So how did I get into the sound system?

A friend asked my via e-mail, "BTW, when did you get into ... sound products?" I decided that this was a story worth blogging.

Last year (2004) about this time Lent was almost here and Mel Gibson was releasing his movie "The Passion of the Christ" with an opening on Ash Wednesday. My Knights of Columbus Council managed to arrange a special pre-release showing of the movie on Monday evening two days before it opened. The original plan was to have a clergy-led discussion of the movie immediately following the movie. The theatre wanted about $1000 to hook a microphone into their sound system. I looked into renting a PA system and the rental company wanted $120 to rent one (and I wasn't confident that it would be big enough for the theatre). Both of these prices seemed outrageously high (at the time) so I went out and spent well over $3000 (probably closer to $4000 at the time and nearing $5000 now with all of the extras that I've picked up) on my own sound system with visions of renting it out and making money. The Lady Ann is still waiting for me to demonstrate profitability but it has gotten me into some interesting places that I would not have been at otherwise.

So, introspect, it would have been much better (at this point) to my families bottom line to have rented the $120 PA or even paid the $1000 to use the theatre's sound system. But I didn't. I have also learned that buying a PA system is much like buying a pickup. You're not sure what you would use it for when you buy it but as soon as you do everyone want's to borrow it. I am so in the hole financially on this and there are so many more parts I want to buy (sub woofers, cordless lapel mics, etc) that it does cause some friction betweent he Lady Ann and I on a somewhat regular basis (maybe if I stopped looking at those sound gear catalogs?).

So if you know someone that needs a DJ or a PA for a special event let me know.

Mike