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[Ken Bromley]

OK I am a single OP that has been DJing on and off for over 3 decades. Now; I own all my own equipment with the exception of a PA system. This is because the PA system you use from one event to the next will be as diverse as the event itself. As an example I would not use the same PA system for a 10 years old's birthday party with 25 kids as I would at a wedding for 200 people where the music will be top 40 & rock vs a bar gig doing throwback techno & house. I would rather rent the PA system that best matches the event, style of music being played, venue and crowd size.

So here is the question...A friend of mine (who also owns a DJ company) says that people in a crowd (your audience) are not going to be able to tell the difference between a lower end PA system (like Behringer 12" & Horn with a 15" sub and powered with inuke amps) and a higher end mid-range system like (Yorkville's Parasource 12" & horn with a 15" sub both active). BTW; He also has higher end stuff like DB line arrays but only wants to use it for corporate events and large weddings and such.

I say that they can tell the difference and even a novice knows when the sound is not clear and clean. What do you all think?

[Mac Kerr]

What do you all think?

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Mac

[Paul G. OBrien]

So here is the question...A friend of mine (who also owns a DJ company) says that people in a crowd (your audience) are not going to be able to tell the difference between a lower end PA system and a higher end system.

This is a classic position of your common cheapskate/lazy operator, they have no interest in delivering any more than the bare minimum required to get the job done so you have to wonder why does he even bother.

[Ken Bromley]

This is a classic position of your common cheapskate/lazy operator, they have no interest in delivering any more than the bare minimum required to get the job done so you have to wonder why does he even bother.

Typically; the systems that go out for weddings (as an example) from my friend's single op are Berhinger, American Audio systems (which are fine in some cases.) He also has higher end stuff like DB line array stuff but only wants to use it for corporate events and large weddings and such.

I one the other hand (as mentioned above) prefer the Yorkville Parasource systems (equivalent in quality to like QSC, EV etc). I personally would just feel guilty not giving my clients the best possible sound for their dollar. I love my buddy and he is a great guy but I just don't buy the "no one will notice" argument.

Thanks for your reply.

[g'bye, Dick Rees]

What do you all think?

1.  To each his own...

2.  The market rules...

3.  The question is academic, the answers moot...

[Paul G. OBrien]

He also has higher end stuff like DB line array stuff but only wants to use it for corporate events and large weddings and such.

Ahh.. that statement is telling. He makes all his money at corporate events and after tasting that water he feels no pressure to invest any effort or money into events that only pay pennies in comparison. That is an opportunity for you, you can poach this business from him if you consistently deliver a better product, but you should also charge more than he does for these events, you're just cheating yourself if you don't.

[Ken Bromley]

Ahh.. that statement is telling. He makes all his money at corporate events and after tasting that water he feels no pressure to invest any effort or money into events that only pay pennies in comparison. That is an opportunity for you, you can poach this business from him if you consistently deliver a better product, but you should also charge more than he does for these events, you're just cheating yourself if you don't.

Thx...I am a new single OP (only in business for 3 months) but have worked in the DJ and music industry for 30+ years. Ironically most of his business are private events and weddings but is trying to get more corporate (thus his investment in higher end systems). I would never poach his clients (as he is a great friend) but I do have slightly different standards and am trying to capture markets other business either miss or ignore.

[Gordon Brinton]

Only a fool would make a blanket statement declaring that all people will or will not notice. Some may notice and some may not. Some may have difficulty hearing certain frequencies while others have very sensitive hearing all around. To some, the difference may be day and night. To others, maybe their ears can't discern as much. I would probably notice, but then, I've been paying close attention to how speakers sound for many years now.

Perhaps you could rent or borrow a pair of each type and A/B test them. If you hear a huge difference, then hopefully most other people will too.

Most would probably agree that in order to make and sell speakers and amps dirt cheap, designers generally end up skimping on things that contribute to better sound quality.

[Luke Geis]

There is no argument really. He is about as much right as he is wrong. There is a couple types of bias going on for just about anyone in attendance. Most all are basing opinions on a point of reference that they have or commonly use like a car stereo, or their home theater. Sound is highly subjective and what one may feel sounds amazing another may think sounds like crap. Most all people are reasonable in that they at least realize that there is no way you can truly have a studio quality experience with live audio. For EDM and media regurgitation, most are happy with the fact they can clearly hear the songs they like at an SPL level that makes them feel embodied in it.

Although not exactly bias, I have a theory that people are content with what they can't control. I call it control bias. If you listen to a song through a medium that you have no control over, you don't really apply much thought to it; it is what it is. Even if you get to listen to that song on your medium of choice, you are happy with perhaps the speakers, but having no control over the quality of media your listening to, you again don't apply too much thought to it. Again, it is what it is. You may want to change one part or the other ( the media, or the medium ), but since you can't there is a level of exception. Now in the case of a patron, they have no control over the media and the medium in which it is presented. So while the opinion on the overall production exists, there is a level of complacency with that production. This would support why most engineers are never truly happy with their mix 100% of the time. They have control over both the media and the medium. That level of control leaves them with a constant drive to improve and produce better and better work. Your average concert goer doesn't have the skill to understand what it takes to get the media to where it's at or how to get the medium to be what it is. They except the production to a degree as being fine, provided a certain criteria has been met. If it sounds reasonably good, they can hear the parts of the song they want to and the show is at the SPL level they are comfortable with, they will be happy.

A good engineer is one who can make 7 out of 10 people happy, the other 3 can go to hell.........

[Tim McCulloch]

If it sounds good, it is good.

What good sounds like is a matter of taste, opinion and expectations.

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