Questions for ppl who have added a cd player to their setup

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Posted by Quantized on Aug-28-2005 12:03:

Questions for ppl who have added a cd player to their setup

Got a few questions for people who have added cd/mp3 players to their TT setups before i decide whether or not to spend some of my student loan on one.

1. What cd player is it?
2. Did you get 1 or 2?
3. Roughly how long did it take you to learn how to dj with it properly?
4. Do you think its harder to use than a vinyl turntable?
5. Does it take longer or less time to beatmatch tracks compared with a vinyl TT?
6. How often do you use it in comparison with your vinyl TT's?
7. What do you like better, your cd deck or vinyl deck?

This might also help me choose what cd player to get - cant decide between CDJ-200 / CDJ-800 / Denon DNS-3000.

Thanks.

Oh, and if there's a similar thread somewhere, i would appreciate a link.

Posted by RJT on Aug-28-2005 12:11:

Re: Questions for ppl who have added a cd player to their setup

quote:
Originally posted by Trancedewd
Got a few questions for people who have added cd/mp3 players to their TT setups before i decide whether or not to spend some of my student loan on one.

1. What cd player is it?
2. Did you get 1 or 2?
3. Roughly how long did it take you to learn how to dj with it properly?
4. Do you think its harder to use than a vinyl turntable?
5. Does it take longer or less time to beatmatch tracks compared with a vinyl TT?
5. How often do you use it in comparison with your vinyl TT's?
6. What do you like better, your cd deck or vinyl deck?

This might also help me choose what cd player to get - cant decide between CDJ-200 / CDJ-800 / Denon DNS-3000.

Thanks.

Oh, and if there's a similar thread somewhere, i would appreciate a link.

1. CDJ 800 x 2 (Soon to be 3!)
2. See above
3. A week or two
4. No, I don't think it's harder to use, it's just different, and has different limitations, but you learn to work within those and you'll be fine.
5. Less time for me to get the speeds close, but with most CD decks it's hard to get a perfect beatmatch by matching pitch (The 800's are only .05%), so you have to get used to your corrections... but everything will sound perfect if you can master those...
5. Part 2: I only use my CDJ's now... Sold my other decks... (Plan on re-purchasing at least one vinyl deck soon...)
6. Cd Deck - Though, I do find it completely understandable that there are a lot of die hard vinyl guys out there... I think it shows an incredible amount of dedication... I had to switch to CD for my own reasons, but to each their own...

Hope that helped...

Posted by djsphere on Aug-28-2005 13:32:

Try the dj booth forum.

Posted by Allied Nations on Aug-28-2005 13:38:

Re: Questions for ppl who have added a cd player to their setup

Posted by Ygrene on Aug-28-2005 13:38:

Re: Questions for ppl who have added a cd player to their setup

quote:
Originally posted by Trancedewd
1. What cd player is it?
2. Did you get 1 or 2?
3. Roughly how long did it take you to learn how to dj with it properly?
4. Do you think its harder to use than a vinyl turntable?
5. Does it take longer or less time to beatmatch tracks compared with a vinyl TT?
5. How often do you use it in comparison with your vinyl TT's?
6. What do you like better, your cd deck or vinyl deck?

1. CDJ-800
2. 2
3. About a week.
4. No, not harder just different. And once you are comfortable with the differences I think it's easier.
5. I haven't really noticed if it does or doesn't take longer. The only difference is that with TT's I usually ride the pitch to the beatmatch. With cdj's I'm using the platter and the pitch to make matches.
5. Did you notice that you put 2 number 5's in your list? Right now, I'm using one or the other for the most part. The majority of my vinyls are relatively new releases. The majority of my cd's are from 2000 or so and are very cheesy tracks (but I love 'em!!!) so I rarely ever use them in conjunction right now. Once I start ripping my vinyl, I can definitely see myself just jamming out on the cdj's exclusively but......who knows.
6. I can't say one way or the other. There are indivdualities that I like more about one or the other but, they are my children!!!! I can't choose!!

Posted by Quantized on Aug-28-2005 13:53:

Re: Re: Questions for ppl who have added a cd player to their setup

quote:
Originally posted by Ygrene
Did you notice that you put 2 number 5's in your list?

