Mixer for CDJ-350's

**guigao** · 12-09-2012, 01:51 PM

Hi guys,

I am thinking of getting a pair of CDJ-350's for Christmas but I am still looking for a suitable mixer.
There is a package of CDJ-350 + DJM-350 for 1,400 pounds on most stores but the DJM-350 seems a bit expensive for what is delivered.
I was thinking if there is any other mixer that would have preferably a FX section for less than 500 pounds.
I am also considering the option of a Xone 22 or DJM-250 with my laptop as external fx unit.

What do you guys think?

Thank you!

**xs2man** · 12-09-2012, 02:10 PM

£500 should get you a DJM 700 albeit second hand. I had a set of 350's hooked up with the DJM 800. Was pretty good, but expensive for what you get. I sold them and got a Allen & Heath DB4, reloop controller, and use my PC for outputting tracks until I save some coin and get a pair of CDJ 2000's / 900's.

Assuming you have a budget of around £1400 (which it looks like you do), I would probably go a different way. I would probably go for a DB2 (£1000), X1 & F1 (around £350). This set up will give you a fully licensed Traktor 2.6, with all the in-built effects, plus a solid 4 channel mixer with its own effects. Okay, you'll miss out on send/return fx with this set-up, but you do have a multitude of effects, both internal and external. And the input matrix on the A&H DB Mixers is great to work with, allowing you to have the same source playing on two different channels, each running their own external fx, ontop of whatever fx you have applied internally.

You will have a MUCH more advanced set-up than you would with a typical CDJ 350 set-up, as your looking at, and you'll only really be missing a jog-wheel (You could go for a Reloop Contour like I have if this is important to you, instead of the X1).

Of course, there is no real replacement for actual decks, in my opinion, but the 350's, while a good beginner set-up, weren't really giving me what I wanted. I could do more with a couple of cheap controllers (like the Reloop I got for £65 off here).

**protocollie** · 12-09-2012, 02:13 PM

Well, I'd assume since he's getting the 350s, they're what he really wants. That said I'm gonna second the suggestion you look for a secondhand DJM-700. You're gonna get a lot more mixer and be a lot more familiar with the standard setup that way.

**guigao** · 12-09-2012, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by xs2man

£500 should get you a DJM 700 albeit second hand. I had a set of 350's hooked up with the DJM 800. Was pretty good, but expensive for what you get. I sold them and got a Allen & Heath DB4, reloop controller, and use my PC for outputting tracks until I save some coin and get a pair of CDJ 2000's / 900's.

Assuming you have a budget of around £1400 (which it looks like you do), I would probably go a different way. I would probably go for a DB2 (£1000), X1 & F1 (around £350). This set up will give you a fully licensed Traktor 2.6, with all the in-built effects, plus a solid 4 channel mixer with its own effects. Okay, you'll miss out on send/return fx with this set-up, but you do have a multitude of effects, both internal and external. And the input matrix on the A&H DB Mixers is great to work with, allowing you to have the same source playing on two different channels, each running their own external fx, ontop of whatever fx you have applied internally.

You will have a MUCH more advanced set-up than you would with a typical CDJ 350 set-up, as your looking at, and you'll only really be missing a jog-wheel (You could go for a Reloop Contour like I have if this is important to you, instead of the X1).

Of course, there is no real replacement for actual decks, in my opinion, but the 350's, while a good beginner set-up, weren't really giving me what I wanted. I could do more with a couple of cheap controllers (like the Reloop I got for £65 off here).

Thank you very much for the suggestion!
I will study this set-up a bit more but I have a doubt for now: how do you beatmatch using x1's?

Thanks again!

**guigao** · 12-09-2012, 04:05 PM

Originally Posted by protocollie

Well, I'd assume since he's getting the 350s, they're what he really wants. That said I'm gonna second the suggestion you look for a secondhand DJM-700. You're gonna get a lot more mixer and be a lot more familiar with the standard setup that way.

