I need a little advice on a topic that I think I know the answer to. I don’t know if I should sell my Technics to invest in other equipment or hold on to them.
I have owned Technics for 15 years now. I moved to DVS when it became available and still have a good collection of Vinyl. I have also added a X1, F1 and Z2 to my total line. I bought a Maschine MK2 a year or so ago that I dabble with. I’m mainly a bedroom Producer/DJ or hobbyist.
All of my equipment is hooked to the desktop in the basement and it can be challenging to find time to be down there with 2 kids and a wife. Obviously the kids need my full attention but my wife mainly wants me hang out with her and be available if she needs me.
I’m debating selling the Technics to invest in a new Macbook. I would like to invest more time with Maschine and think it will be easier if I am not restricted to only being able to use it in the basement. I’m just having a hard time listing them for sale. I don’t know why though as I barely use them.
Keep them, you’ll regret selling them later on. I’m sure you’ll eventually make time for it and since you have a nice vinyl collection you aren’t really tied to tech so you can always pick it right back up.
I hear ya on the “hang out with her” side of things!
My Mrs. hated it when my gear was in a serarate room. Currently, we’re in an open plan living area with my decks & production set-up behind the licing area. so she get’s to watch TV with me in earshot. It kinda works…
I think, if you don’t know that you DEFINITELY want to keep them, then it might be a good idea to sell up so that you can “hang out” more with the Mrs…
Every single person I know who sold their Technics has regretted it.
Every. Single. One.
She needs time to herself to do what she likes, and so do you. Arrange for you to look after the kids for an afternoon or evening so she can go do something with her friends, or even just relax in the bath that you festooned with rose petals just for her. The law of reciprocal benevolence will see that free time returned to you.
Speaking from experience, a life where your spare (ie: not at work) time consists of only your wife and kids only works for someone who literally has no other interests. Note I said interests and not priorities.
Even if you get a new Mac Book with the money so your DJ gear is more portable - even if you’re in the same room with her, but you’re concentrating on banging out a mix, does that satisfy her desire for you to be available for her? (I’m reading between the lines in that she would rather have you concentrating on spending time with her, not necessarily in the same room as her )
I’m sorry, I should have been more clear. Being around the wife isn’t the main issue, its a smaller part of the problem. The biggest problem is that I’m limited to the basement whether I want to mix or produce. My set up lacks the ability to be mobile when its hooked to a desktop.
Regardless of what people think about the quality of Technics 12XX, they’re an icon, no more will ever be made, and they’ll only become more costly to buy. Selling would be a mistake. Boxing them up for a rainy day and waiting a bit longer to buy a laptop would make more sense. You can still DJ on just the Z2/X1/F1.
Why does the bringer of horror and commercials (the tv) get put front and centre in the family area, but not the bringer of love and happiness and smiles (sound system).
A house with music on is a much warmer and welcoming place than a house with a TV on.
As far as getting rid of your technics… Do you practice turntablism? If you do, keep them. If not, sell them and get a lower cost turntable just to listen to the vinyl when you get an itch or to convert new records you come across along the way.
My decks are in my lounge along with my Maschine / old iMac and CDJs. Managed to build a bit of an Ikea area that houses them in the corner. We only have a small 1 bed flat but it is possible to put together something that can look nice, be practical, and you can jump on the decks for half and hour or so when others are out/having a bath/not back from work yet/working out etc
Those 10 min - hour sessions here and there through the month really add up
Buying equipment is fun, buying Technics isn’t.. you can’t buy new and with so many potential issues with pre-owned technics (normally faults that can be fixed, but faults non the less) it can be a massive headache to find the right pair.
Personally I wouldn’t sell them.. I don’t know a single person who has sold up who doesn’t regret it. I don’t even use mine anymore, I have similar issue with family stuff taking up too much time.. They are currently stored away in a friends house, i’d never sell them unless i fell on hard times and needed the money.
I think it also depends on where you live. I live in Miami where everyone is a DJ and there are TONS of Technics for sale. Every time I look at what they’re selling for, it’s less and less.
Keep them. You’ll honestly regret it otherwise - and you’ll always want to be able to play your records.
As many others have said - find a way to better incorporate the setup into your living area so it doesn’t feel like you’re “going down to the basement to play some tunes” and make it an a more inclusive thing with the family.
In my current apartment I have my decks setup in a seperate room, and I hate it. Have to go out of the main “flow” of traffic and people and keeps me disconnected from when I’m wanting to hang with everyone else.
Trying to convince the wife that moving the kitchen table to that room (which is conveniently right off the kitchen) would make more practical sense lol.
I play in clubs. I mainly spin out on CDJs with rekordbox. At home I practice on vinyl and Serato with 1200’s. In the rare chance they don’t have USB stick CDJs or just have turntables I’m able to grab my Serato stuff and bring that out (for time-code CD or vinyl use).
It’s not what you play on, it’s how you play it and your selection.
Biggest thing though - don’t sell something you love. Work on bringing it back into a more mainstream part of your life. It’ll keep you happier in the end.
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