To: All You Dj's. Have You Ever

[Supercorsa]

To all you DJ's out there,

Have you ever turned up at any Do and said "I'm not playing my records on the crap equipment you've got !" ?

It was just something I was thinking about whilst walking home from work. I mean you spend hundreds on records and sometimes you get people who think the equipment on which it's played isn't that important (I'm hardly one to talk, if you could see my archaic stereo!).

Anyway like I said, I was just wondering.

[FrankM]

To all you DJ's out there,

Have you ever turned up at any Do and said "I'm not playing my records on the crap equipment you've got !" ?

It was just something I was thinking about whilst walking home from work.  I mean you spend hundreds on records and sometimes you get people who think the equipment on which it's played isn't that important (I'm hardly one to talk, if you could see my archaic stereo!).

Anyway like I said, I was just wondering.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No but i remeber watching with a mix of fascination becasue I wanted to hear the record and horror as it was a seventies style doubledeck with ancient looking carts when kenny Burrell played Do I Love You.

Even if teh decks are Technics if they have been set up for Hip/Hop scratch DJ's they might not be good for your records. I know many promoters having been DJ's are scrupulous about carts, stylii and decks. Whilst others trust the equpemnt company. If you explain to the guy who does the set up that it's seven inch singles and actually get him to play a couple to see what they sound like through the system. And they do sound different from the 12" singles they are usually hired for . Thye can adjust settings accordoingly.

Nobody knows what the anti skating device is for but if you play a 3minute plus seven inch and it sticks towwards teh end it's not the record that's faulty.

Read my latest pamphlet on DJ'ing for collectors;)

Frankm

[Dave Abbott]

To all you DJ's out there,

Have you ever turned up at any Do and said "I'm not playing my records on the crap equipment you've got !" ?

Anyway like I said, I was just wondering.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Recently I was 10 minutes into an hour spot and the sound system was so bad I really just wanted to pack the records and walk off. I didnt though and stuck it out. The last record I played was Adams Apples I annouced as "Dont take it out on the DJ". Worse DJ experience i've had.

[TheBigO]

The sound system is paramount to any venue for a good sound and that's why you can see our cuddly sound man Paul running up to the stage all night tweaking and fiddling with his knobs (!!!) This promoting lark is a damm sight harder and stressful than most realise!

[Guest Johnny One Trout]

Recently I was 10 minutes into an hour spot and the sound system was so bad I really just wanted to pack the records and walk off. I didnt though and stuck it out.  The last record I played was Adams Apples I annouced as "Dont take it out on the DJ". Worse DJ experience i've had.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You should have finished with Ike & Tina Turner's "Dust my tunes"!!!!!!!!!!

[Craig W]

You should have finished with Ike & Tina Turner's "Dust my tunes"!!!!!!!!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dont you mean "Fucked my tunes" :whistling:

My twin BSR decks are an embarresment , got to be 30 years old but sound absolutley brilliant.

[Guest Jamie]

Recently I was 10 minutes into an hour spot and the sound system was so bad I really just wanted to pack the records and walk off. I didnt though and stuck it out.  The last record I played was Adams Apples I annouced as "Dont take it out on the DJ". Worse DJ experience i've had.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh Crap :o

You've haven't seen what I've got lined up for you at Leeds on the 30th :whistling:

[Guest KarenC]

Oh Crap  :o

You've haven't seen what I've got lined up for you at Leeds on the 30th  :whistling:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thats ok Jamie, you haven't seen the records we have got lined up to play on the 30th :ph34r:

[Sebastian]

Nobody knows what the anti skating device is for

As for setting the anti-skating... ALWAYS make sure that the turntable is absolutely 90 degrees aligned and doesn't lean towards one side or the other. Put a blank 45 (with no grooves at all) on the turntable. Drop down the needle. If it strays either inwards or outwards - adjust the anti-skating. When you have set the anti-skating properly, the needle is supposed to NOT move in any direction on the blank surface of the 45. It should just go round and round and round at the same spot.

If this doesn't work, the turntable is either not properly aligned, there's too much weight or the anti-skating is shot. If so is the case. Refuse to play. It's just not worth ruining your 45s.

