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After months of pain I finaly went to the DR. turns out I have ROTAR CUFF TENDINITIS in my left shoulder from what seems to be lifting my 50lb speakers over my head 3 times a week. *** It's the main reason I've been using my lightweight PEAVEY PR15 for every gig the last month. I even went and purchased 2 new speaker stands that CRANK UP so I don't have to lift any speaker as high.

So I understand when someone asks for a light weight speaker. Yes you lose some bottom end ...but if I can't pick up a 50lb speaker ..no way I'm hoofing around a 75lb sub

Sooner or later I might have to just bite the bullet and get some QSC or JBL liteweight powered speakers and a light weight sub....

WHAT OTHER OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS FROM KJ'ING ?

I'd say deafness in the long term.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

A lot of powered subs roll on casters -- some even have built-in handles.

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

What?

jam, I can feel your pain. My back isn't what it used to be so I'm all for lightweight speakers. I use the Ultimate Air Powered hydraulic speaker stands which has really helped a lot. They're very expensive but they eliminate the need for lifting your speakers over your shoulders. So they're worth it.

Here's a link for anyone that might be interested:
http://www.ultimatesupport.com/product/TS-100B

and a video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0kc9fNlAjM

Hearing damage is a concern, but only if you're not operating your rig appropriately. Neither you nor your patrons should be leaving the show with ringing in your ears. If you are your first look should be at how you're managing your PA. Proper EQ and volume levels are critically important.

Definitely injuries due to repetitive stresses of loading in and out are a very real risk. I keep myself in pretty good shape for precisely this reason. I can lift my S215's (67lbs each) over my head and onto a fully extended speaker stand without issue. I can carry our 111lb Mackie SA1530's into a venue from the trailer on my own as well. The only reason I can is that I also workout 3-5 times a week. Humping gear takes serious physical ability and therefore a certain amount of preparation is needed to be able to do it well without risk of injury.

Some other less serious but very real hazards I can think of: Getting beer spilled on you, getting spit on while talking to a sloppy drunk, getting caught up in a bar fight, and of course the ever popular getting in trouble with your wife when that 20 something hottie comes up and starts flirting with you.

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

Alan --yes ! I just picked up 2 stands that crank up --very easy and saves my back ...of course right now I'm using them with the Peavys

One I worry about in our state is second hand smoke. Smoking arguments aside, I personally hate it and end up snorting blood and coughing for a few days after the shows--isn't bad in the summer but once it gets cold they keep the doors closed all day for weeks on end and if they try to save electricity and not run the blowers it gets so you can't see the opposite wall.

We are doing a kid show for a special event in a park tomorrow. Maybe some mothers or fathers will beat us up. (It's not a contest.) I shouldn't say that--the parents have been extremely appreciative of their kids getting an opportunity to sing.

Blew my right shoulder out twice. Can't have it "fixed" again. I'll never throw a ball again, etc. Sucks. This is why I use the PR15's and the JBL sub (I added my own casters to the JBL), and my rig is very compact, small and pretty light with a seprate Crowm XTI. As far as lose of bass? Nah, with the sub, it's all good.

I feel your pain, believe me.

Got to agree with all the guys who say the back. Humping the speakers in and out of the van and the venue takes it toll even if you do have a fancy gadget to hoist them to full height. I've been running Peavey SP-5 Gs and they sound great, but damned if they aren't getting heavier to me all the time.

Lonnie, Jeff, would you lose that much sound wise if you dropped down to 12 mains and ran a sub? I figure you could put wheels on the sub and add a ramp to the old van.

My 1st rig consisted of 2 Peavey SP5G's and a Peavey PV1200......F in HEAVY Sheeet!

I've had problems from standing and dancing for hours on end.

I gave up the high heels a few years back and usually only wear tennis shoes or low heels now.

My back and hips pay a toll too. I finally got a very small tall wooden stool that I can sit on when it gets bad. I am more a stander by nature because I can't sit still when music is playing, so I usually only sit for slow songs. But it has been a huge help. My gigs are long 9pm until 2am or 3am. That's a long time without a break.

I worry about my hearing, but there isn't much I can do but wear ear plugs. If I do that I can't hear the music properly, so I go without them.

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What?

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Dave's not here.

If you ran a good sub & a good 12" 2 way cab, you'd might even gain some low end.

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Hey jam.. no shame in using BR15's.. i've been using a pair for the last couple months instead of the sv115's for just the same reason.

My SV115's were extra heavy since they were an old set and had been upgraded with JBL 15's with monster magnets and frames on 'em. They must have weighed another 10 pounds more than your stock SV115.

I'm 6' 2" so I set the stands up to height, then bring each speaker in on my right shoulder and just kind of 'flip' it up onto the pole. Getting them down at night, i'd just grab the speaker and lean the whole thing down onto my shoulder, then back the speaker off the pole.

A few months ago I was at a local music shop just poking around to see what new junk they had in the used section and stumbled across the set of BR15's for $175 for the pair. They were so light, I naturally thought they must suck, but we hooked 'em up in the store and they didn't sound bad at all.

I picked 'em up thinking i'd use them as spares, or in situations where I could use an extra speaker or two out on a patio.. but they're so light and sound so good, they've become my primary speaker set.

When the dance stuff comes up, I just bring up the lows on the board and they hit hard enough to feel it in your chest 20 feet away.

I would like to pick up a nice powered sub, though.. just to give it some real punch.

Back on topic from my above post..

Second hand smoke is the big one for me.

I used to smoke two packs a day for 15 years.. I quit cold turkey 3 1/2 years ago.. and for the first year or so people smoking around me didn't bother me much, but I would notice the next day waking up and my clothes from the night before really stinking like an ash tray.

I remember doing a benefit concert with my band at the time in a club in out west and the next day opening my guitar case and having that stale cigarette stink hit me in the face. Yuck.

Nowadays most places have smoking bans.. but a few of the out of the way hole in the wall clubs let 'em smoke in the bar anyway. Gets so bad in some of these places you look out at the light tree and you can see the beams all the way to the floor.. like you've got a fog machine.

I was talking to a friend the other day about smoking, and told him I quit 3 1/2 years ago.. he looked around at the club and all the smoke, then looked back at me and said, "No you havent!"

I just recently downgraded my speakers in size, too. I used to have the EV Sx500+, but with 70 pounds each it just got to the point where I got tired of carrying them around. On top I have some weird pain in my inner elbows lately that makes it harder for me to lift heavier stuff.

I went for the dynacords d-lite 15-3 speakers. They actually are louder than the EV's (500/1000/2000 Watts) AND 20 pounds lighter. I bought a dB electronic 15" powered sub with it (800 Watts and 65 pounds) and I'm very pleased with the sound right now. I loved my EV's when it comes to sound and always thought there's nothing better out there, but I was wrong. The dynacords are 3-way speakers and have so much warmth and clarity, it's unbelievable. When I bought them I wanted to hear them in the store first, since they're not cheap and I wanted to make sure my money investment is justified, despite of all the raving reviews. And man, when I heard the sound coming out of these boxes for the first time, I instantly got goose bombs. No kidding...

I also use the Ultimate Support air-hydraulic stands, which helps a lot. The sub is a little heavier but only goes from my cart to the floor, so not a big issue. I probably would have gotten away with a 12" sub, too. The 15" has plenty of bottom end.

The bottom line is, you can "downgrade" in weight and get equal or even better sound, it's just a matter of how much you're willing to invest.

So true.

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Music speaks to the heart in ways words cannot express.