Home 2023 Forums Introduce Yourself Hello from Canada

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  • #2545231
    Todd Oddity
    Participant

    Greetings from Ottawa!

    First, a warning: Be VERY careful. DJing (even if you are doing it for free, and just for friends) is considering taking work from an American by Immigration Services, and is grounds to be detained, deported, and worst of all for a snow bird, banned from re-entry for a minimum of 5 years. If you try and bring a PA system across the border you will be questioned about it, and likely turned back. My dad is part of the Airstream club and has asked me about coming to do shows for them in similar halls, but it just isn’t an option.

    Now, if I didn’t scare you away and you still want to do this, you’ll need a PA system and a basic light or two, some software for your computer, and a basic mixer or controller to connect the two together. What are the specs on your computer (OS, processor, RAM)?

    #2545301
    Carl Sigurdsen
    Participant

    Thank you Toddy, I should have mentioned we are no longer traveling to US this is taking place in Osoyoos BC.
    And yes we are familiar with the US rules.

    OS, windows10
    Processor, Intel Premium T4200
    Intel GMA 4500M
    Ram, 4GB DDR3
    HDD 320 GB
    thanks again for any help on this matter
    Carl Viking

    #2545311
    Carl Sigurdsen
    Participant

    Sorry should have read Todd

    #2545331
    Zoo Force
    Participant

    Hi Carl
    Sounds like Todd is a Liberal. You would be volunteering in the USA (encouraged not enough volunteers) the fact that you are 75 you are retired and would be volunteering at a non profit dance or gathering. There is no problem with that…good for you! god bless! This unit would be perfect for your crowd assuming your not going blast your crowds eardrums out…you just want some music. This unit has a wireless mic, 12″ speaker and mixer built in..the best pat is it has wheels and a handle like a rolling luggage for easy transport. Check prices in US first they may be cheaper even with exchange. If you bought it there on your winter vacay …well within duty allowance for your length of stay. Would be no problem taking down either…personal listening.
    good luck!

    https://www.long-mcquade.com/77376/Pro-Audio—Recording/PA-Speaker-Cabinets/Alto/Transport-12-400W-Battery-Powered-Portable-PA-System-with-Wireless-Microphone-and-USB-Media-Player.htm

    #2545361

    90 people indoor. That means about 450 RMS. Without wanting to stereotype, I am running on the assumption that you want a nice sound but nothing ear shattering.

    Portability is key.

    I am, personally, not to big a fan of the units Zoo suggested, but that is personal.

    My choice would be a compact set (used if you can find them) like the LD Systems Dave (8) or HK Audio Lucas Nano (300). Not necessarily these, there are many more brands that have sets like it. But these will give you an idea of what I mean. While small, their size belies their performance.

    http://www.ld-systems.com/en/series/dave-8-series/dave-8-xs-compact-8-inch-active-multimedia-system/?listtype=search&searchparam=Dave%208

    http://hkaudio.com/products.php?id=376

    Hope that helps some.

    #2545551
    Todd Oddity
    Participant

    Sounds like Todd is a Liberal. You would be volunteering in the USA (encouraged not enough volunteers) the fact that you are 75 you are retired and would be volunteering at a non profit dance or gathering. There is no problem with that…good for you! god bless!

    Well Zoo, it’s actually ridiculous conservatives that seem to be causing all the immigration issues last time I checked, so why don’t you leave your political asshattery at home, and read an actual law. No. Volunteers are not necessarily welcome in the US. I know people who have tried to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity – you know, building free homes for the homeless after Katrina, and have been banned from entry. I know people who have tried to take a DJ system to their cottage and been banned from entry. I was stopped at the border once because I had ONE single XLR cable in the truck of my car. One. And all I was doing was going down to do a little shopping for the afternoon.

    The rules for performing music for pay or for free are clear. You need a work visa or you risk serious trouble. Doesn’t make me a liberal, conservative or anything else bringing up the facts.

    #2545561
    Carl Sigurdsen
    Participant

    Thank you for your suggestions guys, Please let me make clear. I am Not doing this in the USA, this is for our enjoyment in the snowbird capital of Canada, Osoyoos British Columbia Canada (still cold but not as cold at home) I have a computer and a lot of songs, I would like to put on a Sock Hop twice a month as a volunteer with as little out lay of money as possible.

    again thank you for your suggestions, nice to hear from all of you.

    #2545571
    Todd Oddity
    Participant

    Carl – one thought for you, if you’ll be passing anywhere near a Long & McQuade shop would be to rent some speakers for the summer. They have very good prices on rentals. A good set of speakers wouldn’t be more than about $50 for the season, plus $150 to buy yourself a little audio mixer (Yamaha is what is normally recommended around here), load some music software on your laptop and you’re all set up.

    https://www.long-mcquade.com/locations/British_Columbia/

    There may also be rental shops closer to where you’ll be parked, but you’d have to look that up (and at least around Ontario, the independent shops rarely have prices as low as L&McQ).

    #2545581
    Carl Sigurdsen
    Participant

    thanks Todd this is getting closer to what I am looking for, where does the amp fall in this setup? and I looked at Virtual dj software for my computer any thoughts on this?

    #2545591
    Carl Sigurdsen
    Participant

    Just checked, They have an outlet hear in Lethbridge again thanks for the info

    regards
    Carl

    #2545611
    Todd Oddity
    Participant

    No amps anymore – they’re built into the speakers! Well, not all of them, but yes to anything L&McQ will rent to you. Makes life much easier!

    If you load the free version of Virtual DJ onto your laptop, you could use a cord from your laptop’s audio out jack (1/8″, normally on the side) and run it to the 1/4″ stereo inputs on something like the Yamaha MG06. Then a pair of XLR cables from the mixer to the back of each speaker, plug everything into power, and you’d be in business. This would be very basic – no fancy mixing or anything, but it would get the job done and let you line up your tracks. You could even just use iTunes instead of Virtual and keep it really simple. You could also plug a mic into this mixer to make any announcements you wanted.

    Now, if you were thinking you did want to do some mixing and such, you’d have to upgrade a couple of these parts (specifically the mixer, and the connections to the computer). But that would be up to you and how far you wanted to take your DJing adventures!

    #2545631
    Todd Oddity
    Participant

    Oh – I’ll also add that Long & McQuade staff around here are insanely helpful. If you do in and tell them what you want to do they can talk you through all the options and show them to you in person.

    Good luck!

    #2545641
    Carl Sigurdsen
    Participant

    thanks Todd you have been extremely informative for me, will let you know how things work out, wouldn’t be till feb or March thanks again

    Carl

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