Choosing Your Karaoke Set Up

7/24/08

Setting up a Karaoke Business

My karaoke business is a little different from others because I am specializing in mainly R&B Hip Hop and Motown style music.  I figure that’s a pretty good target area for my DJ business.  I still have mainstream karaoke as well because a dj has to be versatile.

Karaoke Players

Now there are mainly two ways you can do karaoke; from a laptop or from a karaoke player (which plays cdg discs).   If you do a laptop style setup you are going to need a computer with a good amount of memory on it.  You also don’t want a lot of other stuff running on your computer if you are using it for karaoke.  I would actually dedicate a laptop just to karaoke.  One good program I read about is called CompuHost.  It costs about $180 bucks but from my research I believe its one of the best.  You can check it out here.  Mind you, I never used it, I just read about it.  Instead of using CDG’s you would use digital files of the song which would display onto a screen. 

I personally decided to go with a stand alone karaoke cdg/dvd player.  There are many varieties and name brands.  Just make sure you do your research and find a good quality player.  Don’t waste your money on cheap players because you will end up paying more in the long run to replace it.  You can buy a single disc unit or a multi disc unit. I decided to go with a DVD/CDG player so I can play movies or DVDS on my screens.

They also make all-in-one unts, but these are mostly targeted towards home setups not mobile.

 

Monitors

LCD Monitor

Karaoke manufacturers make monitors especially for karaoke systems, but I recommend going with a  flat screen,  it just looks better and more modern.  Computer LCD monitors are cheaper than TV LCD monitors, but if you use a computer monitor (which usually has a VGA connection) make sure that it is compatible to hook up with your equipment.  Before buying your system make sure you check the connections on everything (player, monitor, mixer, speakers) to make sure they are compatible.

Microphones

Wireless Microphone

Don’t skimp on your microphones.  You can go wireless or use a mic and mic stand.  If wireless, a cheap system will drop out while the person is singing, which will make you look bad.  Make sure you invest in a good quality microphone system. I can’t stress that enough.

Mixers

If you are going with multiple monitors, a karaoke mixer with video outputs/inputs is a good choice so you can switch between screens.  Otherwise, a basic mixer with microphone inputs should be fine.

Speakers

I would go with powered speakers, that way you don’t have to buy an additional amp and there is less to carry.  There are many online music stores that sell powered speakers, so just do your research and read reviews to choose the set that suits you the best.