DJ E.Rich

2nd half of the video set from Friday

Finally done rendering/uploading the 2nd half of my video set from Friday. Honestly, I like this part much better. It’s just shy of another 2 hours. Check it out and leave me some feedback. Enjoy.

http://vimeo.com/33322944

looking for some custom decks?

time for a little shameless promotion for my buddy chris.  he and i worked together for years in the custom car audio industry and did the unthinkable to everything from buicks to bentleys.  that “modifying” bug carried over to most everything else we were into.  computers, apartments, couches…you name it.  about 4 years ago he decided that my traditional 1200s were boring and needed a little “flair”…

covers were widely available for the 1200s but they fit wonky and looked cheesy.  lots of people stripped them down and painted the top plates.  after concurring that neither of those options sounded particularly appealing, chris had the crazy idea to take my decks all apart and wrap the tops in suede.  red suede to be exact.  the same red suede that they use in ferrari interiors to be precise.

so, after lots of trepidation and prep time, we undertook the project.  approximately 12 hours of work later, this was the finished product.

they were an instant hit when i started using them around town at my various gigs.  some dug the style.  others viewed it as an excuse to cover up my lack of skills on them.  somewhere in the middle lies the truth.  since then, a few other local cats have hit me up about modifying their decks. 

the homie DJ Tyme was the first to have his tables modified.  he went a little extreme and had it done with a zebra fur fabric.  here’s how it looked.

pretty wild.  crazy in person.  after that the homie Max Percy had his first set of decks done in a color scheme that he picked out.  he’s all about loud and flashy.  he wanted paint instead of fabric.  here’s his first set.

like most DJ’s, Max is a collector of turntables and picked up a 2nd set that he wanted modified.  this time he elected to go with a tiffany blue motif with upgraded white led’s and a custom painted white platter. 

they certainly met his criteria of flashy and loud.

if you want any more information about these or would like to have yours modified, hit up my boy Chris over at his website http://www.revolution-wi.com and talk to him about your options.

i really should start charging him a finder’s fee for new clients. 

Review: AiAiAi TMA-1 Headphones

alright…well since i broke my fibula and managed to completely shred my ankle, I’m on a 6 week forced vacation.  in between watching the west wing (how did i miss this years ago?) and working on music, i decided to do a review on my newest set of headphones. 

Here are the AiAiAi TMA-1 Headphones in all of their glory.

From their website (http://www.aiaiai.dk/all-products/tma-1.html):

The TMA-1 headphone has been tested and tweaked by the world’s most skilled DJs, designed by Danish design firm KiBiSi and further developed in cooperation with Tartelet Records, Mannhandle and Thank You For Clapping.

I’ve been a faithful user of the Sony MDR-V700s for the last 6 years.  Unfortunately, I fell victim to the same problem that countless users of these cans have since they’ve been released.  My hinge broke and the headphones no longer sat on my head properly.  This is the shameful achilles’ heel of an otherwise fantastic set of headphones.  They’re loud, they have above average sound quality, and, in spite of their hinge, are built pretty solid.  But, alas, mine broke and I wasn’t willing to drop another $150 for something with a noticeably faulty design.  Couple that with the fact that I’m a tech nerd and love new toys, I set out to find my newest set of headphones.

Let me start with some background info.  I spin a minimum of 3 nights a week and regularly do 4-5 nights in any given week (well, at least until god smote my ankle and decided it was time for a break…pun intended).  I carry all of my gear in a very large Ogio TY video bag.  My bag consists of a Oddyssey LStand-M, a UDG Serato 12” binder, 15-20 assorted records, 3 sets of cartridges, my Novation Dicers, a microphone, and several adapters, cables, microfiber cloths, and iphone chargers.  Last but not least, my trusty cans are tucked away nicely among that 30-40 lbs of dj tools.

I stored my Sony’s in a UDG headphone bag that kept them nicely protected and compact in transport.  Unfotunately, the TMA-1s do not collapse so it rendered my fancy UDG bag useless.  The TMA-1s come with a simple zippered bag that hold my headphones as well as my cable and right-angle adapter.  After 2 months of being carried in this overpopulated bag, I have seen absolutely no signs of wear or tear to my precious new ear candy.

Here’s a pic of the bag that comes with it as well as the detachable cable.

Speaking of the detachable cable, it’s one of my favorite features of these headphones.  The cable and the pads are both replaceable.  The cable has a standard 1/8” pin on one end and a threaded one on the other to attached the included 1/4” adapter securely.  A straight cable is available as well for approximately $20.  Turntablelab.com routinely has them in stock. 

Here’s where it plugs in to the headphones.

And here’s a pic of the headphone cup removed,

My conclusion:
These headphones are fantastic for the mobile DJ or the stylish cat trying to fly under the radar.  They sound fantastic.  Very strong low end without being needlessly boomy.  Highs are crisp and present without the shrill, ear-fatiguing nuances of the overpriced Beats By Dre line.  They feel kind of flimsy out of the box, but in playing with them frequently, I’m happy to report that they’re actually very sturdy.  They isolate very well; especially given the fact that their cups are a bit smaller than most of the leading brands out there.  The price tag is $199 and might be a bit steep for a lot of folks who are only looking for a set of cans and aren’t discerning users.  Hipsters will scoff at their minimalist matte black appearance and lack of pomp and circumstance.  Music aficionados will rejoice about their light weight and faithful reproduction of sound.

Got any questions about them?  Feel free to hit me up via email.
contact at dje-rich dot com 

All Vinyl Bangarang BDay Set Is Up!

yes yes y’all…i’m finally done cleaning up the mix from my birthday party and got it uploaded.

Here’s the lineup in order:

DJ Deadbeat
DJ Contact
DJ JBahr
Chris V
DJ Jimmy Cababa
DJ Goose

and yours truly. 

It’s all live.  There is some colorful language used. (Sorry.  i had a few too many shots and far too much access to the mic)

Enjoy.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/867125191acf6956/