At the moment I’m using a BCF 2000 and a newly purchased X1, which I’m very pleased with.
With the addition of the X1 my BCF is only used for EQ (Which I can use the MIDI page of the X1 for) and levels. I have a few super knobs mapped to various effects but I barely touch it mid song, only when mixing.
I’m thinking of ditching the BFC completely, giving it back to my Dad, and picking up a small 2 channel mixer and decent soundcard. It’s definantly a more compact setup and very portable, as I can just take my X1, soundcard and laptop (when I get one) to a club and plug into their mixer, while being comfortable with the traditional format.
Is this a good idea, or should I just stick with a fully MIDI setup? And can anyone recommend a cheap 2 channel mixer that will fill my needs? All I want is channel faders and 3 band EQ, nothing fancy.
Generally just Electro House and some Progressive. I favour long blends, generally 32 bars or more, with a bit of effects like Iceverb, Delay and filters.
Yeah the X1 with a 2 channel mixer and a soundcard is a pretty sweet and portable setup.
For the mixer I recommend you to get a used pioneer DJM ( 300/350/400 or even a 600 if you get a good deal) or A&H xone 22 or 32 rather than getting a cheap new mixer such as gemini or behringer. the Denon DN-X120 is pretty good piece of kit for the price too.
I’ve recently done the transition that you want to do and the only bad of it was to be unable to record my mix because I don’t have any record interface
Keep that in mind when choosing your mixer and your audio interface…
I have just done the same,instead using an eks otus instead of kontrol1.
I record by taking the record out (booth out/monitor output) of the mixer plugged back into my laptop mic input(same laptop running traktor)and record using audacity.give it a try.
I really like having the feel of a real mixer. feel‘s like ,surprise surprise ,I‘m mixing
could go with a midi mixer… i have a cheapo djtech djm101 for basic levels+eq control over 2 decks. it doesn’t seem to get much love on this forum - but i like it…
But how was the quality of the recording, it worth for recording a demo and start promoting myself with it? Or there will be too much noise or muddy sound?
Also my mixer is shit, it’s a Behringer DJX400, really old, I don’t think it will output much quality when in comparision with the traktor internal recording
You can choose what bit rate and Hz in audacity. I record at 32bit 44000Hz. Yes it’s fine to promote yourself. My mates and mine latest mix was recorded this way in audacity. Listen for yourself. At the end of the day evan if your mixer is not good. It’ll only cost you the cost of the cable to try it out and also listen to your mixes which is very important to check your progress. Be sure to go into window settings and adjust the Mic settings. Particularly Mic boost turn that off. Audacity is also free let me know if you need any help with it.
Vestax makes the best cheap mixers on the planet by leaps and bounds. The VMC-002xl and 004xl are probably what you want, and as long as you don’t pour beer in them, they’ll outlast your interest in them by far.
The xone:32 is also very decent but weird (gains are on the back…studio-style fader caps…weird curve on the upfaders)
The xone:22 blows.
The cheap Denon mixers feel like toys…the x-600 is where they start to not suck.
Every 2-channel Pioneer has made other than the 707 and 909 are jokes and the 600 is too old to bother with.
Seriously…my advice is to just buy Vestax. I have a xone in my bedroom, but I ended up with it because it was cheaper (used) and easier to get than the vmc-004xl that everyone thought was discontinued. I like the xone, but I’m not 100% convinced that I wouldn’t have been happier with a Vestax. Something about them just feels right to me.
What it will probably come down to is what my local places have in stock or who can ship to NZ. Thanks for all the responses guys, going with this route.
