Take on DVS caution rant enclosed

**mostapha** · 01-25-2012, 03:04 PM

I've used everything. Started on vinyl, bought and sold 3 different DVS systems. CDJs. Sold my Technics to finance my first controller purchase and spent a couple years doing the controller/computer thing seriously after trying to incorporate ableton into vinyl/cd sets. Did ableton. And traktor.

And I'm back on SSL with technics and a very basic mixer.

It's glorious.

Knowing that I can't just jam a button when my mix point comes around has me listening to music the way I used to. And it's more fun so far.

I don't have any problem with people mixing on whatever they want as long as they take their art more seriously than themselves and show respect for the music they're playing. But after a few years of worrying about prep work, it's amazing to go back to HAVING to do everything in the moment.

Even with visual aides and accurate bpm counters and phase meters and auto-gain and big, detailed waveforms....there's something about spinning with something that big and temperamental and touchy that I value.

Would I use it all the time? No. At a gig, I'd bring USB sticks and only have my serato box as a backup in case their cdjs are old or broken. Would I bring my 1200s to a house party? No. There's no point. Unless I was spinning with a good hip hop DJ who wanted them, I'd probably go buy some serato intro controller with a sound card. It's just not worth transporting and risking all the equipment unless it's going to be an epic party.

That being said, it's still really nice to have them available. I went to an after party about a year ago that had Mr. C in attendance. He was suppose to play the after party as well but couldn't because they only had CDJs. I would have loved to get mine out of my trunk and make some serious friends, but all I had was my tpro2 setup.

Apart from all of that, I realize I'm not the prototypical djtt user, but there's something about the tactical sensations of DJing that I just love. And if all you're doing (cues, loops, live edits, adding beats, live performance, etc.) can have all the modern capabilities AND the tactile feel of vinyl...tht's a serious win and something I was REALLY missing when I was just on controllers.

I look forward to the day when I get back to where I was and can keep 2 records together with no effort...at that point, adding a groove box will feel like something I'm choosing to do instead of something I'm doing just because I can.

My only regret going back to SSL is that I can't justify the expense of a really nice mixer.

**0.0** · 01-25-2012, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by HedgeHog

Who remembers these?

Got a guy near me trying to sell a pair:

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/sat/msg/2754221835.html

I'm almost tempted to buy them. How well would I be able to scratch on those bad boys?

**mostapha** · 01-25-2012, 07:55 PM

please tell me you're joking.

**Karlos Santos** · 01-25-2012, 08:10 PM

Originally Posted by 0.0

Got a guy near me trying to sell a pair:

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/sat/msg/2754221835.html

I'm almost tempted to buy them. How well would I be able to scratch on those bad boys?

You would sound better scratching on this:

Originally Posted by mostapha

please tell me you're joking.

For the sake of humanity lets hope so.

**mostapha** · 01-25-2012, 08:16 PM

There was a guy on DJF at one point who thought that Pioneer CDJs were insanely overpriced because you could just wedge a matchstick into the lid sensor of a normal sony walkman CD player and scratch just like vinyl.

Why do I bring it up? no reason.

**Xonetacular** · 01-25-2012, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by mostapha

There was a guy on DJF at one point who thought that Pioneer CDJs were insanely overpriced because you could just wedge a matchstick into the lid sensor of a normal sony walkman CD player and scratch just like vinyl.

33.3 rpm CDs