Rest digital or go back to cdj mode?
Home 2023 › Forums › Digital DJ Gear › Rest digital or go back to cdj mode?
- This topic has 15 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 12 months ago by
DJ Vintage.
-
AuthorPosts
-
March 25, 2015 at 11:08 am #2162681
DJ Vintage
ModeratorHi Thanasis,
I am curious, what exactly does “CDJ style mixing” encompass for you. Because, quite frankly, when I play out with my DDJ-SX, there really isn’t all that much difference (other than advantages that you mentioned, added with the awesome power of collection management that a laptop with keyboard offers).
What is it, exactly, that you feel you lack in a controller to do your thing.
If you want to turn around and go CDJ-style, in conjunction with DJ Software (either through DVS or HID), you are looking at lots of money, lots of gear, lots of cables and at the end of the day you are sacrificing all the things that make digital DJ-ing so great. Not only will you need two mediaplayers, but also a standalone DJ mixer either with midi options to control the FX in the software or with built in FX.
March 25, 2015 at 8:26 pm #2162861Thanasis
ParticipantHi DJ Vintage, thank u for takin the time to reply.
Well what i mean by ”cdj style” is the actual feel of 2 separated players, the feeling of the pitch riding, the beat matching (don’t get me wrong i love the sync function and i use it when its necessary), those simple and basic things of mixing.
Maybe i should describe my set up so i can clarify more my question. A pair of denon dns1000 (packed in their boxes),a 4 channel analogue mixer(urei 1603 with no fx on it) a reloop contour ie and of course a laptop.
Currently with my existing controller i can not beat match the way i used to do with my cdj’s. For instance there is no dedicated pitch fader for accurate pitch corrections so i had to map an encoder for that.I don’t want to sound boring so i will not get more into technical details but when i’m talking about ”mixing outside of the box” i mean all those small things that u have to consider when your mixing digitally (latency, drop outs, adjustments, mapping, software crashing, optimization etc.) and especially when your gear is not that expensive.
That’s why i’m questioning my self should i go back to a simple pair of players sacrificing the features of a dj software and re live the painful procedure of burning cds 🙂 or invest my few pennies on a soundcard or controller for DVS-HID.
I hope i made my question as much clear as possible and again sorry if my post sounds boring and long 🙂
March 25, 2015 at 9:49 pm #2162921DJ Vintage
ModeratorWell -moneywise- going back to some (good) players is gonna cost you more probably than the alternatives.
If you want my flat out opinion, I’d sell everything I have now, except the laptop, and get a decent controller. Two channel there are things like the Reloop Terminal Mix 2, MC4000 by Denon or DDJ-SR by Pioneer. Obviously you could go for the 4 channel models too (DDJ-SX2, MC6000 or Terminal Mix 4 for example). While the Denon controllers have relatively small jogs (which I have never found a problem, but you might), both the Reloop and Pioneer have decent size jogs that will satisfy your jogwheel feeling. On the budget side a Numark Mixtrack Pro 3 (coming soon) could do the trick or something like the Numark N4.
If you prep your windows PC properly (or if you have a mac) the chances that you’ll have to worry about the digital issues is pretty small. Not saying they can’t happen, but it shouldn’t be a deterrent to walk down that road.
I can safely say that if you don’t use the sync button, you can create the “real CDJ” experience just as easily on your controller. And with the all in one option you don’t have to carry so much stuff or worry about cabling and such.
Just my two cents.
March 26, 2015 at 4:06 pm #2163351Thanasis
ParticipantThank you for sharing your opinion
March 26, 2015 at 5:01 pm #2163371DJ Vintage
ModeratorSure, hope others chime in with their opinions and suggestions.
March 26, 2015 at 7:00 pm #2163431Danny P
ParticipantI definitely would go about getting a more modern controller as most have dedicated pitch faders on each side so you can beat match manually. I it’ll be cheaper and easier to carry around.
March 26, 2015 at 10:58 pm #2163541Thanasis
ParticipantSo far 2 posts suggesting a more recent controller, i’m curious to see what others might have to say…
March 27, 2015 at 8:57 am #2163821Terry_42
KeymasterThe feeling of 2 players? What bogus is that? (Sorry to be frank)
I never use the sync button, I regularly ride pitchfaders (they are quite long on the pro controllers if not longer than on CDJs) and I pretty much do the same I did on CDJs added with a lot more awesomeness of live remixing, slicing, better effects,… you name it.That out of the way:
If you like the CDJ feel:
Get a DDJ-SZ
Still half the price of a Nexus setup (which is the only CDJ setup worth while) and full size CDJ platters and pitchfaders.
