Here's what
others are saying about the Virtual
Soundman....
Important
note:
Every single one of these recommendations and comments were
completely un-solicited
There were no tributes
or incentives made to any of these people in order to get them to write down
what they did.
These are genuine, self-motivated people who told me of
their intentions and made me aware of the comments that they printed. So, here
they are for you to read for yourself.
Exerpts from Article "Cue the
Soundman" by David Oliver
Genii Magazine September 2002
... in my opinion, the VSRC is simply the best and most
affordable remote control audio device available today.
... It only took me
about 10 minuets to get it up and running the first time.
... I purchased my
first VSRC a little over 2 years ago. My first? Yes, because I have owned two.
Not because one might fail, but in case one is stolen (which recently happened
to me). Additionally, you may note, that for the price of half a single ShowTech
unit, I actually could afford to purchase two VSRCs. In hundreds of my own shows
it has consistently done exactly what it claims to do without fail. It comes out
of the case, gets plugged in to the wall or 9-volt battery adapter, and allows
me to control my music expertly.
... I will say, however, that I can safely
bet… or rather, guarantee my reputation as a professional-quality entertainer
with the Virtual Soundman Remote Commander. In fact, I have bet my reputation as
a professional-quality entertainer with the Virtual Soundman to several
full-time pros who are amazed at how simple, dependable, and affordable it
is.
... So, why am I so supportive of this system? Simply stated, because it
works-consistently.
... If you're a solo performer, without the resources of
Mr. Copperfield, and you've been contemplating an affordable remote music
system, look no further. The Virtual Soundman Remote Commander is simply the
best there is.
e-mail us for a copy of the ENTIRE review
Full Product Review
Magic Talk Website... By
Bryan Dean
http://magic.about.com/library/products/aafpr022603.htm
The Virtual Soundman 7
by Majiloon (Kelly
Duro)
Guide Rating -FIVE STARS!
If you have ever been onstage
and tried to control your own sound, you know how nightmare-ish that could be,
right? Running off-stage to hit the button and again to move it to the next
track, etc. What a recipe for an unprofessional-looking show!
Well, the
answer to that is the Virtual Soundman 7 by Majiloon. Kelly Duro is the
electronic genius who put this device together. Unlike the expensive Sho Tech,
the Virtual Soundman 7 doesn't control things like a flash pot or lights; it
controls the sound (and some special FX triggers, which are extra). And, that's
good, because if you don't need the bells-and-whistles, you won't be paying for
features you don't (or won't) need!
I had the Virtual Soundman 6 for the
past year and loved it, but it needed a few features added. The Virtual Soundman
7 is fantastic as (for me) it has all the features I need to control my
sound:
- Auto Remote Start-Up - When ready, just press the "Play" button on the
remote and it sync's the MiniDisk player with the VS7. So easy!
Auto Pause -
If you ever need to pause your music and your hands are "full" (if you're doing
card fans or juggling, for instance), you can program in a pause right into the
music.
Auto Mute - Some CD or MiniDisk players have a "beep" played when they
play a track. The Auto Mute hides this beep automatically.
Auto Cue Advance -
No more guessing (I hated that about the VS6)! When you fade the music (or pause
it) the VS7 will cue to the next track. (With the VS6, I could never remember if
I advanced to the next track and I'd get all screwed up with the music order.
Now, I don't have to think about it!)
Anti-Sleep - Some MD's tend to "sleep"
when inactive. The VS7 will keep this from happening allowing you instant access
to your music.
Auto-Fade - A great feature from the VS6: Just press two
buttons simultaneously and the music fades, advances to the next track, then
brings the sound up to the regular level and holds the track at "Pause".
NiMh
Rechargeable Battery - A no-memory battery that charges in just a few hours. You
can also power the VS7 with the power adapter (included).
A Built-In Speaker
- What a wonderful feature! Instead of pulling out your entire sound system to
test out your tracks, just use the built-in speaker. I love this!!
