The three starter sets at a glance (prices on 12 October 2026, delivery extra):

Every week someone messages us on WhatsApp asking which lights to buy first for their DJ functions. Usually the person already has the music side sorted. What they want is a dance floor that looks alive once the music starts and people get up to dance, without spending on things they won't use.

So let's sit down and go through it properly. Below are the three starter sets, built only from lights we sell. After that we explain the one choice that confuses most new buyers: sound mode or a DMX controller.

One thing to know first. JDN sells lighting and effects: PAR lights, spider lights, lasers, moving heads, fog machines, stands and light controllers. We don't sell DJ decks, mixers or DJ consoles. When we say "controller" in this guide, we mean a DMX light controller, the small desk that runs your lights. It does not play music.

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What each light does for your event

Before the shopping list, here is what each piece actually does on the night.

• PAR lights fill the stage, the DJ table and the walls with colour. They set the mood. A hall that looks plain under tube lights looks like a proper function hall with four PARs washing it in blue and purple.
• Spider lights throw moving beams across the dance floor. Ours use eight 3W LEDs (8x3W). This is the "movement" people notice when they walk in.
• Laser projectors put hundreds of small dots and patterns on the ceiling and walls. When people search for "disco lights", this is usually the effect they mean.
• Fog machines make the beams visible. Without a little fog in the air, spider and moving-head beams mostly show up as spots on the floor. With fog, you see the full beam cutting through the room.
• Moving heads are the step-up. They throw one sharp, strong beam that swings across the hall, changes colour and projects patterns. This is the look you see at bigger weddings and stage shows.

Starter set 1: home parties, birthdays and small halls (Rs 47,450)

This is the set for a living-room party, a birthday, a karaoke night or a small hall. Everything works on its own straight out of the box. You don't need a controller or any cables between the lights.

Website prices on 12 October 2026. Delivery is charged separately. Message us on WhatsApp to check what is in stock before you order.

How it works on the night. Put one PAR on each side of the DJ table, pointing at the wall or the dance floor. They can stand on the floor on their own brackets. Put the laser on a table or hang it high, facing the ceiling. Switch the PARs and the laser to sound mode and they change with the music on their own.

Switch the fog machine on about 5 minutes before you need it, and wait for the red light on the wired remote. Each burst lasts about 17 to 18 seconds. Then the machine pauses to heat up again until the red light comes back. On the 600W, one litre gives you about 200 bursts, which is enough for one night.

Why these pieces. The 54 PAR Light has 54 x 9W RGB LEDs, so two of them colour a small hall properly. The website says the 8-Lights Laser suits a room of about 20 to 80 square metres. The 600W RGB Fog Machine has built-in coloured LEDs, so the fog itself glows in colour. It comes with a wired remote and two wireless remotes, one for the fog and one for the colours.

Starter set 2: the DJ Light Bundle for weddings and functions (Rs 107,000)

If you are doing paid functions such as weddings, home-comings, office parties and school events, you want everything on one stand. That way it looks professional and goes up in minutes. That's the idea behind our DJ Light Bundle.

Set price from Mr Jayantha; controller price from the website on 12 October 2026. Delivery is charged separately. Message us on WhatsApp to check what is in stock before you order.

What you get. Four 54 PAR Lights for colour, two 8x3W spider lights for moving beams, a stand about 12 feet tall when fully raised, and two fixing brackets.

Sound mode or controller? Out of the box, all six lights can run in sound mode and move with the music. That's enough for many functions. Add the DMX controller when you want to choose the colours yourself, for example soft white for the first dance and fast colours once the dancing starts.

Want to add fog? The 600W RGB Fog Machine (Rs 10,600) from Set 1 pairs well with the spider beams.

Starter set 3: the moving-head step-up for bigger halls (Rs 147,300)

Once you are doing bigger halls and stage shows, moving heads are the next step. This set uses two moving-head beams with four PARs, all run from one DMX controller.

Website prices on 12 October 2026. Delivery is charged separately. Cable lengths depend on your hall layout, so tell us the layout and we'll confirm what you need. Message us on WhatsApp to check what is in stock before you order.

Don't forget clamps. If you hang the PARs or the beams on a stand or a truss, each light needs a clamp. Clamps are Rs 875 each on our website. They are not in the set total, so ask us how many you need.

What it does. The two beams swing sharp beams across the hall and over the crowd. The four PARs colour the stage. The 1000W Fog Machine gives the beams something to cut through in a bigger room, and it has a manual switch on the machine as well as the remote. The controller ties it all together, so the beams and PARs move as one show.

Will it all work together? Yes. The controller runs up to 12 lights, and this set has six. Six lights in a chain need six cables: the 5 m cable runs from the controller to the first light, and five short cables link each light to the next. Each 120W Moving Head Beam Light also comes with one DMX cable, which gives you a spare or two.

Already have the DJ Light Bundle from Set 2? Then you only need to add the beams, the controller, the fog machine, a few cables and clamps. Message us and we'll work out exactly what you need.

Ready for a bigger stage? Our bigger moving heads are sold as pairs. Our 7R uses a 230W lamp, our 14R a 295W lamp.

