Got some cdjs
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Thread: Got some cdjs

  1. #1
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    Default Got some cdjs

    Ive been djing a while, started off playing dub reggae and dnb on vinyl, then I moved to vdj (for wedding gigs etc.) And eventually traktor. Im now using ableton, enjoying it more for production.
    Ive found myself struggling to enjoy a lot of the elements of djing with software, coupled with wanting to get a lot more gigs very soon (not viable with my current multi controller setup, taking my macbook a bunch of other stuff across london is not ideal) and ive took a leap and found a pair of Denon Dn-s1000's for 220 quid, from a little research I understand they are good units, and thats a very reasonable price for a pair of any cdjs (let alone reliable ones).

    Basically I want a compact setup, separate from my production setup, to just practice on cds, get more in touch with my tunes rather than trying to cut them up a millon ways, and be able to walk in to any club and play.

    So I have a few questions if you can help:

    How will my practice on these units translate to jumping on random cdjs (more than likely cdj1000) at the club? Ive spun vinyl, but never cdjs apart from the occasional rack mount piece of junk.

    I'm in need of a mixer, im not too interested in crazy effects or a great crossfader (I like to let tracks flow) but I do want a really good sounding mixer, obviously xone:22 springs to mind but im looking to spend a maximum of £150, I looked at the behringer nox202, but dubious on the sound quality.

    Would it be worth using rekordbox and usb keys (obviously my players dont support them) to prep sets incase (well, when)I end up on pioneers?

    Any other advice would be greatly appreciated

  2. #2
    Tech Guru guiltyblade's Avatar
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    Might as well analyze your tracks, just don't import them from rekordbox to your usb, as you denon won't be able to read it correctly. It goes to a contents folder and all this stuff and takes forever. Just make sets and folders, aka house music, fill up the folder with x amount of songs, about 200-300 max. That way it doesn't take forever for your cdj to read the USB.

    As in mixer a xone would be awesome. Maybe you can fine a used one?

  3. #3
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    My cdjs dont have usb anyway, theyre quite old, was just thinking it would be useful to do that for the club.

    I saw a used xone 22 for 170, but can't affors it right now, was a bit impulsive with the cdjs but wont find another pair that cheap so had to jump on them. Got a shitty citronic mixer I can use in the meantime.

  4. #4
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    Coming from controllers and DVS vinyl, I thought just showing up to a gig with the bar's CDJ-1000mk3's and hitting the ground running was going to be easy. Really makes me wish I had at least one CDJ800 to practice on beforehand.

    It's not that CD decks aren't intuitive, but there are a couple of settings you may want to change after the last guy that played them in case you are sharing equipment. Additionally, reading that text screen and taking advantage of the information on it takes a little practice. Cueing is something I needed someone to walk me through after previously thinking I'd discover how it worked immediately.

    Having a CDJ800 at home probably the best way to familiarize yourself with the large majority of CD decks you'll find yourself behind out there.

    If you are just getting a mixer to practice on and are budget conscious, sound quality takes a hit. That's just the way it works. Trust me, you don't hear the fidelity advantages of nice mixers until you are on a huge sound system.

  5. #5
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    So you mean i will struggle at first jumping on pioneers even after practising on the denons?

    Found a deal on a stanton 401 mixer, not great but has balanced out and effect send.

  6. #6
    Tech Mentor PartyMcFly's Avatar
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    You may be a fair bit smarter than me, I don't know, but it took me about a half hour at this gig before I was working at a comfortable capacity. It took me forever to find the button to switch the thing into vinyl-cueing mode. I also had no idea how to interpret the waveform. Before that night I played with some Denon CD decks at a friend's house very casually exactly once in my entire life.

    A week later I practiced on a friend's CDJ800 for about an hour and became 100% capable the next time I saw Pioneer decks at the bar. In some ways I prefer the CDs to turntables and controllers, but I wish the Traktor Scratch timecode worked a little better with them.

    Give it a shot, you'll be fine. But like with all new gear, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with its functions hands-on before you dive in to a live set with it.

  7. #7
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    Thanks mate, big help.

    I think ill get comfortable with my denons, then either find a cheap pioneer unit or just do a few low profile gigs to practice with the pioneers way of doing things.

    Keeping my cdj/mixer effects to a minimum so I don't get reliant on effects I cant replicate on club kit aswell.

    How would you reccomend burning cds, wav or mp3? Most my collection is stored as flac so either way ive got to convert.
    Got a pretty good idea of how ill organise.

  8. #8
    Tech Guru guiltyblade's Avatar
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    I burn my cds as an audio cd. This is because various places have various cdjs. Some do not support wav, or mp3. But almost all support normal Audio CD

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