Gear that never worked out the way you had hoped

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sawdust123

sawdust123

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Nov 10, 2006
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I'm sure we've all made some purchases over the years that didn't live up to our expectations. Maybe they didn't perform well or maybe the need you had for them disappeared or never materialized. I recently was cleaning out a closet and came across a few of mine.

Portable MiniDisc recorder/player
I purchased this before I had the ability to burn CDs. I thought I could use it instead of carrying old vinyl. Then used CD stores appeared and made replacing vinyl so much easier. I probably ripped less than a dozen albums. Thankfully it took up little space and weight. I probably carried it for two years but probably used it at fewer than five gigs.

Behringer Shark DSP 110
This little processor is like a miniature Swiss Army knife processor. It has feedback suppression, compression, delay, gating and more in a tiny box. Unfortunately, its external power supply is as big as the unit. The cramped controls also made it difficult to use. I used it a few times but it was more just to experiment with it. I carried it around for years as a just-in-case tool but the need never came up. It later saw life as a handy test article for testing different audio analyzers and measurement techniques.

Behringer Eurolive B205D
This is a small personal monitor that can mount on a mic stand. It is basically a knockoff of the Mackie SRM150 but it didn't sound as good. I thought it was a niche product that might come in handy some day. That day never really came. I often forget I still have it and each time I see it, I think, "Oh, this could have been an option for some recent situation." If it had battery power, it would have been much more handy.

I'm sure more will come to mind. Post some of yours.
 
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I try not hold on to gear that isn't useful. eBay has been great for that.

I bought a lot of things I suppose during Covid lockdowns that ultimately didn't have long term demand post pandemic and hybrid meetings. I've sold much of that. Same for DJ gear. As long as I have at least one modern controller in stock everything else is easy.
sawdust123 said:
Behringer Eurolive B205D
This is a small personal monitor that can mount on a mic stand. It is basically a knockoff of the Mackie SRM150 but it didn't sound as good. I thought it was a niche product that might come in handy some day. That day never really came.
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I use these all the time, they're great. These are a utility. I use them for foldback or front fills typically in meeting (voice) events. For a monitor or fill speaker I don't need it to be audiophile gear. I just need someone at a podium or panel to be able to clearly hear and respond to questions from the floor mics.

I also pull one out in the shop anytime I want to test some other piece of gear. I can plug a mic or line directly in, and it even has phantom power. Fit's nicely into a small tool bag from Harbor Freight.

The only time I use one on a mic stand is when they are the "main PA" - for example, I donate PA to a local Boy Scout troop for their Court of Honor presentations. It's a small gathering usually in a very acoustically live room like a church or town hall. Just a pair of these is more than enough sound for speech to a captive audience.
 
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Proformance said:
I use these all the time, they're great. These are a utility. I use them for foldback or front fills typically in meeting (voice) events. For a monitor or fill speaker I don't need it to be audiophile gear. I just need someone at a podium or panel to be able to clearly hear and respond to questions from the floor mics.

I also pull one out in the shop anytime I want to test some other piece of gear. I can plug a mic or line directly in, and it even has phantom power. Fit's nicely into a small tool bag from Harbor Freight.
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I thought I would get similar utility from them. I like your idea of keeping one in the shop though. I will move mine there and see if I get more use from it. I will also check out the bag from Harbor Freight. Their 12" bag is on sale this month for $5. Is that the one you use or did you go for the 15" bag?
 
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I bought a pair Gem Sound wireless mics from GC many years ago for $50. It was a purchase just to get by with. Pure junk. That system has been in the garage I guess 5 years ago.

My experience is when you first become a DJ you don't know high quality equipment vs stuff that works but not anything worth much. What I find is you will compare prices and figure why spend all this money when you can get this item which is cheaper. In some cases the price is a big difference. Only to wish you had bought that other item because the quality is much better.

I can't remember other things that I bought that I shouldn't have bought. I'm sure there's more. My experience is as I kept with it I learned what to buy and what to stay clear away from.
 
MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
My experience is when you first become a DJ you don't know high quality equipment vs stuff that works but not anything worth much.
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There's no reason a person need start from a place of ignorance. It's all about how you choose to begin.

I made the personal decision to pursue the DJ craft. Then, I found someone who was already doing it and responded to their ad. I moved pretty fast into the mobile biz, helped build that business while getting myself in to clubs. Eventually, I went and started my own business, and so it goes.

The point is - I didn't buy any gear of my own until I knew what the appropriate tools were, how they worked and how/where to buy them. I also purchased things one at a time as the work gave me the resources to do so, and purchased items that would immediately move me forward. First a mixer, then one by one turntables, building a record library, etc. I didn't purchase an amp or speakers until very much later.

When I first started doing my own mobile gigs I rented speakers. It simply made no sense to own speakers if I had no certainty about the size and type of gigs I would get hired for. I bought my first speakers and amplifier when it was clear to me what type I was going to need on a regular basis.

