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I'm pretty impressed with the setup I've been able to put together. I have two amps but most of my speakers except for the subs are active. My problem is that my 1000W amp has a good DSP where my 2000W amp is pretty basic. So I keep both and use the 1000W in smaller venues and 2000W when I need a bit more volume (mostly outdoors).

So when I put together my rack, I've got both amps mounted. I use an XR18 for a mixer and that's at the bottom. I've got a WiFi that's been modded to work as a client/bridge so that my gear has it's own network, but it can still connect to the venue's WiFi for Internet. And I mounted a good USB hub and have installed a USB to DMX as well.

I put in a power conditioner and I bought the Neutrik PowerCon (http://www.neutrik.com/en/audio/powercon/powercon-20-a/) connectors so that my active speakers can get their power and signal plugged into nearly the same spot. I bought a 50' extension cord, cut off both ends, and put the PowerCon on one end and the standard C13 connector on the other end. Then I put it together with a 50' mic cable and 50' Speakon and put all three wires into a cable sleeve so it's kind of like one big wire or snake. Since I sometimes work with bands that need monitors, I also made a 25' version without the speakon cable (https://goo.gl/photos/WJMi8ipqJpFFkjok7)

So basically, I have the XR18 and all of it's input/outputs. It's also connected to the USB hub. Above the mixer is a panel where I custom installed the DMX output, speakon connectors that relay to the back of the amps, and all the PowerCon connectors.

The rack itself I picked up on Craigslist for dirt cheap. I was debating buying one where the door turns into a table that attaches to the side but the rack I got has the door sized so it can sit on top and turn into the perfect table size at the perfect height for the controller and laptop.

For some reason I don't have good pictures of the finished product. This photo was while I was still adding connectors to that panel, but you can see the power conditioner that runs to the blue PowerCon to receive power. And if I update later with more pictures, that blue connector now has 6 white connectors next to it for speaker outputs. This photo is one I took while I was in the process of mounting/organizing this thing.

Here's what it looks like on stage

If anyone's interested in seeing the rack from the front now that it's "finished", I'll try to send more pictures later.

Ahh, lighting control. Amazing results, pain in the ass to get there...

As the others have said, DMX can help you control your lights. Simple DMX controls and programs are fairly simple to do using a controller, like an obey10. Wash lighting, simple programs for slow songs, etc., these are all awesome to do, and give the night that much more appeal. But, there's more work to be done. Addressing your lights, wiring up the DMX (or spending more on wireless dmx) creating programs, etc.

If you want some control but this seems daunting, get something like this to control lighting on/off (http://www.amazon.com/American-Pc-100A-Mount-Power-Switcher/dp/B0002GL50Q) as a start. Great for cheap lasers, moonflowers, etc.

Obey10 is a good starter controller if you have more than par cans to wire up. If all you have are pars, then an obey 4 is suffcient.

If you really wanna go all out, get an OpenDMX USB controller, and download QLC+, which is open source. This is controller is a couple hundred, but allows you to do full programming in QLC+. This is the most complex you'll wanna go for a mobile rig, I would think. With this, you can create programs, then control them from a lighting laptop, or even setup TouchOSC and control it remotely with your phone... all sorts of cool, but time-consuming things.

You can get as complicated as you'd like when it comes to lighting... If your clients like what you're doing, keep doing it. If you want to step it up in looks, but keep it simple, do your parcans with a simple Obey4 and control them only, then put the rest on sound active with a simple power-switcher...

My 2 cents. Fully-programmed lights make it awesome, but you'll suffer at setup time...

Thanks Johnnie!

I actually bought, installed, and used for a season one of those AKG wireless mics at the football pressbox. Thing had a range of about 300 feet. It was fantastic. I love the idea of one with two wireless mics for only a few bucks more!

Is a controller overkill to start with? I wasn't planning on really mixing songs and scratching or pressing hotbuttons for samples or anything... I had envisioned. All the videos I can find of folks with controllers are doing ... a lot, it seems. I was mostly thinking about fading in one song while fading up another, with some DJ software to help me accomplish that. Then again, I have no damned clue what I'm talking about so don't think I'm being stubborn. Is this Pioneer DDJ-SX2 controller overkill? In the pressbox, my simple setup was this Yamaha G06GX 6-channel mixer where I used Line 1 for a wired mic (Shure SM58S), Line 2 for the AKG wireless mic, and Line 3 for an 3.5mm aux input usually hooked up to an iPhone or a laptop. I used a labelmaker to label the inputs and such, and it worked pretty well. I'd obviously like a decent setup for controlling the volume of different inputs, but I just don't understand controllers and the whole CDJ thing.
I'm also open to something "cool" where I can perhaps control some of the settings via an iOS app to tune the speakers or adjust the volume remotely, if I were across the room or something.

Is GuitarCenter a decent place to go and check out speakers and such? Are warranties worth jack on speakers? I don't mind spending some money up front, as this is an investment, but I'm afraid of making a mistake and having to "rebuy" equipment because I decided poorly in the first place. From an outsider's view, I'd assume that Yamahas are great because I've heard the name, I own one of their motorcycles, and their price is slightly higher which I could (perhaps wrongly) assume means it's high quality. What do you think? Is a DBR12 at $500 or a DXR12 at $700 worthwhile? Should I get the cheaper ones but pony up for a sub?

Thanks in advance, again!

I used this coffin, and this stand.

