Help, am I responsible for these blown club speakers?
So, just played a “club” in NYC and about 30 minutes before the party was over the sound died. Turns out they are claiming that all 4 speakers blew. I was running traktor, through a traktor box and into their 3.5mm input because that was all we could manage to hook into. Their amp and such was limited at 50% or noon and we were not redlining.
They claim that all 4 speakers blew simultaneously and said it was $750 worth of damage… I am hardly a sound expert, but does this sound legitimate? I find it hard to believe that we could possibly kill 2 sets of speakers so easily and at once.
Just because the amps not clipping doesnt mean you couldnt blow the pa. The amp may have been rated higher than the speakers could handle and too much gain and distortion can cause serious damage. It screams of a badly setup PA though.
The best way to judge it is by the sound, you’ll notice when the subs are farting. Did it sound shit all night long? Or just for your set?
Did you redline the mixer all night?
I doubt all speakers would blow at once, if it all stopped simultaneously its more likely an amp has gone or you blew a fuse somewhere.
Also, considering you can get a "15 driver for well under the £100 mark you could fix all of them for half of what they say you owe.
It sounded fine all night, and then just all of a sudden, silence… we brought down rca cables but they had no rca in, like wtf. it was a pyle amp running 4 small like gallery speakers.
As for blown speakers, I would ask them to have the installer/sound engineer investigate before comming to the conclusion that you caused the problem.
For one, when we do installs we account for those types of things so they don’t happen. Even if you redlined the whole night you wouldn’t blow anything up. Plus, every piece of gear we bring is combined to optimize how the room will sound when its full of people.
The only reason I can see this happening in a club is if they DIY’d the install.
maybe there was a power surge that had nothing to do with you.
is there a contract stating you are responsible for equipment during your set? did they test all 4 speakers at the beginning of your set?
if they want you to be responsible for equipment, make sure to get paid accordingly.
Get a third party expert to look over the equipment. Some other sound engineer, hire him or whatever to look it over may cost you $ but you may find out you are in the clear. Ask them if you can hire a third party to look over it to determine if you are really at fault. Just say something along these line “My family lawyer asked me to get a third party sound engineer to look over the damaged and determine who is at fault and what caused the damage.”
That may scare them enough not to pursue. But be ready if they say yes.
a DJ gets paid to play music. in most cases, a DJ gets a flat fee. the club takes all the risks and they stand to make all the money. part of the risk is blown speakers.
If they have an amplifier or some such which is limited and not accessible to you, there’s no way that you can be responsible for blowing their speakers.
Tell them to fuck off (but don’t say it like that), don’t even think about letting them pressure you into giving them any money. You are not responsible for their sound system or incompetence and they have no ground to stand on by making you pay it.