Cheap Uplights

DJ Bobcat said:

So I periodically get these emails from “Cheap DJ Gear” advertising various DJ gear. Today I got this one...

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... I’m not really a big lighting guy so I have no idea if this is a good deal or not. Anybody have an opinion... on these lights?

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I had those style and Those are the narrow beam... so unless you’re dealing with 20+ ft Ceilings and need the added less for a more powerful beam, the Rockville’s from the other thread are cheaper and equally as good an option.

You should not purchase off brand, or Chinese made DJ Lighting shipped from China...

You should support an American company like ADJ (AMERICAN DJ) or CHAUVET, or high end MARTIN, or ETERNAL... ...Support legal lighting. Also since you spend more money on the lights...you will make more money on the back end every time you make a sale since your customers will understand that the higher price "higher quality" lighting will make the outcome better. You don't want to show that you are a Wal Mart lighting service guy. You want to display that you are a Nieman Marcus or Rolls Royce upscale service...

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...I can't believe all the legitimate DJs in here recommending cheap lights...
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DJ Ricky B said:

You should not purchase off brand, or Chinese made DJ Lighting shipped from China...

You should support an American company like ADJ (AMERICAN DJ) or CHAUVET, or high end MARTIN, or ETERNAL... ...Support legal lighting. Also since you spend more money on the lights...you will make more money on the back end every time you make a sale since your customers will understand that the higher price "higher quality" lighting will make the outcome better. You don't want to show that you are a Wal Mart lighting service guy. You want to display that you are a Nieman Marcus or Rolls Royce upscale service...

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...I can't believe all the legitimate DJs in here recommending cheap lights...
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I don't know if that was a swipe at me (of which I'm not personally bothered by it), but if so, you have to understand that uplighting is a very unique enhancement, and the way to stand out is not just the type of light... but how you utilize it's capabilities and present it. While I use the chinese lights... I also bring 40 of them to an event, so my investment is much higher than that of the typical dj... whether they buy ADJ or Rockville. I care mostly about the output that they have and the truth is, there aren't many options for the 60 degree beam with 9 LEDs, or something of equivalent brightness and for it to also be battery powered and with wireless dmx that operates with donner style systems. So in a sense I am giving them upscale quality when I provide uplighting that looks like this....



or like this...


compared to some that do uplighting like this:

djtaso said:

I don't know if that was a swipe at me (of which I'm not personally bothered by it), but if so, you have to understand that uplighting is a very unique enhancement, and the way to stand out is not just the type of light... but how you utilize it's capabilities and present it. While I use the chinese lights... I also bring 40 of them to an event, so my investment is much higher than that of the typical dj... whether they buy ADJ or Rockville. I care mostly about the output that they have and the truth is, there aren't many options for the 60 degree beam with 9 LEDs, or something of equivalent brightness and for it to also be battery powered and with wireless dmx that operates with donner style systems. So in a sense I am giving them upscale quality when I provide uplighting that looks like this....
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or like this...
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compared to some that do uplighting like this:
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No, not a swipe at you at all. I buy Chinese lights, lol.

There is actually a Facebook DJ Group that I am no longer a part of...I will not name who it is although I am sure some will figure out who I am talking about. The moderators there BANNED any discussion about Chinese Lights. Also, no promotion of Chinese off brand lighting is allowed. The moderater in charge made a post that Chinese, and all off brand lights are actually illegal in the U.S.A. because all of those companies have violated patents made by Phillips corporation. ...Only discussion of "quality, real lighting via legitimate manufacturers is allowed".


....I am no longer a member of that group. ...Part because of that, but also part because I was banned for 1 week because I made what I thought was a funny statement...Don't even remember what I said, simply a statement pertaining to what was occurring in the forum...The moderator claimed it was a form of bullying....I had to laugh. After that I left the group.


In regards to that last photo...MAN...I should change that out. Those were cheap plug in lights that were sold a long time ago, and that wedding was in 2010.

djtaso said:

compared to some that do uplighting like this:
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lolol...*** devils advocate*** In no way am i slighting your fine work in uplighting ...but....It might be a little unfair to compare that particular room pictured in the quote... to the rooms you posted above... given its lack of any architectual glory...pillars chizzled in Italy... or 20 foot high curtains...

A dj playing the room pictured in the quote could certainly add double if not triple the uplights (your exact brand and type) and make it look a tad better... but when compared to any room with architecture custom built for over the top wow factor... its hardly ever going to be a true comparison.

Show us your methods in a room with 8 to 10 foot "drop ceilings" ...plain sheetrock or cinderblock walls....or a gymnasium ...maybe a womens club with ugly quilts hung on the wall... and THEN i will be completely wowed.

Obviously your answer might be... Well i am a high end dj who would never play such vile places.... well...we get that... but that takes the argument away from "uplighting" and moves it to venue's.

I think the dj's here are more impressed with the rooms you play than with your dj/mc skills or equipment... and thats not a slight at you at all... but its what makes your events different ....makes them a spectacle to see... and it's through hard work on your part to achieve bookings in an area with those style venues.

cc

djcrazychris said:

lolol...*** devils advocate*** In no way am i slighting your fine work in uplighting ...but....It might be a little unfair to compare that particular room pictured in the quote... to the rooms you posted above... given its lack of any architectual glory...pillars chizzled in Italy... or 20 foot high curtains...

A dj playing the room pictured in the quote could certainly add double if not triple the uplights (your exact brand and type) and make it look a tad better... but when compared to any room with architecture custom built for over the top wow factor... its hardly ever going to be a true comparison.

Show us your methods in a room with 8 to 10 foot "drop ceilings" ...plain sheetrock or cinderblock walls....or a gymnasium ...maybe a womens club with ugly quilts hung on the wall... and THEN i will be completely wowed.

