Getting started, need help with set-up and gear

[smiTTTen]

DVS is certainly more expensive than the controller route. What's best for you depends on what you want to do and how committed you really are. Getting cheap stuff now can often be false economy. Take a short stroll though these boards and there are hundreds of stories from people who bought low-end and found themselves boxed in with months. Also realize that if you get to that point you'll be punting your gear for a lot less than you paid for it.

If you are allergic to rants, click away now

As for starting off on DVS being "bold" (sorry whoever said that) that's absolute garbage. That's how people got into this and learned how to mix and scratch for decades before controllers came along. I look at it like driving. Learning with manual gears maybe harder but it means you can drive anything. If you suddenly had to drive an automatic you'd pick it up in a few minutes. Have you seen what happens when automatic drivers "try stick" for the first time? It's not pretty. Don't get me wrong, I am a massive S4 fan, I like and use SYNC and whatever else makes sense at the time. The difference is I can mix on turntables which means I can walk int any club with a pair of decks and just get going. Learning on controllers in almost no way prepares you for mixing on turntables - yes you can turn snap, sync and quant off but it's not the same - sorry.

If you dont mind only ever driving automatics - that's great. If you wanna drive anything that comes your - don't be scared of DVS BE BOLD

[icb]

I spin techno, but use serato. Its not true that only hip-hop and scrqtch djs use serato and edm djs traktor. All depends what you want from your dvs. I can recommend serato, but its more expensive at first then traktor (but all updates free unlike traktor).

And if you get sl1, keep in mind no i-series cpu for you on windows platform.

[paw_20]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Full-DJ-Setu...#ht_500wt_1226

hop on it if you can. everything you need but headphones. PDX2000 aren't techs in that they're not the industry standard, but they're fine decks all the same.
might be little wierd on 1200s in a club for the first time, but same skillz apply.
and the ttm56, one of the best you can have

[smiTTTen]

I got a pair of vestax pdx2000 that I will sell for $200. One works just fine, the other needs feet, platter and possibly new motor - hence $200.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_o8a...4eAUAAAAAAAFAA

[Lug Nutz]

Ill agree with smittten on his post, I dive in and bought time code about a litte over a year agg! I started with Serato enjoyed it, had tons of late night fun with it, but it is limiting on what you can do. Serato is strait foward DJ software, a pure turntablist program. This past summer I bought an S4 cause I wanted more flexablity with FX and loops and I have to say I do not regret the purchase in any way, except I wish I would not have sold my TT and mixer. Nothing about this hobby or profession is cheap, so it all comes down to what you want out of it..