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What should I start with? (beginning set-up)

Ok... like some of the other monster posts out there, this one should start a flurry of replies by experienced djs on the forums. Otherwise this has already been posted and someone could kindly redirect me to that post.
Anyways, I've been browsing the market for around a couple of months and im not quite sure what i want to buy. I've heard "Buy the best now you're just gonna wanna upgrade later" and "buy low-end first so that you don't have to make much of a sacrifice if you end up blowing the hobby" Well I've taken both those into consideration, and I'm confident that I'll continue this hobby for at least a few years, doesn't matter so much if I go big (we're allowed to dream!)
Anyways so far this is what I've been thinking
Approx $3000 cdn available:
x2 Stanton str8-100s (figured must be comparable to tech 12s since MOS switched from them to the 100s)
rane empath mixer (heard very good things about this one from people i've talked too, although it is pricey and im not sure it's right for beginning)
someone's got to give me a slap for headphones, which should I get?
Sennheiser 280s are at the moment the choice.
As for any other suggestions, please reply. Thanks in advance.

I strongly reccomend you get Tech12s to start with. it doesn't matter what model you get MK2 or M3D, 1200 or 1210, black or silver, just get 1200SL's.

you might want to review these threads to see what happens if you don't:
http://www.tranceaddict.com/forums/...&threadid=52567
http://www.tranceaddict.com/forums/...&threadid=99890

Here is the reason that you should get technics 1200SL decks:

one of two things is going to happen when you get your technics. Either:

a) you will love them, and decided that you are loving DJ and you never want to stop. In this case, you are in a great position. You have the same deck as almost every club in the world, and every DJ in the world. You will never need to upgrade your decks, and you know that they will last literally DECADES if you take care of them.

OR

b) you will decided DJing is not for you, and decide to sell your decks. In this case, you will probabally be able to sell them for about as much as you bought them for, and maybe even more. Just take a look on www.ebay.com and watch how many bidders are after a set of tech12s, and you will quickly realize how valuable these decks are.

So, there is is, get technics, it's win-win situation.

Then, there is another option. You can get cheaper, lower quality decks. in that case, the same two things can happen:

a) you love DJing, but are frustrated that your decks don't hold pitch, have no torque, skip like a schoolgirl, have as many breakdowns as a set of oakenfolds from '99, vibrate near any sound source, or whatever else. or even just that they don't feel the same as the decks at clubs and raves, so you learn on yours at home, then try to beatmatch on techs in front of a crowd and get tomatoes thrown at you. in anycase, you'll be wanting to sell these decks. problem being, nobody is going to want to buy them. if you can sell them, i can almost guarantee you won't get what you paid for them. most likely, they will collect dust in your attic or basement, or be sold for a pittance to some wannabe DJ who doesn't know any better.

OR

b) you hate DJing. In this case, you will want to sell your tables, and will encounter the same problems as in point a. It could even be that you hate DJing just cuz you had crappy tables. (don't give up till you try a pair of tech12s, for me that was the closer, i just loved the feeling)

so, crappy decks, it's a lose-lose situation.

now, there are a few more things to think of. everything that is not a tech12 is not neccesarily a crappy deck! there are others that have just as high torque, low wow and flutter, good insulation from vibration etc. these include the Numark TTX-1 (and NUMARK TT-200, the same motor and build, but without the fancy display), the stanton STR-100 and STR8-100, and higher end gemini and vestax models.

However, NONE of these tables can boast the reputation of techs for longtime durability, simply because they haven't been around that long. and most cost almost as much as technics anyway.

overall, in choosing a DJ deck, i think technics are your best bet. Numark TTX1 is a close second, but i won't be buying one for another 3 or more years, when i start hearing about their reliability. Stanton are pretty good too.

