2 or 4 channel MIDI?

With two-channel you obviously have volume control (and crossfaders) for only two channels. So running 3 tracks is not gonna be happening that way.

Depending on the software you want, the Beatmix 4 is more expensive than the Beatmix 2, but with the full Serato software included, you save 125 USD on the upgrade from intro if you were to buy the 2. At the end that’s probably cheaper and you’d have a 4 channel mixer. It’s been accepted as a good starter controller that will accompany you for quite a while.

Hope that helps.

You’re talking about a 2+2 layout. You have control over 4 decks, but only 2 at a time. This is basically all mapping, if your software supports it you can map it yourself (I’ve turned my backup Mixtrack Pro II into a 2+2 controller for Traktor by cannibalizing the scratch buttons). Serato doesn’t support custom mappings, but most other packages do (Virtual DJ, Traktor, Cross, etc).
I wouldn’t be too worried about how many decks you have as a beginner. Especially if you have or can create a 2+2 layout. If you play in a club you plug your output into the input of a mixer that’s already there. This is pretty short and therefore you don’t really need a balanced output. Nobody will hear the difference on such a short distance.

Not any but most. You need a button available to switch decks. The rest is software. You can remap controllers in Serato, but only ones that you add to the main controller. For instance, I have a DDJ-SR as my main controller and a Kontrol X1 Mk2 and F1 next to it. So if I went to Serato I can only map the X1 and the F1, not the DDJ-SR. If I go into Traktor, which is the one I use most, I can do whatever I want with whatever controller, even the X1 and F1 which are made by the same company. Even then, mapping is very limited.

Wether a 4 is not much better than a 2+2 depends on what you want to do with it. If you make complicated live mash-ups of more than 2 songs it will be better to have four channels readily available. But a beginner isn’t going to do that anyway, so that’s why I said not to worry about it. You’ll have your hands completely full for a while with just two decks. Most people end up using maybe a third deck for an acapella every once in a while, but nothing too fancy. A 2+2 will cover the needs of 90% of the DJ’s I’d say. For some of those 90% it’ll be more than they’ll ever use.

Well a 4-channel controller IS just a 2-channel controller with FOUR channel mixer … My point is (especially with the full Serato deal still on) why you’d buy a 2-channel controller instead of the 4-channel. You get the extra faders which give you individual control over the volume of each (still have to select deck to control with the appropriate switch of course) at a price that is (total of hardware and Serato upgrade) less than a 2-channel version on which you have to fiddle around with two volume faders controlling 4 channels of audio 😛 .

I don’t see how you’d need an F1 or K2 unless you want 4 actual deck controls. That WOULD be overkill imho.

So, I stand by my initial response. Spend about the amount of the beatmix 2 with a seperate full serato upgrade, but get the 2-deck, 4-channel beatmix 4 instead 😀

Greetinx.

Hey Marco, I was just using the beatmix as an example in this case because it also presents the most prudent financial choice at the moment, imho.

In general, if you want to frequently use 3 or more decks (not remix/sample decks!), it is worth it in my opinion to just get a 4-channel controller. I understand your point about moving faders to the point where they were in software from which point you can use them regularly again, but I personally think that is way too much thinking and prone to mistakes. If it’s is only occassional use of a third deck, then yes, a 2-channel controller will do. But if it is more than occassional, the extra two faders are a worthwile investment I think.

😀