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tascam X9

when i first tried this mixer i thought i died and went to heaven!
it gives you so much more creative control!

and then ive heard some rumors about it getting fu*ked up allot because it's digital.

anyone here owns it?
what do you think about it?

Re: tascam X9

quote:

Originally posted by Psy-T when i first tried this mixer i thought i died and went to heaven! it gives you so much more creative control! and then ive heard some rumors about it getting fu*ked up allot because it's digital. anyone here owns it? what do you think about it?

I don't own one yet, but I'll be on my way later this afternoon to pick one up. Now the mixer is digital/analog, that is, if you hook it up like in a normal set up, w/o any digital devices like MIDI in/out, Korg machines, or whatever, the mixer will always be in analog mode, once you connect it to a digital unit then you have an option of making your mixer partially digital by using dedicated channel connections as well as correct out/inputs...
It is a great mixer that allows the DJ to do TWO completely different effects at the same time, plus dual effects and dual sampler banks can be customizxed and stored right on the mixer so if someone else uses it, you just hit a button and your setting are right back on. Good joice on the mixer. Only bad thing I've ever from friends that don't own it(they have DJM600) but have used X9 on certain occasions, is that the EQ buttons feels a bit toyish I haven't experienced that, and I really dig that mixer, especially now that Tascam is offering $100.00 rebate on X9....

I've used the first models that came out, and frankly I'll never touch one of those in my entire life again... Buttons that got stuck or broke, EQ that reacted slowly, even one that just burnt out just when I touched it!

Dunno if they sorted their problems yet, but I don't wanna risk it anymore. Try to test it for more than a day is my advice, it's not because it works well new that it'll last.

quote:

Originally posted by Dj Thy I've used the first models that came out, and frankly I'll never touch one of those in my entire life again... Buttons that got stuck or broke, EQ that reacted slowly, even one that just burnt out just when I touched it! Dunno if they sorted their problems yet, but I don't wanna risk it anymore. Try to test it for more than a day is my advice, it's not because it works well new that it'll last.

Wow, sorry to hear you had so many problems with that mixer, it definately could have been just the curse of the first units on the market, or it could also have been a lemon unit. All Manufacturers have 'em. At Our Club, we have DJM600 which is only about 18mnths old, it gets used every friday for 8-9hours by Pro DJs, unit has never been abused, and is always stored in a coffin when not in use, well that thing has been to repair shops about dozen times by now.
If you aren't already using the X9, then what? what do you think about Roland 2000(don't worry about the add'l $400-500bucks)?

Don't get me wrong I didn't buy or own the mixer, I get to review promo models in the shops (because I worked there they still give me that right ).
So far I tested three X9's (and I admit the unit was just released, so they MIGHT have sorted things out, might..., for sure I know they already fixed the EQ delay problem for a great bit) and all went boogaloo on me... And same thing happend on their cd302's (which there have been a lot of people complaining about also)

The Roland DJ2000 is an excellent mixer for the price, rock solid and good sounding.

But if you're dealing in that high range of mixers, I strongly suggest you take a look at the higher models of Xone, Dateq, Ecler, Cloud, ...

Although, the mixer that comes closes to the specs of the X9 is still the DJM600... Take that one in account also.

Re: tascam X9

quote:

Originally posted by Psy-T when i first tried this mixer i thought i died and went to heaven! it gives you so much more creative control! and then ive heard some rumors about it getting fu*ked up allot because it's digital. anyone here owns it? what do you think about it?

I had one of these and let me tell u i got rid of it for an a&h.

Re: Re: tascam X9

quote:

Originally posted by g-money I had one of these and let me tell u i got rid of it for an a&h.

I really don't like buying old technology, that is DJM600 or DJM500, Roland 2000 not only is it a very old model, my buddy told me it is the only model they make,

g-money which allen & heath? I really would like a mixer with an on board effects rather than to have to deal with an external machine like I have right now and it just gives me headaches.
Besides DJM600, X9 are there any other compatible Pro DJ mixers with onboard special effects, really don't care for samplers, and no Roland 2000, way too old.Has to be in the same price range as well of about $$$950.00 USD.... Any suggestions are appreciated, but please back it up with info and especially the exact model #...

PS>>> I heard lots of people f^ucked up the eq knobs themselves, just like myself, they thought that x9 has 6 Eqs per channel, NO it is only 3 the very top smaller rotating buttons, the larger buttoms ones are FILTERS(is this really true)I also think they they changed the material of which those knobs are made so that they are much sturdier and don't feel like wearing a 1000 dollar suit with 5 dollar shoes......lol!!!

Personally the reason you give for not wanting mixers (they are old) is not really logic. It's not because a mixer is new that it's good.
I would even say the contrary, the reason why those "older" models like the DJM's, Rolands, etc... still are around is that it they have proven to be reliable over time. It's not like companies like Gemini, Numark and even Vestax that come out with revamped versions of their older stuff and claim to have put the newest technology in them. Maybe it is so, but they also know that their gear won't last as long as the big guys', so they try to attract your attention to newer flashy models.

As for integrated effects that's a personal opinion. I am just the opposite. The more stuff you cram in a little box, the noisier it will get (more interference) and the easier it can break as a whole. I'm rather the guy that buys the best of everything apart (even if I have to save up two more years for that).

An equaliser is a filter... But a limited one. The eq's used on most dj mixers work on a fixed frequency and have a fixed Q (the slope of the filter, the higher the Q the more precise the filter). Most of the time the Hi is a high shelf, the low is a low shelf and the mid is a bell shaped filter.
The X9 uses semiparametric filters. The lower knob chooses the frequency the EQ will affect, the upper knob sets the emphasis/attenuation of that filter. You can be very creative with such filters, but in live use you'll quickly find out you'll be using the same frequency settings often and forget about them.
So far dj's have been able to do seamless mixes with "normal" eq's so this shows that with thoughtful placement of the frequencies, an adequate EQ can be achieved.

