What to buy? (already own some gear)
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  1. #1
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    Default What to buy? (already own some gear)

    So I'm looking to buy gear to practice DJ'ing. In the past I've always bought stuff that in theory should work, but in reality just doesn't.

    I own the following:

    2x Reloop RP-2000 MKIi (with worthless elements/needles) (Used)
    1x Reloop RMX-40 DSP Ltd. (Almost new)
    1x DJ-Tech Midi Mixer (kind of useless)(new)(cheap/crap)
    2x KRK RP8G2 (the only 'speakers' I own, so I use them for everything)
    1x Sennheiser HD 25-II (use it every day, it's indestructible)
    1x NI Audio8DJ (works flawless)
    1x Traktor Scratch Pro 2 (got pro 1 with the soundcard but upgraded for 60 euro)
    1x Edirol PCR-300 Midi Controller (for producing, but is also usable as DJ controller a bit )

    So i was pretty happy with my gear, it kinda works, my laptop is powerfull enough (i7, 4gb ram, etc), but I want to switch to CD's from Vinyl. Not that I really spin vinyl, I use it as a timecode setup.

    But I have this gig coming up and I want to feel confortable with CDJ's and I'm done with making mappings for my controllers and then in the end finding out that not everything works as I wanted.

    So it comes down to this: I have a budget of around 800 euro's, but if I can find a solution for say, 400 euros that's fine too.

    Should I buy 2 CDJ 350's, (or 2 RMP-3 Alpha's?) or go for a controller (S4 or DDJ T1 or ERGO), what do you tink?

    My main goal is to get a more 'club-like' experience, but I don't want to burn ALL my music to CD and I don't like buying CDJ's like 800's or even older. (I love Traktor 2, but recordbox with the 350's wont be that bad either).

    gr. Thomas

  2. #2
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    I don't know a ton about the 350s, but you would probably be better saving up for the new 850K models, or even the 900s. At that point you wouldn't need to burn any CDs, you could just put your songs on a flash drive and link them.

    Buy nice or buy twice.

    **EDIT** The CDJ350s do support USB sticks, my bad. However I still have heard they're not very good.

  3. #3
    Tech Guru 3heads's Avatar
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    Did you consider buying a quality mixer and a Kontrol X1? Audio8, X1 and Laptop make a nice, portable setup which works pretty much everywhere (especially if there's a house mixer) and should be within your 800€ budget (depending on the mixer you want you might have to stretch it a tiny bit, but there should be plenty of viable options)

    CDJs without a good mixer won't be too much fun either I reckon and the concept of all-in-one-controllers never really got through to me.
    13,3" MacBookPro (Mid 2012) # 2x Technics 1210 # NI Audio 8 DJ # Ecler Nuo 2.0 # NI Traktor Kontrol X1 # Sennheiser HD-25
    http://soundcloud.com/vincent-lebaron/

  4. #4
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    @demb3k:

    I got that advice from some other people as well, and I'm really doubting whether I should wait and buy the 850's, but that's over 2x my budget and I really want to get started soon.

    @3heads:

    I don't really see what's wrong with my reloop rmx-40 ltd.. It's 4 channel, has reasonably good EQ (+ kill switches) and a fairly decent effects section. I know it's nothing compared to top notch mixers, but those are unnafordable for me.

    Then again, I fail to see why I would need a mixer in the configuration you advice me, with an x1, my laptop + soundcard and a mixer I still need to have some kind of playback devices, like tt's or cdj's.. And if I'd use the x1 for that I don't need the mixer right?


    I appreciate all your advice, really, but I don't want to bring my gear to a club. I want to own gear that, when I'm capable of spinning with it, has a similar feel to it as club-gear, so that I have my gig, I know what I'm up against.

  5. #5
    Tech Guru 3heads's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by casefan View Post
    @3heads:

    I don't really see what's wrong with my reloop rmx-40 ltd.. It's 4 channel, has reasonably good EQ (+ kill switches) and a fairly decent effects section. I know it's nothing compared to top notch mixers, but those are unnafordable for me.
    Well, I have a natural aversion against all things Reloop
    And believe me, I nice mixer makes quite a difference.

    Then again, I fail to see why I would need a mixer in the configuration you advice me, with an x1, my laptop + soundcard and a mixer I still need to have some kind of playback devices, like tt's or cdj's.. And if I'd use the x1 for that I don't need the mixer right?
    No, in the set-up I described you wouldn't neccessarily need playback devices, you'd use the X1 for loading of tracks, all the transport functions as well as FX (if you make use of those). The actual mixing is done using the mixer. (In theory you can remap the X1 for basic mixer functionality as well, that's right, but that's really not much more than an emergency solution - though a capable one at that)

    I know quite a few people who play this way (including myself) and it works a treat
    13,3" MacBookPro (Mid 2012) # 2x Technics 1210 # NI Audio 8 DJ # Ecler Nuo 2.0 # NI Traktor Kontrol X1 # Sennheiser HD-25
    http://soundcloud.com/vincent-lebaron/

  6. #6
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    So far I've figured out the following things:


    If I buy CDJ's they'll be 2 850K's..


    If I buy a controller, I'm lost... xD

    S4? VCI-400? ERGO? T1? I want to have that 'club-like' experience, I already own a midicontroller that I can assign cue and transport and loop buttons to.. I want a more " cdj - mixer - cdj '' setup. I like the DDJ T1 for example, but the jogwheels don't look all that solid like the 850/900/1000/2000 ones...


    EDIT:

    I got a really good offer on 2 CDJ-350's... If everything goes as planned I'll have them tomorrow I'll post pics in the corresponding thread (H)
    Last edited by casefan; 01-10-2012 at 01:30 PM.

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