The technological age has allowed for an influx of high powered, digital equipment; however, it has also allowed for the inception of more low quality, knock off technology brands. The DJ industry is no exception to this. With cheaper technology comes more individuals looking to take advantage of the industry. In the past, it was almost a full guarantee that any DJ would possess high grade audio equipment. Today, brides and grooms are faced with thousands of fakes looking to take advantage of newly weds with their consumer line equipment. When hiring a DJ it is always important to assess the true quality of their equipment and whether it lines up with the DJ’s service rates.
First things first, we’ll discuss the brands. It’s important to understand that DJ equipment should be from a professional-line brand. Names like Sony, Hitachi, and Samsung are consumer-line brands, not professional brands. When talking about speakers and subwoofers, listen for brands like JBL, Mackie, and B-52. These are all top shelf brands. For those DJs still using CD decks, Denon and Pioneer are the top shelf brands to be discussing. Mixers are usually Mackie, though Samson and Berhinger make some nice mid-shelf equipment. Don’t judge the DJ just by his brand however. If the DJ doesn’t have all top-shelf equipment, this doesn’t mean he’s a bad DJ. It is a bonus if he has at least some top-shelf equipment, but it is much more important to notice whether the DJ seems confident in his equipment. DJs who aren’t comfortable with talking about their equipment, especially the brands of their equipment, usually aren’t the DJs who truly know how to operate their equipment. In some other cases, the DJ may be aware that his equipment is at a consumer level, which means that it could fail to operate during the event.
It is also important to talk to the disc jockey about the capability of his equipment. Just because his equipment is professional level doesn’t mean it can handle the crowd. For a reception center that holds more than 500 people, the DJ should have at least one 15 inch subwoofers and two 15 in speakers. For a reception center with a capacity of 1000 or more people, the DJ could probably work with two 15 inch subwoofers and two 15 inch speakers, but most DJs will usually opt to bring a pair of 18 inch subwoofers to accompany the two 15 inch speakers, or they will bring a third 15 inch subwoofer. Depending on the acoustics of the hall, the DJ may choose to bring dual-driver speakers. Listen for these terms while the DJ is talking to you about his equipment. Although it may not all be clear, the larger your hall, the more speakers he should be bringing. If he only has two speakers with no sub-woofers and your reception hall holds more than 200 people, you should look for a DJ who can handle your reception hall’s size.
Talking to your DJ about his equipment may seem a little awkward, but it’s important to test the waters and determine whether the DJ is comfortable with his own equipment. By knowing the basics of what’s considered reputable in the DJ industry, you’re one step ahead of the other brides and grooms searching for disc jockeys.