The core product of a DJ is talent. This is what people are looking for in a DJ. The sound system is just a vehicle to showcase that, and it can come from anywhere at anytime. We do not need to own one to be a DJ.
 
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Proformance said:
There's no reason a person need start from a place of ignorance. It's all about how you choose to begin.

I made the personal decision to pursue the DJ craft. Then, I found someone who was already doing it and responded to their ad. I moved pretty fast into the mobile biz, helped build that business while getting myself in to clubs. Eventually, I went and started my own business, and so it goes.

The point is - I didn't buy any gear of my own until I knew what the appropriate tools were, how they worked and how/where to buy them. I also purchased things one at a time as the work gave me the resources to do so, and purchased items that would immediately move me forward. First a mixer, then one by one turntables, building a record library, etc. I didn't purchase an amp or speakers until very much later.

When I first started doing my own mobile gigs I rented speakers. It simply made no sense to own speakers if I had no certainty about the size and type of gigs I would get hired for. I bought my first speakers and amplifier when it was clear to me what type I was going to need on a regular basis.

The core product of a DJ is talent. This is what people are looking for in a DJ. The sound system is just a vehicle to showcase that, and it can come from anywhere at anytime. We do not need to own one to be a DJ.
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What are you talking about? You're one in a 200 great DJ God. My experience is that there are different reasons why a person wants to become a DJ. I just know the ones I know and have talked to have told me when they first started out they didn't know what they were doing buying equipment to DJ with. Over time they learned the difference between cheap equipment and high professional quality equipment.

Different companies who make speakers for example make speakers for beginners and those who have been doing this for a number of years. The thing is that some companies top of the line speakers are just OK and can't compare to others because the other companies top of the line speakers are much better. When you have enough experience you can easily notice the difference. So what I'm saying is that over time you learn things you didn't know in the beginning and over time hopefully that DJ will improve with the equipment they use and improve in other ways as well.
 
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Proformance said:
That's called: "Trial and Error" and it should not last a lifetime.
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I said it how I meant it. Hopefully you learn over time what to buy and what not to buy if you stay in this business long enough. Some think of this as an easy thing being a DJ. There's more to it than what people see. So some quit because they find out it's not as easy as it seems.

It's about having patience and dedication if you want to become a good DJ. Some were meant to be a DJ and some have years of being a DJ and are mediocre.
 
MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
I said it how I meant it. Hopefully you learn over time what to buy and what not to buy if you stay in this business long enough. Some think of this as an easy thing being a DJ. There's more to it than what people see. So some quit because they find out it's not as easy as it seems.

It's about having patience and dedication if you want to become a good DJ. Some were meant to be a DJ and some have years of being a DJ and are mediocre.
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Mix you still come on here and ask about low end gear all the time , you are told how bad it is yet you still buy it. You are addicted to the shiny new object, the only thing I can think of that was decent were the speakers you bought after your gear was stolen
 
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tunes4046 said:
Mix you still come on here and ask about low end gear all the time , you are told how bad it is yet you still buy it. You are addicted to the shiny new object, the only thing I can think of that was decent were the speakers you bought after your gear was stolen
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The things I have work well for me and the events I do. I know one of the things you're talking about. The Phoenix Pro 5000 wireless mic system. I get that you wouldn't even consider that system. For me it works. I don't have any issues that that system. It's not the Shure QLXD system that's a GREAT system. I would love to have that system. The problem is I don't have the money to buy that system and you won't buy it for me. LOL.
 
I'm probably on the opposite end of the spectrum from the initial thought of this thread, but I'll share... even before I did my first gig on my own, I bought a pair of EV 18" ETX subs with 12" tops. I had hoped I'd use them for every event, and I'd offer great sound to everyone and be able to put out that really good bass. Well, it started out that way, and it was awesome. Then I slowly realized that for the jobs I was doing, I pair of 15" tops was plenty, plus those subs were a lot to load in and out of my pickup and sucked when stairs were involved at venues. So, while not cheap, or poor quality, it was a purchase that didn't work out as I had hoped, and had I better understood at the time, could have saved some money.
 
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When I started DJing in 1980...there was no such thing as DJ gear...except for that old 2/4 channel Radio Shack DJ mixer (can't remember the model number).

Everything was home gear and light shows were home made.

I've used both cheap gear and expensive stuff...most of it worked flawlessly for me.

As long as it worked...I was happy!

And to be honest...I never found that the more expensive gear was...the better it was.

Quite the opposite, actually.
 
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musicdoctordj said:
When I started DJing in 1980...there was no such thing as DJ gear...except for that old 2/4 channel Radio Shack DJ mixer (can't remember the model number).

Everything was home gear and light shows were home made.

I've used both cheap gear and expensive stuff...most of it worked flawlessly for me.

As long as it worked...I was happy!

And to be honest...I never found that the more expensive gear was...the better it was.