Optional
LED Display Box - This is great, and a feature I requested and needed. The LED
Box is a large display that shows the current track playing or on pause.
Excellent, if you need to skip a track and need to know the next tune you will
play will be the correct one.
The 6th Button - (Okay, it's called the M.I.C.,
the Music Interrupt Circuit.) It's a feature I asked Kelly for and he put it in!
(What a guy!) You see he had an auto-ducking feature built in. This is where the
sound would "duck" or fade out if the microphone was used. But, I told him that
my Passport has that already and I would like to have control of the ducking
since I had to actually run to the Passport to disengage it. The 6th Button will
turn it on and off. Yay! (This is extra, by the way.)
Choice of an AM or FM
transmitter - You'll need to visit the Majiloon site for the details about this,
but I have the FM transmitter as I think it is more reliable. It's $50 more, but
you get better distance.
- Instructional video or DVD - Definitely watch this as it will get you
up-and-running in just minutes!
The
basic price for the Virtual Soundman 7 is $749.99. Additional items like the LED
box, FM transmitter, ankle switch, special effects triggers, etc. are extra.
Visit the Majiloon site for details.
If you need control of your music
and don't want to spend a fortune for features you won't need, get the Virtual
Soundman 7. It's truly amazing.
Magic Talk Website... By Bryan Dean
http://magic.about.com/library/products/aafpr022603.htm
Just wanted to send you a note to let you know how pleased I am with your
7.5. I cant imagine doing my show without it. I am looking forward to seeing the
great things that are going to come from you in the future! What a great
pleasure it has been to use such a wonderful piece of equipment to where I dont
have to rely on other people to make my show great. Now I have confidence
knowing that I have FULL control over every aspect of my show. It has now been 3
years and two systems later (Version 6 & 7.5) and this has made my shows
stand out over others.
Thanks Kelly!!!
David Allen
"I love your system! I have been using if for years now, typically 50+
shows a month, and there is not a show I don't use it in. My current family show
has over 35 sound cues in it and I could never bring this excitement and meaning
to my shows without the Virtual Soundman."
Thanks!
Eric Paul
Kelly,
I just wanted to drop you a quick line to say thank you so
much for the gift of what you're doing. I bought a VSM 7 from you at the
beginning of the summer and have nothing but good to say for what it has done to
enrich my performing.
Not only that but I've booked more shows because
of the added dimension that your VSM has afforded me.
Thanks you again,
for your service, support, and for your good work!
Matt Reynolds
Written by, Michael Sibbernsen (excerpts take
from his review for brevity)
The Virtual Soundman 7 is a
fantastic piece of equipment and does exactly as promised and more. I have
rarely been happier with a purchase, and know the unit will make a great impact
to my shows.
What is the Virtual Soundman 7?
The VSM7 is the
newest and most advanced addition to the Majiloon line of computerized sound
control systems for the performer / professional speaker. It will control at the
touch of a button your music / sound cues via a small remote, and all done
without any programming.
It is no secret that Majiloon's products are in
direct competition with those from Wireless Wizardry. Although I know of many
performers who use the Show-tech system, I am not familiar with it enough to
make educated comparisons. I will only speak of the features of the
VSM7.
The package:
Built-in Speaker
I had no idea this feature
existed until I received the unit. I think it should be better advertised. The
VSM7 has a switchable tiny speaker built inside which plays out the bottom of
the unit (unit has raised feet). This way you can familiarize yourself with the
unit, make track adjustments, or even rehearse, without the need to set-up the
rest of your audio equipment.
