Back in the DJ fold

Been having a few gigs in discos and pubs lately. Not that I am complaining as I was clamouring for a change in career. But I must admit that I am really starting to feel my age. Someone said once that we should be careful what we wish for – we might just get it. But I am not gonna do this for long anyway. I am just seeing if I can still cut it. So far, so good.

Peavey Impulse 12D active speakers

There are many players in the active speaker game. names like Yamaha, QSC, RCF, Behringer just to name a few. Peavey has been it for some time as well but this is a first, for me anyway, to find a powered enclosure features a true ribbon driver and a 12″ field-replaceable Black Widow dual voice coil premium neodymium speaker. Peavey has a description of the speaker here. According to Peavey, these speakers are able to produce 1,200 watts of efficient power while weighing a very lightweight 39 lbs per speaker. According to the website:

The Input section features two input channels and a line output, with a mix of I/O options such as combination XLR-1/4″ jacks, RCA and install-ready Phoenix connections. Input channels 1 and 2 also have mic/line source switches and gain controls. The Auto-Off function automatically shuts off the power when it no longer detects a signal, while the Line Out allows the user to chain multiple units or send the input signal to another source. The DynaQ™ section offers advanced tone controls such as Bass Enhancer, which is an overall loudness boost; a Music/Speech switch that provides optimized EQ settings for each audio type; and Contour, specially configured for program music. A module bay allows for future expansion including Wireless I/O, Delay/Time Adjustment, Mixer Expander, Ethernet I/O and more.

Looks like a lot of bang for buck, Peavey-wise. A write-up by Joshua Garber here shows that the sound was excellent, due to the ribbon tweeter. It is more accurate in sound reproduction than a compression driver coupled up to a horn, that is for sure. List price is about US $1,200 per speaker.

Happy Deepavali to all my Hindu friends and readers

This goes without saying.

Mini USB to micro USB converter

What happens when you have lots of old Blackberry chargers with mini USB connectors but you need to charge a device with a micro USB charging port? Simple. You get a converter, like the one above. I got one for about $5 some time back and it helps me charge my Motorola Defy phone with no issues at all. The only issue I can see is the fact that when hooked up to a mini USB data cable, you cannot transfer data though it. I need to use the supplied data cable that has a micro USB on it. But this little utility is very useful when I need to charge my phone outside my house and I do not have a micro USB charger. Not a bad investment, don’t you think?

Manchester United – 1 Manchester City – 6

Tonight marks a sad day in our Premier League history. This marks the day when we were beat 6 – 1 by Manchester City. It did not help that Jonny Evans was sent off after pulling Mario Balotelli down and we were reduced to 10 men. It sure is not easy playing with ten men in a very intense game. We lost a battle but we have not lost the war. I am angry and sad at the same time but I will always be a Manchester United fan, till the day I die. Glory glory Manchester United!

Pioneer DJ gear I was using last night

I was using this combination of Pioneer DJ equipment last night at the club I was spinning at and frankly, I am quite impressed with their build-quality and the features put into this product. The CD players were the CDJ-350s and the mixer was a DJM-350. You can mix using CDs or even if you want, put a few tunes on a USB drive and there you go…instant music on the go! When I was mixing with these, I felt a sense of betrayal…of sorts. I mean, I like Denon and I can see myself getting a new Denon CD player soon but until then, I am still amazed by these babies. Given the fact that lots of DJs are making the move to MP3s and controllers now, I might even get myself a controller. But if you have CDs, honestly, the build quality of this DJ combination cannot be beat.

New 500Gb hard drive for Lenovo x61

I have a Lenovo x61. It is a pretty good laptop, although its small form factor means that the thing gets heated up quite a lot. But all in all, it is a pretty good laptop and is quite stable. I decided that the 120Gb hard drive was not going to last for very long, and knowing my penchant for having things new if possible, I decided to go with an upgrade to this laptop. So I spent $72 and the hard-drive was mine. Put the old hard drive in an external casing and it will become yet another one of my many backup external drives. I tried it out and it works a treat. Its time for a reload folks!

Nexo PS15

I have always liked the Nexo brand of speakers, even though these are from France. One thing I liked about them is the high SPLs (Sound Pressure Levels) and the clarity of these speakers. The only thing that kind of puts me off, not necessarily in a bad way, is that these things are processor controlled. Even though they are now owned by the Yamaha Group, there will come a day when I will eventually own one of these babies, especially the Nexo PS 15, my dream speakers. I used to see them being used at live shows, installed in clubs and even once installed in a record shop! But I suppose, my Peavey and Yamaha speakers will have to suffice…for now.

Steve Jobs Bill Gates – A comparitive study

Hercules Mix Controller

I saw the DJ at a recent party I went to using this small gadget to control a laptop PC running Virtual DJ. This thing is small and I do mean small! It is selling at a very cheap price too. I heard that Hercules, the maker of this DJ controller, first came to prominence in the computer industry making sound cards and computer peripherals. There are many other companies making controllers like these but this is the first time I have seen something so small. Interesting little gadget this is.