The first DJ association meeting since I had the PAS finally was last night, so I brought the PAS and it was used for the meeting and then I demo'd the system a bit afterwards.

- Voice through the system is absolutely amazing. Clear and crisp. Every word could be understood. Great for announcements and toasts at weddings.
- Although the sound was very good, the one item that appears to still be missing is the "feel" of the sound on the dance floor. That said, I can definately see the PAS being a DJ's blessing at weddings and formal events where the ambiance of the occassion is the order of the day and the thump on the dance floor is secondary. Tables close to the dance floor will no longer need to move to escape the blast of the sound from the conventional speakers.

I am using the a double bass PAS and will continue to experiment. I am rather confident that as I learn to tweak the system for various genres of music, I will be able to get the sound that I am looking for at any event.

Several other DJs expressed great interest in the system for its compact size and solid construction. I have to admit, until I actually got my hands on the system and held the L1 poles, I had thought the construction might be questionable and not durable enough for a DJ. Quite the contrary as the system is extremely solid.

Although price was a concern to most of my associates, one of the DJs did do some quick math... compare the price of powered speakers with subs and a mixer to the cost of a double bass PAS... in most cases the price is comparable. Just food for thought

Cheers,
Steve Z

Hey Steve

Thanks for writing in. Some questions:

1. What is the "DJ Association"? Is this a national trade show you were at? I'd like to know more about this.

2. Are you using 2 complete systems in stereo, or one in mono? I know a lot of DJ's use our system with double-B1 and have no complaints re: bass. However, I know that the system will not crush the odd sternum. For this (extreme) level of bass (ends up being an exaggerated, bass-heavy spectrum), I have heard of DJ's using their own powered subs, taking the "bass out" from the PS1 powerstand. The double-bass system on its own will make a commercial CD sound "normal", ie, present the sound as intended. In stereo, I have seen first-time listeners gasp. But some musical cultures require an exaggerated low end. This may be what you are "missing" on certain kinds of music. I'd like to learn more about this. Maybe we can even make recommendations for how to deal with this with the current unit. What kind of music were you playing?

Cheers

Answers:

1. The DJ association meeting was the Baltimore Area DJ Association. A local group of networking DJs.

2. I am using a single L1 with double B1 system. I would love to have a stereo set-up but that will have to wait until I at least pay off the first system.

The music styles that were played were top 40, motown and techno. Keep in mind that this was a demo and not some strange mix for a gig.

The sound quality was great for slow songs and oldies, however it was the techno and dance which was a bit unsubstantial for the bass. If I had more time that night I would have tried different EQ settings as well as experimented more with the RANE MP-2 mixer EQ settings, but time was limited at the end of the meeting.

I do have powered Mackie 1500 subs that if needed I could use in place of the B1 units, but my goal to to not require a back-breaking haul of the powered subs. I will continue to experiment in the quest for the sound that I "think I am looking for".

+++++++

Question:: If/when I eventually go with a stereo set-up, would it be recommened to have 2 B1 units per side, or should 1 B1 unit per side produce a great "DJ sound". I am not necessarily looking for the "strenum crush", but I am looking for a great full sound.

Thanks.

Steve, start with one B1 per side and see how it sounds. I think you'll probably end up with two per side to give you that thump when you're playing bass-heavy stuff.

Steve

I recently had some experience with powered Mackie subs, both the 18" and 15": The bass output from the PS1 is pro-level and pretty hot. The subs' volume controls did not go to zero and in fact were not enough to attenuate the signal to the right level. I had to step it down with a DI box. An in-line 10-20dB pad (XLR barrel) would also do this. If you try your powered subs, be prepared for this.

Thanks for your messages. I know what you mean about techno. Trucks full of extra bass is sometimes required. Do you think a special preset for certain kinds of music would help this, like say a 6dB boost 40-100 Hz? If you experiment with an EQ, send in your findings. Stay in touch.

Has anyone used this for a karaoke application yet?

I think you are the first. See my reply to you here.

I have not used the PAS for karaoke, however I can think of no reason why it would not perform with outstanding results.

Would like to hear how it works out.

Cheers,
Steve Z

Click here for a thread on karaoke with actual results. There are a few more. Just hit the "find" tab above and type in "karaoke"

Hilmar