[vaultofsouler]

As for setting the anti-skating... ALWAYS make sure that the turntable is absolutely 90 degrees aligned and doesn't lean towards one side or the other. Put a blank 45 (with no grooves at all) on the turntable. Drop down the needle. If it strays either inwards or outwards - adjust the anti-skating. When you have set the anti-skating properly, the needle is supposed to NOT move in any direction on the blank surface of the 45. It should just go round and round and round at the same spot.

If this doesn't work, the turntable is either not properly aligned, there's too much weight or the anti-skating is shot. If so is the case. Refuse to play. It's just not worth ruining your 45s.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not an expert where AS is concerned but surely setting the AS this way will f*** the stylus up as it "trys" to cut its own groove.... :whistling:

[Dave Rimmer]

As for setting the anti-skating... ALWAYS make sure that the turntable is absolutely 90 degrees aligned and doesn't lean towards one side or the other. Put a blank 45 (with no grooves at all) on the turntable. Drop down the needle. If it strays either inwards or outwards - adjust the anti-skating. When you have set the anti-skating properly, the needle is supposed to NOT move in any direction on the blank surface of the 45. It should just go round and round and round at the same spot.

If this doesn't work, the turntable is either not properly aligned, there's too much weight or the anti-skating is shot. If so is the case. Refuse to play. It's just not worth ruining your 45s.

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Fucking hell. I just try not to spill beer on the decks !

[Spanner]

Fucking hell. I just try not to spill beer on the decks !

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Right there dave makes them all soggy when trying to swallow them -: )

spanner

[Sebastian]

Not an expert where AS is concerned but surely setting the AS this way will f*** the stylus up as it "trys" to cut its own groove.... :whistling:

No, that won't happen. If you don't adjust the anti-skating properly (as I described above), the stylus will "lean" against one side of the groove instead of going in the middle with equal pressure on both sides of the groove, hence wearing out the record faster (or at least one channel of the record - listen to those styrene records with noise only in the right or left channel).

Check out the "techinque" part on this page:

https://www.vinylunity.com/vinyl-record/index2.php

[Guest Jamie]

Thats ok Jamie, you haven't seen the records we have got lined up to play on the 30th  :ph34r:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Touche :whistling:

[vaultofsouler]

No, that won't happen. If you don't adjust the anti-skating properly (as I described above), the stylus will "lean" against one side of the groove instead of going in the middle with equal pressure on both sides of the groove, hence wearing out the record faster (or at least one channel of the record - listen to those styrene records with noise only in the right or left channel).

Check out the "techinque" part on this page:

https://www.vinylunity.com/vinyl-record/index2.php

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Cheers Sebastian.... the link talks about the "cell".... this, I assume, is the bit where the actual stylus is placed/renewed.... makes sense now.... remove the stylus (weights next to nothing) and follow instructions.... :whistling:

[Guest]

Fascinating stuff all this, i have played a few of my collection about, but truthfully do not consider myself a dj in any shape or form, but i am a Hi-Fi enthusiast.

Having being reared on belt drive turntables i always see the direct drive decks as all singing all dancing machines, but as a purist (don't take that line to serious) i always believed that the belt drive has less possibility of interference in the sound that emits through the speakers.

Jesus just read that back.........no wonder i have no friends :whistling:

[Dave Abbott]

Jesus just read that back.........no wonder i have no friends :whistling:

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LOL sure you have friend brett!! ???

no, its gotta be direct drive - no slippage and much quicker start up

[FrankM]

Direct drives slip in other ways. Last week on reflections and fraser popped on a mint UK Demo copy of a Motown single.

I'm listening on the headphones and I can hear it WOWing. We cut the record and I test out my pet theory that seven inch records should not be played on slipmats but on the real rubber mats. I borrow one from a belt driven turntable we keep. The record starts off OK then I hear the WOW again . I should have borrowed the whole deck never mind the mat. Tomorrow I take in " how to give yoursellf a stereo check out"

[Guest]

In regard to the Belt Drive Turntable, i fully understand the use of direct drive in a club enviroment, but for home use i believe that most vinyl enthusiasts would be better served by the "Belt" drive .