Fixed :P

RJT, what are you gonna use your 3rd CDJ for? Sampling & looping stuff?

Posted by ieko on Aug-28-2005 16:40:

Re: Questions for ppl who have added a cd player to their setup

quote:
Originally posted by Trancedewd
1. What cd player is it?
2. Did you get 1 or 2?
3. Roughly how long did it take you to learn how to dj with it properly?
4. Do you think its harder to use than a vinyl turntable?
5. Does it take longer or less time to beatmatch tracks compared with a vinyl TT?
6. How often do you use it in comparison with your vinyl TT's?
7. What do you like better, your cd deck or vinyl deck?

1. CDJ-1000 MKII
2. One (About to add another though)
3. It took about a week to get used to it.
4. Nope.
5. Slightly longer on the CDJ's, but that's because I don't use them as often. Oh, and also because I was using mp3's which of course have less sound quality, that really bothered me. Thanks to beatport though, I can get full quality .wav files.
6. Well, I don't use it nearly as much as vinyl right now because I have way more vinyl. However, like I just mentioned above I've started to purchase full quality .wav's and this has totally changed my attitude towards CD's. If I can get it on CD, I will. If not, well I still will buy vinyl.
7. I love them both equally.

Posted by displaced on Aug-28-2005 16:55:

quote:
Originally posted by Trancedewd
Got a few questions for people who have added cd/mp3 players to their TT setups before i decide whether or not to spend some of my student loan on one.

1. What cd player is it?
2. Did you get 1 or 2?
3. Roughly how long did it take you to learn how to dj with it properly?
4. Do you think its harder to use than a vinyl turntable?
5. Does it take longer or less time to beatmatch tracks compared with a vinyl TT?
6. How often do you use it in comparison with your vinyl TT's?
7. What do you like better, your cd deck or vinyl deck?

This might also help me choose what cd player to get - cant decide between CDJ-200 / CDJ-800 / Denon DNS-3000.

Thanks.

Oh, and if there's a similar thread somewhere, i would appreciate a link.

1. cdj100
2. 2
3. a while
4. not really, since the principle is the same. but i do prefer the control that you get with vinyl and the cdj100 doesn't even come close to matching that. the .1% pitch increment probably is the culprit, so i'd recommend something better than the bare minimum like the 800s or 1000s.
5. it takes slightly longer than with vinyl cuz i only use the pitch sliders (the platter imo is iffy) on the 100's to beatmatch.
6. 50-50, i'm still trying to get comfortable with cdjs.
7. if you haven't figured out from the responses above, vinyls.

Posted by FirstBorn on Aug-28-2005 19:50:

Re: Questions for ppl who have added a cd player to their setup

quote:
Originally posted by Trancedewd

1. What cd player is it?
2. Did you get 1 or 2?
3. Roughly how long did it take you to learn how to dj with it properly?
4. Do you think its harder to use than a vinyl turntable?
5. Does it take longer or less time to beatmatch tracks compared with a vinyl TT?
6. How often do you use it in comparison with your vinyl TT's?
7. What do you like better, your cd deck or vinyl deck?

1. CDJ800 x 2
2. Bought one to begin with, then another a couple of months later.
3. About 24 hours
4. Easier. Much easier.
5. I find beatmatching much quicker on my CDJs although I'm equally at home with vinyl.
6. About 50/50 between vinyl & CD although I'm noticing I'm taking less and less vinyl to gigs these days.
7. TBH, I don't have a favourite between my CDJs & Techs. Both serve a purpose and serve me very well. If I could only choose one medium to mix on for the rest of my life, it'd still be vinyl but that's only because I've spent years collecting records. I consider CD decks to be a very sound investment though.

Hope this helps - I'm very pleased with my CDJ800s if that's any help.

Posted by Tommi [77] on Aug-28-2005 20:13:

1. Pioneer CDJ 800
2. One
3. Some weeks, but to learn all features it took a lot longer
4. Beatmatchin is easier for me, the difference when you play with CD you don't "see" the track like on a vinyl
5. For me the same time, but a CD player is a bit more stable in the speed i would say
6. At the moment less, if i'd download more tracks eventually more often but i am a vinyl addict
7. Technics TT, but the CDJ is a nice plaything

Posted by Quantized on Aug-28-2005 21:06:

Wow, 6 Pioneer users already and no Denons - was expecting more of a variety.

