Karaoke Forums

Hi guys,

This is my first post.

I'm glad I found this place, because I've learned a lot already. However, I found myself getting a little more confused.

I've decided to set up a fun/decent system at the house for Karaoke. We've had one for some time, but the music is midi-stuff and usually sounds junky. (We have stuff like the HandyMan mic w/carts).

Anyway, this weekend I decided to sing. It's always my wife who sings. I'm the worst singer you've ever heard. I've used our Karaoke stuff about twice in 10 years. But, a few beers and some Elvis later and I was having a blast. However, I could not get past the sound. I might suck at singing, but I do have an ear for music.

Setup Info:

1. I have a windows laptop. It's running XP - 64 bit - AMD 3200 - 2 gigs ram.
2. I installed WinAmp with the plugin and tested. It ran a song and showed the graphics.
3. This is just for a home where me, wife and occasional friends will enjoy.

So, do I just need to buy a PA system and start enjoying? If so, can someone recommend something that's decent in the $300 or under range? I want to start out smaller and go from there.

As I understand it, I need to buy CDGs and rip them or legally download the music right into the computer. I have about 40gigs of space on this laptop and I have a few hundred gigs on an external drive.

Lastly, is there software I can purchase that's better than Winamp for doing Karaoke?

Oh, if anyone can recommend a great microphone, please let me know ($100 or less if possible).

Okay, last item I swear, how are people hooking up their laptops? Are you putting the mic out to the PA stuff? I was wondering on the sound quality. I had thought of using a tower, because the sound card can be much better.

Thanks!

I'd like to start off by saying.. I'm not the ambassador for Phonics.. but if you are buying a PA system for under 300 bucks.. your choices are rather limited.  (at least from the websites I've browsed)  Anyways the phonics powerpod 620 is what I use

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=636502

anyways connection... as lonman suggested use a 1/8" to 1/4" to connect from laptop out to one of the channels on the power mixer/mixer whatever you end up buying.  Rather you get hum or not... well that's another question.

Mics I think you can get a lot of "quality" mics for 100 bucks... but most of them don't come with cables... so that's another expense you should consider.  I mean for the most part you're not going ot want to pair up a 100 dollar mic with a 8 dollar wire.... (there are always exception... i suppose)

I think the standard 1/8" to dual RCA will feed into most mixers, which usually have a CD/tape in port. That gives you stereo, and the cable is $4.00 at a discount store.


I love the Shure SM-58, but the PG-58 is pretty good and usually comes with cable for $60.

I think the standard 1/8" to dual RCA will feed into most mixers, which usually have a CD/tape in port. That gives you stereo, and the cable is $4.00 at a discount store.

Only problem is if you run it through the cd/tape in, you have no eq'ing ability of the music alone.  Going through individual channels, you get eq controls for the music which often needs to be adjusted as not all songs are recorded equally.
Also depending on the mixer, the cd/tape in is usually on it's own & has to be switched which kills/mutes all other channels so you couldn't use the mics with that input.

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Hmm, my mixer (Behringer PMH3000) doesn't have that problem. It has a full set of trim pots and sliders for the channels which allow RCA in...

ah... that explains it... my rca has no adjustments on its own... so to change the volume etc.. I have to change the main's setting.. same for eqing etc.  I also can't hear the difference between stereo and mono in all honesty.... i think for vocal only... the music comes out from only 1 channel anyways.

Thanks for the link. So, I just need to get a PA, like that and hook up my laptop right?

Seems pretty simple.

As to the mics, I would be buying 2 of whatever, so no $60 mic with a 99-cent special.

hmm, actually, I'll give the 99-cent one to my wife. I need to take her down a notch.

I found a sound blaster card (external) for my laptop. I think that might give me better sound than what I have.

Yours is not a typical mixer - yours offers RCA inputs on the stereo channels.  But then again, I was also talking about the 'cd/tape in' circuit.  Yours has the RCA connections on the stereo channels as well - which is what i'm describing - sending the music through the channel strips as opposed to the cd/tape input.  
Majority of mixers do not have RCA inputs for any regular channel options - usually 1/4" or XLR.  Typically the only RCA option is the tape/cd inputs which doesn't offer anything more than volume control.

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I believe you said you run both speakers off of 1 channel - you are running mono, so you would never hear a stereo effect.  Only way to hear the stereo effect of the music is to run 1 speaker per channel - provided your mixer is a stereo mixer to begin with.

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I know this has been covered before.. but wasn't it "suggested" that running the music off mono is fine and in all likelihood sounds better than stereo in a Karaoke setting?  (I might never get to try .. i dont' think my power mixer is a stereo mixer... )  but just want to learn for the future.  Thanks!

As to the original poster... yes buy a PA system... hook it up through one of the channels or the rca in's.  I also bought an external soundblaster soundcard (the 24bit one for like 50 bucks)  I can't say it enhanced the music the way I needed it to... but it does have an optical out which works great for movies on my home amp.  

Mics... someone else pointed out the Shures are pretty good (I have the one for 60 bucks and it's fine)  Note.. if you are often in a group setting at home... in the basement or what not.. it helps if you get a mic with switches... I have 2 mics with no switches.. and it's sortof annoying since I do not want to go to teh amp everytime I want to mute them... (since i like to sing along with my friends rather then KJ'ing for them)  and when your'e passing around etc.. it's just nicer to have a switch.

Yours is a stereo mixer.  It can be set for either stereo mains or mono mains / mono monitors - both speakers on one channel.  This also yields you more power with 2 8 ohm speakers sitting on 1 channel.  This drops the load to 4 ohms for the 100 watt rating.
In clubs mono is fine, unless the speakers are set up just right that the entire audience could benefit from the stereo effect (haven't really found this ideal situation yet), mono is the preferred method.
In a home situation, stereo may be more desireable as karaoke discs are recorded in stereo - at least from the better companies.

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