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From kids to country music old timers, everyone loves karaoke. It's a chance to be a star, to strut your stuff, to have fun with your friends and to just forget your troubles for a while. Music is soul food, and stars-in-the-making have been eating karaoke up since the 1970's.

There are all sorts of karaoke machines for all types of fans; but to the serious karaoke aficionado, owning a simple karaoke machine is just not good enough. These hardcore fans want the best karaoke equipment that they can get their hands on. You can have a great time with low-end hardware, but owning the best karaoke equipment can give you bragging rights and add a little spice to your performance. Just like rock stars, crooners, boy bands and divas, karaoke singers need great equipment to back them up and make them shine.

Early home karaoke machines were little more than standard boom box stereos with a microphone feed. These first-generation karaoke machines seem like dinosaurs now, but back then they were all the rage. Singers could belt out their favorite tunes along with music on a cassette. They may have been crude, but they started a revolution in karaoke equipment.

Looking back to those lean machine days, modern karaoke equipment seems to have been pumped up with steroids. They are better sounding, more powerful and better looking. Some karaoke machines even act as magicians, using special features to tweak, adjust and actually improve singers' voices. They can't promise to make every singer as smooth as Sinatra, but they might take away a little of the tone deafness.

Adding top quality karaoke equipment to your home entertainment system is a great idea, especially if you love hosting parties. Karaoke is a perfect icebreaker for dull get-togethers, and your friends and family will appreciate how great they sound when it's their turn to sing. You'll crank up the fun, and turn up the quality of your guests' singing voices. If you love entertaining people, or want a new way to connect with your kids and have some real family fun, you should seriously consider investing in the best karaoke equipment on the market.

Implementing new equipment into your existing karaoke system will add value and make it sound and look more professional. The following list of karaoke equipment will help you assess what you need:

* Component karaoke players look a lot like DVD players. This type of karaoke equipment is designed to integrate with an existing stereo or home entertainment system. Hook it up and enjoy music with a clarity and crispness suited to both personal and commercial applications. Some component karaoke players feature multiple CD+G trays, allowing you to have several disks ready to eliminate downtime between sessions.

* Portable players have built-in speakers, and often feature a screen for displaying lyrics. With a complete portable system, there is no need for using a TV. They are great choices for both amateur and professional quality singers. With portable karaoke equipment, you can bring the fun along and break out in song anytime, anywhere.

* The microphone is a key piece of karaoke equipment that can make all the difference to the singer (and the audience). Choose a sturdy, durable microphone, as this little musical wand will get a lot of use from many different hands. Microphones can be mixed directly into commercial-level soundboards for better vocal quality, sound and balance.

* Good amplifiers, mixers and speaker sets are equally important. Poor equipment can result in vibration, feedback or a tinny quality to the voice and music. These components of karaoke equipment can bring your even to the next level by providing clear, distortion free music at higher volumes.

* Electronic key changers are brilliant gadgets. They can raise or lower the original pitch of the music, when a singer can't.

Karaoke equipment should be chosen for the overall quality, not just a brand name. Do your research and shop around before you buy. Be sure that components you choose work perfectly and will suit your individual needs. If you're not comfortable "test-driving" the karaoke equipment in front of store crowds, you can also browse the Internet and buy online. There are many product reviews and comparisons available, so do a little homework and decide from there. Most online stores accept returns for defective or damaged products, so your purchase should be secure.

You'll be amazed at the amount of fun you can have with your own karaoke equipment. Family reunions, friendly get-togethers, neighborhood BBQs and even cozy nights at home with the kids can turn into a showcase of music and laughter. It's good, clean fun for all ages, and a relatively small price to pay.