Opinions on potential setup

DJ Life & Community General Discussion
1

Opinions on potential setup

Hey, hopefully some of you guys will be able to help me figure out whether this is a workable setup as Im not 100% sure. ATM im using a VCI and I love it, but I want to broaden my horizons a bit and expand my setup. I was firstly thinking of going for a xone 42 and two kontrol x1’s, but I thought that this would basically just give me the same functions of the VCI, if not less due to no jog wheels. I feel that for the type of music I want to play and the fact I want to get into clubs I need to learn how to use cdj’s and beatmatch with them, however I love the control over traktor that a controller can have and dont really have the funds for a pair of cdj’s and a mixer.

Soooo bearing all this in mind what do you guys think to a hybrid setup consisting of a xone 42, a kontrol x1 and a CDJ 400 or 800? I was thinking for starters I could simply run the kontrol through traktor and using my audio 2 mix externally on the mixer. Then the third channel would be used by the CDJ in the traditional way ie. without DVS, using CD’s. Eventually I could get an audio 4/8 (which would I need) and use the cdj with timecode (although im not sure whether using it with timecode would be any better than just using CD’s, apart from having to burn the cd’s which tbh im not too fussed about).

I feel this setup would allow me to master both digital mixing and learn to use cdj’s in case I needed to. I would still have all the stuff I like about traktor like the cues and effects and experience with the “industry standard”. What do you guys think?

Cheers

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unless you’re planning on using it a lot, i wouldn’t go for a cdj (unless you’re planning on using it a lot). i get where you’re coming from on wanting to be comfortable using anything, but if you’re just looking to get the hang of it, try renting one or finding a friend who has one they can lend you for a weekend. either way, any dj who’s looking to make it a full-time occupation needs to know how their way around a cdj, you’re going to run into them sooner or later.

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See thats what the thinking was behind it, all the clubs here have cdj’s, dont get me wrong I would love to turn up and rock it with a VCI but I just dont see it happening, there seem to be a lot of DJ’s here and if they can use CDJ’s and I cant im obviuously going to be at a bit of a disadvantage. I reckon I could pickup a used cdj800 for about £350/$500, in fact Ive seen them go for less so its not too much outlay and they seem to hold there value if looked after.

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I agree with DJ hipnotikk. cdj’s are only really for people planning on possibly making a job out of it. Clubs come to mind. But, if you have the money, I say go for it.

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as a ‘back up solution’ for cdjs, why not group up a bunch of tracks of the same bpm onto a couple of discs? makes the overall job a touch easier to mix on the cdjs while rebooting laptop, or solving whatever problem has made you need to use them at the time?