you still using nothing but records? Does the noise level of the generator for the on-the-beach-front wedding ceremony factor in as long as they can hear the music? Does the post-event ear ringing matter as long as the event was fine?

A fella comes to give me a quote on a roof replacement. One drives a rusted out pickup. One drives a newer club cab truck but is dirty, has papers strewn everywhere. Another has a late model van, spotless, organized, and , to me, it says here's a pro. It's just a truck. It will haul everything to and from. The truck is just a tool yet I am paying more attention to what the last guy is saying. It's part of the impression, even if they were all Mercedes.


The choice of available tools is a mark of the business and performance choices any business make and a reflection of the owner/performer. Public perception goes a long way in that equation as well.

Tool choices do make a difference, if a business person wants them to. No difference, if they don't want it to.

Papa Deuce said:

Ok, let's put it this way.... let's just say you charge $750 for a wedding... and the vast majority of your weddings are 150 people or less.... Your speakers are a pair of EONS... perfectly acceptable speaker by many people's standards.

Now let's say you go buy a set of the bigger Dynacords.... $7K, I think.....

You still charging $750?

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If both sets of speakers have the same coverage, price will be the same. if the Dynacords can do a better job of coverage then "yes".

djrox said:

The same reason the plumber charges $X to replace a busted p-trap regardless of whether she uses a Titanium Craftsman wrench or a No name no blame unit. It is the performance and the results that determine the value, NOT the tools.

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Wrong analogy!:sqconfused: