MP3 Technology

The digital music explosion that started about a decade ago, and has made the MP3 audio format the standard for portable recreational music listenining, has redefined and revolutionized the way we purchase, store, listen to, and enjoy our favorite music.  The abundance of digital music sources, as well as the decreasing costs of the technology itself, have made this technology available to us all. 

MP3-based music technology certainly has a lot to offer the average music consumer.  The players are getting ever-smaller and more convenient (I have 16 hours of music on an iPod Shuffle that is less than half-the-size of my thumb!), the mass-storage capacity of them is mind-boggling, and best of all, you can choose and download the songs you WANT without buying an entire cd of “filler” that comes with it.

We all know the advantages, but all of this does come at a price.   

MP3 is a compression format that compresses audio files to allow for smaller file-size, quicker download times, etc.  It is by far the most widely used compression format around, and unfortunately, it is also the harshest compression format around. 

To accomplish file compression, there is a good deal of degradation to the overall sound quality that results from parts of the audio signal that are “lost” or literally “thrown out” by the format as it compresses the audio files. You can take all of the precausions you like, including selecting the highest "bit-rate" or "sample-rates" for converting your files, but the degredation is there none-the-less.  This can be seen by noting that the most typical bit-rates (number of units of encoded data per second of sound) ranges from 128-320 kilobits-per-second.  Some rates used are higher, some lower.  Generally, the higher the bit-rate that is used, the better the sound quality that results.  Uncompressed cd-audio, however, uses a bit-rate of 1411.2 kilobits-per-second.  It is no surprise then, that MP3 audio is nowhere near on-par with cd-audio when it comes to sound reproduction, even if using the highest bit-rate available to you (typically 320).

While the degradation in quality might not be noticeable to the average consumer, or if it is, may be a trade-off they are willing to make for the convenience of the technology, the fact of the matter is that an inferior-sounding product results.  While the overall difference may not be as apparent to the non-discerning ear through headphones, computer speakers, or even car stereo systems, it becomes quite obvious through a professional-grade sound system - one that is designed to accurately and faithfully reproduce the audio signal going into it.

"Digi-dj's"

The use of MP3 players like iPods or even a laptop by a disc jockey that allows him to “rip” or "burn" his music collection from cd's into MP3 files has all of the same benefits it does for the average consumer, but it also has the same downfall - an inferior sounding product. It saves him time, space, makes programming easier and quicker, and allows him to not have to lug around hundreds of cds at a time and the audio-equipment needed to play them.  It also allows services to boast of libraries containing tens-of-thousands - even HUNDERDS-of-thousands of songs.  We realize that at a typical 4 hour wedding reception, only about 75-80 songs are going to played, so we strive for quality over quantity any day. 

It's not about having the most songs, its about having the right songs. 

One of the most beneficial aspects of a dg using a "digital system" (as if cd's aren't digital), is the ability to quickly find selections in a large music library and have them ready for play in an instant.  Rightfully so, "digi-dj's" often use this as a marketing point and try to sell the fact that they don't have to go searching through tons of cd's, and it is often implied that a dj using cd's is incapable of quickly finding selections, and that they in fact "fumble" through their collection.  This is only an issue if the dj using cd's is not organized and does not have their library catalogued in a way that allows them to find selections quickly. 

The fact of the matter is that any quality dj is actually programming their music in real-time based upon different variables, including the demographic of the crowd present, the size and demographic of the people currently dancing, and the nature and overall direction and flow of the event itself.  The dj that is taking these things into consideration is (again, if they are a quality dj) always programming their music in the form of "sets," or certain groups of songs that go together or flow into one another and make transitions into different types of sets or have different dynamics.  Because they are programming this way, the quality dj is always thinking ahead by at least a few songs, if not several.  Because of this, they will have their next few selections lined up and ready to go ahead of time.  This kind of forethought on the part of the quality dj makes the impressive ability to find and queue a song in 2.5 seconds flat not-so-necessary for a successful event.  While the searching ability of digital players is handy, and is a convenience for sure, the overall impact on an event is negligible, if even present at all, if you are using a quality dj.

