New Rack Cases

[Brian]

Ok, so as some of you have probably seen, I currently have one large (16u vertical) slant rack case for all of my DJ gear. While this looks great and makes accessing the gear convenient, after 3 years of use, it is just way too heavy and impractical to keep lugging around. I'm thinking that its time to split the system up into separate rack cases. I am thinking of trying having a small slant rack case for my mixer, dual cd player, and laptop on a table behind a table topper, and a 8-10u rack case under the table for the amps and processing. This will make loading and unloading much easier, as well as cleanup my setup. Before I go out and do this I thought I'd post and gather people's opinions, maybe some of you have tried this route and didn't like it for some reasons. I'm open to ideas. My position is that having a seperate amp rack will give me flexibility, for example if I wanted to get a second system in a coffin down the road, I could just connect it to the amp rack and be good to go.


My Current Rack

 

[eezee]

I broke down my gear into several modular racks too. My main rack is an SKB 10/6. It has my dual CD, Mixer, Chauvet Light controller on top. On the bottom, I have my amp, Furman, CD Drawer and Maximizer. Its all I need to do a gig, Just add speakers. My other rack is a 4 case SKB. Has another amp and Crossover. When I need a sub, I disconnect the maximizer, hook up the crossover accordinly and use 2 amps.
Downside to the SKB slant case is no solid cover, but the weight savings for me is worth the small hiccup.

 

[Precisionpower]

I think i see part of the problem with the case being so heavy!!!!

 

[The Wizard Of OZ]

I have been thinking along the same lines. One rack for amp, EQ, crossover etc. with wheels. Another rack for mixer and or CD player. OR--mixer, CD player, EQ in one rack-- amp and crossover in the other rack. I don't want to be lifting anything over 50lbs-EVER.

 

[Fred Wright]

This thread is the reason why I have preached and preached against those monstrous all-in-one cases. They are simply too heavy and too cumbersome for mobile DJ work.

By all means, split the load into two or three cases. With a good platform truck, you can move 'em all in one trip.

Included is a pic of our rack stack. The frontend is in an SKB Command Center case. The processing and highs amp are in a 10-U SKB. The mids and lows amps are in a 6-U SKB at the bottom. We stack it on a dolly board. It only takes a minute or two to connect up ~ everything is color-coded and patch cables are stowed inside the cases.

Shirl made a custom skirt to cover it so the open rack rears aren't visible. Wireless mic receiver is permanently stowed in the frontend case.

 

[The Wizard Of OZ]

I may just put my new amp, when I get it, in it's own case to lower the weight. Heck it could weigh 40+ pounds by itself. Nothing over 50 pounds, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

 

[NLFX Pro]

Brian -

We offer racks, and custom looms, panels and cables that can make interconnecting multiple racks very quick and easy. Let me know if you want to discuss some options there.

Ben

 

[DJ Young]

My take on this is to always factor in stairs. Someday you will need to haul your gear up stairs and how will you deal with that? I prefer to split things up into lighter loads. One case with the minimum set up, the next case adds a lighting controller and extra wireless mic units and a third case with a crossover and amps for when you need the big rig. I use a powered Yorkville EX-1 system so I don't carry amps in a case but when I need to haul out the big rig then I bring amps and passive subs and tops.

young...

 

[Ruben Mora]

I have almost have the same setup as Brian. It is a pain in the ass sometimes but it only takes 3 cords to plug in and I'm up and running. If there is a better way I want to see it!

 

[Steve Cie]

Brian, as you have discovered, WEIGHT is not our friend. I too, had a great rack that held everything you could need. A nice Crown Amp, a 5 channel mixer board, a dual CD player, a cassette deck, a nice switch panel for accessories and lighting, a DMX controller, a DAC MIDI Controller, and a nice laptop with external hard drive that plugged into the mess!

It weighed over 100 lbs.

Then I had an accident and broke both of my arms! No chance of lifting this mother for at least two year! What to do?

