This thread was at the suggestion of Jimbo55. The idea is to list various retailers where DJ's can obtain a demo of sound & lighting equipment. Please post your local suggestions below.

Don't forget to include yourself, if you are willing to demonstrate items of your own gear to other members!.

Cookies in Tunstall do a pretty good lights demo. They close the blinds, get some smoke pumped, play some music - of your choice, if you take something with you - and go through all the lights in turn. You can ask for combinations, singles, etc.

For good Lighting Demo room I can recommend Terralec Nr Southend Essex.

Jimbo

Essex DJ in Colchester have a good demo room, Dave & Dave are a real bunch of Diamond geezers too.

TR MUSIC in Stafford street, Walsall. Purpose built demo room with loads of kit on view. 01922 613101.

Closed Thursday & Sunday.

Guilford sound and light have most of the DJ gear set up ready to use...

anyone is welcome to come visit me for demos of the gear I use, details are on my web site...

I can also arrange Demos of Proel / FBT / ALto gear at Proel in south london for anyone looking to buy one of there sound systems...

Orchard House, in Devon. Loads of kit there to look at.


Orchard House

Can we stay on topic?

Ok, there used to be an excellent place where quite a few Mobile Djs used to gather and watch the light shows in awe, listen to all types of disco speakers, demo the gear, hands on stuff, etc, etc.

But that place used to be called PLASA.

When I was repping, which feels like a lifetime ago, the following were good:

Portsmouth Sound and lighting
Dave Seamer, Oxford
Matthews Birmingham
TSR in Coventry
Images in Livingstone
NJD in nottingham
Sparks near manchester
Zelma in South Wales

There was also shops, which I can't remember the names of in:
Litherland
Glasgow
Southampton
Sunderland
Farnborough
Shrewsbury
Rhyl

The above are all the ones that made reps a coffee and therefore deserved a mention. All had loads of stuff on display.

Sorry for any i have inadvertantly missed off!!

Living in a town there is no such venue to view/listen to gear. I suppose it a city type thing?

I used to go to B & S sound & Light which was in Old Swan , Liverpool.

Spire Leisure can arrange a lighting demo - call in any time!

Also, Andrew has generously offered bulk-order deals and other discounts to DJsUnited and DJ Associate members on products......top man.

For example, call about the 4 pack I solution I-move 5s Moving Heads, DMX, controller and link leads, lamps deal

Please contact Andrew at Spire Leisure on 01722 742222
www.spireleisure.com

DSC Sound and Lighting in Dunstable.
They are really good in there, have the lastest Sound and Lighting equipment all setup. Lighting shows are given, pump of smoke and away you go!!

The Entertainment house In Lacey Green is really good.
After going to Mobile DIsco show couple of months ago visited there as was accross the road.
CR Entertainment Shop
They even have an online shop.

Soundcontrol in Milton Keynes Xscape is pretty good, hands on testing for yourself.
Soundcontrol Milton Keynes Xscape



Nathan

Dj Supplies in Kidderminster, Worcs. have a great demo area, the staff have always been helpful when i've been there as well.

P&L Sound and Lighting

This shop is in Scarborough. They bring down the shutters turns on the smoke turns up the music and you can really get a good idea what is going on.

Anne

in somerset area there is:

amazon - brigewater
K F gregson - taunton
pro sound and light- exter
S W sound and light - exter

all good, and are more than happy to go outa thei way to display etc...

Elliott

ESP in Newbury are pretty good... don't make you feel like an idiot in there either...

the website is www.djkit.co.uk i think there's a video of the shop in there too...

i know them quite well cos my mate used to run the clothes shop next door.

(nice kebab shop the other side too!!.. MMmmm!)

Anywhere in Lancashire worth a mention...

I only know West Coast Radio and Stagebox (did me work experience there) demo gear...

