I’ve never used the Access 3, but it seems more like a traditional “scratch” mixer; ie, very basic and tank-like. If you’re planning on sticking with CDJs you’re going to have to upgrade it eventually if you plan on using effects in any way. At this point, it makes little to no difference whether you go for an all-in-one solution like the S2 (although personally I’d avoid the S2 due to the lack of dedicated HPF/LPF filter knobs), the CMD Studio 4A, or one of the Reloop ones (TM4, J3, or even the Beatmix).
The thing is, there’s a LOT of thinking you need to do now:
- What sort of DJ do I want to be? (Scratch, “Party”, Remix, or A–>B)
- How much do I want to spend?
- How will I use my gear in future? (Will I take it ALL to the venue, or just bits?)
The first one is a purely subjective decision.
If you want to scratch, you’re probably best off with one or two modular controllers (X1, Contour, Zomo MC-1000) and a turntable, or at a pinch one of the really high-resolution jog controllers out there like the TM4/Studio 4A, alongside a nice mixer like the Z2/DJM-750+/RMX-80.
If you’re a “party” DJ, then it doesn’t really matter what you use full stop. You’ll mostly be doing A–>B stuff, with very little actual “mixing” at all. You’ll use the mic a lot to work the crowd, so getting your confidence up THERE is the most important thing. These are the types of DJs who most often work in Top 40 clubs and bars, where actually mixing is somewhat irrelevant.
For Remix DJing, functionality is everything. The more controls you have the better, so an all-in-one controller can be fantastic provided it’s solid and feature-packed. Things like the Reloop Jockey 3, NI S4, Numark 4Trak, American Audio VMS4.1, etc are all contenders. You can then add modular controls like the Kontrol F1, X
ne K2, Korg NanoKontrol, MIDIFighter, etc to your setup to give you even more control and functionality. For live performances a Maschine, or MPD coupled with Ableton are usually the next step. You could also go down the route of using modular controllers coupled with a traditional mixer, if - for example - you want less gear to take with you to a venue which already has a good mixer. Most venues I play at have beaten and battered gear, so even if I’m using modular stuff I take my own mixer down.
If you’re doing A–>B mixing with VERY basic effects, then some CDJs would be an option. Most venues have SOME sort of CD player, although it varies between platter-style slot loaders like the 1000s and the horrible rackmount Denons like the DN-4000s. If you want to add any sort of additional flavour to your sets you’re probably going to need to get an effects unit in future like the EFX-1000 or RMX-1000, although that can be quite expensive.
Once you’ve decided that, you need to look at price. Generally, more money will get you better quality gear, although there are exceptions to this. There’s also a MASSIVE gap between and Pioneer prices, which I personally don’t feel is justified.
And finally, how you use your gear will dictate exactly what you purchase off the shortlist you’ll have put together by this point. If you plan on taking your own gear down to each venue, you’ll probably end up buying something either REALLY big, or REALLY small, depending on your mentality. Bear in mind, however, that DJ booths vary in size from tiny to massive, and there may not be enough room for your chosen gear. I, personally, have about 3 different setups which I use in different venues based on the size; unfortunately, that makes things quite expensive as there’s that much more gear to buy.
The most important thing you can do, however, is READ. Read read read read read. Read everything you can about every piece of gear you’re even CONSIDERING, because unless you go into a purchase knowing the gear inside out, you could very well end up disappointed by a missing feature that you consider particularly important. Watch review videos on YouTube as well, even if they’re terrible, because you’ll likely learn something from all of them.
), but I feel that I’m a bit limited with this setup and would like to get a bit more.