Obviously your answer might be... Well i am a high end dj who would never play such vile places.... well...we get that... but that takes the argument away from "uplighting" and moves it to venue's.

I think the dj's here are more impressed with the rooms you play than with your dj/mc skills or equipment... and thats not a slight at you at all... but its what makes your events different ....makes them a spectacle to see... and it's through hard work on your part to achieve bookings in an area with those style venues.

cc

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Fair enough... heres a gym pic... or 3:




here's a plain jane room that's from like 1950 where we added some drapery behind the ugly wall behind us and did a two tone lighting design


heres a hall thats for rent and just an empty room with a dancefloor... yes columns... but nothing architecturally fancy:


here's your drop ceiling rooms:




same room with a different color:


our setup in one of those cheap drop ceiling rooms:



here's a school cafeteria:


yes... I was obviously creating a night and day difference with my comparison photos before, which btw was ricky's photo from his website... but I still think it's safe to say that even my low end rooms/gyms/cafeteria pics are equally impressive from an uplighting perspective.


and to compare apples to apples in terms of uplighting.... and to take the venue out of the equation... lets do two photos... same venue... one with my uplighting, and the other with the "others" uplighting:

djtaso said:

Fair enough... heres a gym pic... or 3:
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here's a plain jane room that's from like 1950 where we added some drapery behind the ugly wall behind us and did a two tone lighting design
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heres a hall thats for rent and just an empty room with a dancefloor... yes columns... but nothing architecturally fancy:
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here's your drop ceiling rooms:
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same room with a different color:
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our setup in one of those cheap drop ceiling rooms:

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here's a school cafeteria:
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yes... I was obviously creating a night and day difference with my comparison photos before, which btw was ricky's photo from his website... but I still think it's safe to say that even my low end rooms/gyms/cafeteria pics are equally impressive from an uplighting perspective.

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So... take a hard look at these again.... they all...except for one (the gym with only cinderblock walls) have great molding....curtains....columns ...etc that create the wow factor..... and even the pic in the gym has cloth draped from the ceiling to add some flair.... and without that cloth draping it looks on par with the hotel banquet room lighting you posted as a bad example....with just more uplights...

So my only point is..... it just has to be a room with SOMETHING to actually accentuate with uplights to bring the wow. And if its a room that seats 500 people...sure you are going to need more uplights.... my rooms seat 200 tops... so im where im at with the uplights i need....

and let me say again... i love the venues you play.... and you do a great job bringing them to life with lighting... im just saying... those venues do not exist everywhere... sadly... so even the dj with the best intentions....and willing to buy 40 uplights....may never be able to wow you and other djs by uplighting a simple room with nothing to accent.

cc

Be honest....would you ever show a perspective bride the school cafeteria pic?

lol

cc

I did this with 6 uplights...

am i a lighting genius....certainly not... but brick is gorgeous when uplit...

djcrazychris said:

So... take a hard look at these again.... they all...except for one (the gym with only cinderblock walls) have great molding....curtains....columns ...etc that create the wow factor..... and even the pic in the gym has cloth draped from the ceiling to add some flair.... and without that cloth draping it looks on par with the hotel banquet room lighting you posted as a bad example....with just more uplights...

So my only point is..... it just has to be a room with SOMETHING to actually accentuate with uplights to bring the wow. And if its a room that seats 500 people...sure you are going to need more uplights.... my rooms seat 200 tops... so im where im at with the uplights i need....

and let me say again... i love the venues you play.... and you do a great job bringing them to life with lighting... im just saying... those venues do not exist everywhere... sadly... so even the dj with the best intentions....and willing to buy 40 uplights....may never be able to wow you and other djs by uplighting a simple room with nothing to accent.

cc

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I work with the venues given to me in my market... and have to compete with other djs in my market who work at the same venues. Hence why I posted at the end of my post before two photos from the same venue... one w my uplighting one with someone else’s.

You’re venues will be different that you’ll showcase, and that’s fine... but your job is to make them look better than the other DJ down the street. I was simply pointing out how quantity can make a difference. And obviously I won’t show the bride a cafeteria pic... I’ll show her pictures of her venue or similar style venues... but if she’s having it at a gym I’ll show her the gym photo (and I have). However, I will show a school doing a dance the cafeteria pic to give them an idea of how they can transform the room and inspire them to add a little decor. I keep these photos to have a portfolio that I can dig into and find something that relates to any inquiring person. If I dig deeper I can find worse venues... they’ll always look better because of the quantity that

djtaso said:

I work with the venues given to me in my market... and have to compete with other djs in my market who work at the same venues. Hence why I posted at the end of my post before two photos from the same venue... one w my uplighting one with someone else’s.

You’re venues will be different that you’ll showcase, and that’s fine... but your job is to make them look better than the other DJ down the street. I was simply pointing out how quantity can make a difference. And obviously I won’t show the bride a cafeteria pic... I’ll show her pictures of her venue or similar style venues... but if she’s having it at a gym I’ll show her the gym photo (and I have). However, I will show a school doing a dance the cafeteria pic to give them an idea of how they can transform the room and inspire them to add a little decor. I keep these photos to have a portfolio that I can dig into and find something that relates to any inquiring person. If I dig deeper I can find worse venues... they’ll always look better because of the quantity that

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Much respect to your added effort!

I just realized you edited in that comparison at the end of your post...and there is some difference... one thing that makes yours pop is the camera/lense that captured it as well.... the way the photographer could capture the wallpaper popping more with that specific color...etc... but definitely a well uplit room on your part...

and the dj who uplit that second comparison pic made some poor choices for sure...not sure what he was even trying to uplight in certain spots...

cc