Anyone know of anywhere in Devon?
I use South West Sound & Light, Cockwood, If I need anything but the place is a bit cramped for decent equipment tests, although I've always found the staff very willing to help where possible.

I would particularly urge buyers of sound systems to 'demo' stuff in a venue if at all possible, if you're spending a fortune it may pay to hire a set for a weekend, listen to another disco or go to a pub that has them installed. Maybe we could include venues that have popular sound systems?

fabtronic.co.uk in Northampton always have gear on demo.

Another one is HTFR.com (Hard To Find Records) in Birmingham.

Evening Guys

Electromarket.co.uk, Thames Road in Barking (Mad), off A13 (londoners)

Just ask for Jay or Kam, both will bend over backwards to demo and assist in new equipment, and will also give good prices even if they don;t stock it they will source

Cheers

J

FOr PA, some of the Digital Village Stores have reasonable facilities. It might need a call to the store in advance to arrange what you want to hear. No use for lighting tho. :-(

i will second that, Great service, very friendly,

Does Maplins Demo?!

Maplins - not in my experience, depends where u are in the country really. You far from Newtown Powys? Try Mid Wales Music they've been helpful with me in the past.

Fabtronnc in northamptopn have always been good for hire and demo's. + friendly service.

I've bought a few things from Ipswich Disco Supplies in Ipswich (suprisingly ), Suffolk. The owner is very helpful and has always demo'd everything for me (last things I was looking at were lasers - demo'd complete with smoke and tunes).
They are in the process of moving to larger premises but can be found at www.ipswichdiscosupplies.co.uk (or com ?)

Glenn.

My regular haunt is dj superstore in southend (45mins away :-( )
They are open Saturdays until 5pm, and have pretty good stock, so if you're North/East of M25, worth a visit.

They are always happy to demo gear - and have a separate room with sound and lighting gear- happy to crack open the music and add a little smoke.


Jason

Guildford Sound & Light

I can highly recommend Glasgow Sound Centre (in ... well you guessed it) Glasgow. They have they're full range of gear ready to demo & the guys in there are extremely helpful.

This is the place I use as I live in Dunstable with over 30 years of experience. DSC Sound and Lighting

Also check them out on facebook.

There is Electo Music in Doncaster, they've got a small demo room that's packed with loads of stuff, get it down really dark, pump a bit of smoke in and show you whatever they have rigged up.

If they're not got it rigged up, they'll usually be able to take a light out of it's box and show you it anyway.

Hi All

Sorry to disapoint Kingsy but TSR in Coventry are no more Was a sham,e because I demo'd a fair bit of kit with them and ended up with my speakers and other bits and bobs from them.

There is a rumour that a new kid in town with demo facilities will soon beup and running they are lightco design and can be found at lightco.co.uk if anyone should fancy a look, just tell them I sent you

And if anyone should wish a demo on any of the lights I currently run your more than welcome to drop by and take a look!

Acme Impossiled
Acme Miracled
Acme Dynaroll
Acme Dynatwin x2
American DJ Mystic x2
Acme CF-805 LED Bars x2
Acme RGB192 Strobe Panels/colour changers x4
Couple of Acme LED pinspots
Soundlab 90 lense 500w things (forget what they are called but similar to the Alligator)
Acme Duets x2

And soon to have an

American DJ Revo 4
Mystic Laser to the kit too!

If I can find room in the car!

DJ/PA Retailers in Scotland (that I've used);

Kenny's Music - Dunfermline/Dundee (RCF's Scottish dealers).
DJ Store - Aberdeen.
Victor Morris - Glasgow.
Red Dog Music - Edinburgh.
Images Entertainment Superstore - Livingston.
KLS Entertainment (DJdepot.co.uk) - Falkirk.

One that I would NOT recommend is Pegasus S&L (Edinburgh).
Long story short; they were supposed to carry out a simple repair on my (now redundant) Denon DN-X1500 mixer... and in the end I had to get a whole new mixer.