so thats about it- as a preface to all of this
i am asking noob questions so if you dont like then i apologize but i want to try to get son into it- he hasnt fell over himself to learn right now, but i feel as though once the equip gets set up it will be more interesting for him and he is really into music (piano, clarinet, etc)- plus i want to fool with it agian in free time which having a different job as of recently will allow me more free time.
i dug around the attic and got my pdx2000 tt out and the tuner/amp and speakers and a fist full of vinyl…
thats all i was able to find from not fooling with anything for upwards of 20 years (give/take)
there is more elsewhere- but back when i was a bedroom dj, there wqasnt any of this digital stuff- yeah im old school with the 12" singles and stuff.
but i am intrigued- been watching YT and various forums and reading and learning- taking it all in last several months
finally got around to thinking/feeling it is time to ask some questions that i want to learn
so i see these serato tt’s - i want to know where to get that vinyl that they are using- wheres cool spot to get ??
AND mostly → how the hell does that even work i just dont get it.
so IOW, any given video on YT i see like “So Called Beef WIth You Know Who”- how is it that he can place needle any where - or why does he even anyways, if it is digital?
is there an advantage to having the needle on outer edge???
also if digital - like why or whats the deal with guy cleaning off the needle of fuzz…isnt it all like digitally produced/mixed and needle having nothing to do with it…?
so i think ultimately i would like to get another pdx2000 and maybe a rane, numark or pioneer controller sx- sz etc… and run them all- open to suggestions for starter kit stuff…money not so much an object- and i am avid user of craigslist and forums and have done purchases that way too (mostly)
i am also wondering about the best places / sources for all kinds of various tracks …
some that my 11 year old son will like and maybe specifically clean edit stuff…or some not so clean for me and to use in his absence…?
any info insight guidance is welcome and again sorry for noob stuff - but so want to get back into it to see if son likes and wants to fool with it.
Serato only make software and Noisemap (timecode) records/CDs. These are used to control digital music on a laptop via compatible hardware (either an external audio interface or a mixer with one built in). DJs are able to play music from any needle drop by using a feature called ‘relative mode’, meaning the timecode doesn’t tack the precise location of the needle compared to the playing track in the software. The alternative is ‘absolute mode’, which means the record behaves just like a music record, and plays the track at the exact point it would be if you played from the beginning.
Relative mode opens up some options with using other features like cue points, which are markers on the digital track that can be called up instantly using buttons. The Pioneer DJ DJM-S9 is a good example of a mixer with those buttons.
You’ll be sad to hear that Rane as we know it was purchased by inMusic, the corporation that owns Numark, Akai, Denon DJ and a load of other companies. As it stands, products are in a bit of limbo since there haven’t been any new ones out since the purchase, and old ones are no longer made.
For Serato-compatible equipment, look at Pioneer DJ, Numark, Reloop, or Mixars. For music, iTunes, Bandcamp, or Beatport.
so no difference between the serato TT and say like a pioneer sx? i mean like ability or functionally speaking
would it only be the aesthetic/s look of having tt’s and not something small to mix with?
so is there anything going on when he/anyone picks up the needle and places it back down on record? i guess i dont clearly understand how that or why that or whatever works or how.
its all good, but just trying to understand the technology as it may help me in making decision as to what to get to complete the system.
how about these utility dj scratch records, are they full of legit grooves and samples for scratching, or is that also just ‘for show’ and the samples are in laptop>? i thought there were dj scratch records that had a utility function to them and could be used on regular old school 1200’s/denon/etc’s..?
so got the equipment hooked up and the TT (pdx2000) continues to skip - just letting record play it skips after about 2-3 revelutions of record. and then it is stuck on skip, and needle doesnt continue the groove…
SO i brought it to local tt / audio electronics guy, and he said that the isnt working properly b/c the tone arm, when swung to center of record, isnt reaching/touching the center spindle thing-
so i brought it back home and im not sure i agree… i mean how is it that after sitting for so many years and not been moved around how could it get shorter in length and cause it to not work ?? this sounds weird to me.
tried google but no images that i found that show weather or not the tonearm touches/reaching the center spindle when brought all the wat in on record.