Thanks for the answers so far guys - it's helped quite a bit. Nice to see some guys find it easier to beatmatch with cd decks than vinyl decks, i always thought that beatmatching would be a hell of a lot harder on cd decks. I've noticed that a few of you bought another cdj after getting the first one so they must be pretty decent. Also pretty relieved looking at the times its taken you ppl to learn how to use them - cueing/beatmataching on cd decks looks nowhere near as simple as cueing on my techs + there's so many extra buttons on cd decks.

Posted by Stu Cox on Aug-28-2005 21:15:

1. Pioneer CDJ100
2. 2
3. Already knew how to mix on rackmount Denon CD decks and knew the differences in the cuing system, so only took a couple of hours to know it pretty much inside out.
4. Yes. With my CD deck the pitch changes in 0.1% steps, so I have to keep adjusting it. CDJ1000s etc have as small as 0.02% steps but they're only on low pitch ranges. Other than that, can be easier cos there's no chance of the needle skipping while you're cuing up the track etc.
5. About the same, but as I say with mine you can rarely get it spot on anyway
6. About 50-50
7. Prefer using vinyl on the whole (partly due to my cd decks not being the best out there) but I can see myself going totally CD within the next couple of years if I can get a pair of CDJ1000s, or even better whatever new model they might bring out. I won't be completely happy until someone comes up with a CD deck which moves in 0.01% steps up to at least 10% range with 0.02% above that (until about 24% range, depending on the different ranges it offers). One of the main reasons being due that master tempo makes harmonic mixing easier, although that's something that could do with being improved too.

Posted by Tranc3 on Aug-29-2005 18:26:

Re: Questions for ppl who have added a cd player to their setup

quote:
Originally posted by Trancedewd
Got a few questions for people who have added cd/mp3 players to their TT setups before i decide whether or not to spend some of my student loan on one.

1. What cd player is it?
2. Did you get 1 or 2?
3. Roughly how long did it take you to learn how to dj with it properly?
4. Do you think its harder to use than a vinyl turntable?
5. Does it take longer or less time to beatmatch tracks compared with a vinyl TT?
6. How often do you use it in comparison with your vinyl TT's?
7. What do you like better, your cd deck or vinyl deck?

This might also help me choose what cd player to get - cant decide between CDJ-200 / CDJ-800 / Denon DNS-3000.

Thanks.

Oh, and if there's a similar thread somewhere, i would appreciate a link.

1) Denon dns-5000, Gemini cdj-02 (got the geminis for basic learning of beatmatching, thinking it would take me a while)
2) 2 of each, so 4 total
3) Took 2-3 days to learn how to beatmatch...but no prior dj experience
4) Easier in some respects, the instant cueing is probably the largest advantage cd players have over vinyl tables.
5) Less, because of the instant cue
6) Although I have vinyl-based tts, I'm 100% digital now.
7) Cd, no contest. So much more I can do with them.

Posted by jupiterone on Aug-29-2005 18:57:

1. Pioneer CDJ-800.
2. 2.
3. About a week or two, but you learn new techniques with it every day.
4. Not at all.
5. Less.
6. A lot more, one main reason being I dont have nearly as many vinyls as I do digital mp3's.
7. CD Deck all the way.

Posted by Inertia on Aug-29-2005 20:04:

quote:
Originally posted by Trancedewd
Wow, 6 Pioneer users already and no Denons - was expecting more of a variety.

Thanks for the answers so far guys - it's helped quite a bit. Nice to see some guys find it easier to beatmatch with cd decks than vinyl decks, i always thought that beatmatching would be a hell of a lot harder on cd decks. I've noticed that a few of you bought another cdj after getting the first one so they must be pretty decent. Also pretty relieved looking at the times its taken you ppl to learn how to use them - cueing/beatmataching on cd decks looks nowhere near as simple as cueing on my techs + there's so many extra buttons on cd decks.

it may look more complicated, and does involve a couple of more steps than playing on vinyl, but the extra stuf makes it a lot easier. ie. setting your cuepoint, recalling it, always starting from there. corrections can also be a lot smoother with CD decks.

