Mixer Suggestions

[ssjaken]

SO! I played my first "rave". It was pretty rad, the Promotion company i work for threw it together. Anyway.

I use a Numark Mixdeck and Traktor. During the show, i hooked up my Master Out to channel 3 on one of the other DJs DJM-800. The sound was a little less clear than it could have been, if i had hooked up to the sound system straight up.

So we are looking to buy a mixer, with 4 channels at least, so we can have DJ's drop in and out during the show. I was wondering, when i get my S4, can we use that as a stage mixer? Does it accept inputs from other gear and then be able to use the 4 channel mixer on it?

Open to ALL suggestions here.

PS
our new soundsystem will have a 16 channel mixer ( behringer 16 channel europower ) to hookup all our speakers. What do you think would be the best method to get our stage gear into this. Another mixer? or just straight into.

Thanks guys

[fullenglishpint]

Sadly the S4 can't be used as a stage mixer, it's software control only.

I guess the best advice I can give is to find a well stocked DJ store near where you are and try things out. Some people prefer pioneer, some A&H, you might like ecler... There are many possibilites and no one else can tell you what you like best!

What sort of features are you after? effects etc or just a straight up mixer? I like my old DJM-600 but I'm looking to upgrade to an 800 now the new nexus has been announced.

[mostapha]

It sounds like you have no idea what you're doing.

I use a Numark Mixdeck and Traktor. During the show, i hooked up my Master Out to channel 3 on one of the other DJs DJM-800. The sound was a little less clear than it could have been, if i had hooked up to the sound system straight up.

Which means you were doing something wrong…probably clipping your sound card and/or the channel input…or just running the mixer too hot, 'cuz most people do that too. Or you left one of the color effects on. Or you're making it up.

So we are looking to buy a mixer, with 4 channels at least, so we can have DJ's drop in and out during the show. I was wondering, when i get my S4, can we use that as a stage mixer? Does it accept inputs from other gear and then be able to use the 4 channel mixer on it?

No. You might want to look at it and see what it actually does before you spend money on it.

our new soundsystem will have a 16 channel mixer ( behringer 16 channel europower ) to hookup all our speakers. What do you think would be the best method to get our stage gear into this. Another mixer? or just straight into.

Yeah…umm…what are you using the europower mixer for if you're not using it as a mixer? The stereo input pairs are perfect for trading in/out DJs, and it has 4 of them. If you have other stage gear, well…that's kind of what FOH mixers are for…plugging stage gear into…………

[fullenglishpint]

It sounds like you have no idea what you're doing.

Let's stay friendly now shall we?

[ssjaken]

@fullenglishpint
There arent many "well stocked DJ stores" in Alaska. Only a few and they mostly carry the higher end Pioneer stuff. But ill gander around.

Mostly looking for just a "mixer" first, effects are ancillary to our decision process because we us the Traktor effects. I think the prices for DJM-800 will drop or alot of deals will show up on eBay once the Nexus hits market.

We want something so we can hookup everyones stuff, CDJ's, TT's. Serator/Traktor boxes up to a performance mixer that people can use to scratch with if they are using CDJs or TT's. From my experience when you start plugging shit in and out during a live set, stuff goes bad easy lol.

@mostapha
yeah dude, be nice.

There wasnt ANY clipping on my side. we had 4 DJ's, the promoter who does lights and sounds for Anchorage Performing Arts center and staff all walking around doing sound checks. My mixdeck sounded BETTER hooked straight up to our soundboard than it did when we hooked up the DJM-800 first and then my out to it.

I know what the S4 does man, im buying it regardless of its ability to be an onstage 4 channel mixer. re-read what i said a few times, slowly. I specifically asked IF it was capable of doing that additional task. As TP2 comes out, it will accept timecode vinyl signals from CDJs or TT's. SO i was wondering if it would handle plain audio signals. Thanks for assuming the worst man.

The europower mixer will be used as our "sound board" per-say. We are currently using a soundcraft mixer/soundboard right now but it doesnt have as many OUTS as we want.

[fullenglishpint]

You can use the S4's on board sound card for audio thru, but if you want any EQ/volume control on it you'll have to sacrifice a deck or sample bank.

[Halukar]

No love for the behringer ddm-4000?

[soundinmotiondj]

A couple of good 4 channel mixers:
12" Vestax 004xl.
19" Denon x500

[ssjaken]

You can use the S4's on board sound card for audio thru, but if you want any EQ/volume control on it you'll have to sacrifice a deck or sample bank.

If having to ditch 1 or 2 decks so that we could easily transfer over to another DJ might be worth while. I could be using all 4 during my set, and rock the transfer switch.

@Halukar
ill check into that, thanks!


@soundinmotiondj
honestly, how is the build quality on vestax gear. even on their pricey stuff, and the VCI-100/300 it all looks cheapy to me.

Denon mixers are pretty sweet, and i know my best buy carries them

[kooper1980]

Let's stay friendly now shall we?

Agree totally!!

People could do without the attitude every time they ask something that others find too lame to answer.

I agree that knowing whether an S4 can be used as a mixer is something that can be found out easily but mixer sound problems are common and can become frustrating (even though most of the time its something glaringly obvious).