Connecting a DJ booth up to a fire alarm.

[Leesparkykent]

Does anyone know of anything specific for this? If not I'll just install a relay to cut the sockets in the booth when the fire alarm sounds.

 

[trev]

A sudden loss of power can damage amplifiers beyond repair mate. Be very careful as they're not cheap. You need something that will kill the noise but leave the amps powered.

 

[Leesparkykent]

A sudden loss of power can damage amplifiers beyond repair mate. Be very careful as they're not cheap. You need something that will kill the noise but leave the amps powered.

Cheers Trev, that makes things a little more difficult than I first thought then.

 

[amlu]

have a look here, lengthy topic on a specialized forum...
fire alarm audio mute relay? - Speakerplans.com Forums - Page 1

amplifiers usually do not have a problem with being turned off.
just make sure your relay is up for the job, there may be plenty of current up there.
if in doubt consult the sound engineers in the venue or company that supplies the PA.

otherwise kill the feed to the socket powering the mixer leaving rest of the PA system alone.

 

[trev]

amplifiers usually do not have a problem with being turned off.

Maybe things have changed since my roadie days but a band who were on the verge of making it had a big showcase gig in Newcastle a few years back. A power cut killed 14 kilowatts worth of amp rack.
Like Amlu said, your best bet is to talk to the noisy boys.

 

[Leesparkykent]

have a look here, lengthy topic on a specialized forum...
fire alarm audio mute relay? - Speakerplans.com Forums - Page 1

amplifiers usually do not have a problem with being turned off.
just make sure your relay is up for the job, there may be plenty of current up there.
if in doubt consult the sound engineers in the venue or company that supplies the PA.

otherwise kill the feed to the socket powering the mixer leaving rest of the PA system alone.

Cheers amlu, good idea! As you maybe can tell I have no idea about dj equipment lol.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Never kill the mixer power leaving the amps on, it can create a horrendous speaker-damaging thump as the mixer power supply collapses. If there is active speaker management or audio DSP, an input can often be configured as a mute that can be driven from a volt-free relay contact. Failing that, arrange a relay to mute the line level signals from the master mix out. This is something I have to do all the time but I would never do it by killing power.

 

[tazz]

Most clubs and venues I`ve worked on, we have cut total power to the stage or DJ booth via contactor. Most risk assessments by local council will require all sound & lighting to be switch down, and cleaning or house lights to be switch on via fire alarm.

 

[Geordie Spark]

Cheers Trev, that makes things a little more difficult than I first thought then.

They don't like to be powered-up too quick either.

I used to use Hill Audio DX-3000's and they were a bit fussy how you treated them but they chucked some power out - 3,000 Watts bridged.

 

[Geordie Spark]

Maybe things have changed since my roadie days but a band who were on the verge of making it had a big showcase gig in Newcastle a few years back. A power cut killed 14 kilowatts worth of amp rack.
Like Amlu said, your best bet is to talk to the noisy boys.

Ouch!! ..... Now that is expensive!!!

 

[trev]

They don't like to be powered-up too quick either.

I used to use Hill Audio DX-3000's and they were a bit fussy how you treated them but they chucked some power out - 3,000 Watts bridged.

There was always a procedure to be followed when powering them up. Gain and output volume on 0, stand by power, power on, gain up, output volume up. Any deviation from that could result in (at best) blown fuses
Those Hill Audio jobs were great, not as good as Crowns though

 

[Paul.M]

Only done this once. Amazing how a 3 minuet phone call to the PA engineer could have saved £20k+ in damages!!! In theses cases, phone a friend is a good option.

 

[tazz]

I Can understand the concern about shutting amps down, and possibly dmx lighting....but we are always told the same. Shut the power down. Same in pubs with council Noise Limiters, as soon as the db level goes above a limit, power is cut...I know the bands don`t like the db cut offs.

 

[Geordie Spark]

I Can understand the concern about shutting amps down, and possibly dmx lighting....but we are always told the same. Shut the power down. Same in pubs with council Noise Limiters, as soon as the db level goes above a limit, power is cut...I know the bands don`t like the db cut offs.

Those "Noise Limiters" were installed in a good few Working Men Clubs in the early 70's.

They kept having "accidents" and didn't last long.

 

[tazz]

Surrey Council have updated most of them now, but only fitted where complaints have been issued....Quite a few pubs in Chertsey, Addlestone, Egham etc, basically some of the smaller pubs trying their best to make a living.

 

[trev]

Those "Noise Limiters" were installed in a good few Working Men Clubs in the early 70's.

They kept having "accidents" and didn't last long.

We played in a pub with one. Someone, must have been an electrician, disconnected it so we could play as loud as we liked. A guy commented that we were deafening but we pointed out that the limiters hadn't kicked in so he stfu

 

[telectrix]

[h=2]: Connecting a DJ booth up to a fire alarm[/h]
TBH, i'd rather connect a DJ up to the mains.

 

[Geordie Spark]

We played in a pub with one. Someone, must have been an electrician, disconnected it so we could play as loud as we liked. A guy commented that we were deafening but we pointed out that the limiters hadn't kicked in so he stfu

I hope the band bought that electrician a pint!

