Karaoke Forums

I know you get a lot of questions like this, and I've searched extensively in the hope that I wouldn't have to trouble you folks again, but I can't find the answers I need.

Here's my situation:
I'm part of a group of friends who take turns hosting small karaoke nights in our homes. We all have home set-ups that have been working out o.k., and have amassed a pretty impressive collection of CD+G discs.  I wanted to upgrade from my RJTech machine (a hand-me-down from one of the gang who was prescient enough to buy a JVC Triple-Tray before they were discontinued!) because it was always irritating to use--the remote control was confusing and unresponsive, the sound was weird to work with (couldn't make it louder w/o making it echoey), etc.

After reading what I could find about the current options and ruling out VocoPro, I found an RSQ S-222 online for $129, which seemed like a great price. Ordered it, set it up, it worked for a day. After that it wouldn't recognize any type of disk. The vendor had me send it back for return but then told me they no longer have the S-222, and are actually not going to carry RSQ anymore because of frequent returns.  I could:
1. Get my money back and start over (but still don't know what I'd buy!)
2. Upgrade to an RSQ NEO player (they have those still) and pay the difference--but I have no NEO discs and the difference is $100
3. Allow them to send me a comparably-priced machine instead. They are suggesting an RJ Tech (but I didn't like my last one) or a V2GO, specifically the Go-100 or the Go-88.

I happen to have just replaced my ancient all-in-one stereo system with a new receiver, so I actually would like to be able to have this machine (if this is feasible) also serve as my CD player and DVD player (we don't have one).  That's one reason I  chose the RSQ I chose.

FWIW, I've already trolled eBay for a JVC...they sell for upwards of $300. I'd rather not go that high for a machine from a private individual with no recourse if I have a problem.

Any experience/suggestions/impressions, particularly regarding the V2Go or RJTech options? Or Sony, which my JVC-owning buddy suggested on the assumption that "they must have some quality control."

(Oh, and a final detail...the old RJTech apparently committed suicide in heartbreak over being replaced. When the new RSQ wouldn't work, we tried to put the old machine back in and it wouldn't even power up!)

First off, welcome.

I don't know anything about the players you're looking at and I'm fairly new to home Karaoke, but here's my experience with a couple players I've tried.

1) Sony (around $120, don't know the model #) - this was the first one I tried.  I wasn't happy with the vocal from the mic inputs (distortion).

2) Next I bought the RSQ Neo-C320 (around $170, still own it), thinking I would be happy with the vocals with the "better" player.  Well, still wasn't happy with vocals.  Per recos from the forum, I bought a Behringer FX1002 mixer ($90) to handle the mics - good vocal sound, flexibility, and capabilities vs. using a player's mic inputs.  

The RSQ is working fine so far.  The manual is horribly written and describes features the player doesn't have, which was confusing.

If I had it to do all over again, I would have the Sony + Behringer mixer, saving around $50.  I have greater faith in Sony's reliability and service vs. most of the Karaoke players out there.  Plus, Sony makes good DVD players.

Hm, sounds as if I might need a mixer.
I'd rather not have to try to get my money back and start over, though.
Wonder if anyone can comment on the V2GO as an option?

Or anything else for sale at Karaoke Warehouse (the site that has my money)?  I'm willing to spend more than $129...I had set out thinking it would cost more. I just don't want to go to the >$300 price point for the used JVCs on eBay, and the uncertainty of having to bid on lots of them before I get one.

Another option is to use your pc/laptop as the player/lhoster.

Pc > mixer > amp > speaker

or

Pc >mixer-amp > speaker

software to run your file >winamp: http://www.winamp.com/

                rip your karaoke cd > Audiograbber: http://www.audiograbber.com-us.net/

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

get your money back. Other players are so flaky!

Hey, I have an extra jvc gold triple tray I'll sell you for $350!

To use my computer, which does sound like the wave of the future...

Can I just PLAY discs in my computer, assuming I have the right software? (Which I don't yet, I gather.) Or do I have to rip them all and store them on the hard drive? It seems like that would be a big project to get the whole gang's collection onto my computer.  And wouldn't I have to wire the computer (northwest side of room) into the receiver (southeast side of the room) somehow?

I appreciate the offer of the JVC, but I really only need one tray. There are only about half a dozen of us who sing. The speed at which I can get the next song loaded is never the rate-limiting step!  Someone who does karaoke shows needs that machine way more than I do.

But, sincerely....don't bother with trying a V2GO at all? Is there really NO machine on the market anymore that can play a CD+G disc??

This is making the little Singing Machine "toy" I got my daughter 3 years ago look like a brilliant investment. She's used it in several talent shows, I've borrowed it for events at work, etc. But it doesn't have nifty features like key control and so on.

The go-88 looks like an older verson of a rJtech to me. If you weren't happy with RJTech then you might not be happy with the go-88.
As to pc I use a laptop so I don't have to worry about where the receiver is located.
Laptops have come down in price- Walmart has the very model online that  I am  using for $448. If you have a Walmart near you, you can ship it site to store and save shipping.

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The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

the ONLY machine I'd recommend for serious cdg playing is the Pioneer V555, which runs about $500 or so. It plays standard the cdg, plus vcd and dvd (V888 if you use Lasers rather than DVDS).