It does need to be said in defense of a rare few that some services actually do use digital files in a lossless audio format, and these providers are taking the care, time, and expense to provide you with high-quality digital audio.  Hopefully more dj's will go this route in the future, but the sad fact is that many dj's just don't see or hear the difference in audio-formats, and almost as many download music illegally - and MP3 is king in this arena.

Bottom Line:

So when you are considering disc-jockeys using cds, and others using MP3’s, don’t fall for the temptation of letting “the latest technology” sway your decision.  “The latest” doesn’t always mean “the greatest."  Truth of the matter is that digital music technology is in it's infancy.  The current technology definitely has its place, but that place is not in the setup of a professional service who's job is to provide you with the satisfaction that comes from enjoying the best musical experience and product possible. 

Anyone can set up a playlist in i-Tunes and hit play.  Do you honestly want to hire someone for a premium to do exactly what you do yourself every weekend at home?   Sounds To Go proudly offers you the highest-quality sound around coming from a legally purchased cd collection that is not simply the result of an i-Tunes account and a wireless internet connection, but is rather the result of a labor of love, and a passion for providing you your favorite music at the best sound-quality available. 

"Digi-dj's" using almost exclusively the MP3 format have a lot of time, money, and effort invested in what they bring to your event, and even the ones who will admit openly the difference in audio-quality will always follow up the admission with "but MP3's sound 'good enough,' and no one is going to notice or care anyway."  While it may be true that John Q Public might not notice a difference, that difference is still there to be heard by those with a discerning ear.  For Sounds To Go, "good enough" is simply NOT good enough, and the quality of sound you receive at your event is NOT up for negotiation, and is not something we are willing to “trade-off” for our own convenience. 

In conclusion, please don't ditch your cd collection for a hard drive full of MP3 files yet, and please think twice about hiring a disc jockey service for your special event that has already ditched theirs.  If going with a "digital dj" be sure they are using true cd-quality lossless file formats.

What about the "iPod Wedding?"

In the spirit of "if you can't beat 'em, join em," and to capitalize on the digital-trend, some services have started to offer "do-it-yourself" packages for weddings and other events where they will rent you the sound equipment needed to play at your event and all you have to provide is an iPod loaded with some tunes.  Sounds like an attractive proposition at first, especially for the price-conscious.

Unfortunately this new trend is anything but the great deal it sounds like, especially if you are doing a wedding.  The "automated dj" and its attractiveness stem from the misconception that all a wedding dj does is "play music."  If that were the case, this would indeed be a fine substitute and would provide a cost-effective alternative to hiring a dj.

A quality wedding dj does so much more.  A quality wedding dj is an event planner/coordinator, sound engineer, MC and event host, crowd motivator, and more.  They will add personality to your procedings and will make sure that your reception and the events within it flow smoothly according to plan, and that they are memorable and emotionally charged.  

This is all in addition to the role of "dj" that people associate him/her with - i.e., "just playing music.".  Even assuming a dj does just "play some music," an iPod is a less than adequate replacement because it cannot mix music on the fly, take requests, change music styles based on crowd response, or, for that matter, even guarantee a consistent volume level from track-to-track.  Nevermind the fact that MP3's are simply an inferior-sounding alternative to cd-based music, regardless of the bit-rate used to convert them.  The mass media has done its part to make the iPod wedding a "cost-effective" alternative for couples on a budget, but the fact remains that it is not a substitute at all. 

Your dj is quite often the first vendor to arrive at your event, and is more often than not the last vendor to leave.

Whatever your budgetary considerations for your event, don't make the mistake of assuming that a quality dj "just plays music."  Your event will benefit from his/her presence and talents in more ways than you are aware of, and considering all the hats that a quality wedding dj wears and all the roles they help fill, their services are a worthwhile investment whatever the cost may be.