What to buy in 2009?

What to buy in 2009?

Hi guys

I have posted a couple of very similar newbie posts in the past. Each time I get more serious and am on the verge of (seriously) buying now

I have very little experience - I have worked with the demo version of Virtual DJ and will start with the Traktor Pro demo this week

Me and a friend are very keen to have fun with the performance side of things (working on multiple virtual decks with loops, acapellas, instrumentals etc.). In addition we will want to incorporate video (probably in the second half of the year) once we are comfortable with all the audio bits and pieces we are looking to work with.

I am seriously swaying towards getting a Audio 8 DJ plus the full version of Traktor Pro. I don’t think that the Traktor Pro Scratch package is worthwhile given that we are not that interested in scratching and don’t have easy access to vinyl or CDJs for practice purposes (maybe we can convince some club owners though).

1. From a cost point of view does the Traktor Scratch Pro version make sense - even from the point of view of later flexibility?

Given what we are looking to do I know that it is likely we will start using Ableton in the future.

I see that djtt says much about using the M-Audio Oxygen as a midi controller.
2) I have an M-Audio Ozone. It looks to me much like the Oxygen - can I also use it as a Midi controller?

Since there will be 2 of us (and sometimes 3) playing together, is it worth buying some other gear collectively? I know that this forum has much to say about the VCI-100, Korg nano and Akai MPD. Other things that I have seen mentioned are the M-Audio X Session Pro and the budget Behringer mixers, in addition to the M-Audio Xponent. Of course A&H stuff sounds great (though not sure where drum machines, mixes and other controllers fit into things) and is much higher up the price scale.

3. For someone starting out with my future aims and setup thoughts, as well as NAMM coming up this week, what sort of gear do you suggest I look at from a vaue-for-money and future point of view

4. With NAMM coming up as well as recent upgrades to Mixvibes and Torq, together with the Serato-Ableton tie-up, do you think that there are other options worth considering other than Traktor + Ableton?

5. Finally the reason why I am keen to get stuff in the beginning of February is that I will be coming over to the US. Given that my local power supply is 240V and having gear plus multiple adaptors is not great for playing purposes, do you have any suggestions on how I can best try and meet this challenge

Thanks for all your thoughts,

Im going to save up for a Korg Zero 8

A bit of a steep price, but my friend in Sweden (Glenn Wilson) has been evaluating it, and since I want to do with it what he is doing, I am confident that it will suite fine into my setup

Also, I want to get a 2nd Mac Book PRO, but it will probably be a PC, cause I am going to run Ableton on it, and I do not really need a MBP for that only (And if I get the MBP, its going to be a 2nd hand one)

+1 im saving up for my korg zero 4 again or the vestax vcm 600 mmm…now that i remember i have a sad story i will post it in the a new thread

Would love the Zero8 too compadre!

Maybe I’ll try my luck in England. (With the poor pound vs the mighty Euro. )

as far as i know, korg has begun to discontinue the zero4 and zero8… you might be able to get one at a reduced price…

i’ll try to dig around for the links to were i read that…

EDIT: ok apparently the mixers are NOT being discontinued… the recent price drop was to stir up interest according to this post: Discord

I, personally, would avoid getting gear that you can’t practice on with at home. Now if you think it’ll be in your interest to get turntables or CDJs in the future then you can always look at the upgrade to Traktor Scratch Pro then, or you can get the full set up, but it is a steep price if you end up not using turntables or CDJs. So it just comes down to the direction you see yourself and your friends going in.

I guess I answered this above. If you want to stay completely digital than the external gear like that can always be replicated with other hardware (the EKS Otus Raw for example)

The M-Audio Ozone is a MIDI controller, just like the Oxygen, they just have different features. but they are both MIDI controllers.

There is always a risk in purchasing gear collectively. As long as you guys can all run the basics in case there is a falling out or something then I think you’d be okay.

I’d recommend looking at how other DJs use those pieces of gear (drum controllers and various interfaces). There are lots of discussions on this forum about how one can use these, and Ean has a bunch of videos of himself using the different controllers, so you can have another idea of what they do. It’s all here, just gotta look.

And price is always a concern. I wouldn’t recommend buying a 4D, for example, unless you KNOW this is something you will be doing for a long time. But you grow into those purchases as it comes.

