Am i ready to use CDJs in Clubs?

The 1000s have BPM read-out XXX, but the deviation in % = X.XX I think.

Be aware that you can only use three hot cue/loop points PER CD!

It should analyse any track on a CD. Warning here is to use good quality CDs, burn them at modest speed and as audio CD (not MP3 CD’s). They are MP3 compatible players, but I have had read errors on burnt MP3 CDs.

I’d seriously consider just bringing my controller to the venue, frankly.

Correct. There is (far as I know) no software that lets you prepare/edit the SD card info or anything. SD-feature is also available only in mk3 players.

Effectively you should consider the 1000s just big and very expensive CD-players.

I understand your urge to “learn”, but there really isn’t much to learn.

You buy a really advanced, high tech, electric and electronic car with loads of features and learn to drive it well. Then someone gives you a 1965 VW Beetle to use for a weekend away. No electrics or electronics, all manual including the stick shift. Trust me, you may have to figure out the buttons for 10 minutes, but you will be driving the Beetle and only missing all the nice extra’s you have on your car and wishing you’d brought your own car. There is, imho, no pride, honor or any other form of reward driving a really old car with very limited features if you have a brand new fully-equipped car sitting at home in the garage.

I’d be more worried about doing the best possible job I can the first few times out to maximise my chances of getting return gigs. And the best way to assure yourself of that is by using gear you are familiar with. Like vinyl (music not timecode) back in the day, CDJs mean knowing your music intimately, manually setting the starting beat (hit cue once you cueued up the right spot while the CDJ is in PAUSE mode), manually beatmatching if appropriate and using the (often limited or no FX) mixer for your transitions. And if you are not used to that, while not hard, it takes your focus away from the set and towards the gear.

I am an old guy and came up through those old days, so perhaps that is why the “lure” of vinyl and CDJ eludes me. Been there, done that and glad to be moving on to more technologically advanced (not to mention cheaper, easier to transport and easier to maintain) gear. I still play regularly on CDJ2000s (Nexus) and occasionally on something as far back as an old 200. I believe the 1000s were first released in 2001, so they have been around for a while. I always carry a bunch of CD’s in a case with me (although currently re-doing my collection and hopefully end up with just enough CDs that they’ll easily fit in a CD-wallet and I know those CDs intimately. So playing on any player is never an issue. But that’s the advantage of years and experience.

Well, I guess you get my message.

Hope this helps some.

Especially in the UK I have found that bringing your controller (if it is no crappy thing) is considered very professional. And the S4 has a pretty good reputation amongst techs.