4band EQ user seeking mixer advice!

Here's my dilemma that I am hoping the fantastic community can help me with.

I have been using a 4 band EQ mapping on Traktor S4 for enough time that I am really used to and enjoy using 4 band EQ's. The problem that I face now is I am ready to move on to a real mixer but the 4 band EQ hardware market feels like its been neglected as of late.

Here's what I am looking for in a mixer that I will most likely not find a solution to:

* 4 band EQ
* USB sound card similar to DB4 or DJM-2000 (will be using Traktor still)
* Isolaters

The XONE 92 is a really solid mixer and I enjoy using it but it is lacking USB sound so thats a deal breaker for me.

The XONE DB4 seems like a fantastic mixer but lacks Isolaters? and only 3 band EQ

The DJM-2000 also seems like a fantastic mixer but lacks 4 band EQ and includes some kind of multi-band eq touch screen mojo?

So my question to the community. Should I just bite the bullet and rock out a 3 band EQ neglecting my love for 4 band?

If you where in my shoes which mixer would you go with the DB4 or DJM-2000? Or have I overlooked a *GOOD* 4 band EQ mixer that I have not mentioned?

Oh and if anyone is wondering I will be pairing the mixer with SC3900's.

Thanks for the help guys and gals!

PS: if this is in the wrong place please move mods - since I will be using Traktor and no CDs this felt the best place.

Why does it HAVE to have a build in USB card? Just get a used Xone on the cheap and an Audio8 used as well.

The DB series mixers have:

Traditional 3 Band EQ
3 Band Isolator EQ
2 Band Filter EQ.

The DB4 is selectable via a on board switch and the DB2 has to be done in the menu settings

@JasonBay Your suggestion makes a lot of sense and sadly that is what I will probably end up with. Was hoping to be able to use shiny new gear and not have to buy anything new for a long while.

@DarioJ OK that is good to know. Can anyone comment how well the DB4 feels to a 4 band eq junkie? Meaning will I have the same amount of control over the sound or could I potentially have more?

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Originally Posted by JasonBay

Why does it HAVE to have a build in USB card?

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Yeah, that's something I read quite regularly on here, but never understand. Sure, a built in soundcard it's very convenient for playing at home, but if you want to play out, you need a separate soundcard anyways (well, or you bring your mixer everywhere, which may or may not be an option - in the case of clubs most likely the latter).

One of the reasons that I would prefer a built in sound card is less cables. Sounds silly - sure but I have far too many cables laying around and would like to try and simplify that (if possible).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GeekGod

@JasonBay Your suggestion makes a lot of sense and sadly that is what I will probably end up with. Was hoping to be able to use shiny new gear and not have to buy anything new for a long while.

@DarioJ OK that is good to know. Can anyone comment how well the DB4 feels to a 4 band eq junkie? Meaning will I have the same amount of control over the sound or could I potentially have more?

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Each channel can be used in filter eq mode and give you independent lowpass and highpass control to sculpt sound if you want. Or you can switch to isolators or regular eq- you may like it more.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Xonetacular

Each channel can be used in filter eq mode and give you independent lowpass and highpass control to sculpt sound if you want. Or you can switch to isolators or regular eq- you may like it more.

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Thanks Xonetacular - this is the kind of info I am looking for! Wish my local GC had a DB4 (or anywhere local for that matter) to play with one.

Mixing with the filters is amazing - far more control than 4-band EQ in my opinion, but I was never really a 4-band junkie. You can have the best of both worlds by getting the DB4 and then setting traktor's internal mixing to 4-band and using an X1 or something to control the EQs (even in external mixing mode, Traktor EQs work just fine). So you can control the EQ parameters you need while still using the filters to mix. I did this for a little while just with the high mid control (I mapped it to a knob on a controller and used that separately from filter mode for mixing). But for me it was too much to keep track of with separate controllers and I wound up not using the EQ knob much. I'd highly recommend the DB4 if it's in your budget.

The other problem you're going to have if you go the DB4 route is TSP control (if timecode is an issue for you, this is not the ideal mixer). Another issue might be the isolators - they are only assignable per channel, and you can't use them and the filter EQ mode together. If you want an isolator on your Master mix you'll have to buy one separately though there is some prospect this might get addressed in a firmware update.

Thanks for the info @djproben. I was planning on controlling Traktor using the SC3900's HID mode via USB.

Does anyone see an issue with this setup?