You might want to check your tone arm weight. There should be a small bit of metal attached to the top end of your stylus.
Another point to check is whether your turntable is belt driven or direct drive. I can think of about 3 turntable options, although there could be more…
Technics is the “standard” option.
Stanton is another option - I have Stanton st8-150s and have served me well for over ten years with heavy use.
Numark has a turntable, but I have limited knowledge on that front.
So can any TT be used with those timecode vinyl and serato???
Or does it take special tt’s…
also couple other questions
just getting into it again- which is best or better for the bucks…ns7ii or sx2??
i like both, but really kinda dig the vinyl look and feel of the ns7
there is a sx2 about hour or so away and he is asking 750$ decent / reasonable price but for 800 or so i could get the ns7…
isnt the ns7ii like all steel build and motor driven - i kinda like the beefy / stout’y feel of the metal shroud…plus i do powder coating if i ever wanted to customize it.
but aside from that- is there something on the sx2 that i cant do on the ns7ii??
You can use any turntable with timecode. all it needs to do is pick up the tone on the record. More importantly is having an audio interface with enough inputs and outputs, preferably with a preamp for the phono level signal from the turntables. If the NS7 II or SX2 support Serato DJ DVS, it should be fine.
From what you’ve said, I agree that getting the NS7 would be better for you. You might not even need turntables! It’s a nice bit of kit.
i have looked around on google (of course) but not seeing any one that like specilizes in pdx repairs/restorations…
is there perhaps a resident technicaian here or someone that i could be referred to thru here or know of someone??
i feel that the local guy i brought the tt to is whacked - i finally found an image on line that indicated (to me at least) that the tone arm on the pdx2000 doesnt reach the spindle when brought to the center. should it?? idk, but like to find someone that is knowledgeable/savvy about fixing it for me.
thanks- thats cool- i just got another pdx and waiting for it to be shipped in, but i guess the biggest question which you may know off the cuff…is that can the ns7ii be used as a standalone mixer?? so i could hook up the two TT’s in conjunction with the platters on ns7??
so i accidentally hit the unsubscribe to thread button at bottome of email notification
how do i resubscribe to thread? simply by making a new comment in here now does that do it?? or something else?
If you scroll back to the top, click on the DOWN arrow next to Thread Tools. The Subscribe to Thread option is the last one in the column. Hope that helps.
so whats best way to get these vestax back up to snuff???
I will try to take and share pictures… but i am fairly certain that they would/could/should need some professionalism or savvy person to check it out
Good luck getting a deck back to par. I’ve never had a whole lot of luck with it. As far as what you are doing with your son, My son mashes about with me. He enjoys just hitting the buttons and making a song. I’ll be perfectly honest - I’d rather he learned an instrument of some sort first. DJ’ing is fun and an artform in it’s own right, but is it nearly as creative? Let him come to DJing after he has a bit of musical background and he’ll probably pick the DJing up so fast.
Just my idea. As a guy that picked up DJing after my friends did, but I had a much more solid background musically through Choirs, band (quads) and jazz band with guitar (all HS) I think it gave me alot of advantages with the technical side of things.
yeah cool and thank you - thats cool to share that…
he actually plays clarinet in school for last 3 years and piano since he was a real little boy- wife is Chinese so ever since he could sit up she had him at piano; and he likes it too- he is chess champ of state of vt, and really smart and stuff… so given all that- i mean its kinda funny bc it is a standing joke that i got the gear for him… well me really to just have fun, but we have drum machine and key board all tied into the system and im trying to get him to create and stuff too.- so yeah i hear ya- he is still taking the private piano lessons and doing the clarinet in school- but he has shown some interest in learning the NS7iii …
i found a guy/shop in boston that said they can do the vestax repairs and get them up to snuff. Audio labs in cambridge…and they spoke with confidence and thought itd be around 75$/tt. imma give them a shot- id love to get the dvs stuff gong as well.
i just dont get it.