That one kind of surprises me. How much did you invest, and what were you charging for it?
Gear that never worked out the way you had hoped
- Thread starter sawdust123
- Start date
That one kind of surprises me. How much did you invest, and what were you charging for it?
I don't remember the exact brand or model, but it got really popular online because it was on sale for $29.99. It was gray and basically the same as this DBX Go rack but a cheaper version. I saw NO DIFFERENCE using it a couple of times. It was basically a impulse buy among DJs. Good thing it was only thirty bucks!
I still have it somewhere in it's original box in my storage. When I find it, I'm selling it for ten bucks lol.
I'll also add that I got very little use out of a cheap 10" PYLE battery powered speaker. It actually did sound good, and had way more bass than my American Audio ELS GO 8 BT at the time, but it's battery power was only good enough for a wedding ceremony. It barely got through a ceremony and cocktail hour I used it for one time, and while the bass was good, it did not get that loud. It was only 30 watts RMS. It was okay for smaller weddings but a normal one even though the American Audio at the time sound worst, it got louder and the battery lasted way longer. I ended up selling it on FB market place for $100. I did get my money back out of it.
Another lousy purchase was the Technical Pro USB Microphone. It was only $35 so I got what I paid for, but it's wireless distance is horrible. The sound quality is below par. It really should only be used for podcasting with your home computer or laptop.
Overall, I don't think I did bad with any larger gear purchase. I will say that the tweeters in the Alto TS212 speakers I bought sucked as one of them died on the 4th event with them, but it was actually an easy replacement. I traded in those speakers at guitar center for the newer series. Strangely enough, I gave my Alto TS215 speakers to my sister, and those speakers are like 10 years old now, and she is still using them with ZERO problems. I am quite impressed those speakers last this long with those original cheap tweeters in them. She wants 15s, and those are the lightest 15" speakers around coming in at 33.6 lbs each. Just a bit bulky. I believe she will use them until the amps die in them.
I still have it somewhere in it's original box in my storage. When I find it, I'm selling it for ten bucks lol.
I'll also add that I got very little use out of a cheap 10" PYLE battery powered speaker. It actually did sound good, and had way more bass than my American Audio ELS GO 8 BT at the time, but it's battery power was only good enough for a wedding ceremony. It barely got through a ceremony and cocktail hour I used it for one time, and while the bass was good, it did not get that loud. It was only 30 watts RMS. It was okay for smaller weddings but a normal one even though the American Audio at the time sound worst, it got louder and the battery lasted way longer. I ended up selling it on FB market place for $100. I did get my money back out of it.
Another lousy purchase was the Technical Pro USB Microphone. It was only $35 so I got what I paid for, but it's wireless distance is horrible. The sound quality is below par. It really should only be used for podcasting with your home computer or laptop.
Overall, I don't think I did bad with any larger gear purchase. I will say that the tweeters in the Alto TS212 speakers I bought sucked as one of them died on the 4th event with them, but it was actually an easy replacement. I traded in those speakers at guitar center for the newer series. Strangely enough, I gave my Alto TS215 speakers to my sister, and those speakers are like 10 years old now, and she is still using them with ZERO problems. I am quite impressed those speakers last this long with those original cheap tweeters in them. She wants 15s, and those are the lightest 15" speakers around coming in at 33.6 lbs each. Just a bit bulky. I believe she will use them until the amps die in them.
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Gear that never worked out the way you had hoped
Don't know the exact cost & income off the top pf my head. Started many years ago with the aluminum led par cans , updated to ADJ tripar then the ADJ quadMost venues have very little wall space freed up or have tons of decor covering the walls already.
Hotels , golf clubs were my main attraction for the upgrade. $20-$25 per fixture. 8 each was my most popular package.
You probably just need the right size clip. Each mic typically comes with a holder that is the right size for the mic you have.
I understand what you're saying. That stand doesn't have a extension rod from the stand itself to put the mic on. So I need one that has that so I can swing that piece around to adjust for people to use while sitting at a table.
