DJ equipment for beginners

While a good question and super good your are not jumping in blind, it’s also a very hard one to answer.

In essence any of the suggested starter controllers would do fine, using the LE/Lite version of software that will usually come with it. A set of monitor or small PA speakers (you can’t use the monitors for small parties as they are not made for that) and a good pair of headphones (Sennheiser HD-201 and only the 201! are a very cheap but great starter pair to help keep the budget down, the next best thing being 4-5 times as expensive) are also needed. Some cables and in case of PA speakers some stands. Also you would need a laptop (windows/mac) preferably just for DJ-ing or at least optimized for DJ-ing.

Another alternative is to get an iPad powered controller, software is cheaper, no need for a laptop.

The Pioneer DDJ-Wego 4 could be a good option there. Read the review over at the main site: http://www.digitaldjtips.com/?s=wego

There is of course the question of budget. Do you have one?

I’m in the same boat. My son (a little younger but bright) is asking for a controller and I was looking at the DDJ-RB or the Mixtrack Pro 3.

Anyway, my wife saw the Party Mix and is hung up on the price difference. I’m going to have to get it set up for him and help him to learn how to use it (I’m tech savvy but have never been a DJ or used this kind of gear).

My specific question for the community would be is there any real difference between Virtual DJ on the Party Mix, Rekordbox on the DDJ-RB or Serato on the Mixtrack Pro 3 from the perspective of getting started and ease of use? I was leaning toward the DDJ-RB and I’m not all that concerned about the $150 price difference. I’m focused on what would be best for him (maybe us) to have some (low frustration) fun playing with.

Thanks in advance for any incite.