Thank you for the suggestion!
I am indeed more inclined to buy CDJ's + mixer atm.
I will take a look at second hand DJM-700.

Thanks

**xs2man** · 12-10-2012, 12:23 AM

Originally Posted by guigao

Thank you very much for the suggestion!
I will study this set-up a bit more but I have a doubt for now: how do you beatmatch using x1's?

Thanks again!

The Sync button, lol.

Of course, this isn't ideal for learning to beatmatch. The lack of sliders on the X1 isn't ideal, but they are available on the F1 so they could be mapped as pitch controllers, (although they are a little small, perhaps an Allen & Heath K2 would be a better choice here than an X1 with it having longer sliders).

It is by no means an ideal set-up, but having owned the 350's previously, I can tell you they are not ideal either. They are a VERY basic CDJ, and after only a few months use, I realised that they were really only getting used as controllers. So its a big outlay for such a basic set-up.

Another option for you might be to get the Pioneer XDJ Aero though. When I decided to sell my 350's, this is what I was going to replace them with (before deciding I was gonna completely blow the budget and get what I really wanted). This will give you a set-up with a decent controller, that doesn't need software to run. So you will have the all the same control that you would have with CDJ's, but a lot cheaper. It has built in effects, rekordbox compatibility, wifi, mixer with external inputs etc... Doesn't cost as much, so in a year or so time, if you feel DJ-ing is a route you would like to invest more in, you wont loose so much money when you want to upgrade everything (and it will still be relativley new technology, so will still be worth decent money). If I were to start mixing mp3's again, and needed beginner kit, that is definitely what I would buy rather than CDJ 350's.

Or, blow the budget on second hand CDJ 900's, and a cheap mixer for now. Almost as soon as I bought my 350's, thats what I had wished I had done rather than buy new 350's.

**kooper1980** · 12-10-2012, 08:07 AM

Take a look at the Behringer Nox 606. Thats within your budget and I've heard great things about it.

**guigao** · 12-10-2012, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by xs2man

The Sync button, lol.

Of course, this isn't ideal for learning to beatmatch. The lack of sliders on the X1 isn't ideal, but they are available on the F1 so they could be mapped as pitch controllers, (although they are a little small, perhaps an Allen & Heath K2 would be a better choice here than an X1 with it having longer sliders).

It is by no means an ideal set-up, but having owned the 350's previously, I can tell you they are not ideal either. They are a VERY basic CDJ, and after only a few months use, I realised that they were really only getting used as controllers. So its a big outlay for such a basic set-up.

Another option for you might be to get the Pioneer XDJ Aero though. When I decided to sell my 350's, this is what I was going to replace them with (before deciding I was gonna completely blow the budget and get what I really wanted). This will give you a set-up with a decent controller, that doesn't need software to run. So you will have the all the same control that you would have with CDJ's, but a lot cheaper. It has built in effects, rekordbox compatibility, wifi, mixer with external inputs etc... Doesn't cost as much, so in a year or so time, if you feel DJ-ing is a route you would like to invest more in, you wont loose so much money when you want to upgrade everything (and it will still be relativley new technology, so will still be worth decent money). If I were to start mixing mp3's again, and needed beginner kit, that is definitely what I would buy rather than CDJ 350's.

Or, blow the budget on second hand CDJ 900's, and a cheap mixer for now. Almost as soon as I bought my 350's, thats what I had wished I had done rather than buy new 350's.

Yeah, I don't really want to rely too much on the sync button.
Tbh, I am looking for some gear more similar to club standard because I find much more fun to DJ in CDJ"s than in controllers.
I currently own a Mixtrack Pro and am part of DJ society at my uni where they have CDJ's.
If I find secondhand CDJ's such as the 900 or 1000 I will probably go for them + a DJM 700.
Or I might save for maybe more 6 months and try getting this mentioned CDJ's.

Thank you very much for the suggestions!