I generally don't buy gear on the basis of "hope" so whether it works out or not is less of an issue. Gear I'm no longer using or don't need I just sell. There's no benefit to holding onto something I imagine being used, when in fact no one is actually asking for it.
To be effective, our gear purchases should be based specifically on what active customers are asking us to do, rather than what other DJs are promoting, our own wish list, or speculation about what our ideal gig should look like. The critical purchasing factor to use is: "What do my customers (present and past sales) reveal aboout what people want me to do?
To often DJs insert purchasing in their efforts and desire to imitate other DJs without properly assessing if they even have a similar customer profile or personal entertaining style that supports those additions. We don't effectively change who we are or how we are perceived simply by surrounding ouselves with new "stuff."
Covid was great example of how that becomes a rabbit hole. As everyone scrambled to online meeting and presentations, there was a lot of trial and error. I did a LOT of buying and subsequent selling of gear and accessories during Covid and then again after because of the sudden massive shifts in service being requested.
To be effective, our gear purchases should be based specifically on what active customers are asking us to do, rather than what other DJs are promoting, our own wish list, or speculation about what our ideal gig should look like. The critical purchasing factor to use is: "What do my customers (present and past sales) reveal aboout what people want me to do?
To often DJs insert purchasing in their efforts and desire to imitate other DJs without properly assessing if they even have a similar customer profile or personal entertaining style that supports those additions. We don't effectively change who we are or how we are perceived simply by surrounding ouselves with new "stuff."
Covid was great example of how that becomes a rabbit hole. As everyone scrambled to online meeting and presentations, there was a lot of trial and error. I did a LOT of buying and subsequent selling of gear and accessories during Covid and then again after because of the sudden massive shifts in service being requested.
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Media players like the DenonHD2500 and the Gemini Cortex.
Rack mounted computers
Rack mounted computers
I was a beta tester for the first Gemini Cortex. I used it for several years but always as just backup to my CDs. I removed it from my system when I went to VDJ. I never tried selling it because it really has no value. It sits somewhere in my closet of DJ nostalgia on an upper shelf on top of a dual CD player. Cleaning out that closet sits very low on my priorities. I also have a dual cassette player in there too that saw limited DJ use in the early days.
The clue was in the description: Dedicated Media Player. DJs were probably never the right market for that. DJs are adaptive and creative with an emphasis on new or different.
Dedicated Player for dedicated media. That describes dance schools, dance recitals, and dance competitions quite well. The same dedicated selections being recalled and played for teaching, competition, demonstration, and exhibition. An iPod does that pretty well but lacks the pitch or tempo changes that might be desirable in that arena.
The product, warts and all, was definitely created for DJs. Gemini bought Cortex in 2006 hoping it could become a whole new brand/identity for them. They even changed their name to GCI (Gemini, Cortex, iKey) Technologies. DJ software was in its infancy at the time with many DJs were still more comfortable using CD players. Cortex was an MP3 player that looked and felt like a CD player. DJ software then matured very quickly and Cortex was relegated to a footnote in DJ history. It is possible that they could have found a market for their players outside of DJing but Gemini wasn't looking there yet. Now that third generation of the Cabasso family is running the biz, they are branching out into consumer audio.
I should have added the Cortex player to my original list of things that never panned out. However, it never crossed my mind because it was given to me for free because of all the testing I was doing on it. I had even discovered it was playing back songs 1.5% too fast. No one else noticed that and it took many months for them to fix the problem.
Used both versions of the cortex units for several years
I have a Denon dual tape deck somewhere that had separate outputs for each deck
Hot setup back in the day. Always had an lead pencil handy .
I had 4 Pioneer CDJ 800'S and I sold all of them. 2 of them where the MK11 versions. Even though I use a controller now I regret selling them. I also regret selling a pair of the original CV Earthquakes. Both of those were classics.