I had to re-think everything.
I really didn't need the CD Player anymore-- I was using PCDJ 100% of the time. So I was able to eliminate the CD Player --that was a good 15 lbs right there.
I really didn't need the cassette deck anymore. Another 5 lbs shed.
The amp was already 8 years old and weighed at least 40 lbs. Hmmm--time to think about a replacement/upgrade? I decided to go with an Active Speaker System. My original speakers weighed 38 lbs. The new Mackie Actives only weighed about 10 lbs more each.

Bye-Bye Crown Amp in the rack. 40 lbs shed.

Now my trustworthy wooden 10 X 12 U rack looked like a fighter who got his teeth knocked out, now that all of these rack spaces had become empty. And the wooden rack was fairly heavy also. Must have weighed every ounce of 20 lbs. I also didn't care to lug around the laptop and hard drive and wires.

So I decided to get a lighter, smaller rack. I got a SKB 10 X 6 U. it weighs 4 or 5 lbs. Another 15 lbs shed.

So far I had eliminated 75 lbs from my rack!
I still had the issues with the laptop. Solution?
I went with a Denon HDN 2500, it fit right where my DAC 3 was. Net weight increase was 4 lbs over the DAC 3.
No more laptop or wires to worry about! Stuck the hard drive right in the rack. 1.5 lbs

With all of this, I now have a rack that fits the bill, and weighs only 38 lbs.

My speakers are under 50 lbs each. My weight problem was completely resolved.

Here is my original rack;

 

[Brian]

Brian -

We offer racks, and custom looms, panels and cables that can make interconnecting multiple racks very quick and easy. Let me know if you want to discuss some options there.

Ben

Thanks Ben, I'm slammed all week but I'll give you a call when I get a chance because I would want a quick easy way to interconnect the two racks, and I don't own a soldering gun lol.

 

[Brian]

My take on this is to always factor in stairs. Someday you will need to haul your gear up stairs and how will you deal with that? I prefer to split things up into lighter loads. One case with the minimum set up, the next case adds a lighting controller and extra wireless mic units and a third case with a crossover and amps for when you need the big rig. I use a powered Yorkville EX-1 system so I don't carry amps in a case but when I need to haul out the big rig then I bring amps and passive subs and tops.

young...

Young, I already have encountered that problem a few times, and its gotten to the point where if I have a flight of stairs, I can't do a gig without someone there to help me, or having to ask the client for help. Even with 2 people, its crazy heavy and awkward, I've lost control of it once or twice in hilly parking lots!

Brian, as you have discovered, WEIGHT is not our friend. I too, had a great rack that held everything you could need. A nice Crown Amp, a 5 channel mixer board, a dual CD player, a cassette deck, a nice switch panel for accessories and lighting, a DMX controller, a DAC MIDI Controller, and a nice laptop with external hard drive that plugged into the mess!

It weighed over 100 lbs.

Then I had an accident and broke both of my arms! No chance of lifting this mother for at least two year! What to do?

I had to re-think everything.
I really didn't need the CD Player anymore-- I was using PCDJ 100% of the time. So I was able to eliminate the CD Player --that was a good 15 lbs right there.
I really didn't need the cassette deck anymore. Another 5 lbs shed.
The amp was already 8 years old and weighed at least 40 lbs. Hmmm--time to think about a replacement/upgrade? I decided to go with an Active Speaker System. My original speakers weighed 38 lbs. The new Mackie Actives only weighed about 10 lbs more each.

Bye-Bye Crown Amp in the rack. 40 lbs shed.

Now my trustworthy wooden 10 X 12 U rack looked like a fighter who got his teeth knocked out, now that all of these rack spaces had become empty. And the wooden rack was fairly heavy also. Must have weighed every ounce of 20 lbs. I also didn't care to lug around the laptop and hard drive and wires.

So I decided to get a lighter, smaller rack. I got a SKB 10 X 6 U. it weighs 4 or 5 lbs. Another 15 lbs shed.