 

[Geordie Spark]

: Connecting a DJ booth up to a fire alarm


TBH, i'd rather connect a DJ up to the mains.

Aye, they deprived a lot of gigging bands of their work and became despised almost as much as Mackems.

 

[trev]

I hope the band bought that electrician a pint!

They did mate, I was half cut when we went on. Erm I meant I was told the electrician got quite drunk then the band went on

 

[telectrix]

i hate most DJs. if they're under 30, they play chart crap, 30-50 they play tamola mowtown shyte, an older DJ will play rock. that's the only DJ type worth booking.

 

[Geordie Spark]

They did mate, I was half cut when we went on. Erm I meant I was told the electrician got quite drunk then the band went on

Good lad! :sailor:

There were a lot of places where you had to be half cut to get through it!!!

 

[Adam W]

i hate most DJs. if they're under 30, they play chart crap, 30-50 they play tamola mowtown shyte, an older DJ will play rock. that's the only DJ type worth booking.

I think you're missing the point of a DJ. You can get a jukebox or compilation CD to play someone else's music, a good DJ is there to 'read' the crowd, select and mix the right music to keep people dancing all night.

 

[Sparkie30]

I think you're missing the point of a DJ. You can get a jukebox or compilation CD to play someone else's music, a good DJ is there to 'read' the crowd, select and mix the right music to keep people dancing all night.

well said, smell a dj here.

 

[Adam W]

well said, smell a dj here.

I used to be one, it was my first job when I was 16. That was in the late 90s when there was a good selection of dance music around - speed garage, garage, house, hard house, trance, 2 step... Sadly it seems there are very few DJs who actually bother trying to mix any more - people just seem to want their favourite song on next and to hell with everyone else.

That was the job which taught me that turning your hobby into your job is the best way to take all the enjoyment out of it. I gave it up when the smoking ban and 24 hour drinking were implemented - venues wanted you to play for 8 hours (with no break) and still pay you the £80 or so you would have got for a 4 hour set. I'd rather work my 8 hours during the day, with regular breaks.

 

[Paul.M]

When I was 20 I worked as a bar man in the biggest nightclub in the city, made my up to bar supervisor and made a lot of "friends" within the city's commercial club scene.

One night the local/national radio DJ and the club lighting jockey(back up dj btw) were a little bit "busy in the dressing room with a few young girls" before doing a set. "Paul, jump into the DJ booth. Keep it going!!!"

Sh** myself but did it for an hour in front of 700-800 people! Ok a couple of mistakes but the rest was really good and got the punters going. Mixing decks and the "new" cd mixing decks were fun but bloody nerve racking.

Got my leg over that night and with her friend watching and helping out in certain ways! I can see why DJ's are DJ's :39:The sex is great

many more stories to tell but there --- rated Why did I leave the club scene? I loved them days.......

 

[Sparkie30]

I used to be one, it was my first job when I was 16. That was in the late 90s when there was a good selection of dance music around - speed garage, garage, house, hard house, trance, 2 step... Sadly it seems there are very few DJs who actually bother trying to mix any more - people just seem to want their favourite song on next and to hell with everyone else.

That was the job which taught me that turning your hobby into your job is the best way to take all the enjoyment out of it. I gave it up when the smoking ban and 24 hour drinking were implemented - venues wanted you to play for 8 hours (with no break) and still pay you the £80 or so you would have got for a 4 hour set. I'd rather work my 8 hours during the day, with regular breaks.

Yeah totally agree with you there was great selection out there. My neighbour got me into djing years ago and he was doing rave parties ( usually warehouses) trance, hard house fun times they were. Played with him few times but done clubs and parties but been few years haven't bothered. Still have my gear worth abouth 3k well at the time. You have to play known stuff otherwise you not good.

Not many mix in and out most just cue it and just drop it. Look at all the big Djs most of their sets are pre-recorded especially Steve angellos.

@ Paul
how dare of you abuse your position with 2 of them not just 1 haha. Please don't start me, all I will say I remember at least few orgies, was only looking btw. Haha

 

[UKMeterman]

Hi,
For future reference this might be the kit FORMULA SOUND GUARDIAN CX4 Mk.3 PRIORITY OVERRIDE AND SOUND LEVEL CONTROL UNIT - Canford to use

 

[D00DY_T00DY]

I used to be one, it was my first job when I was 16. That was in the late 90s when there was a good selection of dance music around - speed garage, garage, house, hard house, trance, 2 step... Sadly it seems there are very few DJs who actually bother trying to mix any more - people just seem to want their favourite song on next and to hell with everyone else.

That was the job which taught me that turning your hobby into your job is the best way to take all the enjoyment out of it. I gave it up when the smoking ban and 24 hour drinking were implemented - venues wanted you to play for 8 hours (with no break) and still pay you the £80 or so you would have got for a 4 hour set. I'd rather work my 8 hours during the day, with regular breaks.

Still awaiting the revival of garage... There's "future garage" all seems sh*te though