hulika

Author Topic: (Really) Cheap Sound System Providers are killing the industry (and our ears)  (Read 2049 times)

Offline skunkyfunk

  • Philmusicus Addictus
  • *****
First off, I like to appeal to all concert and show organizers in the country.  I know it is your goal to earn from your events or facilities (i.e. bars) but I'd like to address that the sound system is just as important as the artists and hosts you pay when producing a show

Just to make it clear, I believe in free trade.  No one is stopping anybody from putting up a sound system utilizing  Raon speakers, Behringer mixing consoles, counterfeit Shure mics, and a crapload of Marshall MG amps and Planet Z cymbals and drums  with 5-year old drumheads.   But once these cheap sound system providers quote you rock bottom, don't let the low prices appeal to you.  Doesn't mean that if your show artists' tech riders  do not require high end or even mid-high equipment, with 3 monitors for each onstage, doesn't mean you shouldn't raise the bar yourself as a listener to live music.  Show organizers must make the audience and the players happy, and a half-assed sound system is gonna cause the big disconnect amongst everyone. Please be aware of industry standards as well as proper stage layouts, and the required loudness for the venue.  Cutting corners on the sound system is not the smart thing to do if an event is music-based. 

Offline chromeknive

  • Forum Fanatic
  • ****
I can't agree with you more!

I believe everyone has to step up to make our industry a healthy and lucrative one. I hate how artists are forced to adjust to the less than ideal conditions here.

It has to start somewhere. Let's take a baby step.

STOP DANGLING THE DAMNED SM57's FROM ATOP THE AMP. MINI MIC STAND, FOR THE LOVE OF JESUS!

Offline markthevirtuoso

  • Philmusicus Addictus
  • *****

STOP DANGLING THE DAMNED SM57's FROM ATOP THE AMP. MINI MIC STAND, FOR THE LOVE OF JESUS!

OMG, I'm often guilty on this. Nanakaw kasi mga mini mic stands namin all the time.  :lol:

But ditto sir Dodj. Although i guess economics has the better hold of things than our art. :cry:
Fidelity means a horrible noise sounds like a horrible noise.

Offline abyssinianson

  • Philmusicus Addictus
  • *****
i agree. i guess this can also be applied to some car sound systems that kids have...it isn't even music anymore! i think they'd be fully content pumping out 100dbs of a plain sine wav because it'd get them (and their car) attention. i am an audiophile so i guess my concept of music listening has some bias but that is my point - car competition sound systems are rarely about listening OR quality audio for appreciation - it ends up being all about noise!

all in all, i agree with Dodj - being shortchanged for what you are renting is really not good in the long run. i'd rather spend on quality.
ako si mimordz. 友だちからよろしくです!

Offline telemetry

  • Senior Member
  • ***
First off, I like to appeal to all concert and show organizers in the country.  I know it is your goal to earn from your events or facilities (i.e. bars) but I'd like to address that the sound system is just as important as the artists and hosts you pay when producing a show

Just to make it clear, I believe in free trade.  No one is stopping anybody from putting up a sound system utilizing  Raon speakers, Behringer mixing consoles, counterfeit Shure mics, and a crapload of Marshall MG amps and Planet Z cymbals and drums  with 5-year old drumheads.   But once these cheap sound system providers quote you rock bottom, don't let the low prices appeal to you.  Doesn't mean that if your show artists' tech riders  do not require high end or even mid-high equipment, with 3 monitors for each onstage, doesn't mean you shouldn't raise the bar yourself as a listener to live music.  Show organizers must make the audience and the players happy, and a half-assed sound system is gonna cause the big disconnect amongst everyone. Please be aware of industry standards as well as proper stage layouts, and the required loudness for the venue.  Cutting corners on the sound system is not the smart thing to do if an event is music-based. 


Thanks dodj for posting this. As per our conversation last week in your studio, yes, we are still hounded by other inferior providers  by putting their interests first rather than the greater good of the sound system industry. They don't mind making a quick buck but what they don't realize is they are creating a market and a client pool of penny pinchers, eventually the client is not concerned with the sound anymore, they are more concerned on the budget...it's like quicksand... once you stepped in, you will have a hard time getting out from it... i have endless tales of being on the losing end because some people cannot distinguish a genuine JBL speaker from a "JBL Cabinet" with a Dai-IChi speaker on board...

"If you want a decent service, pay a decent price..."


Offline mbenipayo

  • Senior Member
  • ***


STOP DANGLING THE DAMNED SM57's FROM ATOP THE AMP. MINI MIC STAND, FOR THE LOVE OF JESUS!
[/quote]



can we pass this into law??   :lol:)
Digidesign VENUE Profile System/ Digi Venue Mix Rack Console/ McDSP LIVE Pack/ MAC Pro with Pro Tools HD64/ Pro Tools 8/ ATH-M50/ Radial J48

Offline mbenipayo

  • Senior Member
  • ***
......... i have endless tales of being on the losing end because some people cannot distinguish a genuine JBL speaker from a "JBL Cabinet" with a Dai-IChi speaker on board...

"If you want a decent service, pay a decent price..."


during the mid-80s to early 90s,  JBL stickers were a must and sold a lot more than real JBL products....in assembling aspeaker, 2 per box and save some for the yearly paint job.  
« Last Edit: October 21, 2009, 06:46:14 AM by mbenipayo »
Digidesign VENUE Profile System/ Digi Venue Mix Rack Console/ McDSP LIVE Pack/ MAC Pro with Pro Tools HD64/ Pro Tools 8/ ATH-M50/ Radial J48

Offline MixMan

  • Senior Member
  • ***
good points. :-D
even to you church audio technicians..
invest on the real deal. after all our goal is for message to be heard CLEARLY. :-D