Well, before we start discussing what gear you should buy and what price points should be you should figure out a budget and a general direction. If you decide you want to purchase turntables or CDJs after all we are going to give you a completely different set of gear recommendations than if you decide to go with an exclusively digital set up combining Traktor and Ableton.

My advice is to sit down with your buddies and figure out how much money you can all put into this and how much time you are all willing to sit and learn how this stuff all works.

There are always other options. As much as it seems to the contrary, we don’t endorse any specific software or hardware, there are just kinds more of us use. But if you decide to go with Serato than you’re more than likely going to want turntables/CDJs. There are some that recommend Torq and Mixvibes (especially for starting) but I think the majority of us will tell you that Serato, Ableton and Traktor are your best, most professional, stable options to look at (to everyone that disagrees with me please keep it civil. I’m not insulting your softwares or abilities). But once again, this lies in the direction you and your friends decide on.

Well, you can just wait for February to get here and get the stuff when you end up in the states. If you know that’s the case than I’d say go with that, and just pick up the adaptors when you decide to go overseas.

[QUOTE]
Thanks for all your thoughts,[/QUOTE]

Welcome to our little corner of the internet.

Right now I’m stuck between getting a korg zero 8 and the new VCM-600. Both would do what I need them to do, but at the same time, each has features that make them stand out over the other one. Zero 8’s are going for under a grand now, and that’s near the price of a VCM-600 due to the fact that you have to import them until they are available stateside.

if you have the money dont even buy the zero 4 buy like the korg zero 8 mmm thats what im going to buy instead the zero 8… i just need to saveee

omg i just imagine my self playing with it with my laptop and ableton or traktor running

Yups, the Zero8 and Traktor/Ableton only.

[QUOTE=nemo;22547]Im going to save up for a Korg Zero 8

i want to tell you my story.
i bought it about 10 months ago. i tested one night (tested with TT and CD player only) and returned to the shop on the next day because:

1. hiss (quite noisy for me).
2. wrong input/output routing (i tried to hit the channel 1 input sockets and the sound out from channels 1 and 3 , i don’t know the people know this trick or not, it’s informed by my musician friend).
3. adjust the Master FX level from min to max also make the master louder.
4. sound quality not very good (compare to my DJM3000)

i don’t know Korg had been fixed all problems in the new stock or by firmware or not, so, please check very carefully before take it home.

please also check the Korg fourm:
http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=16

sorry for my poor english.

I am not after using the effects of the thing. But what I am after is to use it as a mixer for ableton and traktor. 4 channels Ableton, 4 Channels Traktor. My mate has one in Sweden, and he says its really cool, but had some problems with effects as well, as you mentioned.

As this is the year where I will switch 100% digital, I will also ditch my turntables, I do not need them only for pitch correction (midi can do that for me), and I am not a hip hop dj, and wont have to scratch or anything

I like the idea that I can use 4 channels for ableton with the internal soundcard of the Zero8 and then use my External (Audio 8) for traktor. I think its a pretty wicked thing, since it also is a midi controller

Thanks for the hints though!

Anyone else that has tried what I wanna do? Is it 100% possible?! (As I can see it wont be a problem, but sometimes you just do not see things until you are infront of the thing)

@djas
Wasn’t the hiss a problem with the Mic in?

Hey nemo, why would you want to have an additional soundcard?
You’re no longer using scratch from that moment on, are you?

Cause I will be using 2 laptops not one

Ah!

That’s logical.

Mate of mine got himself a Zero 8 [Dunno how my mates have so much money floating about…] and loves it. Says his gig performance and production output has improved three fold.

USB 3 stuff, if there is anything to get.

AFAIK usb 3 is “supposed” to be released in the second half of '09 and more “consumer products” coming out in '10. Whatever they mean with consumer products is unknown to me

I have no idea but should not be.

it should be pissible i dont see any problem…
i want one too this thing is so sexy

i will use it with ableton and traktor sometime i also realli like the fact that the toch screen can be midi mappable,the controller banks and that the knobs can be push buttons…

A complete MIDI control surface
By using the dedicated “ZERO Edit” software you can freely assign MIDI messages to the faders, knobs, push-type encoders, buttons, toggle switches, and X-Y pad.

does any one knows if the faders send midi data too ??