I've been looking at purchasing this mixer from DJDeals for $239...

it looks nice enough...

I was also considering the rackmounted DSM-420 until I tried it out today at Guitarcenter. The 420 sounded nice enough, but I DO NOT WANT effects onboard in this price range, precisely because I want the mixer to do one thing very well rather than 18 things in a slapdash manner. I plan to get an EFX1000 in a few months.

The effects on the 420 were so cheesy godawful... I mean right out of the Reagan administration. I was like hello?!? Um... six ooooooooold school samples? Police sirens? Beyond lame...

So I'm down to this, the seeming sole viable option in this price bracket. What I REALLY crave is a Xone:92, but that's (alas) going to have to wait a year or two. I want a 3-channel (not 4, not 2), budget-range, aesthetically pleasing mixer with sturdy faders that's going to last at least that long.

BTW, I spin old school/acid trance and psy -- so I need a solid quasi-temporary unit for beatmatching with no frills. A one-trick pony. I've never scratched anything but a mosquito bite in my life.

Anyone have any testimonials or advice on this? I am normally an A&H partisan but I've been made to consider something cheaper now that my fiscal situation has changed somewhat. I entertain no illusions that this Vestax might be up to Xone scratch (which Vestax mixer is, I ask myself?), but I ain't buying a Numark or a Stanton, and if I had enough cash to get a Nuo3 or an Empath I'd just spring for a 92 at that point... and I can't; re: Pioneer, I refuse to pay $99999 for the "privilege" of owning a two-channel Pioneer 400 with a sterile sound and weird-ass onboard effects.

Any comments whatsoever will be read carefully and much appreciated.