i have gotten curious, as i have already picked out my bedroom setup to be 1x djm800 2x cdj1000 mk3s and those 3 will ring me up to $4,697 so i have gotten curious if would replacing the cdj’s for traktor + $700 core i3 / windows laptop be a better way of going? just wondering what would be better…but i’m scared that traktor might remove/disable some of the 800 features? or can the 800 features work default regardless if connected midi w/ traktor ?
the reason for this change is because it will be a lot less expensive to afford and the less expensive the faster i get it. i have already decided between these two setups so don’t recommend anything else besides these, thanks in advance.
I’d have to agree with Tabs. I started DJ-ing on CDJ’s (at a small school in my city) then when I finally decided to buy equipment, the prices of CDJ’s turned me off immediately. In the future, as in years from now, I might consider getting some CDJ’s that can also act as midi controllers, but using Traktor has opened up a world of opportunity from using 2 CDJ’s and a DJM mixer.
That being said, you should learn how to beatmatch and DJ using CDJ’s, but try getting lessons instead of dropping 4.6K on equipment.
I would suggest the Traktor Pro setup for now, although make an effort to learn how to DJ using CDJ’s. I’ve gone to gigs prepared with my VCI-100, thinking the promoter had said that it was ok if i used it and ended up having to use the CDJ’s at the club. Luckily, they were CDJ 2000’s so I plugged in my harddrive and use that.
I don’t know why people say you can’t learn to beatmatch properly with midi/laptop. All you need to do is plug a track in, have a midi controller with two upfaders, set them as tempo, and just don’t look at the screen.
But ya midi all the way…you can do WAY more as well imo (that is if you are mixing EDM because the only thing midi doesn’t seem to have is scratching).
you’re going to get mostly midi suggestions on this forum for obvious reasons.
So i’ll respond with the fact in mind that you want to learn to beatmatch traditionally.
You should get CDJ400/900’s if you want to start learning to beatmatch. On the plus side when you get sick of burning cds or want to start toying with traktor you can use them in HID mode so all you’ll need to do is buy traktor and the laptop.
Also depending on what you really want to do a DJM400 is fine for bedroom banging (actually rather nice really)
I’ve been djing for around 18 years. Started on TT then used CDJs and now use a VCI and laptop.
This is the truth… CDJs are just large controllers. Instead of playing the digital music files off a laptop with a controller, instead you insert compact digital data discs (CDs) into them and playing the files that way.
You can set up a VCI to behave almost exactly as CDJ…
Dropping that kind of money in this day and age for a home dj set up is frankly madness.
That set up wont make your mixes better than what i could do with a vci…
If you want to learn to scratch then get TTs but that CDJ set up your talking about is essentially expensive well built buttons… the end result of your mixing will be no better (if anything worse) than with Traktor and VCI.
If you want to ditch the CDJ’s and get Traktor + a laptop then you’ll also need a soundcard (im pretty sure the djm800 does not have a soundcard built into it but don’t quote me here). I would also strongly recommend getting a controller as you really do not want to be controlling the decks with a mouse. (ie a Allen and Heath 1D or anything similar).
However i think the traktor route will cost you less overall… good luck!
Personally, if I had that kind of budget, I’d get a Vestax VCI 100, Traktor Pro, a decent mixer (wouldn’t have to be anything as expensive as a DJM800), an EFX500, a laptop and a couple of CDJ400’s.
I’d then hook it all up like this:
Vestax VCI 100 as a controller for Traktor Pro
1 x CDJ400 as a midi deck controller for Traktor Pro allowing you to utilise CDJ400 features for Traktor tacks
1 x CDJ400 as a regular CDJ
Stick the laptop output into deck 1 on the mixer
Stick the second CDJ400 into deck 2 on the mixer
You would then have 4 decks in Traktor with VCI 100 and CDJ400 controlling it all, and a real CDJ decks for use if needed too.
It sound complicated, but by sticking in a couple of sound cards for syncing midi signals and tempo etc, it’d be do-able, and about half the price of your initial setup.
You’d also have a pair of good CDJ’s and a mixer to use as a straight forward setup too, or VCI 100 and laptop for a simple laptop-based setup, i.e. flexibility, independence and best of both worlds.
yeah i’m going to do that, ill get the 4k cost setup, and then down the line in a year ill get laptop + traktor. ty dood oh and DVS is the $3-4k cdj? or is that dvj forgot
DVS = timecode cds/traktor scratch
I think connecting cdj’s via HID is a better alternative which is supported on the cdj400/900.
If you’re learning to beatmatch at home a CDJ1000/DJM800 is OVERKILL.
but don’t let my opinion get between your money and pioneer
My consistent vote for the CDJ400 is for this reason, the HID mode is easy to setup and offers higher resolution than midi (essentially as good as 14 bit midi) the HID mode will let you get started with traktor without the extra expense of an audio4/8 and the fact that they are pioneer units will make you comfortable using any pioneer units in the future if need be.
yeah it is overskill but i my table to be exactly what top notch clubs setups would be like. so i have decided this a longtime ago. ill have the setup in 4-5months since i don’t find myself eligible enough to get the setup due to my small amount of tracks in my progressive and tech house folder. and i have heard to a lot of tracks and still got many to listen to, as i pick out what i like on top of all this, i gain djm800 experience by watching a lot of videos on a weekly bases of watching pro dj’s use them. so the way i see it, its all going according to plan i just dont see myself rdy for it till my collection has rise.