Posted by Psiweaver on Sep-03-2005 00:00:

so what is the purpose of buying cd decks? I mean why would someone want to add it to there setup?

Posted by Inertia on Sep-03-2005 02:38:

^^^ to play CDs perhaps?

CDs have the following over vinyl:

- make as many backups as you want.
- 80 minutes of sound, as opposed to 13 or 15.
- you can organize them as you please.
- their size is less then half of a vinyl, and the weight a small fraction of it.
- you can play your own/unreleased material.
- you can buy mp3s off the web instead of buying the vinyl, ie. a lot cheaper.
- you can make your own sample CDs.
- depending on the CD deck, you get things like looping, reverse function, etc.

in other words, it brings a lot to the table. adding a CD deck or two to the good ol' turntable setup ain't a bad idea at all.

Posted by dj_lane on Sep-03-2005 03:10:

Re: Questions for ppl who have added a cd player to their setup

Got a few questions for people who have added cd/mp3 players to their TT setups before i decide whether or not to spend some of my student loan on one.

1. American DJ DCD Pro-210
2. It is a Dual CDJ
3. 1-2 months.
4. It is harder than vinyl becuase you can quickly fix off beats like you can vinyl (UNLESS you have like a pioneer cdj1000 or equivalent)
5. It takes a little longer, but not much longer. My model is laggy... so it takes me longer than a normal...
6. I use it more becuase It is easier to play my "Tech Edits" and new tunes I buy on CD.
7. I like my turntables for the Feel and Originality... but I like my cdj for the new tune capability.

all in all... no matter what CDJ you get... If you can mix with vinyl you can do it with a cdj.... and Once you get the hang of the cdj... you can mix on any cdj out there.

Posted by JFernie on Sep-03-2005 12:35:

1. 2 x Pioneer CDJ 800
2. Bought one then another 2 months later, meant to get a cdj1000 but they had none in stock so settled for 800 just now
3. Pretty much straight away as i had used them before and the pricipal is the same
4. Not really 1210 is bit more accurate for precise matches without having to worry about pitch bending
5. I would say a little quicker
5. Pretty much 50/50 these days, if a club dosnt have a cd deck im lost!
6. I still prefer vinyl, but the convience of cd's is amazing

Posted by sr126 on Sep-04-2005 01:35:

1) denon dnd4500
2) one
3) no time at all. i spend a little more time riding the pitch than i do w/the technics, but it's still pretty easy.
4) not harder, just different. you still have to hit the play button at the right time.
5) about the same amount of time it takes to get the job done w/vinyl.
6) i only used it for about 10min when i first got it w/two different mixed cd's hahahaha... so i'm still about 99.9999999% vinyl until i start burning some cds.
7) once i actually learn how to use it (this my very first time actually using a dj cd player EVER) i sure i'll end up liking it as much as my turntables. i decided to finally pick up cd player to help fill "holes" in my collection. i bought a dual deck because it gave me everything i wanted, for the least amount of money, all w/in the time frame i wanted to work it all out in. -ability to go cd only, necessary features, sound quality, and build quality.

i'm also in the middle of trying to branch out more (musically speaking), so i was planning on doing a lot of DL'ing, and research here at home, instead of spending hours upon hours at recordstores doing the trial an error thing. right now i saw it as investment, and a tool i can use to help grow, and tide me over until i'm done w/my current upgrade frenzy. it's gonna be a while before i start buying vinyl again.

psiweaver -money is the main reason why i picked up a cd player. i'm not making as much as i used to. if i'm ugrading, i don't have money for vinyl. if i'm buying vinyl, i don't have money for upgrading. my appeitite for music is voracious, straight up insatable. i tend to spend most of my cash on music, before i start to scape up what's left of my paycheck to buy clothes, n' stuff like that. hehehehe... plus, being able to buy mp3s (and using P2P on the downlow... sssshhhhh... until i can actually obtain the vinyl) just made a lot of sense financially, especially after so many years of down right refusing to consider the idea. just something to help me feed my musical addiction until i get back on my feet, and start raking in some serious dough again.