.......BECAUSE I HAVE ONE :ph34r:

ps....would love one of those Technics though, just so that i don't have to continually remove the f******** platter every time i switch from 33 to 45 rpm's

On second thoughts i loathe "Belt" drive decks with a filthy and ungodly passion, wish i'd never even mentioned the bloody thing, gonna bury all my vinyl in a hole and just buy Cd's and Catherine Cookson Novels.......... :whistling:

[John May]

In regard to the Belt Drive Turntable, i fully understand the use of direct drive in a club enviroment, but for home use i believe that most vinyl enthusiasts would be better served by the "Belt" drive .

.......BECAUSE I HAVE ONE  :ph34r:

ps....would love one of those Technics though, just so that i don't have to continually remove the f******** platter every time i switch from 33 to 45 rpm's

On second thoughts i loathe "Belt" drive decks with a filthy and ungodly passion, wish i'd never even mentioned the bloody thing, gonna bury all my vinyl in a hole and just buy Cd's and Catherine Cookson Novels.......... :whistling:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Brett, there, there mate I understand, I'm on your side.

P. S please let me know where you gonna bury your vinyl......

John

[Guest]

Brett, there, there mate I understand, I'm on your side.

P. S  please let me know where you gonna bury your vinyl......

John

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

John......in a hole :whistling:

[Guest hipshaker-uk]

I take my own cartridges if I play anywhere else.

[Guest dundeedavie]

funnily enough dave i thought of that , i take centres (when i remember ) pissed off with turning up at a club and no centres and cannot be arsed putting spiders in

Davie

[Mark B]

allthough the greatstone is only once a month i change the full cartridge every 12 months and feel that for a small night we have a fairly good sound system the whole lot is approx 3 years old, i think that some people who run clubs have no idea on equipment and seem to skimp on the equipment.

mark

[Guest Kev Roberts]

If anyone pays for a good system it must surely be Steve Woomble. The sound system in the main room at the Winter Gardens is excellent.

[Guest LeoLyxxx]

Regarding the decks i have a quite funny story, there's a classic club venue here in Stockholm called Bonden (the farmer in english ;) ) and it has been the venue for maaaaany a club (very different styles, everything from hip hop to goth to rare soul.. but not all at once ). One of thier decks was really messed up and they brought it in for service, the service guy shaked it a bit, lifted the plate and poured almost half a beer out of the deck, no wonder it didn't work

best

Leo

[oldsteve woomble]

If anyone pays for a good system it must surely be Steve Woomble. The sound system in the main room at the Winter Gardens is excellent.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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Cheers Kev, the fact that you were the only one sober enough to use it helped!

Seriously though, you get what you pay for and it's taken us a long while and a lot of sound 'experts' (ha ha) to get there.

A couple of 'decks memories....

Early 90's we used to run Grimsby Town Hall which was a cracking little venue. We paid our 30 or 40 quid for our 'top quality' sound system which, of course, blew up half way through the night with a full dance floor. Anyway, as luck would have it the Town Hall answered our emergency and managed to dig out for us one old battered belt drive deck that someone had left lying around since the end of the war. And it worked! We plumbed it in to the town hall 'in house' P.A. paging system (how, I 've got no idea!), but the leads weren't very long and Russ White (Ho hum) ended up doing an hour spot on a single toy deck from a cupboard under the stairs ;) Happy days!

Another deck disaster was when Pat Brady invited me and Rick Scott to do a Cleethorpesy type-spot at that place next to Pontefract racecourse. We were just getting things moving when I (as always cos I'm a bit mutton-jef!) decides we need a bit more volume to get the atmo rockin'. Cranks it up, blows the system up. Cue a hundred unhappy yorkshire soulies facing an early pay-off to the babysitter! Funny, we were never asked back...Plus I still tell folk it was Rick's fault! ;)

Moral of tale - Have respect for the punters, get the best equipment you can afford and always have a backup plan!

Steve

[Guest Ed B]

I cant understand any DJ complaining about Equip !!!

If I am DJin there are several things I carry that are as important as the box of Vinyl1

1- My own pair of Headshells and styli.