Quite the opposite, actually.
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My old RadioShack mixer I purchased in 1985 still works perfectly as do the peavey cs 400 and cs800 amps and Sp2 tops and peavey RBS subs
 
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tunes4046 said:
My old RadioShack mixer I purchased in 1985 still works perfectly as do the peavey cs 400 and cs800 amps and Sp2 tops and peavey RBS subs
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I think I still have my old Radio Shack mixer around here, somewhere, as well. I bought it right around the same time as you bought yours.😊 It still worked last time I checked, but that was more than 5 years ago.😂

I have LOTS of gear I never used for my business, but whether it “worked out” or not, is a matter of perspective. I bought a whole bunch of stuff that Steve149 talked about, and I enjoyed playing around with it. Some of those things I used for my business, and some were just fun toys to play with.😂

I bought several speaker systems that I used for a while, but kept trading up, as my business made more money. Ultimately, I only kept the RCF EVOX J8’s and a few smaller speakers, which were the ones I used just before closing my business down. However, I don’t think I got rid of anything because it didn’t work out. Of course, my memory is not as good as it used to be.😂
 
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DJ Bobcat said:
I think I still have my old Radio Shack mixer around here, somewhere, as well. I bought it right around the same time as you bought yours.😊 It still worked last time I checked, but that was more than 5 years ago.😂

I have LOTS of gear I never used for my business, but whether it “worked out” or not, is a matter of perspective. I bought a whole bunch of stuff that Steve149 talked about, and I enjoyed playing around with it. Some of those things I used for my business, and some were just fun toys to play with.😂

I bought several speaker systems that I used for a while, but kept trading up, as my business made more money. Ultimately, I only kept the RCF EVOX J8’s and a few smaller speakers, which were the ones I used just before closing my business down. However, I don’t think I got rid of anything because it didn’t work out. Of course, my memory is not as good as it used to be.😂
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The Peavey System was the first “real” gear I ever had, I have never been able to part with it. Still works and sounds great but it’s way to heavy to me to actually gig with at this point, lol
 
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Professional DJ gear certainly existed in 1980 but it would have been price prohibitive since it was intended for installation in commercial balanced line level systems, not home stereo gear. The best mixers were Meteor, Bi-Amp, and Rane and were typically about $1,000 or more (~ $3,950 in today's dollar.)

Radio shack DJ mixers were never in the class of say, a Rane MP24 with it's balanced audio architecture, advanced routing, 48V phantom power, and broad input/output capabilities. The noise floor on a Rane mixer for example, was markedly better.

Years ago I was to DJ a corporate gig that was booked by another mobile DJ outfit using their gear. This event included meeting/presentations by the company president ahead of the social. When I arrived they couldn't get the customer supplied mic for the podium speeches to work. Checked everything the DJ company had set up and eventually found that the client's mic required 48V phantom power - which their Numark mixer with 1/4" TS inputs didn't support. The multi-op knew nothing about the technical side of audio just the "home stereo" level setup of early retail DJ gear. Fortunately, I had a Rane Mixer in my car.

However, we also had to move the DJ setup closer to the rostrum because they only had a single 20ft XLR cable at their disposal. They had never before used XLR cables for anything, and it was just dumb luck they even had one. :)
 
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I used a Radio Shack mixer throughout college and would occasionally borrow one from a friend for house parties afterwards. I finally bought my first Gemini PMX-1000 when my GF's brother asked me to DJ his wedding (my first wedding). Numark and Peavey had mixers at the same price point but Gemini's manual included the schematic. When I stopped using vinyl, I used the schematic to convert the phono inputs into line inputs. I kept that mixer as a backup for years until I gave it to a friend who used it for ceremonies. It probably saw 20 years of reliable service between the two of us. Not bad for $120.
 
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sawdust123 said:
I used a Radio Shack mixer throughout college and would occasionally borrow one from a friend for house parties afterwards. I finally bought my first Gemini PMX-1000 when my GF's brother asked me to DJ his wedding (my first wedding). Numark and Peavey had mixers at the same price point but Gemini's manual included the schematic. When I stopped using vinyl, I used the schematic to convert the phono inputs into line inputs. I kept that mixer as a backup for years until I gave it to a friend who used it for ceremonies. It probably saw 20 years of reliable service between the two of us. Not bad for $120.
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I would NEVER have remembered the price of that Radio Shack mixer!😂 At the time, I was not even considering DJing. It was just another toy, and back then, I had very little concern about what I paid for toys.😂 If I wanted it, I bought it.😂 I BLEW so much money!!! Most of the toys I bought, though, didn’t come close to lasting as long as that Radio Shack mixer.😊
 
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I would put my Cold Spark set up on this list.

They work fine, but most of the venues around here don't want or allow them. They were really cool for stuff like this corporate event with an aerialist:

But if I could go back I wouldn't have spent the money.
 
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