Karaoke Forums

Hi  :wave: ,

I'm trying to build a new karaoke system from scratch and needed some suggestions/recommendations/ideas.  I kinda have an idea of what I want, but not totally sure what to get in terms of manufactures, etc.

Overall of what I want:
Speakers
Wireless mics
amp/(preamp?)/mixer
computer karaoke system

I'm not sure what kind of amp/mixer that I need? I would like to have all the connections end at this piece of equipment.  I also would like it to have a CDG+/DVD/etc so I can play the new stuff that I get before I get a chance to import it to the computer karaoke system.

I've looked at UnifyKaraoke and at one time Holster which I didn't have a whole lot of luck.  I was quite confused about all the options and kind of got frustrated. What do people use? (talk about opened ended question)

I can build my own PC, this part is not a problem. I would like recommendations on hardware in regards to the sound/video card.  I'm think something like a shuttle or one of those slimline pcs.  Which is easier? Getting something already built or spending time to build my own?

I'm looking to spend maybe spend $1500.  If I can get away with less, even better or am I being too optimistic.  I'm looking for something slight above your normal home system.  This is a birthday present.  :)  Thanks all in advance.

www.mtu.com They have the software, the computer, or both. They will also tell you the requirements for a computer karaoke system.

_________________
______________________________________
I'm Not Dead yet...... But every day Im getting Closer !

Vocal Pro has made the question even harder. The have a 40 gig show hoster available for $400. I have yet to see it in action but it will be something everyone that hasn't gone pc should look into for purchase.

Building a Karaoke system.

You need, A player, Mixer, Microphones, Speakers, Amplifier, and Vocal Processor.
Stay away from combo mixer / amplifers. Down the road, its better to replace 1 less expensive piece of equipment.
Stay away from no name equipment if it looks to good to be true, it probally sounds like poop. What's better a Chevy with no options or a Yugo, I'll go with the chevy

1 Player - Even if your going to use pc karaoke you will need a cd+g player.
  Pick up a cheap dvd player at best buy that plays cd+g Daewoo or there are a few others Around $50

2 Mixer - there are a few options depends on how much money you have to spend A decent mixer can be picked up for as little as $150 for a behringer. Or as much as $1000 or more for a mackie

3 Microphones. - Most kjs will reccomend 3 - 2 for singers and 1 for yourself. Microphones are always an issue of debate. Most KJ's will agree that in some regaurd the more you spend the better mic you get for the money. Stay away from radio shack and no name microphones. You can pick up a pack of 3 sennheiser E815's for $100 a great start. Most KJ use wireless microphones which start an even bigger disscussion.

4 Speakers - You will need a basic set to get you started. Most KJ use a set of 15" speakers with horns. There are many different brands available. the best thing to do is go to a local music store and compare prices and difference in sound.
Basic / Cheaper line will be Yorkville, B-52, Yamaha, an JBL JRX
Mid line would be JBL Mpro, Peavey SP Line, Cerwin Vega
Pro Line would be Turbo Sound, JBL SRX
Make sure your speakers are pre-drilled for stands.

5 Amplifier. An amplifer should be properly matched with the speakers you purchase. I am partial to crown because of the warrenty they offer. a fantastic amp for the price is the behringer ep2500 500 watts at 8ohm will not be touched by any other manufacture.

6 Vocal Processor - There are many models available from many different manufactures. They start at about $100 and go up and beyond $3000. Would I recconed that every KJ go out and buy an Eventide Ultra Harmonizer? No. You can go as simple a buying a mixer with effects built in, but if you would like more control available to you in the future I reccomend a stand alone unit. Look at an Alesis Midi Verb 4 or a lexicon mpx-110.

*AUX* Cables. Buy better cables they tend to last longer. Most music stores such as guitar center offer free lifetime replacement on their cables. Cables alone are big expense expect to spend around $300 just in cables. Figure 4 mic cables gives 1 extra. 2 - 50 ft speaker cables bigger gauge the better. 2 - xlr to xlr mixer to amp or dynamic processor if used another set of xlr to xlr. Set of rca to 1/4" cd+g player. 1/8" stereo to 2 mono 1/4" computer to mixer. 2 stereo pair of 1/4" to 1/4" vocal effect processor. 2 - rca to rca video. 2 input rf converter / switch. rf splitter to split to multiple tv's. 2 -50 ft rf cables.