So far I had eliminated 75 lbs from my rack!
I still had the issues with the laptop. Solution?
I went with a Denon HDN 2500, it fit right where my DAC 3 was. Net weight increase was 4 lbs over the DAC 3.
No more laptop or wires to worry about! Stuck the hard drive right in the rack. 1.5 lbs

With all of this, I now have a rack that fits the bill, and weighs only 38 lbs.

My speakers are under 50 lbs each. My weight problem was completely resolved.

Here is my original rack;

That is exactly where I'm at Steve, and if something like that happened i'd be really screwed now..

 

[Fred Wright]

Yah, custom-made patch bays are your best bet for ease of connecting up. Mount 'em on the rear rack rails and there you are.

 

[DJ Gforce]

Brian, I just made a similar switch. My 16x10 case is sitting in my storage space with nothing in it except my old PV-1.3k and a BBE. Everything else is in my new American Audio 10x6 which is identical to the gator unit. Sliding that monster in and out of my van was taking a toll on my back. And I thought it would be such a great idea to have everything in one unit.

I have a 6 space skb rack which my amp and crossover will go into for when I need subs. I am now "modular" and my back thanks me.

The 16x10 will be taken to my 3 night a week karaoke job and all that gear will get transferred into it so I can just roll it out of the way when we are done. I just need to find a way to mount the lcd.

 

[DJ Cam]

I will have to take pictures.

My top rack is a SKB Mini Gig Rig

Mixer on top.

Furman
Effects Unit
BBE
2 Wireless Mics
Hard Drive and 3rd mic


My Bottom Rack is a SKB 6 Space

Furman
Crossover
2 Amps

 

[ahoustondj]

Questions and Comments

Question: How sturdy and durable are those SKB Cases?
Comments: There are pros and cons to having almost everything in one rack, pros are there is less hookup and by using a cable harness the rear looks tidy. Less trips in loading unloading.
Cons are weight in loading and unloading plus dealing with stairs and high platforms/stages.

I have three racks and am in the process of reconfiguring to buy new ones. The final system will be thus.
1st rack command/signal source houses double CD CD player and drawer, power distribution, mixer and DB signal display.
2nd rack houses processing equipment. Power conditioner,EQ, compressor/limiter, DBX Boom Box (Extra Base for 2 speaker use), Bose Controller and two amps (One prewired less speaker cables as backup)
3rd rack has Power Conditioner, 3 Way Crossover and three Power amps (This system is the largest single application)
When I use the large systems, I charge enought to be able to hire help if the venue is not easy access.
Versatility of the racks is geared so that I carry only what is needed for each gig. Larger the gig/equipment needed = higher the fee.
I am not using lights at this time and am not sure if I'll buy any of my own. I usually have someone who does lights to come out and set up their lighting system and operate it. Thats an extra fee!

 

[eezee]

The SKB slant racks are pretty sturdy, other than not having a nice solid cover. My other 4 space SKB, which houses a Crown amp, has been dropped on numerous occasions of dumbness, not only has the case survivied, but also the gear. SKB doesnt only make gear for audio applications, they also make Military cases that have to meet a lot of wetherproof and sturdiness standars. This technology has trickled down.

 

[DJCC]

I use the Gator brand. Love em, my wife made custom "skirts" for the so they are covered at events. I have the equipment broke up into three with the top one a slant top for the mixer. The amps and such are in the bottom one that is on wheels. In the middle or under table if needed is the crossover, eq, furman, etc.

 

[NLFX Pro]

Thanks Ben, I'm slammed all week but I'll give you a call when I get a chance because I would want a quick easy way to interconnect the two racks, and I don't own a soldering gun lol.

E-mail if you can, I'm slammed too and on the road quite a bit the next couple weeks.

Ben

 

[Scott Hanna]

i used to hate lugging around all of that gear.

now i simply have a laptop, denon hd 2500, bose T1 sound engine(mixer), a mic, and a Bose L1 model 2. All fits very very easily on a rock-roller cart and in my small car. My mixer is no bigger than my hand, and weighs 2 pounds. Stairs are no problem
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