I optioned for the larger FM belt-pack
remote as opposed to the base model AM keychain style. I was afraid of size but
as you can see, it is really not bad at all. I Also
realize that the slightly larger size makes locating the correct buttons a
cinch. I imagine the key chain remote would be far more prone to mistakes pushing the wrong buttons. Note that
Kelly Duro will hard sell you on the larger remote. "If you are a performer it
is a must". This thought derives not only from the ease of use of the larger
remote, but also the FM signal. It gives (according to Kelly) far better range
and reliability. From my tests, I can certainly attest to the range. I was able
to walk around my entire house with no drop-offs, and even while standing in a
cement wall shower in my basement, it still functioned properly. I could not
find a place in the house it did not reach. As far as line-of-sight range goes,
I set the unit and speaker at my front door and walked down the block. Still
activated the unit from at least 1000ft. I can't think of a performing situation
that could defeat a range like this. If buying the VSM7, figure on adding $50 to
the base price for the FM remote.
Bottom Line: The VSM7 is great piece of
no-worry equipment, and worth every penny.
Virtual Soundman 7 by Majiloon
(Kelly Duro),$749 for the base unit or $799 with the recommended FM transmitter
Up-grade.
Best
in Mentalism,
Michael Sibbernsen
This
is the coolest invention since the automobile!
Lee Iben
VSM 7
owner
Hi
Kelly,
Well, over the weekend I gave my friend back his Mini-Tech and
used my new VSM 7 in a live show for the first time. Things could not have been
better. Everything worked as smooth as silk. The M.I.C. is a GREAT feature that
simplified a whole bunch of things. For the first time in my life I was not
worried about whether or not the button push would work.
Your hard work
and commitment to quality sure has paid off.
Congratulations!
Michel Deslauriers
I
got it on Thursday and I used it in a small show on Friday. Absolutely
unbelievable! It really is perfect in performance. It's so nice to cue the music
to my wims during a show. I love it, worth every penny.
By the way, I had
a "bump" in the road, but solved it. I bought a Sony NetMD player, which hooks
to my PC (really nice, because I can easy add, move, or delete tracks). Anyway,
the stupid software has some anti-piracy feature built in, and I couldn't move
the Pause Signal to my PC or duplicate on the disk. A big pain, because I wanted
a pause signal after each track.
However, I was able to hook my PC up to
the Virtual Soundman and get that Pause signal recorded as a wav file, which I
then edited so that the signal happens immediately. I then could duplicate it at
will, and put it between all my tracks. Anyway, for those who hook their MD up
to their PC for editing the tracks, this is a good way to get the pause
signal.
Thanks again, just a brilliant device!
John
Harness
Kelly,
Your system stood the ultimate test! In the 270 shows I
performed at Busch Gardens, Williamsburg this summer- 03, your VSM 7.5 never
failed me ONCE! If only the props I used in my show were as predictable as this
system.
Thanks!
Jason Linett
Kelly,
As for the VSM system itself, all I can say is ... WOW!!! It is
everything I hoped it would be and then some.
I had the opportunity to
use the Virtual Sound Man while doing a grounds act at the Iowa State Fair.
(This is a huge fair and one of the largest in the country.) I set it up inside
my table to put music under my close up work (being battery driven and
completely self contained, this was incredibly easy). The unit performed
flawlessly. This is particularly noteworthy as this year has been an absolute
nightmare for anyone using any kind of wireless system at the Fair. I even ended
up having to upgrade one of my wireless mics because it was so bad. Even the
folks running sound at the grandstand for Crosby Stills and Nash, and the Goo
Goo Dolls (who were using top of the line, industry standard equipment) were
having difficulties because of the overwhelming interference all over the
grounds. I'm a 21-year veteran of this fair and I have never seen anything this
bad. Well, I am happy to report that the VSM never failed once during the entire
time I was there. Each command was executed quickly and reliably in what I could
only describe as a worst case scenario environment. I am a very happy magician.
Thank you.
Erik Anderson
Des Moines, Iowa
I am
amazed that I can fit all of my music (22 tapes and 75 CDs) in one small case on
just a few minidisks. And now that I have a portable MD machine and your Remote
Commander I have FINALLY entered the 21st Century. I used to carry around a
large clunky CD player so that I could use a 7-inch remote. No more of that for
me.
