Effects. Serato built in or upgrade mixer?

[keeb]

The KP3 is supposed to have better quality than the KP2 so that might be worth looking into. I like the look of what it can do. I'm thinking about picking one up myself. The RMX looks nice and there is a vid on Pioneer DJSounds of Dan Tait using one with a DJM 900. That said... pretty expensive and you're not going to find one used. The EFX 1000 is pretty cool but a lot of its utility already exists on DJM mixers anyway. The feedback loop thing is kind of cool, but I'm pretty sure I'd get bored of it after playing around with it for a week or so. I think the KP3 is a better buy, in theory, but I have no idea how the quality of the effects are, plus it takes RCA inputs which is kind of annoying with a mixer with 1/4" send/return.

[Bassline Brine]

Don't get me wrong, I think the idea of the KP2, KP3, or KPQuad are really quite interesting. My only fear would be going to a mixer that doesn't have the flex FX in the future (ie, not using my exact setup) and trying to get it to work. I need to do a little more research to see how exactly I could adapt it to a different environment to make sure it would be a worthwhile investment.

It basically comes down to something that seems really cool, and I like the idea of the touchpad to control FX. But is it going to be translatable down the line to something I would be able to adapt and use out?

The flipside to getting one of the pioneer units... is becoming familiar with the signature Pioneer FX. Which, for most cases, is what most clubs have for mixers installed (at least in this area). That being said, the better units are expensive.

It's a tough call.

[synthet1c]

They all plug in using an effect send/return, so if the korg doesn't work neither will the pioneer, but any 4 channel pioneer or allen & heath mixer has an effect send although not sure about denon as I have never owned one, it's a little more rare on two channel mixers, but out of the 4 two channel mixers I have had 3 had an effects send/return.

That said imo still get the pioneer, but it's better that you know how they work.

[DJelixeR]

if youre worried about something like the RCA inputs, you can find RCA to 1/4 and many other adaptors online easo;y enough. Ive had a few chances to ues a friends kp3 and its effects are solid. some of them i cant imagine myself ever needing but the ones that i would use are great. my only worry would be that its hard to find the EXACT amount of an effect you want with a touchpad

[bumtsch]

You know, I like the idea of the X1. But I don't think I'd be happy having something with labels that are all incorrect (on the buttons). It's not a bad idea though, and probably would do the job well. I have dicers at the moment though, and it would double-up on some of the features I use from them.

If they came out with one designed with SL in mind, rather than just an overlay with mislabeled buttons, I'd seriously think about it.

The X1 ships with an extra overlay made for SSL. The back side of that overlay is blank for your own experimentation.

At least, it did when I bought a pair as it came out... that overlay's still advertised on NI's website, too.
http://www.native-instruments.com/#/...-x1/?page=1222

edit : oh, and keep the TTM56. I have a DDM4000 under my bed, never used the fx that much and the build quality is acceptable, but quite a step down from Rane. I played on a friend's Empath recently and I really liked the build quality - so I'm thinking you should keep your Rane for that reason ALONE.