Helping father upgrade his DJ equipment - Looking for advice
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  1. #1
    Tech Wizard
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    Default Helping father upgrade his DJ equipment - Looking for advice

    Hey guys im trying to help my father upgrade his DJ equipment. He currently uses a Denon DN4500/MX500 to Mackie speakers. He wants upgrade to a rotary mixer similar to urei 1620, isolator similar to real dope 3300, and Pioneer CDJ-2000's. The problem is that we dont have $6000+k. More like $3000-4500. We live in the US so finding some of these brands is also difficult. That said he also considered the Rane MP/XP2016S. Can someone make more budget oriented recommendations/alternatives or tips for this upgrade?

  2. #2
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    Buy used.

    Or, get a pair of Denon SC2900 instead of the CDJ-2000. You'll pay maybe 1100-1300 for a pair new, and they have just as much functionality as the CDJ2000 NXS.

    If he wants to stick with Pioneer, get CDJ900s or an XDJ-1000. That's 2k for a pair, and 1500 should be enough to get a rotary.
    Bedroom DJ | Pioneer DJM-800 | Pioneer CDJ2000 and CDJ900-NXS | 2 x Mackie MR8MKII | Sennheiser Amperior

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by SlvrDragon50 View Post
    Buy used. Or, get a pair of Denon SC2900 instead of the CDJ-2000. You'll pay maybe 1100-1300 for a pair new, and they have just as much functionality as the CDJ2000 NXS. If he wants to stick with Pioneer, get CDJ900s or an XDJ-1000. That's 2k for a pair, and 1500 should be enough to get a rotary.
    Thanks Slvr - The reasoning for the CDJ-2000 is based on rave reviews and personal feedback. I don't know if there is a particular feature that makes him lean towards the CDJ-2000 but will checkout the SC2900. Based on my own research the biggest pro for the CDJ-2000 is the screen and browsing songs on it. Whereas the SC2900 is not as good. In this use case, I dont think he will be using the screen much since its 7" and difficult to read/see from a distance. He doesnt have the best vision in the world . Do you have any thoughts on the Rotary+Isolator?

  4. #4
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    I don't use a rotary mixer, but I don't think you can really go wrong with any of them.

    Go for the XDJ1000 then! I think that's your best option unless he wants physical buttons, then the CDJ900NXS. Both have the same screen as the CDJ2000.
    Bedroom DJ | Pioneer DJM-800 | Pioneer CDJ2000 and CDJ900-NXS | 2 x Mackie MR8MKII | Sennheiser Amperior

  5. #5
    Tech Guru deevey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SlvrDragon50 View Post
    I don't use a rotary mixer, but I don't think you can really go wrong with any of them.

    Go for the XDJ1000 then! I think that's your best option unless he wants physical buttons, then the CDJ900NXS. Both have the same screen as the CDJ2000.
    I'd have him go with the XDJ rather than the CDJ to be honest unless he has a real preference for using physical CD's I don't see the point in the 2000's

    On the mixer front, brand new on a budget maybe the Xone S2R - its about 1k, 19' and eq channels feature a full cut isolator and stellar sound. While he's busy with that get hunting on ebay for a Bozak, Dope Real, even the Vestax DCR-1500 to add-on later.

    Now there is another less "standard" isolator, which by all accounts is actually a dark horse and works surprisingly well and sounds good ... don't disregard it, read the reviews...and bear in mind its almost 1/5 the price of other isolators.

    After so many lemons they were due to have one winner on their hands,

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Omnitronic-1.../dp/B0068AABR8

    You could try to get a quote from these guys also E&S .. they do a very tasty 2 ch isolator which sits between the Audio input and mixer.

    Theres a Bozak Isolator on Ebay at the moment ... from china, but looking though the guys past sales (over years) looks legit.

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bozak-3-4-Ba...item3f454430a5

    Also theres this rack of goodies from Korea which includes a Dope Real and Bozak 1620 - its misspelling on the title so you might get a bargain

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dope-real-MO...item418e420e9f

    Off the shelf, you cant really go wrong with a Rane 2016

    And don't disregard stuff just becuase you are in the USA, you can always bring stuff into the country, you just "might" have to pay a little more on import / shipping. I have to import most of my gear
    Last edited by deevey; 01-20-2015 at 09:38 AM.

  6. #6
    Tech Wizard
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    Deevey & SlvrDragon50 - It looks like we will go with the XDJ-1000. Back ordered at most places but im sure we will find it. Now for a mixer – We’re considering the Allen & Heath Xone S2R, Rane 2016. Is there anything I should know immediately about either? Which is better suited for house music? Budget OMNITRONIC ISO-23 DJ isolator until we can get something better. That puts it around $3500 for everything!

  7. #7
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    Some a&h and pioneer mixers have conversion kits. If that is any help.
    Traktor Z2, Numark TTX1,Ableton Live 9/Push,Roland TR8,Eurorack modular
    Techno/Experimental

  8. #8
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    Looks like the OMNITRONIC ISO-23 on Amazon cannot be shipped to the US.

  9. #9
    Tech Guru deevey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by lcmnsky View Post
    Looks like the OMNITRONIC ISO-23 on Amazon cannot be shipped to the US.
    So order from another place e.g. http://eshop.steinigke.de/en/Audio/A...10355900.html#

  10. #10
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    Thanks for all of the help so far. I purchased the Isolator from a 3rd party on Amazon who ships to the US. One down! The next up, we will go for the Rane 2016 combo for roughly $2k. Then most likely work our way into the XDJ-1000. This should be a sweet setup coming from the Denon SN 4500/500 combo.

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