About the mixers, You are looking on outdated mixers IMO the DJM700/800 is IMO old!
They do not have the sound you should be getting for that amount of money today!
When they were new they were among the best in sound but not today, sorry!
I say this just because I do think it is a waist of money now that you can get better sound for less if you can bare not having a Pio loggo on your gear.
Look at Pioneer DJM900 or 2000. They are the only ones who can messure with the others that I suggerst you take a close look at: The Denon X1600 or x1700 as they have a 32 bit DAC (so has DJM900 and DJM2000)
http://www.dm-pro.eu/en/denondj/products/31/dn-x1700-professional-digital-dj-mixer/
http://www.dm-pro.eu/en/denondj/products/40/dn-x1600-professional-4ch-digital-dj-mixer/
Both X1600 and X1700 are Traktor certified wich means that you can use their built in soundcard as soundcard for Traktor. That you can also do with DJM900 and DJM2000 but not DJM800/700
But there is a big difference in the price of Pio DJM900/2000 and Denon X1700/X1600…….
The A&H Xzone 42 is not Traktor certified as I can see, the USB port is to connect to PC in order to be able to record from the mixer not to get signat from PC to mixer?? I could not find any info but you shold check it up and it proberbly does not have a DAC at all??
Other than that A&H makes very good mixers so you should compare the sound on A&H Denon and Pioneer to find
that the 700/800 does not sound that good compared to todays mixers, Denon and Pios latest mixers sound about equal
(if not the Denon should sound better) A&H I don’t know but I think you will find it better than DJM800/700 and not as good as DJM900/2000 X1700/X2000.
This is based on reading specs and knowing how the mixers are build (all three brands has the best buld quality but Denon uses the best hardware as well) I have tested and listned carefully to other A&H mixers but not the Xzone 42.
I have listned and compared the DJM800, DJM700, DJM2000, DJM900,X1700 and X1600
I own a X1700 and was one of the first to buy it in my country It has never let me down in any way and I can not find any mixer that has a better sondquality. I have Genelec studio monitors at home so I would hear if there is a difference in sound. I also has a Denon MC6000 wich has among the absolute best soundcards in a controller and it sounds very good but I can hear a difference in favor to my X1700……
Also take a look at Genelec before purchase studio monitors.
KRK are good but my ears tell me that Genelec is a bit better (and unfortunatly a bit more expencive)
Now you should listen for yourself and look at your wallet and if you come to the conclution you still want the DJM800/700 I suggest you take a look in the second hand market as many still buy DJM900/2000 and try to get rid of their DJM800/700s
I wish you good hunting 🙂
//DJ Hessler
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