• 7R pair with flight case (Moving Head 7R ( 230W) with a Flight case): Rs 155,000
• 7R pair without flight case: Rs 130,000
• 14R pair with flight case (two Moving Head 14R (295W) lights and a case): Rs 175,000

Pair prices from Mr Jayantha. Delivery is charged separately. The 14R is the light in the venue story below.

Sound mode or a DMX controller: which do you need?

This is the question we get most, so here is the simple version.

Sound mode means the light has a small microphone inside. It listens to the music and changes colour and movement with the beat. You plug it in, choose sound mode, and you're done. No controller, no cables between lights. Our PAR lights, spider lights and lasers all have sound mode.

If you ask, Mr Jayantha, JDN's owner, sets the PAR lights to sound mode before he packs them, so they work the moment you plug them in. As he wrote to one customer: "4 Lights have already been sound activated."

Auto mode runs a built-in light show without listening to the music. It's useful when the music is soft, for example during dinner.

A DMX controller is a small desk with sliders and buttons. You link your lights to it with XLR cables, one light to the next. Then you decide the colours, the brightness and when the lights move. You can save your favourite looks as scenes, save a run of looks as a chase, and bring them back with one button.

"DMX 512" is the name of the signal the controller sends to the lights. Our controller has 192 channels, which is a different number from the signal name. It runs up to 12 lights.

How to choose:

• Mostly home parties and small functions? Start with sound mode. You can add a controller later, because our PAR lights, spider lights and moving heads already take DMX.
• Doing weddings where the couple wants a soft look for the first dance and then a party look? Get the controller.
• Using moving heads? Get the controller. Moving heads like our 120W can run in sound mode, but they look their best when you control where they point.

When your controller arrives, message us and we'll help you link your lights and set up your first looks.

A few practical tips before your first function

• Tell the venue about the fog machine before the event. Some halls and hotels have smoke detectors, and every venue has its own rules. Ask the venue manager first.
• Use proper fog liquid. Plain water won't make fog, and poor-quality liquid voids the fog machine warranty. We sell Strawberry and Apple fog liquid in 1L, 2L, 4L and 5L cans. Most customers buy the 2L. If you have liquid left over and it is still clear, you can use it next time.
• Remember clamps for every light you hang on a stand or truss.
• Start with fewer lights and add later. The PARs, spiders and moving heads in this guide all take DMX, so a light you buy today still works with a controller you buy next year.
• Keep your warranty card. It comes with every light and you need it for any claim.

What our customers do with these lights

On 6 January 2026, a DJ got his PAR lights from us. That same day he switched them to sound mode and sent us a video of them running to his music. That's the kind of first setup this guide is about: unbox, plug in, choose sound mode, and the lights are working.

At the bigger end, JDN designed, supplied and installed the full lighting for Banana Republic in Ahangama. It's an open-air venue on the south coast built for crowds of more than 1,000. The setup used three Moving Head 14R (295W) lights, ten LED PAR lights and a fully wireless DMX system, so no signal cables ran across the venue. Most of our customers start with two PAR lights. The same advice, warranty and after-sales support covers both.

Over 2,000 customers across Sri Lanka have bought from JDN, and we have delivered over 20,000 cans of fog liquid.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a basic DJ light setup cost in Sri Lanka?

At JDN, a starter set of two 54 PAR Lights, an 8-Lights Laser, a 600W RGB Fog Machine and a Strawberry Fog Liquid 1L comes to Rs 47,450 at jdnonline.lk prices on 12 October 2026. Delivery is extra. The PAR lights and the laser work in sound mode, and the fog machine runs from its remote, so you don't need a DMX controller to start.

Do I need a DMX controller for DJ lights?

No, not to start. JDN's PAR lights, spider lights and lasers have sound mode, which makes them change with the music on their own. A DMX controller is worth buying when you want to choose colours and looks yourself, or when you use moving heads. JDN's DMX 512 192Channel Controller is Rs 8,600 (12 October 2026) and runs up to 12 lights.

Does JDN sell DJ decks, mixers or DJ controllers?

No. JDN Online sells event lighting and effects: PAR lights, spider lights, lasers, moving heads, fog machines and fog liquid, light stands, and DMX light controllers. A DMX light controller runs lights only. It does not play or mix music.

What warranty do JDN lights come with?

JDN's PAR lights, spider lights and moving heads come with a 1-year warranty, and so does the DMX controller. JDN fog machines come with a 6-month warranty. For lasers, check the warranty on the product page or ask us on WhatsApp before you order.

Where can I buy DJ lights in Colombo?

JDN Online delivers island-wide with cash on delivery. Collection in Colombo is by arrangement on WhatsApp. Orders and questions go through WhatsApp on 077 665 7788.

Ask us before you buy

Every event is different. Tell us the size of your hall, the kind of functions you do, and what you want to spend, and we'll suggest the right set for you. We can also help with cables and clamps, and set your lights to sound mode before they are packed. We'll confirm the delivery charge before anything is sent.

WhatsApp JDN Online on 077 665 7788. You can also browse all our lights first.