Thanks again for a proven product,
Carl
I have
already praised your VSM before, but I would like to share some more. Recently I
was at a community festival with about a dozen other performers. There was one
harried sound technician that day as one performer after another handed him
tapes and compact discs with notes jotted down. I handed him the VSM and plugged
it into an available slot on his board and was done. Guess which performer that
day had no down time waiting for music to cue or wrong music played?
I
have found it helpful to always have fresh batteries available. When I first got
the machine I thought that it was having some problems, but instead I found that
it worked perfectly when I used new batteries. Another tip is that I have three
or four shows on each disc. I move whatever tracks I need to the beginning in
whatever order I need. Since the VSM is so quick to set up, I have added music
to more of my performances. I have timed out my musical pieces, so that not only
do I have nice background music, but I also know how long I have been
performing, and how much time I have left.
Carl Woody
I recently came across the Virtual Sound man unit. Clint Cavello has just
opened a show at the Tropicana in Las Vegas with his wife. I worked on the
setup. I was impressed with the ease of operation that this unit allowed. For a
small show this thing is great.
The reason of why I am writing you is
because I also work for an outside producer within the casino. ( I can't give
the name or the comedy club without his permission). Some of the comedians come
in with a lot of cues and there is a tech on duty to know his cues. We have a
script and we follow it and do a good show. Unfortunately when these comedians
are on the road and play a smaller venue they may have a bartender, waitress or
a cook run the show. I have heard stories from the comedians that were
nightmares. In the past I have talked to some comedians about this problem. They
would like to do something like this but were concerned about costs. Your unit
seems to be the best price. I have read your stats. and they look very good. I
gave the information to the Headliner at the club this week. He is very
interested and you probably will hear from him. I will continue to give out your
web site to comedians as they come into the club. Also I have told some small
time magicians who do private parties about your product.
I have seen
similar units that were at least twice the price if not more. They took a lot of
programming and sometimes could be a pain in the butt. What I liked about your
unit is that you kept it simple!
That is all I have to say.
Thank you for reading my letter.
George Gilbert
Kelly,
Thanks for a quick response. Oddly enough, David Spier, a
friend of mine from the GA Magic Club, who lives in Cleveland (GA), called about
30 minutes after I e-mailed you and in the course of the conversation I asked
him what he used - he uses the Virtual Soundman! He is a full time performer and
is thrilled with the unit and has had ZERO trouble with it. I will probably be
making a purchase before Easter and with David's recommendation, your customer
service, and the lower price, it will be a Virtual Soundman!
Have a Wonder-filled day!
TJ
Hi
Kelly,
I love my VSM
James R. Zingelman
Sound Advice
http://www.magictalk.com/cgi-bin/reviews.cgi
Virtual Sound Man (Update to Remote Commander)
David
Reed-Brown -- Sunday, 29 July 2001, at 2:59
p.m.
Afterward: Some Final Thoughts
Since writing
this series of articles for the Secret Art Journal, many people have written and
called with various questions and new resources. I have some updated information
to share regarding the Remote Commander minidisk control system and portable PA
systems.
Kelly Duro at Majiloon (www.majiloon.com) has upgraded the
hardware and software of the Remote Commander version IV to version VI. I have
used the Remote Commander VI for several dozen performances and rehearsals, and
I am SOOOOO impressed. The "learning curve" I mentioned before has been removed
thanks to software improvements that will not let a minidisk player enter "sleep
mode." Now the system is always ready for your command. It will also work with
ANY minidisk player - no customizing necessary for particular
players.
The radio frequency responsiveness and accuracy are also much
improved. I have controlled the unit from hundreds of feet away and through
walls without a hiccup. I place the receiver to the side of the stage so I can
see the lights. (They verify when signals have been received.) I also make sure
the antenna is pointing towards me and that the receiver is not on the floor. (I
securely Velcro it to the side of my portable PA.) On the transmitter, make sure
that the antenna hangs vertically - just as you would with a quality Sure, Nady
or AudioTechnica wireless microphone transmitter. It is important to press the
buttons on the transmitter firmly and for more than half a second. Following
these very simple guidelines has given me FLAWLESS performance.
