2 Channel Mixer breakdown - NEED YOUR OPINIONS

DJ Life & Community General Discussion
1

2 Channel Mixer breakdown - NEED YOUR OPINIONS

So, I’ve made a couple posts like this before but still haven’t found quite what I’m looking for. Before you ask, I have read the DJTT blog post on 2 channel mixers but it’s a bit out of date and some new ones have come out since. I’m selling my current controller (MC6000) and getting a 2 channel mixer + audio 4 + X1 to use with my already purchased midi fighter. I believe that will be plenty of control, and I’ll finally have the EQ quality of an external setup!

This is what I’m -looking for- in a mixer:

-High Quality EQ sound quality (3 band)
-High quality feeling pots/faders (crossfader doesn’t mean anything to me..not a scratch DJ)
-Good LED feedback on the levels so I can get better at manually adjusting gains
-Isolator EQ (full EQ kills on all levels)
-If possible, I’d like filters but it’s not necessary

So far, I’ve narrowed down my search to the following candidates, for which I’ll list my pros + cons for each

Xone 22

Pros:
-Has a filter, amazing pot/fader quality, nice EQ curve, and good LED feedback
-price of $270

Cons:
-The dreaded filter pop/static when activating it
-Loud hiss noise coming from left channel on headphone output

DJM 250

Pros:
-dual filter
-isolator EQ

Cons:
-Slightly higher price of $350
-Some people say that pioneer EQ/sound quality isn’t that good…thoughts?
-Haven’t found any reviews on it, as it’s brand new.

Ecler Nuo 2 or 3

Pros:
-Found a used nuo 3 for $250
-high quality sound/pots/faders
-lots of ins and outs
-Compact

Cons:
-I’m told the mid-range EQ is really wide, making the high and low EQ less important…thoughts?
-no filters

Rane TTM56

Pros:
-Rane is known for immensely high quality, even if bought 2nd hand
-I’ve heard the EQ curve is -really- nice on these…opinions?

Cons:
-High Price…I’ve found a couple used for below 500 but it’s more than I was looking to spend
-no balanced XLR out

So that’s all I’ve got to say about those mixers, and my current needs. I’m looking for some feedback guys! Whether it’s an opinion on one of the units I just mentioned, or a suggestion on a -different- mixer (keep it to 2 or 3 channels please!) I wanna know what you think! Thanks!

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I just upgraded to a Rane 56. I love it! The EQ is great. I love having the ability to turn off the EQ with the flick of a switch. Curve on the level faders as well as the stock cross fader is crisp. There is about a 2mm dead space on the crossfader when turning the contour all the way up for scratching. I plan on installing an innofader pro, so that won’t be an issue for long. The missing XLRs are the only con to this mixer, but 1/4" suits me just fine as I run from my Rane to my DJM500, then XLR to monitors.

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And how is the EQ curve and the LED feedback? The 1/4 are balanced aren’t they?

4

EQ curve is good. I would like to have more than off to +6 when just mixing, but that is splitting hairs as far as I am concerned. I mix mainly with the mids, and finally don’t have to worry about dropping the mids and losing my high hats. Very responsive and well tuned EQ.

Yes the 1/4" master outs are balanced.

LED feed back is as good or better than any mixer I have owned previously as far as line level accuracy. When it comes to using the LEDs in PGM mode, obviously you only want to use them to judge your levels, and not the accuracy of the beats.

5

What about a used djm 707… I’ve given that advise several times but I think its a great value for a 2 channel mixer.

I still think the Numark X5 is a good choice too

6

The thing is, the numark X5 is the same price as a DJM 250 and has a much lower feature set along with the fact that Numark doesn’t have the best track record for quality.

7

The features you are looking for in that list are pretty much covered by the Xone 22.

For $270 it is the best value out of your choices as well.

8

Yeah, but I’m just trying to get some feedback on the cons I’ve listed about that mixer. The filter pop and the headphone hiss kinda kill it for me (if they’re as bad as some people say)

9

I have a Xone 22, I have enjoyed playing on it. I cannot hear the hiss unless it is silent. It makes no difference for me when I have a tune going.

The Xones have a very loud headphone output. I don’t even have to have it past 1/4 of the way before I can tell that it is not good for my ears. I have TMA-1 headphones.

The filterpop sometimes happens and sometimes doesn’t, I can’t tell when it is going to happen. It is easy to push the button during a busy segment of the tune and you can’t even tell that it has popped.

10

I would go for the 56S, purely because it WILL last you forever if you want it to,
Im currently after a rane 57 or 61, undecided if the extra £300 is worth a usb2.0 soundcard and filters

11

i have the rane ttm56… its a tank and sounds great

12

The Ecler will also last forever, thing has incredible build. I wouldn’t say the wide mid is a con really, it’s personal preference. I dig it now I’ve been using one for a while :slight_smile:

But the best thing about the ecler is probably the VU meters. They are so sweet, really allow you to see exactly what you are doing which is awesome if you are like me and do everything with the EQs.

Lack of filters is a bitch though.

So does the Xone:22 hiss? :0

13

So the low and hi EQ are still useful on the Nuo, yeah? I just don’t wanna have to rely -entirely- on the mid band to EQ a song. But yeah, I do most of my mixing with EQ’s, and lack of filters wouldn’t kill me…I’ll just use traktors filters.

14

I don’t really know how having a slightly wider mid would make the other less useful… They still do the same thing, control the lows and highs :stuck_out_tongue:

15

A wider mid means the high and low EQs will control a smaller frequency range. I haven’t used those particular mixers, but my guess is that it would make the low more similar to the low on a Xone; it will still cut low frequencies, but you’ll have a more substantial amount (amount of frequencies, not amplitude) of the kick coming through even with the lows turned down. Now if the NUO eq setting in Traktor is any indication though, the eq range is not so messed up that it’s a problem or anything.

16

I’m looking for a 2/3 channel mixer as well, I’ve been eyeing the Denon DN-X600, which looks pretty cool, and the Rane Empath seems pirdy as well.

17

The denon dnx600 looks awesome but it’s actually quite a lot of money for a 2 channel mixer. I’d almost certainly add the little bit extra and get the dnx1600.

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Thing is, there’s a ~£300 price difference, and what do you actually get? Scratch certification and two extra channels? Scratch cert would be nice, I’ll give you that, but I’ve more or less concluded that I don’t really need a 4 channel mixer, it just seems like it’d be more expensive and (more importantly) take up a fuckton of space.

19

have you thought about a DJM 400 for 350? just food for thought. No real reasoning to it. But I liked my 400 a lot.

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£600 just seems like a lot. I could buy an Ecler Nuo 2.0 and a KP3 and still have money left over.