2- Ear phones.

3- Two centres for records.

4- Record cleaner.

As with most My Vinyl is important to me for this reason I have a small box containing the Above!

As for the type of Decks ect for the playing of 7" at a rare Do It makes little difference Belt or direct.

The maine reason for the use of "1210s" is by House style Djs who need the decks to stay in time (spin at same rate)

for beatmatching and the mix. It has very little to do with sound quality.

My last point is If everyone learned what the controlls on a mixer are for ( theres not much on mixers that isnt on a home Hi Fi)

we would have far less trouble and far better sound quality at our venues¬!!

[MarkWhiteley]

Sound quality is often compromised by the knob twiddler behind the decks, how many times do we have to tell these knobs (dicreet pun)

They insist on trying to make it sound right from where they are stood - behind the speakers FFS

Now dont get me off on one about venue sound systems

M.

[Guest Ed B]

Sound quality is often compromised by the knob twiddler behind the decks, how many times do we have to tell these knobs (dicreet pun)

They insist on trying to make it sound right from where they are stood - behind the speakers FFS

Now dont get me off on one about venue sound systems

M.

[Guest Ed B]

The Very reason the Monitor Speaker is Used (or should be)!!

So the DJ, Artist or whoever can hear what theyre putting out to the crowd .

[Guest dundeedavie]

More clubs should do what we do at BASICS ... we have a sound engineer on hand all night and she is BRILLIANT .

as for the question of dj's knowing what a mixer does , of course they bloody don't cos most will say (in a snivelly voice ) " i'm not a dj , i'm a collector " .

learn how to use the equipment or piss off

[Dave Rimmer]

Going back to the original question, I've never refused to DJ, but I have refused to use my own records at one night.

The equipment itself was fine, set up on a table. Trouble was that table was put right on the edge of the dancefloor, so as soon as the first dancer hit the floor the needle started jumping all over the place. I even sent the promoter out to the car park to look for a couple of paving slabs to put under the decks to try and stop it.

Sean Chapman was one of the other DJs, and after he'd tried a couple, and they all bounced, we both used his Goldmine Sevens sales box to DJ with.

[MarkWhiteley]

The Very reason the Monitor Speaker is Used (or should be)!!

So the DJ, Artist or whoever can hear what theyre putting out to the crowd .

Ah but Ed, a monitor speaker can never replicate the sound of a proper 3 way system, monitors are usually there to provide volume level checks only,

tonal quality can only truly be sorted with an 'engineer' out front operating a mixer, bit over the top for small do's maybe...................

Most collector/Dj's Ive worked with seem to be tone deaf anyway its not JUST about the volume

[Ted Massey]

I heard a true story Friday night, one Midland DJ turned up to do his spot and there was only 1 record deck it was ok though cause there were 2 CD decks

[Guest Ed B]

Ah but Ed, a monitor speaker can never replicate the sound of a proper 3 way system, monitors are usually there to provide volume level checks only,

tonal quality can only truly be sorted with an 'engineer' out front operating a mixer, bit over the top for small do's maybe...................

Most collector/Dj's Ive worked with seem to be tone deaf anyway its not JUST about the volume

[Northern Soul Uk]

Actually a monitor speaker is there so that a mixing DJ can mix. If the monitor speaker wasn't there, there would be a millisecond delay from what the DJ was hearing through his headphones, to what was actually coming out of the house system, thus making it harder to mix.

Same goes with band set ups, the monitors are there so that the band can hear what they are actually playing helping to get their timing right, again if they were to depend on the house system, what they were playing, and what they were hearing would be slightly different, so their timing may go out.

I have tried to mix on a system without monitor speakers on the stage, and the nearest house speaker 20 yards away, and believe me, it's not easy.

Edited December 2, 2009 by steveluigi

[Jasonsaxo]

I agree. That is why when I set up There Was A Time I invested in a pair of Technics 1210 Mk V's and top of the range Stanton needles as well as a quality PA system and mixer. Not only does the reproduction need to be as good as you can afford, but the equipment needs to be reliable and certainly does not want to be damaging rare vinyl. If I win the lottery I will invest in some laser decks.