Next, the
software upgrade has added an auto-fade feature. When you press the volume up
and down buttons at the same time, it fades the music for 7-8 seconds and puts
the minidisk in pause mode. Then all I need to do is forward to the next track,
so I am ready to begin my next routine. This makes for a very professional
performance.
Finally, a dual 9-volt battery adapter is now included for
the receiver, so the unit can be completely wireless. (The two batteries will do
about 60 performances.) An extra carrying case is also available, and the
instructions have been rewritten with photo illustrations.
With all of
these improvements, the Remote Commander VI is a tremendous resource for the
solo performer. The basic Remote Commander VI is $499.99 by itself with the
software upgrade available for $50 extra. While refurbished minidisk players are
available for around $100, Kelly can sell you a complete system with minidisk
for $679.99. From all the options out there, this seems to be the one to beat
for under $1,000. While it does not simultaneously control a flash pot like
Kerry Pollak's ShoTech, it is only one quarter of the cost.
OTHER PORTABLE SOUND SYSTEMS
Numerous people have mentioned other portable PA systems to me. Keep in
mind that these are units that combine amplifier, speaker, wireless microphone
and possibly a tape or CD player all in one compact housing. They are desirable
because the less one needs to think about wires and connections, the more one
can focus on performing. An easy way to compare numerous options is to visit the
web site of magician and entertainment manager Joe Lefler at www.wearefun.com.
Then go to the "Portable Sound System Catalog" menu item. (By the way, the vocal
welcome on this home page is the best I have EVER heard - it is courteous,
informative and will only play for you once.)
I mentioned Anchor products
before. I am very impressed with the Anchor Liberty Extreme 5000. It has 130
watts and a high quality speaker system, so you can cover 2500 people. It can be
adjusted for music or voice, and it can be customized with a variety of
microphones and music players. However, it is not available with a rechargeable
battery. With a top-of-the-line Sure wireless lapel microphone, they are
available for $1,400.
SOME EXCITING NEWS FOR MAGICIANS: The engineer who
designed the Anchor Liberty has now branched out on his own to develop a product
with magicians specifically in mind. It is called the "Sound Machine 2" (SM2) -
imagine an Anchor Liberty on steroids. The SM2 has a name brand true diversity
wireless UHF microphone, which is very reliable because it can change
frequencies if it encounters interference. It also has 200 watts of power ANDA
RECHARGEABLE BATTERY to cover 100-4000 people. WOW!!! There is a recessed space
in the back of the unit for a minidisk, tape or CD player. Various inputs and
outputs allow you to connect this flexible system in many ways. The SM2 can be
custom configured with several options. Joe Lefler sells a complete setup with
wireless lapel microphone for $1,557.
In the "more bang for your buck
category," Joe likes the products by Pyle Pro. They have 50, 100 and 200-watt
units. What I like about them is that they include both lapel and hand-held
wireless microphones. The units are compact and VERY affordable. The 200 watt
unit at www.WeAreFun.com has an internal rechargeable battery, multiple inputs
and outputs, weighs only 30 lbs., is tripod mountable and ONLY COSTS $889 -
quite a deal.
That's all for now. Check back to the Secret Art Journal
for other Magic Tech Talk in the future.
All the best,
David
Reed-Brown
www.Reed-Brown.com
860-304-0021
David
Reed-Brown is a part-time professional magician in Connecticut and a proud
member of the Mystery School of Magic. He delights in meaningful magic of all
kinds, secular and sacred. In his full-time calling David serves as pastor of a
socially progressive American Baptist Church in Essex, Connecticut. He can be
reached online at David@Reed-Brown.com
or through his website at www.Reed-Brown.com