Between the coffin and the NS7FX, Its over 100 lbs and sits on the stand very steadily. I take the top of the coffin and put it on the stand, and that makes a "table" to drape the cloth over. The NS7 in the coffin goes on top of that.

This setup is extremely stable, there is nowhere for anyone to put a drink, it looks super professional, and has the added bonus of taking up a lot less room in my car than a table.

Here's a pic of what the setup looks like from the side. At this gig. there was a table there already, and I used it to set my monitor and lighting controller on. I was on a stage here, so I didn't have to worry about a drink being set on my stand. Normally I would put my monitor and lighting controller on the stand with the laptop, and it keeps my area pretty secure.

Middle school dances are a great idea, find out which ones coordinate events and reach out. Basically anything and everything to get you gigs are going to be very valuable starting out. As far as weddings and your image goes, don't try to be 40 before you're 40. What I mean by that is that it's OK to not look or sound like a wedding DJ when you first start out.. because you aren't yet! Be presentable, hone fantastic customer service and polish your image over time.

As far as gear goes, facades are not necessary, and neither are lights. All of my weddings so far have been done with a $40 height adjustable fold-up table a clean black table cloth. You'll just have to spend an extra 10-15 minutes before each event ensuring that everything is tidy and your cables are clean, etc. For lights, half of my weddings haven't even had lights. Either it was a day gig or it didn't fit the venue. Sure it's a way you can add money to your bottom line but you absolutely don't need lights, half the time they just add headache to each gig trying to deal with the setup and all the cables.

You don't need a mixer, a 4-ch controller will suffice. If you purchase new, most times they come with software. A wired mic is fine to begin with because it works and its cheap, once you begin charging veteran rates it will be expected that you have a wireless system. I currently use these.

Speakers are basically all going to be the same within price classes. Most 12" speakers priced from $6-800 will be comparable, as will speakers priced $4-500. I've been rocking a pair of JBL PRX635's, they are 3-way 15" speakers that have served me well on every gig, without a sub, that I've been on up to about 130 people. Personally my next set of speakers will probably be a pair of 12" RCF tops with their 15" sub.

I got the cables in yesterday and had a quick test before my house party. Results were stunning.

I plugged my bodypack transmitter into my mixer out with the XLR to Shure TA4 cable and put the receiver by my speaker. I used the IEC to NEMA piggyback cable to still use the one speaker power cable. I scanned for the best channel and got the bodypack to match just like I was doing a lapel mic setup.

At the mixer I got the wired speaker working, then I turned on the wireless speaker. I'm using EV ZLX-12P speakers so the wired speaker gain was set to unity, and I toyed around with the wireless speaker gain. Because I'm putting a line level signal in the microphone system it was really boosted. I ended up putting the gain to about 1/2 (9 o'clock position). I messed around some with the gain on the bodypack transmitter, but opted to leave it alone since I use the lapel function more often.

What ended up happening is when I turned up the main level at the mixer the wireless speaker would lag behind a bit since the gain was set lower than unity. I was also able to pan left to right to adjust the level of either speaker (I had the wired plugged into left and the wireless plugged into right). I did experiment setting the wireless gain to unity and use the pan to adjust the levels, but that didn't give me much playing room.

Overall the wireless speaker will be playing at the same volume when I start out with low volume music, but when I crank it later in the night the main speakers will be louder. This isn't a big deal for me since I want to use the wireless speaker in a dining room and it will be OK to be lower.

The distance between the transmitters was only about 15 feet and went through my kitchen wall with a microwave and oven in the way. No issues over this short distance. When I first got my lapel system I tested it in my backyard and went about 200 feet into the woods and had no issues with audio dropout. I expect similar results with the mixer as the sound source.

This weekend I'll give it a trial run by putting the wireless speaker under a table for music in another room. I also have some wedding gigs coming up later this month I can try it at a venue. The only downside is the bodypack is battery powered only. I'll have to watch the LED for it to light up red indicating the batteries are low. So far this has been the best $30 investment ever.

I haven't attempted outdoor lighting yet but I can imagine this would be a fair amount of work, especially without a structure. I wonder if you could use the TS-99B stands with a bracket on top to hold them up around a perimeter? Or maybe pipe/drape poles and base plates. Zigzag over the audience? I don't know how you'd do that due to the weight. For reference, I put these up on the pergola behind my house and they are really nice... https://www.amazon.com/Outdoor-Commercial-Dimmable-Weatherproof-Connectable/dp/B01LYXQYU5/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1517583818&sr=8-13&keywords=outdoor+string+lights

I bought them at Home Depot under the Hampton Bay brand. But they are rather heavy. I have them supported by small hooks at every bulb which was a little overkill but it's a permanent install. You'd need stands fairly close together or cabling like Kameix1 mentioned to support the weight. Pricing doesn't sound terrible at around $650 but the liability has me on edge.

This is the set I’ve been working with.

I bought them when I was short on cash and I needed better speakers and didn’t want spend the money I had on a mic.

Never had an issue, but I’m sure something would happen sometime and I’m always sure the Shure mics have much better sound.

I have a similar set up and from my mixer to speaker I go 1/4 TRS to XLR. I've been really happy with these cords from lyxpro. I use 25ft

LyxPro 1/4” TRS to XLR Male Microphone Cable - 25 Ft - for Professional Microphones and Devices https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WZQRH5S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_X3v.Bb8ZS9216

By the way, the xenyx mic preamp is the reason I stay with this mixer. The clarity that comes with it is a 1000x better than a Mic from a controller.