help with the wedding! We need music solutions

[Starbuccaneer]

I need some help. The wedding is in 3 months. We’re starting to dig into all the nitty gritty details. One of the things that is my responsibility is music. I’m on top of what to play. Need help on how to play it. We’re using an ipod, a set playlist, and a friend whose job it keeping others away from it and also helping us with any problems that arise. We’ll have a back up ipod with the same playlist just in case.

We’re getting hitched at a historic home, so they do not have sound equipment for us to use. The reception will be under an outdoor tent (has optional walls so we are good in case of rain or cold). The tent can accommodate up to 100 people and we plan to have 70.

Last week we asked the event planners about companies to rent sound equipment from, since we read on various wedding blogs that this is a good way to go in our situation. They told us, though, that the last few weddings they’ve done at this particular home have used nice, higher end ipod docks with speakers. Advantages: fewer people to tip, buying something means you get to keep it at the end–bonus wedding present from ourselves!, and one less thing to source a vendor for.

Anyone have suggestions for me on specific things to look at? Our sound equipment line in the budget was $350 so most things are in range.

Thanks, guys!

[bkitty]

I have the Sony CMTBX20i Micro Hi-Fi Shelf System and it has a nice, full sound.

I love it! Amazon has it for about $120.00.

[gwensdad2003]

Could you use a laptop instead of an ipod so you have a little more flexibility? Then route it though some sort of stereo system or amp or something with the right speakers?

[Starbuccaneer]

Could you use a laptop instead of an ipod so you have a little more flexibility? Then route it though some sort of stereo system or amp or something with the right speakers?

sure. What are your suggestions?

And Kitteh–thank you bunches!

[Default_Prophet]

http://www.amazon.com/Wilkins-Zeppelin-Mini-Docking-Speaker/dp/B002QQ7TLY/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1327549057&sr=1-2 Is apparently pretty good, 300$ at Bestbuy. B&W make high quality stuff and reviews of it are pretty favorable.

[dxf]

I know you said you have a firm grip on the playlist, but you can’t be too careful – so don’t forget this 'un:

//youtu.be/3PyLFzcTiYA

[gwensdad2003]

sure. What are your suggestions?

And Kitteh–thank you bunches!

That’s the problem, I can come up with the general idea but I’m not an expert on which hardware might work best or cheapest.
I’ve seen plenty of DJs around here just using laptops for the music, but then connecting to pro-level hardware. IF ONLY WE KNEW A DJ! (he said trying to summon Keir)

[Reg]

What a great idea to just have music playing in the background! I’ll never forget the asshole DJ who played KENNY G at our wedding reception instead of the Harry Connick Jr. I requested.

[Default_Prophet]

That’s the problem, I can come up with the general idea but I’m not an expert on which hardware might work best or cheapest.
I’ve seen plenty of DJs around here just using laptops for the music, but then connecting to pro-level hardware. IF ONLY WE KNEW A DJ! (he said trying to summon Keir)

Or Bkitty and The Hub

[Apollymy]

What a great idea to just have music playing in the background! I’ll never forget the asshole DJ who played KENNY G at our wedding reception instead of the Harry Connick Jr. I requested.

That would be justification for homicide.

[Apollymy]

Or Bkitty and The Hub

Yup, and if I remember correctly, they use an iPod.

[Keir]

Okay, we can certainly email-volley details on the item numbers and so forth, but Gwen’sDad’s suggestion on the versatility and stability of the laptop led into a fair-to-middling audio rig is going to be your best bet, and is actually not far off what a lot of smaller DJ setups will utilize. Being able to audio-out via your headphone jack will be more than sufficient, as it is a lossless stereo source, but the idea is to run it into something that serves to stereo-split and amplify the signal to a larger pair of speakers. The most obvious means is a little powered mixer and a pair of modest speakers (similar to what BKitty suggested), but being in a tent, outdoors, with 70 bodies, you might need a larger pair to ensure the sound doesn’t get absorbed/lost.

While I haven’t used this exact model, the good folks over at Musician’s Friend sell a rig that has a decent output (100w as opposed to 50w) and can be used later on in the home, patio, etc. with a variety of input sources. There are a few other all-in-one kits on that site as well, but this happens to be the price leader (as of this morning).

One note, regarding the connection/patch cables you use for anything – you get what you pay for. They’re the smallest piece of the overall cost of the setup, but are the FIRST thing to make the output sound less than perfect, which is what you two sexy thangs want and deserve!

[Starbuccaneer]

What a great idea to just have music playing in the background! I’ll never forget the asshole DJ who played KENNY G at our wedding reception instead of the Harry Connick Jr. I requested.

Woah. What Rach says:

That would be justification for homicide.

That man would be murdered and then I would euthanize someone in need and bribe that person’s ghost to haunt the DJ I murdered.

Okay, we can certainly email-volley details on the item numbers and so forth, but Gwen’sDad’s suggestion on the versatility and stability of the laptop led into a fair-to-middling audio rig is going to be your best bet, and is actually not far off what a lot of smaller DJ setups will utilize. Being able to audio-out via your headphone jack will be more than sufficient, as it is a lossless stereo source, but the idea is to run it into something that serves to stereo-split and amplify the signal to a larger pair of speakers. The most obvious means is a little powered mixer and a pair of modest speakers (similar to what BKitty suggested), but being in a tent, outdoors, with 70 bodies, you might need a larger pair to ensure the sound doesn’t get absorbed/lost.

While I haven’t used this exact model, the good folks over at Musician’s Friend sell a rig that has a decent output (100w as opposed to 50w) and can be used later on in the home, patio, etc. with a variety of input sources. There are a few other all-in-one kits on that site as well, but this happens to be the price leader (as of this morning).

One note, regarding the connection/patch cables you use for anything – you get what you pay for. They’re the smallest piece of the overall cost of the setup, but are the FIRST thing to make the output sound less than perfect, which is what you two sexy thangs want and deserve!

Excellent! Thank you much!

I have the Sony CMTBX20i Micro Hi-Fi Shelf System and it has a nice, full sound.

I love it! Amazon has it for about $120.00.

http://www.amazon.com/Wilkins-Zeppelin-Mini-Docking-Speaker/dp/B002QQ7TLY/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1327549057&sr=1-2 Is apparently pretty good, 300$ at Bestbuy. B&W make high quality stuff and reviews of it are pretty favorable.

Looking at both of these as well.

I know you said you have a firm grip on the playlist, but you can’t be too careful – so don’t forget this 'un:

//youtu.be/3PyLFzcTiYA

Ferris, Ferris, Ferris… you know me so well. It’s our first dance!

[Reg]

That would be justification for homicide.

We totally laugh about it now, but at the time it was NOT funny. There’s actually an image of me on our wedding video giving the DJ a go to hell look!

[Starbuccaneer]

We totally laugh about it now, but at the time it was NOT funny. There’s actually an image of me on our wedding video giving the DJ a go to hell look!

I bet that’s one of the best photos in your album just for the comedic value!

[Keir]

How’s your research coming on this, behbeh?