What up djs? Im a new at the DJTT forums but an active reader of the site. I used to dj back in the day with vinyl and turntables but drifted away to guitar playing and regular bands. Lately I have been producing in the computer a lot and getting reacquainted with this whole new era of digital djing, Im feeling very passionate about it Now its time to get the proper hardware and so far Ive had crushes with all kinds of controllers such as the DDJSX, the numark NS7, the VCI400 and the regular djm800 plus cdjs setup, etc. Ive come to realize that I want a setup that allows me to go full digital (traktor and whatnot), be able to use it with ableton but still remain familiar with a standard club setup and “normal” beatmatching djing. Id call it a “hybrid” setup…
For this, I definitely need to get a mixer, but one that has an integrated audio interface, 4channels, midi control and hopefully be a wellrounded dj mixer as well. My research has led me to the following products: Allen and Heath Xone 4D, Pioneer DJM850, Korg zero4 and the Ecler EVO5 mixer. I would eventually add a behringer bcr2000 midi controller and maybe an X1 mk2. Portability is not too much of a concern and money is not either, but the value-quality proportion sure is! What do you think? Am I missing any obvious option? Do you have any experience with the mixers mentioned above?
Just saying in advance, this topic isn’t gonna end well
Personally, I’d get yourself a 4 channel mixer and a Zomo MC-1000 to start with.
Learn the new, then add the old later if you feel you need to. Mixer-wise, if you’ve got money to burn (I’m guessing you’re not an 18 year old kid) then you can’t really go wrong with the DJM850 or the DNX1600, both of which are scratch certified and will let you add TTs or CDJs to your setup at a later date, IF you need to use them.
It’s not exactly a “hybrid” setup if your sound card has no inputs, you can only mix through a computer, and you cannot beatmatch.
The DN-X1600 looks good for the price but several people here seem to have problems with its sound card. A DJM 850 is a good buy if you can get a decent discount off the RRP.
The DDJ-SX can serve as a 4 channel standalone mixer too while giving you the whole standard setup so it might be worth a look.
haha I have no idea why you guys are saying this aint gonna end well, is this controversial? Didnt mean to stir things up haha! Personally, I want to drift away from the controllers because I feel “pro” equipment as a much more solid investment. I guess something like the Traktor S4 could do the trick regarding the djing but -as I read somewhere in the forum earlier- I cant really get myself to accept all that plastic and tiny jogwheels as a pro tool. I also wouldn’t want to end up with an obsolete piece of gear in a couple of years as controller technology seems to be moving at a very fast pace. I noticed none of the replies included the use of ableton but I wouldnt wanna start an endless debate!
Anyways, thanks a lot mdcdesign and SlayforMoney for the suggestions, I hadnt considered Denon and that zomo unit looks pretty cool, definitely looks more reliable than most of the other controllers Ive checked.
reference: that “How I play” interview featuring Chris Liebing was really inspiring regarding the gear. I don´t play techno but I liked that his setup looks very versatile!
10 people will give you 10 different subjective suggestions.
My suggestion: Do some research, read and watch reviews before investing in anything.
A decent midi capable mixer is a great start.
well, the research has been done; my main inclination are the allen and heath products but just thought those subjective opinions might give me a better perspective on the matter. Would it be a bad idea to get the korg zero 4? I have one available at a comfortable price in my town but it has been discontinued and I cant find out the reason why
I’d go for a xone 92 and 2 K2’s and your good to go.. I personally prefer the 4 band eq of the 92, and the 1D midi controllers on the sides of the 4D are really not that great, all the buttons have a diameter of about 7mm and are really springy, the jog are absolutely terrible, aside from them not having touch sensitivity, their midi is sporadic sending values all over the show making them useless for anything but browser scrolling.
With this setup you don’t really need a soundcard as you can use the two K2’s for four channels, but if you want to be like your boy liebing you would have to invest in an RME Fireface for a soundcard.
Another option if you wanted to use traktors or abletons internal mixer and save some money is the xone DX, which has no internal mixer, but does have the same soundcard and components from the 4D and 2D, just in a smaller package.
I both love and hate the fact that I can’t beatmatch anymore on my Reloop contour. Beatmatching with a knob for tempo adjustments is just too weird for me. Gotta use sync
That said, sync is an awesome tool. I’m using a cheap X1500 mixer and Reloop contour for my mixing. By starting off with a mixer and soundcard/controller setup, you give yourself the option to always expand to TTs or CDJs later on down the road. Digital DJing is just much cheaper, and it really is quite good compared to CDJs/TT. I’m not gonna say it’s better or worse, but it’s a good option.
The mapping I’m using has it though, but it still doesn’t compare to the fader. Very difficult to move between tempos quickly. Maybe I just don’t wanna adjust to a new method and I’m being lazy lol.
It was discontinued essentially because it broke the cardinal rule of professional audio equipment: it crams features in for almost no reason, has well documented quality issues, a terrible build, and a sizable percent of “features” (namely the soundcard) straight up don’t work half the time. As far as a mixer goes, stick with either a :92, a DB2, or a DJM-850+.
!