Above all don't even CONSIDER buying belt drive decks.

so, that's about it for my opinion on decks. as for mixer and headphones.. maybe i will post my opinion on that after.

wow
from the sounds of it, it would almost seem that you're a salesperson for dj decks. Thanks for the advice it helps alot.

quote:

Originally posted by ChavezHype wow from the sounds of it, it would almost seem that you're a salesperson for dj decks. Thanks for the advice it helps alot.

lol, but yep everything he said was right
good luck!

quote:

Originally posted by ChavezHype wow from the sounds of it, it would almost seem that you're a salesperson for dj decks. Thanks for the advice it helps alot.

heh.. but i'm not just a satisfied technics owner.

I've just seen too many of my friends trying to sell their stantons, geminis, numarks, and whatever, for technics. they all wish they'd bought techs now. and all my friends with techs have never had a problem.

and most importantly, i am tired of seeing threads with topics like, what's wrong with my pitch? only to look inside and hear they have low end geminis.

Well it's always been known pretty much that Technics is and was the turntable for DJs - proven reliability and quality, but for the rest of the items for purchase aren't quite as clear-cut. Tech-12s are well known - the Stantons being cheaper versions without the proven quality that the tech-12s have, but what about mixers? Pioneer is pretty well known here, as well as Rane, but no company really "dominates" the market here, the same goes for headphones. Any suggestions on those?

johnsmith: you shouldl really copy and paste that so every day when .this exact same thread is posted, you can easily give the people who haven't discovered the Search Function a good explanation

heh
well yea that woulda been a good start.
Hey im only a "TA in training". Thanks for opening my eyes.

quote:

Originally posted by mikefasssy johnsmith: you shouldl really copy and paste that so every day when .this exact same thread is posted, you can easily give the people who haven't discovered the Search Function a good explanation

dude i know! i thought exactly that, and i searched for where i said almost exactly this, but in vain. but this time i saved the fuckin thing on my HDD and called it "why to get techs.txt" so i am armed and ready for the next time a noob comes on here asking.

heheh sweet

For a good starting mixer, I'd highly recommend a Vestax PCV-275. Most people love it to death for its sound quality and overall design. It's about $400 US brand new, which is a damn good price for a great beginning mixer.

That will save you a bunch of money for other things...like vinyl!! lol! Trust me, once you start buying vinyl, it is like a crazy addiction that won't stop.

As for headphones, I use Sony V700's and appreciate its great bass but dislike its headbusting pressure it puts on me. However, over time you sort of get used to it. But there are other great headphones out there like the Technics 1200's, Pioneer's new one (model name escapes me at the moment) and the new version of Sony's V6 (under a different model name).

So assuming that $3000 CDN is about $2000 US, that you buy the Technics 1200SL's as previously mentioned in an excellent post by JohnSmith for about $400 each, that you get a PCV-275 for about $400, and a good set of headphones for about $125, that leaves you with $675 for other things (needles are a big purchase and of course, vinyl).

I'll let someone else comment on needles (although I use Ortofon Nightclubs and absolutely love them to death!! =D).

hehe
Yea that would seem about right
So far from what I've seen the most common basic set that most people have in TA is tech 12s and the vestax pcv-275 mixer. Well if it's that popular then it can't be bad can it?
All of this helps. Yes I've heard about those Pioneer hdj-1000s, supposed to be pro studio quality, although lots of people seem to be agaisnt the sony mdr-v700DJ's, so I guess I'll stay away for the time being. I've still got time to look through everything.
Although is there anything other than the vestax pcv-275 that anyone recommends?

yeah, i reccommend the vestax PCV 275 as well.

the pioneer DJM 300 is also a good starter mixer. although, i'd stay far away from beatcounters at first, just to train your ear.

numark also make some decent mixers, like the matrix 2 and 3, but they won't last as long as the PCV 275 will.

excellent

my set up at home (this is what i got when i started 1 1/2 years ago) has:

2x 1200SL

Stanton RM-3S Mixer (cheap, but very reliable + has everything you really need)

Stanton DJ Pro 2000S Headphones (I REALLY recommend these, better sound output than ANY other headphones ive ever tried)

Stanton Groovemaster 2 Pro styli (if you can afford them, they rock.. but they're pretty pricy, and not really worth buying unless you're going to take them to clubs where you play...)

hope that helps!

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