I feel kind of awkward making one of these kinds of posts, especially since the Internet is already littered with them. Alas, this isn't my area of expertise (yet), so I'm hoping to take some advice from those of you who have already toyed with this equipment.
Long story short: I'm looking to move beyond toying with a laptop once or twice a year and actually getting some real gear. I got a Mixtrack Pro a couple of years back, but it didn't work properly out of the box. Lesson learned: you get what you pay for. Thus, the answer is Pioneer, but I'm not quite sure which model to go for.
CDJ350:
Pros:
- Newer tech
- Compatible with Rekordbox
- USB compatible
- Beatgrid display
- Midi/HID compatible
Cons:
- Smaller jogwheel
- Slightly more expensive
- Lacking playback features such as hot cues, reverse function, etc.
CDJ1000mk3
Pros:
- Standard club equipment
- Full size jogwheel
- Hotcues
- Reverse effect
- Adjustable jogwheel tension
- Slightly cheaper (from what I've seen) than the CDJ350
Cons:
- Older technology
- No USB input (forced to use CD's only)
- No true Midi/HID control
So there's my dilemma. New tech with better computer/USB compatibility, vs older tech with more standard features.
My budget is around $400-500, which isn't a huge amount. However, I'd rather practice on cheaper gear and see if I'm really invested in this, rather than go all out and find that it's really not my thing. Right now I'm seeing 1000mk3's for $250 apiece, and 350's for $300 apiece, and for that reason I'm leaning towards the 1000mk3's.
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