*AUX* Dynamic Processor - Some KJ's use them others do not. DBX is the most widely known brand of dynamic processor. The have many models available, the trick is to buy the model that fits you mixer amplifer speaker combination.

Computer about the best available option is pcdj's KJ program. It is very easy to use, and only $100. Some people still use winamp...it's free!

For best results a 2.0ghz or better processor with 512meg of ram. You will need video out this is a must either s-video or rca. I use dell never had any problems and I like their service. Look into about a 200 gig external hd for files. And an upgrade on your soundcard makes a big difference. The maya 44, the gigaport, or echo indigo DJ are all popular choices.

I saw your comment on pricing. I hope you are talking about $1500 for the pc alone. If you plan to build your own you might be around $600.

I disagree on the computer pricing.

There are PERFECT starter pcs going at frys. (( http://www.outpost.com )) for $299. With xp-home, a 40gb hdd, and a decent video card (doesn't do dual display that I know of.) Granted it doesn't have enough memory for what you want... figure on an additional hundred for 1 gb of ddr memory!

you can go internal or external on the 200gb hdd that was recommended. (good call on that). They're running around $90-129 at last check. If you DO want to go external, http://www.pcgigs.com has a very good external hdd (USB) enclosure for $25!

I use Soundblaster Audigy (MP3+) with is USB out to the device and has RCA connections). Hook that right up to your mixer.

I use the winamp options. Free as a bird.

Total cast for your computer to play karaoke?
$300 + Shipping for computer
$100 memory
$ 40 video card
$100 for additional hard drive
$ 30 for enclosure if you choose to do that
$ 40 for Audigy
=======
around $650 or so. AND the time to put it all together.

I try to keep it as simple as possible. The pc is a player that holds your karaoke! PERIOD. I don't need any fancy rotation helper. I don't need all the bells and whistles of computerized karaoke. i'm not dissin' folks that do, but don't believe for one second that you need $1500 to get a computer and get it operational. Even adding the MTU hoster or PCKJ hoster... that's only $300 additional!

He's talking $1,500 to start shows, pa system, music, everything.  Not going to happen for anything worthwhile and professional unless you're going to have very little music (remember you still have to buy music.

And lyquiddye, there's nothing cheap about Yorkville, their NX series beats the Mackies, Yamahas, and Peaveys, I've heard around here, plus no one comes close on their warranty, though we've never had to use it.  Maybe at 1 year, 364 days, we'll drop ithem off a building or push it out an aircraft.

_________________
You can be strange but not a stranger

actually he doesn't say it is for commercial shows- he said "I'm looking for something slight above your normal home system.  This is a birthday present." now I am no rocket scientist but it sounds like birthday present and slightly above a normal home system means it is a gift for someone ot use in their home, not for commercial use... $1500 for hardware is more than enough for a slightly above home system... his entire question is asking about hardware and I figure he is leaving the question of music up to the person he is giving it to as a gift.... he wasn't asking for a professional system- an above average HOME system- and his budget is more than enough for that... - tig

I agree.  $1500 for a home system is more than sufficient.

The more I use my Fender PD-250 the happier I am with it.  I've used it for professional shows in small venues, but it lacks a lot of bass response.  For karaoke it works great and it's portable.  Cost? $806 and it comes with 2 mics.  Add in a player and a tv to complete the setup.  For most homes you can go smaller with the PD-150 which should be plenty loud.  Advantage?  It's portable, easy to setup, allows for 4 mics, and 2 stereo inputs.  Has aux send/return (for the final outputs), and 'echo' for each mic seperate and the overall output.  Oh, yea.  Add in the battery powered option and you can do karaoke by the beach or river with a laptop.

For someone wanting a basic karaoke setup, you can easily use:

Fender PD-250
2 P-51 mics w/ cables (comes with PD-250)
Used laptop
VGA to Composite adapter (if needed)
TV
external Hard Drive

Why a used laptop?  Laptops offer a second video out and portability.  Most (but not all) laptops allow you to turn on both the internal and external video at the same time with different displays and some come with Composite Video or s-video out.  Add in a VGA to Composite/S-Video adapter if it needs one and you're in business.  BTW, you can get these adapters for about $75 at CompUSA.

Where do you get a used laptop?  There are plenty of places to get used laptops - the local paper, Computer Renaissance, more places on line than I can shake a stick at (look for off-lease laptops).

Going with an entry level, but expandable, pc would be a good idea as well.  Just upgrade the video card with one that supports 2 monitors or composite/s-video output.  Remember, you don't need a 'great' video card, just one that supports multiple outputs.

