Tips on buying quality Audio sound equipment
AMSTA Hyper Sounds is a household name in the mobile discotheque industry in Uganda. Its owner, DJ Alberto, is one of the few Ugandans, who ventured into the electronic sound business, importing modern discotheque and public address systems from UK, when the market was still virgin. <br>
By Alex Balimwikungu
AMSTA Hyper Sounds is a household name in the mobile discotheque industry in Uganda. Its owner, DJ Alberto, is one of the few Ugandans, who ventured into the electronic sound business, importing modern discotheque and public address systems from UK, when the market was still virgin.
Today, the market is awash with many suppliers of audio sound equipment,especially on Market Street, next to Nakasero Market. Sadly, few people know where, how and what to buy, when the prospect of starting a band or discothèque comes up.
Joyce Namwanja of New Way Electronics on Market Street, says it is very expensive for an individual to import audio sound equipment from manufacturers in UK, China, Holland, Japan or Germany.
She says established dealers, who import directly from the manufacturers, enjoy a concession and this translates into subsidised prices for the customers. Namwanja says there a high demand for audio sound equipment, the biggest clients being churches, schools, band groups, discothèques, hotels, bars and studios.
“Besides giving our customers the best quality, we are the sole distributors of Syktronic audio sound equipment in East Africa. We get orders from as far as DR Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania and Kenya,†she says Richard Mukalazi, a sound technician at the outlet, says most customers are ignorant about quality audio sound equipment.
“Most clients cannot tell the difference between outdoor (public address) and indoor (discotheque) equipment,†Mukalazi says.
He says those intending to buy audio outdoor equipment for bands and crusades, need a minimum of sh10m for a set. The package includes four speakers, two double basses, three amplifiers, a fully-connected table, compressor, graphic equaliser, mixer and a standard CD player.
However, indoor audio equipment is more expensive. Mukalazi says a minimum of four or more top range speakers, ranging between ‘12’ to ‘15’ inches are needed. These cost between sh600,000 to sh1.3m, backed by two twin basses at sh1.6m to sh2m.
“One also needs a consol with a mixer, a professional CD player, graphic equaliser, compressors, amplifiers, cross overs, disco lights, fog machines, karaoke mixers, headphones, etc which go anywhere between sh10m to sh25m.â€
James Bananuka a sound engineer with Norden Electronics admits that there are cheaper second-hand options and those locally-fabricated at Katwe, but he warns customers against buying such equipment.
“Customers should be careful. Second-hand machines could help for a while, but the spare parts are hard to come by.â€
AMSTA Hyper Sounds is a household name in the mobile discotheque industry in Uganda. Its owner, DJ Alberto, is one of the few Ugandans, who ventured into the electronic sound business, importing modern discotheque and public address systems from UK, when the market was still virgin.
Today, the market is awash with many suppliers of audio sound equipment,especially on Market Street, next to Nakasero Market. Sadly, few people know where, how and what to buy, when the prospect of starting a band or discothèque comes up.
Joyce Namwanja of New Way Electronics on Market Street, says it is very expensive for an individual to import audio sound equipment from manufacturers in UK, China, Holland, Japan or Germany.
She says established dealers, who import directly from the manufacturers, enjoy a concession and this translates into subsidised prices for the customers. Namwanja says there a high demand for audio sound equipment, the biggest clients being churches, schools, band groups, discothèques, hotels, bars and studios.
“Besides giving our customers the best quality, we are the sole distributors of Syktronic audio sound equipment in East Africa. We get orders from as far as DR Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania and Kenya,†she says Richard Mukalazi, a sound technician at the outlet, says most customers are ignorant about quality audio sound equipment.
“Most clients cannot tell the difference between outdoor (public address) and indoor (discotheque) equipment,†Mukalazi says.
He says those intending to buy audio outdoor equipment for bands and crusades, need a minimum of sh10m for a set. The package includes four speakers, two double basses, three amplifiers, a fully-connected table, compressor, graphic equaliser, mixer and a standard CD player.
However, indoor audio equipment is more expensive. Mukalazi says a minimum of four or more top range speakers, ranging between ‘12’ to ‘15’ inches are needed. These cost between sh600,000 to sh1.3m, backed by two twin basses at sh1.6m to sh2m.
“One also needs a consol with a mixer, a professional CD player, graphic equaliser, compressors, amplifiers, cross overs, disco lights, fog machines, karaoke mixers, headphones, etc which go anywhere between sh10m to sh25m.â€
James Bananuka a sound engineer with Norden Electronics admits that there are cheaper second-hand options and those locally-fabricated at Katwe, but he warns customers against buying such equipment.
“Customers should be careful. Second-hand machines could help for a while, but the spare parts are hard to come by.â€