vci 100se and audio 2 dj = 650 ish, plus traktor pro, like 750ish. that 750ish can go towards a cdj400.
i have decided that my offical beginner setup should be:
-djm600 for 900 bucks new. [mayb in 1-2yrs i would upgrade to the 800 pro after i gotten everything else]
2x cdj400.
then save money for cdj1000’s mk since its what clubs are carrying around here
my questions are tho
can i get my decent computer speakers to work w/ the equipment? they are good enough for where i live. i live in a commerial apartment. aka jewish town. where loud music isnt tolerated and police favor the jewish here. so i dont think i would need expensive speakers at least not now. but umm
what would i need to get a setup of djm, 2x 400 to work ?
plus would i need a audio 2 dj or 4 dj ?
would i need anything to record audio internally?
i wanna get this list down now. and then i will be buying piece by piece but will start buying the expensive stuff first? or maybe there are certain things that should be purchased in rank as in 1,2,3,4,5,6 etc etc
The DJM-500 is a real product, its one notch below the DJM-600 with minor output differences. Also the DJM-600 has been discontinued, unless you find old-new stock, you’re gonna have to get it used. Even then, if you’re paying almost a grand for it, you’re getting robbed, as those sell for about $400 or so used. Trust me, that’s a huge price difference.
Also, why are you using an audio interface?. The CDJ-400 are MIDI capable and can be used with Traktor Pro without time code. Unless your computer has a low quality sound card, but either way, I would just use the HID support from the CDJ to handle the control aspect.
would that be worth it vs 500 or 600. i noticed the club i went to last night had a djm800, like the guys who did the opening set for patrick m, they used djm800
It’s usually a default choice of clubs since it’s either that, or a Xone of some-sort (usually the 92). When it comes to mixers, it’s all about price range, and preference. Personally, I enjoy using a mixer at home which I can get creative with. A Korg Zero 4 a nice example of all the bells and whistles. I mean the way I see it, you’re looking to get into digital, you may as well get a mixer which compliments your decks.
The DJM-800 has MIDI, though you’ll need a MIDI to USB conversion cable. This will allow you to assign two channels to your CDJ’s, and another two channels for whatever controls you want within the program. I believe that the 700 also has this, the differences between the 800 and 700 are purely on a luxury level, nothing which I think will impact how you get shit done.
Also by “it’s usually the default choice of clubs”, I’m referring to the DJM-800, not the DJM-600 lol. Some clubs might still have it, but considering how problematic they can be, I would imagine most jumped on the 800 bandwagon.
well i dont think i will go midi. just stick to mixer n cdjs. so i think i should go w/ the 700 djm since the price range is close to 600, making the 600 not worth getting?
so now, on list i have
2x cdj 400,
1- 700djm,
headphones,
my comp speakers for meanwhile till i decide i can get something better to boost the volume during 10am-4pm which is when the jewish husbands go to sleep. and by 4pmish they’re getting home from work, and most of the jew kids are gettin rdy for bed around 5-6pm. so i wud stop practicing at around 4pm. or this is when the dj equipment goes off.
so 6hrs w/ a little boost should enjoyable but this is for another time when i get everything and started.
so what else would i need to get those 4 things to work?
Just gonna throw this out there. It’s a neighborhood issue, not a “jew kid” issue. Not thinking you want to come across as offensive, but some people could VERY easily take language like this as such.
Now that that’s been said
You should really get a solid audio interface, regardless of the internal sound card quality. It’ll work better and sound better than almost any regular sound card. You can hook regular computer speakers up to it and it’ll work fine. You can also do a lot of late night mixing sessions completely in your headphones. It’s very different but very do-able for a home setup.
You can get a sound card that has MIDI in and then won’t need the MIDI to USB to take up another USB port. The CDJ-400’s also do have USB to midi, but now you’re talking at least 3 USB ports just for the external gear. You have tons of options, especially with good gear. If you decide to go with time code it would replicate spinning in a club much better than using the USB-MIDI being most clubs won’t have that option. Granted, I’m a fan of just spinning on whatever you spin on at home, and making that as simple and modular as possible
So yeah, you seem to have the right direction, it almost pushes toward your preference of working at home.
He said he wants to use just the mixer and cdjs. Cutflow, you don’t need an audio interface or a computer to use cdjs. You have everything that you need on your list.
I just went back and re-read and you’re right. I was confused by the first line, thinking it was stuff he already had, but in fact it isn’t.
Regardless, if that’s the direction the OP wants to go, it should work just fine. Keep in mind that the internal sound card might not take high levels for recording, but all you need is Audacity to record and the best part is it’s free.
