I’m trying to decide on what kind of mixer to go with for my ideal dvs setup. What I do know that I want in a setup is- 2 technics (for scratching and other turntablism routines), Traktor scratch pro 2 with the audio 10 (for ultimate connectivity), and 1 midi fighter pro (for cue hopping and beatmashing)
What I’m looking for in a mixer is one that is midi capable, has an excellent adjustable crossfader for scratching, can be used with just the turntables for vinyl only (no dvs) or all midi without the turntables (with just the midifighter, soundcard, and traktor for portability) and have as much control over traktor as I do now with just my herc controller (lots of buttons). Does such a beast exist?
The pioneer djm-t1 seems to be what your looking for . Traktor scratch ready , midi capabilities , can be used as a standalone mixer (no dvs only normal vinyl or cdj’s…) & it can be used with traktor’s internal decks .
I’m liking the four channels of the x1600, and would make buying the audio 10 unnecessary. I probably wouldnt use the onboard fx. How much would the upgrade to tsp2 cost?
I’m digging the layout of the t1 as it seems to be more up my alley of full control of traktor, but I would like to be able to have volume control over the sample decks. I guess I could just map a knob as a channel fader.
Take your time and think about what you would want for it. My job only pays minimum wage and I’ll have to sell my current gear as well as some other non dj stuff before I can afford anything, so right now i’m just trying to get ideas of what’s out there. If anyone has any other mixers they would recommend, feel free to mention them.
It’s not 100% MIDI, but you don’t need 100% midi. You get a few buttons and encoders, a shift button, plus the easiest DVS setup that isn’t just a certified mixer, extra IO, several inputs, great faders…and it’s Vestax. They can take a serious beating and still sound great.
A couple years ago, my beloved pcv-180 got hit by a really bad power surge (that also took out some circuitry on one of my 1200s, with both pieces on a surge protector) and lost its output transformer. I did a party that night using the effects send as a master output, thanks to awesome connectivity that I never really used.
I don’t scratch and I’d seriously consider one if I were in the market for a $1000 mixer. IMHO its only competition is the Empath, and I think it feels better…it just doesn’t have full control over the 3rd channel.
I could do everything I do now with just that mixer, Maschine (controlling Maschine, not Traktor), and a sound card.
Not sure if I would call it a “scratch” mixer, but have you considered the DDM4000? 4 channels which are individually assignable to midi or analog, with full Traktor integration? Crossfader is adjustable and replaceable, so I’m guessing if the stock one wasn’t cutting it, you could put an Innofader in it? I recently got one and while I don’t really scratch at all, its price point at 300-400 USD was hard for me to pass up. I’m kinda talking outta my arse here, so someone feel free to correct me if I’m in the wrong about this.
I’d agree with the post above. It’s not traditionally a scratch mixer but smash in the Innofader, or even Behringer’s own Infinium X1 fader (can be had for less than £40) and it’s more than capable.
Plus it’s a MIDI monster (can assign two channels to audio and two to MIDI if that’s what you desire!) and a lot cheaper than some of the alternatives.
I know people knock Behringer stuff, but mines been going for nearly 3 years and I haven’t found anything I want to swap it for yet!
Liney, have you used a mixer that’s traditionally considered better?
I’ve heard good things about the ddm4k, and I don’t really knock it all that much…but it does not feel as good to work on as most other mixers…including many that are cheaper. It does have a lot of cool features if you’re into that thing, though.
I used to have a Xone 92 and a DJM 600 previous to the Behringer. Most clubs I’ve played in have had a Xone too. Personally, I’ve never got on with them. Yes, the filters are fantastic but I’m not really a fan to be honest.
I know there is other mixers out there that will probably sound a lot better and are built like tanks, but at home, for somebody like me who regularly switches from DVS to “proper” vinyl numerous times in a set, does a bit of scratching and messes with some MIDI effects in Traktor, I can’t really fault it.
Although the lightness of the faders takes some getting used to, and some of the smaller buttons definitely have that “Behringer” feel about them. And these facts, along with Behringer’s previous history of sub-standard mixers is why this little gem often gets overlooked, especially by the “old school” folk who remember what a DJX700 is.
EDIT: I would rather like a “proper” scratch mixer though, like a Pio 909 or an Ecler
What controls on that vestax unit are not midi mappable? Would I be able to use it by itself without turntables?
If not, is there anything about the t1 that I should consider that make it worth three times as much as the ddm4000? Is that behringer scratch certified or would I still need a seperate sound card?
You would need an NI sound card to use the DDM4000. Do some serious research on the DDM4000. It’s a quirky mixer that’s not really what it seems to be.
So I watched a video on the vestax unit, and they said that everything from the buttons on down are midi mappable, so that leads me to believe that the eq’s are not. So now it seems that the denon dnx1600 and the pioneer djm-t1 are my two best options.
Hopefully, some other mixers become available here soon after namm.