The biggest problem the X9 had to deal with (and still has, but far less pronounced) was the EQ delay. If you would do for example a quick bass cut, it could sometimes take up to a second until the cut was really "done", because there was digital delay. I don't have to say that this can wreck a set pretty quick...

Cool, thanx for the info, though when I said old mixer, I really meant old technology, what do you thinks of DJM3000 and would it be worth getting the knob kit for it? also what about DJM600 vs. A&E Xone 62 or 32 vs. Rane Empath? and Fianlly what will I loose besides sampler on board, in DJM 3000 vs DJM 600. Any other brand/models you'd recommend under $1000.00? Thanks...

Re: Re: Re: tascam X9

quote:

Originally posted by DJ Tranz I really don't like buying old technology, that is DJM600 or DJM500, Roland 2000 not only is it a very old model, my buddy told me it is the only model they make, g-money which allen & heath? I really would like a mixer with an on board effects rather than to have to deal with an external machine like I have right now and it just gives me headaches. Besides DJM600, X9 are there any other compatible Pro DJ mixers with onboard special effects, really don't care for samplers, and no Roland 2000, way too old.Has to be in the same price range as well of about $$$950.00 USD.... Any suggestions are appreciated, but please back it up with info and especially the exact model #... PS>>> I heard lots of people f^ucked up the eq knobs themselves, just like myself, they thought that x9 has 6 Eqs per channel, NO it is only 3 the very top smaller rotating buttons, the larger buttoms ones are FILTERS(is this really true)I also think they they changed the material of which those knobs are made so that they are much sturdier and don't feel like wearing a 1000 dollar suit with 5 dollar shoes......lol!!!

Your a fool my friend, to buy a decent effects unit would cost more than the Mixer. Me and my buddy we both have the Xone 62 and a 2000 dollar effects unit. Our set up will blow any on board effects mixer anytime and anywhere.

Well old technology or not, if you ask most djs that use rotaries (and know about what they're talking) they'll tell you the Bozak CMA-10-2DL (rotary mixer) is still the best sounding mixer (in the rotary range) ever. Not even the Urei 1620, Rane MP2016 or Xone:V6 can tip it... And they are all based on the CMA-10, but all they do is merely emulate its sound.

Oh yeah, this mixer was designed in the 60's...

One thing i'd like to point out, Roland actually has two mixers the DJ1000 and the DJ2000. they both have FX but the 2000 has 4 channels, and a lot more ways to tweak the sound. Don't look at is a bad thing that they only have two models, take a look at other companies like gemini that have hundreds of different kinds of mixers, and most of em suck. Roland focused in on those two mixers, and they are excellent.

Also, in regards to FX, i agree that external FX are preferable. Then you can mix and match them, hook them up in different sequences etc. Just make sure you get a mixer with an FX send and return, and you are good to go.

In regards to the X9, i thought about getting this mixer, but heard about the problems with the EQ and was instantly turned off. I moved from computer DJing to "real DJing" beacuse i was pissed off with the lag time on the EQ. but, on question, does the EQ still lag, even when you are playing in analog mode? i doubt that it would, and since turntables are analog anyway, why would you be in digital mode?

They still have lag but much much less than the models with the first versions of the rom.

Why digital? Because that's the purpose of the X9, they designed it to be the first digital dj mixer! You enter either digital, or the analog signal gets converted right at the input. Everything you do is in the digital domain. Only at the complete end of the chain the signal gets converted to analog again.

Basically you could say the x9 is a control surface with an integrated computer. But everything has been done to keep it as "analog feeling" as possible (tweakable knobs and faders and stuff like that). Most people said to me : yeah but if you look at the vu it looks pretty much like an analog mixer. Well they designed it that way. Remember you are in the digital domain, and shooting over 0dB means clipping and bad, very bad distortion. But they also know much (if you ask me far too much) dj's like to mix with their end vu over the red (because it goes louder they say, my a**). So the 0dB you see on the X9 vu meter is really only -14 or so dBFs. If you look at it the technical way, you'd have to admit it's not really recommendable because you don't use the full dynamic range of the DAC's (and that's preferable to get the best out of the dac's) but for live situations with djing, it's pretty obvious they had to keep a pretty big margin.

hrm.. so you CAN'T switch it out of digital? it has no analog procesing whatsoever? i think that kinda sucks.

(my original post here about distortion was off topic, so i made a new thread for it)

http://www.tranceaddict.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=92596

That's why the mixer is so "revolutionary", it's supposedly the first digital dj mixer.

quote:

Originally posted by Dj Thy That's why the mixer is so "revolutionary", it's supposedly the first digital dj mixer.

I don't know, I keep reading everywhere that it is ANALOG/DIGITAL depending on which inputs are used, it's not like the numark PPD01 power by Alesis, which is 100% PURE DIGITAL.
DJM3000 says same thing, analog/digital...?

We all know that Tescam mixers sucks. It's most suited for cd-decks where the cd-decks themselves are digital. Why would you have digital? Is there any reason? And like someone said it's best to buy where you know what you are going to use when mixing, like the basic stuff and maybe as it's best internal effects or either support for external ones. I think quality goes before features. That's what i think.

Nah I opened up the X9 (that's what you get as privilege to review stuff) and it definately converts the analog signal to digital right after the input.

In theory a full digital mixer would be better than analog. In the analog domain ever processing you do (even EQ'ing) would degrade the signal (adding noise, changing phase, etc...). But those positive points won't do much if they don't get the usability of the machine down...

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