Hey guys !

So here's my setup so far :

A&H Xone:92
2x Pioneer CDJ800MK2
Pioneer HDJ-1000

speakers are old school boombox from panasonic...works great but doesn't sound very pro.

So I'm thinking about upgrading my speakers for monitors and adding an EFX. And for the record, I spin Trance/Prog. I'm a bedroom DJ for now, but it's a hell of a passion.

Speakers monitor:

I've come accross the M-Audio BX8a which seems to be awesome monitors. They got XLR input (main output on the Xone:92 is XLR), kevlar drivers and from what I know, M-Audio is quite good in the monitors. Any words/opinions on these ? Suggestions ?

Can I take monitors speakers outside the house without any problem ? I mean, if I do a little gig at a friend's BBQ, is it safe to bring them outside ?

Pioneer EFX-500 vs EFX-1000:

I know I wanna get an EFX, I just don't know which one to get. From what I read, the 1000 has a better sound quality, more effects and more beats rates (1/8,1/4,1/1, etc). The price difference between these 2 is 2times, so it's quite big. On my Xone, I already got filters (which can create some effects after combining filters). Which one would you choose ? Is the 500 worth it or it's nothing compared to the 1000 ?


Also, if someone can tell me what the hell is the "pioneer system link". I know it's a mini-jack that you plug into the CDJ800 or the EFX, but I really don't know what it does...


Thanks guys for your opinions, I really appreciate it!

Neo

Nice setup. =)

I'd think it's safe to bring the monitors outside (doesn't make sense to have a BBQ in bad weather), but you'd probably have to watch how high you crank them. Sound will get dispersed easily outdoors, and you don't want to over drive your speakers.

As for the monitors, try to compare a few within your price range and see which you like best. I'd say use the hifi speakers for friends' BBQs and stuff, or use them together.

I'm afraid I can't offer any advice on the EFX units. I'd say the 500 may be sufficient, but I haven't really looked into them.

Pioneer System Link (if I'm not mistaken) is a way for a compatible (read: Pioneer) mixer to control Pioneer CDJs. The only behavior I know of is if the crossfader and/or channel fader is past a certain point, it will automatically play the corresponding CDJ. Not sure what it would be like for the EFX unit, but I would think it could sync the MIDI clock so you don't have to tap it into two places.

there's not much difference between the 500 and the thousand except a few... but in my opinion, the quality difference makes the two WAY apart..

I have an efx-500.. and i love playing around with it, i use the echo and pause the cdjs leaving loop that's coming from the efx to be playing by itself (same with the delay function).. but i can hear big a quality difference between the sound the mixer gives (w/out the efx loop) and the sound that is played by the efx (when the efx is playing by itself)... i think the 500 is 48khz while 1000 is 96khz (dont quote me on that) but that's almost double.. and I feel like if i actually played out in a gig or something and used the 500, people would be able to tell the reduction in quality when using the 500..

I've never used the 1000 but a friend who has both said he feels the echo of 500 is much more "cleaner" (whatever that means )

if your tight on budget I say go for the 500 just to learn how everything works, but if you can let yourself go, then 1000 definatly!

So the Pioneer Link thing, is worthless because I got a Xone mixer. I don't really mind...I much prefer my Xone Thanks for the info.

As for the speakers, when doing gig outside, I'd prefer to use the hifi speakers of the house where I am playing but some of my friends do not have hifi speakers, just small boomboxes with no AUX input, so I can't plug my Xone in it like I do at my house. On open spaces, monitor speakers aren't really powerful I understand that, but at least it is possible

As for the EFX, I didn't know there was such a big difference in sound quality. SQ is really important to me, this is why I wanna change my speakers. But does the EFX1000 use a digital output in order to get the 96khz ? Because, correct me if I'm wrong, my Xone doesn't have digital input as AUX or input at all. I wanted to plug my CDJs optical but got burned because the input on my Xone are analog RCA.

I think the Pio System Link is pretty gimmicky and not useful anyway.

I guess it may be of some use to people that scratch (with CDJs? oO) or allows you to keep your hands on the mixer more or something.

quote:

Originally posted by AnomalyConcept Pioneer System Link (if I'm not mistaken) is a way for a compatible (read: Pioneer) mixer to control Pioneer CDJs. The only behavior I know of is if the crossfader and/or channel fader is past a certain point, it will automatically play the corresponding CDJ. Not sure what it would be like for the EFX unit, but I would think it could sync the MIDI clock so you don't have to tap it into two places.

Yep it allows for fader start - start the cued track on the CDJ by moving the fader. It also allows cue points to be transferred between CDJ800's (as the CDJ1000s have memory cards) which is a bit pointless as it's faster to just just take the CD out, re-cue & save to memory in the other CDJ

I think on the EFX the link can used to connect to the mixer digitally instead of using send/return phono plugs? Anyone tried it?

i would look for something else than the m-audio bx8s imo...the bx5's i think sound a lot better than the 8s. also the 8s tend to have a shrill high end and cause a good amount of ear fatigue imo.

but then again, its whatever sounds good to you

if ur friend has a surround sound system you could connect it right into the amp and use those speakers hehehe