Seeking Suggestions for Vinyl to DVS

do you have a budget for your “upgrade”?

Well, technically using your current setup for DVS should work. Either Serato (relatively expensive with a minimum of the Denon DS1 sound card) or Mixvibes (much lower price, apart from the FX quality a lot alike to Serato and works with any old 4-in/4-out sound card.

Clearly you will be shelling out money for timecode vinyls (they wear out reasonably fast, so this requires some upkeep financially. And you will want an option to trigger some things in the software, like FX, loops, cues etx. There are various options for that like the Akai AFX or Reloop Neon. You might already conclude that this is becoming a bit of a mess with all those separate units and such.

Alternatively you could look at a DVS-compatible controller and hook your TTs directly up to those. You don’t need the sound card (built-in to the controller), you don’t need separate controllers for your software, AND you get two extra decks with jogwheels. If you decide you like jogs better you can easily leave your big bulky heavy TTs at home in the future or you can keep having a mixed setup.

Controllers that come to mind are the Pioneer DDJ-SX, DDJ-RX and Denon MC7000 and MCX8000 (this last one can be used as standalone unit for backup purposes). They all come with either full Serato or RekordBox licenses (although you might have to buy the DVS upgrade). You could sell of your mixer and in total not have to spend too much and be set for all eventualities.

Hope that helps some.

My three cents as usual.

Correct, I should have said SX2 (the only model now available new).

Yeah … lifetime of filling the piggy bank! Thanks for the kind words.

To start with our last question: yes, I believe the DJM250 mk2 has a DVS compatible sound card built-in.

Then to the bigger question, using a controller.

In order to be able to support DVS, a mixer or controller needs to have a 4-in/4-out sound card (2 stereo channels in and out). Not all of them do. The ones I mentioned all do.

You would indeed connect your TTs to the phono inputs (assuming your TTs have phono out) of the controller. The mixer part of the controller is what you would use for mixing.

Your entire setup therefor would consist of:
– computer/laptop with DJ software (with DVS option)
– 2 TTs
– Controller

DVS in essence lets you send a timecode signal to your software. That timecode signal comes from the TC vinyl you put on the TT. It is sent through the phono in of the controller via USB to your software. You can then load tracks into the decks the same way you would when using controller decks. Now you can manipulate the tracks just as if there was regular vinyls on your TTs.
The software will also have a “thru” option, so you can switch from timecode to regular vinyl. That way you can either control your MP3s or whatever with timecode vinyl or throw on an actual vinyl and have that play. If you have a 4-channel/4-deck controller (like the ones mentioned earlier), you can set your software to 4-deck control. Now you have 2 vinyl/timecode DVS and 2 jogwheel controller channels you can all use simultaneously.

Hence my advice for this setup. With minimal gear (although the controller obviously is way bigger than a 2-channel battle mixer) you get the best of all worlds. This gives you the option to expand your workflow and have a full 4-deck setup running for expanded creative options.

You are right about that Maxy, I was too focussed on the DVS bit and forgot that Serato still is a bit picky about brand/model hardware it supports LOL.

Not sure what “all the hardware” you would not need to connect with a DJM as opposed to using a controller instead though?

Take out the DJM, insert an SX2 or MCX8000, connect the same things (laptop/TTs/speakers) and play. You can’t do DVS without a laptop, so no advantage there. And the only difference between the mixer and the controller is the size.

Clearly OP needs to figure out what his current and intended future workflow is/will be and what solution would fit best (yes or no the option to ALSO use regular jogwheels, handy if you want to do a quick gig without lugging heavy TTs around :-)).