If close to CDJ is good enough:
Get a DDJ-SX
If you want to save money and have better jogs that are however not like CDJs:
Get a Terminal Mix 8March 27, 2015 at 2:08 pm #2164161DJ Tucker
ParticipantBro, buy a decent computer and a decent controller and then turn off the sync function, lower the pitch range in the software to 4 or 8% and beatmatch manually. I’d recommend a Denon MC2000 or a Pioneer WeGO3 and any contemporary i5 laptop. Figure $800 for the whole shot.
March 27, 2015 at 5:56 pm #2164481Thanasis
ParticipantIt’s good to be frank in life Terry_42 :).
After playing for a few years with one simple unit that controls 4 decks where you have to switch every time from deck to deck, no pitch fader etc…you kinda miss the 2 ”actual players’ left and right from your mixer, i’m sure you know what i mean.
Well, so far nobody has mentioned DVS (except DJ Vintage)and the reason why i stick to it is my small budget….of course i take under consideration every suggestion for the modern controllers, but is DVS so overpassed?March 27, 2015 at 10:49 pm #2164531DJ Vintage
ModeratorActually DVS is the most expensive way of DJ-ing available (well perhaps regular vinyl DJ-ing because of the high cost of tracks). If you take practice seriously, you are looking at 100 bucks or more a month for needles and DVS vinyls on top of buying tracks. That’s a whopping 1200 bucks a year, enough to pay for a VERY nice controller 😛
In on of your replies you said you used only Denon DN-S1000s (2), so where does the controlling 4 decks come from?
You should really check out the 4-deck intermediate controllers (see Terry’s comments). You will have control over your decks like you would with the Denon’s, with jogs, pitchfaders, the whole nine yards. Switching between two decks on either side is as easy as pressing one single button (the whole thing changes color so you can easily see what deck you are controlling) and you have 4 faders, one per channel. Total creative freedom without setting up 4 actual CDJs on a DJM mixer (at ridiculous cost).
March 28, 2015 at 5:24 pm #2164701Terry_42
KeymasterDecent DVS system (cheapest that makes sense):
2x reloop RP-8000 turntables
1x Akai AMX DVS controller mixer
1x Akai AFX addon controller
1x Serato DVS upgrade
10 pack of Orthofon needles
5 pack of RP-8000 tone arm assembly
4 pack of Serato control vinyl black blankTotal Cost > 1500 depending on where you live
Monthly upkeep: > 80 bucksCurrently only viable CDJ system (for 4 decks):
4x CDJ 2000 Nexus player
1x DJM 900 Nexus SRT EditionTotal cost: > 5000
Viable mid range controller that can actually do more than all the above:
reloop Terminal Mix 8
Total cost (including Serato DJ license): 550
Upkeep: 0
Satisfaction that you just saved money and can actually do more than with all the above: pricelessMarch 28, 2015 at 11:28 pm #2164761Thanasis
ParticipantThanx for the analysis its a lot more clear 🙂
April 7, 2015 at 4:57 pm #2171121Jakub Polauf
ParticipantHello guys,
nice to hear from you that going digital is better. I am in front of the big decision, buying my first controller and I have decided for 4trak as I like Traktor and its remix decks, I want to have 4 decks to control and also good build quality. And the price in Europe at the moment of €630 is probably the best buy on the market in this budget. I was also considering DDJ SX which costs around € 1.000 but I think is better to have 4trak which is cooperating with Traktor even though there are some mappings for DDJ SX. In the future I will probably buy the F1 for the remix decks. But for now the 4trak I think is the best solution. What do you think? Thanks for your suggestions.
Jakub
April 8, 2015 at 10:21 am #2171881DJ Vintage
ModeratorHi Jakub, next time please post this as a new post. Makes it easier for everyone.
If you want to use Traktor, get a Traktor controller. If you want 4-channel, get a (used) S4. Best integration with the software. Highest possibility of continued support.
-
AuthorPosts
- The forum ‘Digital DJ Gear’ is closed to new topics and replies.