From Controllers back to CDJs (or vice versa)

[mostapha]

Yeah…I'd consider a controller for really small things…but we're talking like a PadKontrol2 or LPD8 and Live with nothing complicated going on (and after a while…I decided I hate warping marginally less than beat gridding).

[Shishdisma]

Yeah…I'd consider a controller for really small things…but we're talking like a PadKontrol2 or LPD8 and Live with nothing complicated going on (and after a while…I decided I hate warping marginally less than beat gridding).

You hate warping more than something that's done automatically in a batch?

[mostapha]

I hate warping marginally less than something that Traktor never gets right for me and is way more of a PITA to fix than just to warp it correctly the first time.

[squidot]

i started with vinyl and added cdjs 100/200s. i got tired of records and burning cds so i went over to ableton and found that i didn't really like it for performing live and having to pre-prep everything in order to play. i still love it for studio dj mixes though. i just started using traktor and a vci-400 ege and so far i think it's the solution for me.

I hate warping marginally less than something that Traktor never gets right for me and is way more of a PITA to fix than just to warp it correctly the first time.

ha! i hate gridding marginally less than warping. i'm actually finding that traktor gets most of the grids pretty close minus the load point. i usually only have to shift the grid a couple of notches. i was having a ton of issues with ableton getting most of the tracks wrong so i would have to scrap it's warps and start from scratch nearly every time. i also like the ability to be able to manually beat match if needed where i felt that wasn't really an option for me in ableton.

[Emmett]

Never had CDJs, but have owned two sets of 1200s spinning only with vinyl i.e no DVS.

I jumped into the controller thing and have considered going to CDJs and vinyl DVS many times due to laptop frustrations and missing the whole manual beatmatching thing. In saying that manual beatmatching on high end cd players is a non-event now anyway with the information the screen offers ...

Laptop frustrations are sorted and I bought two controllers that I can beatmatch on well enough for me to be happy with and also use sync if I please.

At short I like my current setup a lot, I like the information and tools a digital system affords me, and I enjoy using tempo sync far more often than I do manual beatmatching. It's funny how things work out sometimes


If Pioneer 2000s were $300 each I'd consider (not definitely) buying them if I had access to an a moderately priced DB4. Spending $9k on three decks and mixer to get to something comparable in usability to my current setup is a bit much for me now. I have no interest in any other cd player/mixer combination.

My advice to folks that are coming from CDJ's or vinyl to digital is get a 100mm pitchfader (minimum 14 bit resolution) and reasonable jogwheel on your first controller so you can DJ in a more traditional style if you feel like it.

[mostapha]

Ableton never gets it right. I turned off auto warping and never looked back. It took maybe 30 seconds per song for modern dance music.

Traktor, for me, got it wrong >90% of the time. And it took 30 seconds just for the zooming I'd do because it's user interface sucks so much more than Live.

I preferred Traktor a little bit while performing, but it got to the point where I just stopped adding new music to my Traktor library because I couldn't imagine actually adjusting beat grids again and was considering paying someone else to do it…which (considering that I buy lossless files) would make these stupid intangible digital files cost almost as much as vinyl…so I sold all my Traktor gear and went to SSL almost entirely because I didn't want to be tempted to set beat grids. I also gave up on the Bridge when I turned on the plugin and saw beat grid lines.

Nothing is worth that hassle anymore.

The only way I'll ever use Traktor again is if I decide I want a 3rd deck and can't afford an SL3 or SL4.

[haze324]

Started on Vinyl when I was in my teens. Took a break from DJing and started back on controllers - mostly for small parties with friends. It was fun, but just didn't cut it. Ended up with CDJ's and turntables again. At home I play on Serato DVS and turntables, at clubs I'll play with whatever is there, CDJ's or TT's. Ended up getting a VCI-300 and now DDJ-S1 for small parties for friends. Thinking about going back to the VCI only because it's smaller and more portable and I'm not doing any "mobile" gigs. So no need for it. My first choice is 1200's, then CDJ's, then a controller.

(also note: I've tried quite a few controllers: VCI-100, VCI-300, NS7, DDJ-S1, S4, X1)

[Jaeros]

Other stories?

[00DJC]

1) Originally used just software in Virtual DJ. wanted a more 'hands on' approach' so:

2) Someone lent me some Turntables - these were wayyy hard to get on with when all you've known before is software, things were falling apart, skipped, jumped etc etc (they were really old and beaten up). Very quickly gave them back lol

3) Got 2 very cheap CDJ's and a mixer and went DVS with Traktor. Was a bit clunky to begin with but quickly got an X1 and all was ok, however with an X1 the DVS element became a bit obsolete as i wasn't scratching or anything. Enjoyed the end result of my sets but after a while it was all feeling a bit too... manufactured? it was all a bit too easy and mixes seems all too clinical so:

4) Tried mixing on the same very cheap (and really poor) CDJ's, got the basics together but just couldn't stand how unreliable they seemed to be for me. But when they did work loved it. But wanted to use my collection of music on my laptop without burning 100's of CD's or putting them on USB sticks (well my CDJ's at this time had USB ports - but they didn't work) so:

5) I finally splurged on 2 X CDJ 900's and a DJM 900. Use the Pioneer Pro-DJ link and LOVE IT. Everything works perfectly, totally reliable, can easily access all my music on my laptop with the Pro-DJ link with just some network cables. Audio quality and ease of use above anything I've used in software (don't get me wrong the Traktor Audio 10 I've got still sounds punchy as!). No set up nonsense or anything like that. I enjoy playing my music more, i listen and understand things more now that i don't rely on seeing it within a piece of software. The only slight downside (i found) is Pioneer's rekordbox is no where near as good at organising music as Traktor is. I could use my CDJ's in HID mode and control Traktor - however I've found the audio quality to not be quite as sharp/clear. And you have to use the laptop screen for browsing etc so in effect you get tied to the laptop instead of the tunes coming through the speakers and all of a sudden I'm not enjoying it as much. CDJ's all the way (albeit with the ease of use of a Laptop library)

[JesC]

ive done a full circle 2x already went from Vinyl to Midi to Traktor CD DVS to DVS vinyl to Serato DVS to Serato Midi and just stood with Vinyl + Serato DVS vinyl for gigs & Serato ITCH for small gigs with a VCI-300. I like to spin period, if I have to drop a set on cdjs, ill bring my cd booklet out.