I’d still recommend getting something small to route it into so you can have a more secure recording solution, but money being what it is the regular internal sound card should work fine.
so your saying that with the 2x cdj400 djm700k pro, headphones, comp speakers, it will do the job. and then depending how it internally records my music. if it doesn’t sound as good then i should invest in something like audio 2 dj?
also can i connect my comp speakers str8 into the mixer or would i need something else
You are going to need to get appropriate connectors, depending on the speakers. If it runs out to a 1/8" or a line plug you’re just going to need to grab a 1/8" to RCA or 1/4" or line to RCA or 1/4". The RCA or 1/4" is depending on the output of your mixer. SOme mixers output with RCA some with 1/4". You can get these connectors at a radio shack and they’ll work just fine.
Audio2 won’t work cause it doesn’t have any ins. The Audio4 would work, as would LOTS of other solutions that are a lot cheaper, if you only want it for recording your DJ mixer.
that wire you see there, i wonder if that would be it. my comp speakers, one of the boxes has 2 holes, a headphone hole and a Aux hole. so im wondering if i would connect the black piece to one of those but im not sure, i will prob wait till i get the mixer and a cdj. it’ll prob take me mayb 1-2 weeks to get it to work with my comp speakers. but as long as it works then great.
thats a picture of the back of the mixer i want to get. just found it lookin through it, maybe you can guide me as i look at this and figure how i would get my comp speakers to work with it
i noticed that it has “midi out” all the way on the bottom right. so would i be able to use this with a software that will allow me to use the mixer as how it is. with all its effect and stuff where it would customize any buttons or w/e. since when i actually get the 2 cdj’s, i won’t have it connected to a computer or laptop of any nature. cause then i would be able to practice some while i save money for the 2x 400cdj’s
The Headphone and Aux plugs on your computer speakers are outs, not ins. So you can’t send the sound from the mixer’s Out to the headphone In of the speakers. You would need to either (A) unplug the speakers from the back of the comp and plug them into the mixer or (B) get a splitter and plug the speakers into both the mixer and the computer.
You would be able to use the MIDI of the mixer with the MIDI of your software of choice, as long as it accepts MIDI messages. Without an audio interface this could cause a lot of latency, but that might just be what you have to deal with while you wait for the equipment you want.
mixer : do you think like i don’t know HOW TO ask you this question : umm thinking… do you know if it will be possible to find a software that can have maybe a similiar layout like the 700kpro but i dont expect to see the same display on the software, but i want the functions of the mixer to just work the same, i don’t wan’t to custom any bottoms to do anything else but what it is suppose to do with its default setting since thats what i want to get use to. cause once i get the cdj’s. the software will no longer be used. etc. like i wanna have the same layout as the mixer etc.
if u dont get what im tryin to ask let me know, i dont think i was too clear ;\
I guess where I’m seeing this is, and I’m going through it myself really, is set yourself a pricepoint and figure out where you want to be in the end.
I don’t particularly see the benefit of buying things piece by piece. Because you never know if something will drop in price, or if you’ll find an amazing deal down the line. So personally, I won’t get anything until I can get the full shibang.
That being said, it looks like you want to go the CDJ and mixer route. Which, in my opinion, can be one of the more expensive options for you. Even more expensive than turntables generally. And in NYC you can often find good deals on TT’s.
So if you wait for a deal, or find a deal, jump on it. Just know ahead of time where you want to be, and wait and work yourself to get there. This is an expensive hobby that even I haven’t been able to jump full force into yet. (And it makes me glad I sold my Jeep, I could never afford to keep up with DJing and Off-roading).
For mixers that match the software exactly, it’s tough really. Things like the rane mixers are probably the closest with serato I imagine, but software is as varied as hardware, and will always be a bit different.
didn’t follow the whole thread (time issues) but i have to reply this after reading a frist couple of posts: DO NO GET USED DJM 600… like EVAR !!!
getting pair of used turntables is fine and all, but used mixers can have serious problems hidden inside them, but will pop out soon… like they use special liquid to clean up faders so they feel great and doesnt cracks or pops, but sooner or later they might .. and service for theese parts are darn expensive.
In the end I’m with Kuputje. I got really lucky with a used Gemini PS-206 (I think) mixer back in the day for $15, but I’ve had friends get VERY unlucky with similar setups.
In regards to your question, most software have the very basic mixer functions without all the bells and whistles. Traktor does, VDJ does, Serato does, etc. etc. etc.. In fact, I’d say outside of Ableton, almost all of them do.
I’d, honestly, spend more of this time without equipment really digging into and studying your music and figuring out how songs can fit together, and then diving into the DJ hardware.
Now that that’s been said