Recommended Mobile DJ Digital Controller ??

I use controllers exclusively for mobile gigging, much less to carry… did 17 weddings last year (this year I am cutting back or my gf will kill me…).

As for Traktor I would take a close look at the Reloop Jockey 3 Remix, as it is compact and light, has good modes and can be used as an analogue mixer for bringing in a DVD on the beamer in the middle of a wedding or similar things (if you do not use a small PA mixer for that).
Also compact but with a bigger mixer section would the the VCI-400 Traktor Edition, which is also very nice and still compact.

The S4 of course is a classic for use with Traktor, a little bigger as the above 2, but still portable.

If you are a mobile jock, as I am too, one of my main concerns would be redundancy. Although the S4 has a switch on the back to set channel 4 to thru (so you can have a fallback iPod or something) that goes through the master volume and into the outputs, it is NOT a standalone mixer. If your laptop freezes and you need to reboot, the thru-option is feasible. Play one song from the iPod while you reboot, open Traktor and get cranking again. But what if you laptop dies? You are stuck with playing your iPod the rest of the night, no mic opportunity or anything.

At the time I decided on the Denon MC6000. Two mic inputs (one combo, one Jack) with 3-band EQ, matrix input (so pretty much any input can be routed to any channel (it has come in handy on many an occassion :-)), great sound and fully standalone, so works just as good with as without laptop. I had two simple CD players sitting next to it. Something goes wrong with Traktor (and it has) just flick the input switch for the channel to CD, press play and off I go. Even if the PC damage is permanent, I carry enough CDs (about 20 MP3 CD’s in twofold for a total of 40) to get me through the night.
And I have two mics I can continue using.

I know many on here think it is not gonna happen or not a big issues if it happens, just reboot and be done with it. I have been a DJ and into PCs for too long to know that Murphy is alive and kicking. And if you do weddings and stuff, you just can’t afford any serious hickups and not be prepared for it. I for one would never stake my reputation on a sound system which key ingredient is a laptop/PC.

Greetinx,
C.

I researched for 3 months before I bought mine. That doesn’t mean it’s going to be the right controller for you of course. I do a mix of gigs, weddings, pubs, bars etc. So far I haven’t had any issues apart from with a laptop which I have now replaced. Very solid piece of kit with a metal case. I don’t scratch, so I can’t comment on the jog wheels. I find them perfectly suited to cueing up tracks etc.

Another vote for the 6000 but you said that you mix all kind of genres.

I used to have the 6000 with Traktor doing club gigs but started doing mobile gigs again that’s when I switch to Serato just because of the elastic beatgriding.

Depend what you call all kind of genres, I do all kind of genres and needed Serato for the latin music. Yes I mix salsa, merengue, cumbia and all latin genres

Chuck van Eekelen, post: 39807, member: 2756 wrote: I would like to try Serato DJ at some point (probably when they finally toss that Apple-ish “we’ll be the judge of what controller is good for you”-attitude and just go midi-mappable), .

I know what mean,I like Traktor better but I started doing mobile again by demand, DJ’s around here S**Ks not only with the regular dance, wedding and so on music but latin music the worst (most of them use VDJ auto play list) and there’s a big latin community here.

Two month ago I mess up my laptop (my fault I lost all my back ups) with a software called Alchemist it sync your music desktop folders with Serato (and now Traktor) so when you get a new song it auto sync with Serato.

Now I’m redoing all my songs but I’m going to use Serato only for weddings and VDJing. and back with Traktor for all other gigs. Also trade my NS6 for a TMX4

This is an example how I have my play list:

EDM
house
progressive
techno
trance and so on..
Decades
40’s
50’s
60’s and so on…
Wedding
dance
ballads
rock
counrty
latin

djgenesis23, post: 39870, member: 10345 wrote: Great work all & thanks for all your friendly advise at the moment i’m looking at the Denon MC6000 reason is its small perfect for mobile djing can be used as a stand alone mixer has mic out puts & lots of inputs.
now someone has said that the sound card you get with the Denon MC6000 is not that great anyone that has one please tell me your thoughts ???
Also how long has the Denon MC6000 been out does anyone know if Denon is going to be bringing out a MC8000 or something like that id hate to purchase this MC6000 & then they bring out a new ones in the coming weeks.
Thanks again

The 6000 has been out since late 2010, so younger than the S4 for example. I haven’t heard about an 8000, but I am sure if there was anything new coming shortly Phil and crew would have uncovered it at the fair in Frankfurt. No buzz on internet either.

As far as the soundcqrd goes, I have two years experience that says it is completely and utterly up to the task. Unfortunately a good many (aspiring) DJs have become what I would call spec-junkies. They look at specs and decide what is good and what is not based on paper data. One thing sems to be bit depth. 24-bit is better than 16-bit sound card. I say rubbish. Dynamic range is important, component quality is important, overall design is important, driver quality is important and at the end of the day a good 16-bit card can sound better than a poor 24-bit. All those guys have forgotten that 16-bit/44.100 is CD standard! So, now CD quality isn’t good enough?

I can vouch for the sound quality of the 6000, I have listened to it for 2 years on many gigs up to a 3,500 people ceremony in the olympic stadium. I get mighty tired of would be techies who bash stuff without knowing what they are talking about. A bit like the kind of people that don’t take anyone seriously if their gear doesn’t say Pioneer on it.

As far as I am concerned the 6000 is a solid, road worthy, professional piece of equipment from a manufacturer that was innovating DJ equipment when lots of the readership here was still running around in diapers :-).

It’s been said before about it being a personal choice, but if the features match up with your wishlist, you won’t go wrong with it.

Greetinx,
C.