DJM-T1 or Z2?

[protocol]

I'm using a Z2 now with two SL-1210s and it's great. I was going to go for a DJM-T1 but the lack of filter knobs made me reconsider.

Things I like about it:
- The faders feel great. The crossfader is really loose and definitely tailored to a turntablist.
- It has crossfader curve adjust and reverse right in front. It's tough to grab ahold of the curve adjust unless you use your fingertips/fingernails, which I love because it's tough to throw off by accident.
- Looping and beatjumping is easy and fast, especially with the LEDs to show the size so you don't have to stare at your laptop screen (a huge pet peeve of mine).
- It stands level with SL-1210s. This is no different than many other mixers, but I like it nonetheless.
- The knobs are rubbery, smooth and easy to grab. I've never tried Chroma Caps but I'm tempted to add some.

Things I don't like about it:
- It has plastic pots holding the knobs on. They're pretty sturdy, and I'm pretty gentle with it, but if you go hard with it, they're going to flex and maybe snap if you're reckless/drunk.
- The little plastic buttons are the same ones as the Traktor S4. My buddy's S4 browse button, which gets pressed hard a lot ended up malfunctioning and I'm hoping the same won't happen with my Z2. IMO this shouldn't happen with a simple button.

[loverocket]

I'm using a Z2 now with two SL-1210s and it's great.
- It has crossfader curve adjust and reverse right in front. It's tough to grab ahold of the curve adjust unless you use your fingertips/fingernails, which I love because it's tough to throw off by accident.

are you sure that knob doesn't pop in and out when you press it? It believe it's retractable.

>

[protocol]

are you sure that knob doesn't pop in and out when you press it? It believe it's retractable.

>

This is how you can tell I haven't had it for long :P

[loverocket]

This is how you can tell I haven't had it for long :P

lol. drink!

[djoh]

I ordered Z2 but immediately changed to T1 for some reasons below.

Only reason I bought Z2 was it has Flux mode when T1 doesn't have flux mode.
but I found out that Pioneer released new firmware version and it now supports Flux mode and 8 hotques instead of 4 which is more benefit.

T1 looks better than Z2,
Z2 looks completely plastic without power on (Z2 needs those LED to look better).

T1 has every (three) effect knobs as S4 or X1,
Z2 has only 1 FX knob to control.

I had S4 before but as many users have same experience with those little buttons(those little circle button located on FX and center of the mixer) won't work after few months usage(annoying malfunction!).
unfortunately Z2 has those buttons again..

Z2's unique features, As far as I know,
Z2 has a Filter knob,
T1 doesn't have it.
but since I use FXs instead filter knob it was useless for me since S4(I barely used it).

Z2 has Innofader(I want it so bad),
T1 doesn't (has cheap xfader but still works great)
but bad thing about the Z2 mixer is that after couple of times of scratching, the paints where the fader will fading off(poorly painted or printed).

I'm still big fan of NI. but I vote for Pioneer DJM-T1 w/ NI engine inside.

Sorry for my English :P

[andyfoz]

my input:

been ding out for a while with s4 I love it, nothing fits traktor better! (although sometimes squeezing the s4's bulk into an existing set up proves difficult in booths with already a lack of space, wires everywhere and poor lighting and dj's changing over!)

but now I am a promoter of my own nights and I provide the all the equipment, decks , lights, pa sytem,dj's etc.............

the reason why I moved to the djmt1:

the main reason I switched to the djmt1 over the s4 was - most dj's in our town just do not even know what the s4 is they are used to playing on cdj800/1000 with a djm900 for example.

on the first few nights that I run I had the cdj1000 routed through the s4 as live inputs. after seeing other dj's struggle to use the s4 as a normal mixer (as its not pioneer, no booth control, strange gain knobs, a filter knob lol?? dodgey poor led meters, and a myriad of other unfamiliar controls lights etc etc) I decided to do what felt right.

get something that traktor users could use and also the cdj crowd, in that the mixing controls on the djmt1 were definitely something dj's in general were familiar with.

when it was time to switch over to a cdj or 1210 all that was needed was the flick of a switch and boom! its a standard pio mixer with cdj1000 attached, no head scratching or confusion just away they go.

flick the switch from cdj back to usb - now we have a setup that can either be used for traktor time code, or just use the mixer as a traktor controller as the unit has the 90% of the s4 controls built right onto the surface, very happy days

so my club is covered, so why didn't I go for the Z2?

imo it still looks like a toy, it looks plastic even though im told its not, all the knobs and buttons seem none standard coming from a pioneer background i.e it just looks like a slimmed down s4 minus most of the transport controls of the s4 and that of the djmt1.

in a nut shell I need something that looks and feels familiar to dj's that are used to playing out, not bedroom dj's who dream of playing out that have all day everyday to practice on there own controller mixer of choice.

going from the s4 to the z2 is an easy transition for many and physically and mentally the hardware would feel the same. to go to the z2 from a pioneer djm900 on the night of a gig with no previous experience of traktor or a traktor s4 in very dimly lit extremely loud busy conditions is a big ask, a question I was not prepared to ask of the dj's I book, ive got far to much to do on the night than explain to each and every dj what traktor is and how it works and why I maybe could of got a z2.

"there you go mate ive slided over to cdj for you away you go good luck, if you want to use traktor slide to usb and all the controls play pause hot cue etc are there right n front of you, good luck cya later"

and that's my reasons, I love the djm t1 , had I been just a bedroom dj I would have gone with the Z2 as I really really love my S4 and a natural transition it would be, but its not just about me anymore.......