Budget of $1000 - Best Option?

DJ Gear & Hardware Hardware: Controllers, Mods and Gear
1

Budget of $1000 - Best Option?

Note: I am only looking for a 2 deck controller.

I enjoyed playing on my DDJ-SX for a year and it broke (see my other posts), so now I am willing to spend $1000 for a setup till I have enough for ‘Club Gear’ (CDJ-2000’s)

So I’ve narrowed it down to

  1. DDJ-SX2
    or
  2. XDJ-R1

DDJ-SX2 : I’m used to it because of its predecessor , its fairly simple to get to know whats going on. I have a laptop which will work. Any new features making this the right choice?

XDJ-R1 : Cheaper than the SX2, and I believe you can use CD’s, USB’s, and a laptop. Is this more of a feel of club gear over the SX2? Like the CDJ-2000NXS, can you use it (without a laptop), and with CDs and USB’s on the small screen thats on the device? I believe it comes with Virtual DJ LIMITED. What limitations does “limited” have? Do I have to upgrade to the “Pro” version?

Which adds another poll: Whats more userfriendly/“better”; Serato DJ or Virtual DJ? and what do you prefer?

I have used Virtual DJ in the past but just getting the settings right is a nightmare.

Please advise,

2

Get two Technics 1200 turntables - if you search you can probably get a pair for around $500 or less.
Get a Serato box - either a used SL2 or the Denon SL1 when it comes out should cost around $300. If you really want to be budget friendly you can get an SL1 box for around $150 used nowadays.
Use the rest of the money to purchase a mixer and needles - you can always upgrade that down the line. You can get by with a $50 budget numark mixer for awhile.

Frankly - this is the advice I give anyone starting out. If it breaks - you can fix it. It’s modular - you can add onto it. If you want to buy vinyl - you can. You want to be able to play on any setup at a club? You can with a serato box and familiarity with turntables. If you can spin on vinyl you can spin on anything.

DJTT’s itself did a really good article on this recently as well.

3

Techs go for about 500-750 each in my area…(upstate New York)

4

Ok, two points of view here, that of a hobbyist DJ and that of a working DJ.

Techs are a vanity item when it comes to being a working DJ. I started out using DVJ X1’s in a club and practised on a Behringer BCD-3000 at home, before I progressed to a Traktor S4, and when I finally came to mixing with vinyl, I had it down within seconds of getting the “feel” of pitch bending on a 1210, so before anyone gives you that plop about “ermahgerd start on vinyl is best start”, it’s not true. Once you the beatmatch, you’ll do it with any controller. I currently do it with touch strips on my X1 and have no issues at all.

Weirdly, you didn’t even mention learning to beatmatch, so I’m not even sure why that came up. And, you specifically asked for a 2 deck controller!

If you’re playing out, there’s 3 main considerations:

  • Portability
  • Durability
  • Reliability

Now the XDJ-R1 loses on portability. Whilst it’s smaller height/width ways, so easier to fit in a booth, it’s nearly twice as fat as the SX2, so harder to fit in a bag. It also weighs an extra 3 lbs due to it’s CD decks. You could argue the upside of this is you don’t need to have a laptop, because it takes USB, but it all depends how comfortable you are in using USB and not having a Laptop.

From what I gather, both units are very durable, however there are far more things to go wrong with a multi-media device (R1) than a simple controller.

Reliability… Well, it’s pioneer, I’ve never seen them cause issues with software like NI and Novation gear. However, R1 wins because it also has standalone features, so even if your Laptop decides to eat **** mid gig you can just slap in a USB.

However, you’re after a 2 deck controller, and it is essentially a “stop gap” whilst you save up for what I assume is a DJM-900 and a pair of CDJ/XDJs, right?

So why not go for a Pioneer DDJ-SR? This will save a chunk of your budget to allow you to get that end game set up that bit faster. It’s more portable and just as durable/reliable as the SX2, and again you’re familiar with the layout/feel.

Always play the long game when it comes to the dream set up!

Regarding the Serato vs VDJ debate, in terms of user friendliness it has to be Serato. Serato is known for it’s “jump right in and go” approach to DJing, it’s the one thing it’s always has that makes it so attractive to working/old school DJs over the “Flight Deck” of Traktor and the absolutely horrendous default VDJ skin. Coupled with VDJs tendency to never work 100% how you want it to out of the box, Serato is a definite winner on the user friendly front.

5

i would personally save the money and get what ever is on special, in the end its just a tool that does a job. any of the NI and pioneer controllers should work fine… maybe a Numark controller. look for used gear too :smiley:

6

I take it you don’t play out in clubs where they provide 1200’s and CDJs often then?

If you have to bring your own gear to spin on - it’s not worth the gig. If you choose to use something else - that’s fine.

But starting off with a pair of 1200’s and a Serato box you can play on anything thrown in front of you and don’t have to worry about lugging the controller everywhere. Usually I have my backpack with my crane stand, laptop, control vinyl and CDs, and Serato box - and USB sticks loaded with rekordbox. If someone isn’t providing gear I /can/ lug out my 1200’s if needed - otherwise I usually just take gigs where they provide gear.

But it’s whatever. There’s a reason why learning on 1200’s is nice.

7

You’re best startup option would be posting this question in the Hardware forum. :wink:

8

$1000 dollars for a 2 deck controller means you could probably get whatever you like.
Check Native Instruments, and Pioneers range and take your pick. Can’t go wrong with either.

Alternatively search your second hand website specific to where you live. You will be amazed at what you can pick up for $1000. People sell there whole setup (cdj’s TT’s, mixers and speakers) for peanuts.

9

Here is some advice I will lay down and since the op had a controller break. It just does not make any sense what so ever to have a primary dj setup as a controller. If your controller breaks that’s it, it’s dead.

I may have moved to controllers for a hot minute but I always kept my 1200’s, analog mixer and my SL1. My SX also had some issues. Needless to say I bought xone:43c and a pair of xdj’. Building the new rig back outso I can fall back away from the laptop for even as far back as wax.

If you’re going to invest, invest in a good mixer first. A&H, Pioneer or even a Dennon. Build out from there and leave the controller in the closet for the pool parties. Every controller I have bought had problems or failures for the exception of the NS6 which was replaced by the SX. No more all-in-one pos controllers!!!

10

Why not pony up a bit more and get the XDJ-RX?

11

you can find xone42’s for <$500 if you look in the right place, and searching craiglist you can find a used 4 output sound card for 100-200 dollars

pair that with an x1, call it a day.

12

Or with a PL-1 or SC2000 if you prefer jogwheels.

13

+1

Look for a solid external mixer (with or without a sound interface) and pair that with some “specialized” controllers according to your desired workflow.

There have been several helpful articles on DJTT in the last year reviewing options for solid entry-level mixers and sound interfaces.

Both Traktor & Serato have active communities making and supporting mappings for controllers. I am not sure about Virtual DJ - all the DJs I know who use Virtual DJ do not use external controllers “heavily,” and I am not otherwise familiar with the controllers that Virtual DJ supports. The NI controllers will play nicer with Traktor than other software.

Keep in mind that “accessories” also consume $$$. Headphones, bags, patch cables, etc, ad nasium. Maybe the OP has that covered, maybe not…it’s unclear.

14

HAH 400 for my xone 62 and 100 for my X1 and this was some time ago :slight_smile: both in new condition

15

Just curious, what are you going to be using it for?

I would recommend something completely different if you are going to be working in a club vs mobile DJ work.