With the supercdg and neo formats, they're DVD type of drives. SO far, I've not found ONE I like that's anywhere near as versitle or easy to use as the JVC and RSQ single or triple tray machines, with the JVC being slightly better.

I also have a RSQ505 dvd player that is fantastic... but it won't recognize te Mediacloq discs. (Later models were upgraded with a new chip that did!)

To answer your computer questions...

yes, there is at least ONE software that I know of that will play the cdg in the cd-rom drive... but you must have a compatible drive. To be honest, with the size of hardware, I'd personally recommend you merely rip the discs down to hard drive, and then play them off that... and keep your discs safe and sound. It's the constant loading and unloading them that can and will scratch the cdgs.

Yes. Microstudio from MTU does this, and I believe there is a Winamp plugin that does it as well. I am sure PowerKaraoke probably does it as well.

It might well depend on what CD/DVD drive you have, but my understanding is that most of today's DVD drives will work.

Thanks...I may go this way eventually.
For now, I'm still hoping to find a straightforward replacement for the player in the setup I had working, but I'm getting awfully discouraged reading people's impressions of the players on the market.

Is Vocopro truly awful, or just overpriced?  I read favorable things about one of their players on a UK site. Maybe they get different models there?

I honestly wouldn't use 99% of their stuff if they gave it to me to use & paid me for promotional purposes in my shows.
But then a handful has had some luck with them.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

Good heavens. That is a ringing endorsement.

Above, knightshow said


I'm wondering if I'm doing "serious cdg playing."  I would say the machine gets used twice a month, max, although there is the potential for the kids to start using it more now that we've improved the accessibility (or will, once we get the darn player back in the setup).

I looked for the RSQ505 and didn't see it many places--I saw one as part of an all-in-one system with a speaker--not what I'm looking for right now.

I have no VCDs, super cdgs, Neo cdgs, or anything but a metric ton of CDGs. I don't even know what a mediacloq disc is!  I was hoping this one component could serve as my karaoke machine, CD player (to play CD-R, CD-RW, and MP3 discs, ideally), and DVD player, but if that is not to be, I can get those items separately.

to be honest, for the light useage you're talking about, I'd get a $40 cheapie Apex (normal) dvd player, and hook it up into a small mixer (for the microphones). Some of those players do recognize the cd+g discs.

I had a VocoPro CD+G decoder mixer that was fine for what I used it for. I had it hooked to a Pioneer 300 disc cd changer. Worked great. Sold it for $125 after using it for 2 years. My experience with VocoPro wasn't bad.

BTW, that may be an option for TripleDiamonds, get a CD+G decoder. They will work with any standard CD player (home stereo), that have an optical output.

Here's how I used to do my system before computer:

http://www.acekaraoke.com/haceps0016.html

Here's a lower priced decoder:

http://www.sumakaya.com/product.asp?sku=HPG000034

Had a leader cdg decoder hooked up to a sony cd player and had problems with it.
The disc I chose would display the first track of the disc before I played the track I wanted.

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The Line Array Experiment is over. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Nah actually for home use, they aren't ALL that bad although I do feel they are pretty overpriced for what you actually get.  I personally would never use them professionally.
For what you are describing you might be better off going with an all in one box type unit.  These are stand alone units but you can still hook up to outside PA's & home stereos (although running karaoke through home stereos isn't really recommended).  
http://www.karaoke.com/cgi-bin/WebObjec ... key=237572

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

Karaoke.com has the RSQ E500 player on sale for $175 or so, plus I have a 15% coupon code...

That's still more than I paid in the first place for the RSQ S-222 (the price was too good to be true, honestly, $120 w/free discs (not very good ones, though) and free shipping...I wonder if it was all an elaborate bait-and-switch).  But I've emailed the original vendor (the guy with my money) to see if he can match that price.

I figure, for $150, if I hate it....I haven't invested a ridiculous amount of money.

If he can't match the price, I'm still debating among the options he has on the site.  El-cheapo, $99 player to which I'll need to add a mixer?   $229 player I might wind up hating?

I'm just not ready for the chore of taking the whole gang's joint CD+G collection digital.

By the way, I'm really grateful for all the help!

Because I know you're all dying to know....

I asked the original vendor for a refund and ordered the RSQ NEO E500 for the very attractive price of $174, minus 15% discount, with free shipping. Forgot that I'd have to pay tax because the new vendor is local, but it seemed like a good deal at about $150.

I know these machines have been kind of wonky, and that some people have hated them and others have been satisified, but at least I am now dealing with a vendor with a physical store that is driving distance from my home.

Thanks for the help and advice!
I'll be watching for the postman so my friends and family can start singing again!

I have the RSQ single tray, the CAVS Premier 199, and now this week just purchased the V2GO 100.  So far I really like the V2GO 100, even though the manual is not very good.  It is filled with features and plays almost any audio or video format including DIVX.  Does not handle neo or the CAVS super format.

One thing I really like about it is that it has usb input.  Often, before my karaoke shows I run DJ music.  The CAVS system will not let me build and save playlists.  So Instead I transfer music to a thumb drive, then plug that into the V2GO.  I can have different music in different folders, thus saveable playlists.

Since RSQ no longer makes triple drive players, I use the V2GO 100 to provide my second and third CD drives and work them around the CAVS 199.

I give the V2GO-100 a thumbs up.