All of this should easily come in under $1500 with a little shopping.

That is correct. This is not for commerical use. Unless I guess I could charge her friends for using it!!!  LOL

I really appreicate the comments, especially lyquiddye.  I really appreicate the options that you mention.  I'm really lost on manufactor names and so forth.  ASk me about computer equipment.  I can help you there.  :) $1500 would be for the total setup.  On the comptuer side, I actually have equipment already and even the video card.  I work with computers all day long and so parts are not a problem.

Lot's to read over and research!!! I'll let you folks know as I get the stuff.  I have until July to get everything ready!!

Thanks again!

Hi karaokemeister,

I look up the Fender PD-250. (sounds like a car part)  It looks like this is an intergreated mixer/amp?  Am I right on that?

Sure is.  It's actually an all-in-one unit that includes a mixer (technically 8 channel - 4 mono, 2 stereo), amp (250watt amp), speakers (designed by 'Bose'), 2 mics (Fender P-51's) and mic cables.  Additional P-51 mics are about $50 w/ cable in a small bag that fits in the back of the unit.

The nice thing is that it's portable and fairly compact so you can always tear it down and put it away in a corner if you want.

I used this at a show I did in a Best Western hotel's lounge for a couple months and it worked flawlessly.  I still use it at home and as my monitors when I do shows.  The unit rode on an open trailer for more than 2000 miles and nearly a hundred shows with only a few bumps and scrapes on the case but never a failure.  Another KJ here on the forum uses one for smaller parties herself and has been pleased (based on her responses here on the forum).

You might want to consider a pair of speaker stands (about $120) to get the speakers up off the floor and at ear level, but they're not absolutely necessary if you have other places to put the speakers.

If you already have the computer side covered I'll try to be sure to stick with the audio side of things.  But as I said already, for home use this is probably overkill but even if they decide to try recording it's no problem since it has a stereo output as well.

I listed many options in a prior post to equipment need as a start-up for karaoke.

For a nice home system for a younger adult the best thing would be to keep it as simple as possible.

Someone prior mentioned the Fender passport. I myself would never diss anthing that carries the Fender name. I have a few Fender guitars and probally will have them the rest of my life. They have made amplifers since before I was born! The passport is a very nice all in one unit that is compace portable and has a nice sound.

What I have found is a step up or to the side, from the Fender passport at a lower price. Yamaha has a new portable pa system called the Stage Pass 300. Similar concept to the fender. The fender with deluxe speakers better componets and higher wattage rating goes for about $850 it is 125watts per channel and includes cables and 2 ok microphones. The Yamaha is 150 watts per channel has built in effects, and the speakers are constructed a little better goes for about $550 with the $300 difference you can buy 2 or 3 nice microphones, speaker cables, you pc audio cable, possibly 2 speaker stands (the speakers are compatable).

There are many nice karaoke starter sets as far as music. The sweet georgia brown set 66 cds cam be found online for $100. If you intend to use pc based karaoke stay away from super cd+g's as most are not able to be copied into mp3+g form.

The biggest difference between the two (fender and the yamaha) is the specs - especially in the amps.

The Fender is
THD: 125w/ch continuous average power, 8 ohm both channels driven with THD < 1%
Distortion: <.05% 20Hz to 20KHz 1dB below rated output

The Yamaha is:
THD: 1% @ 1kHz, 50W output (SPEAKER L/R); 0.5% @20Hz--20kHz, +14dBu 10kOhm (MONITOR OUT, REC OUT)
150W+150W/6 ohms @10% THD at 1kHz (SPEAKER L/R) 100W+100W/6 ohms @1% THD at 1kHz (SPEAKER L/R) ±15dB

The difference in the amps is significant enough to get me to consider the upgrade.  The difference in signal to noise ratio and other specs warrant investigation as well.

There are others out there as well that are similar to these two setups.  The Peavey Escort 2000 comes to mind.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not down on your recommendation, it may be a good choice for this solution.  I do recommend you try to listen to them before you buy if at all possible though.  I'd also make sure you buy from a place with a good return policy in case it doesn't work well with the room you put it in (assuming it's in a house).

For software look at http://mtu.com/basics/karaoke-hosterlite.htm this is an entry grade Program it rips, compresses, and plays your Karaoke for less than $90.00 Hard to beat at that price. I have been using their products now for 2 years, and love it.

_________________
______________________________________
I'm Not Dead yet...... But every day Im getting Closer !