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Being up to date on DJ Gear
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Mauricio
The last setup I had, was a pair of CDJ200 with Behringer DJX700 mixer.
2 years ago I sold it and then I invested on studio.

Now I want to get used to beatmatch again, but the last gear was the above. But I want to get used and be able to play in any gear in any gig, without 'fear' when I find a different setup.

What is the best affordable, what worths for me?

For example: I dont have money to buy a XONE3D, but maybe a DJM700 alike. I dont have money to buy CDJ 1000mk3 now, but maybe a CDJ400 or 800. (I play on cd). But will I play on CDJ100mk3 securely being used with a cdj400?

What gear I can buy to play in any gig and get secure with the pitch feeling, buttons and etc?

Thanks and sorry some possible confusion.:)
Zild
Any of the Pioneer decks are similar and it is easy to move from one model to another. If you can't afford the 1000s then I'd go for the 800s, but if that is too expensive even the 200s are fine. As for the mixer that is up to personal preference.
Stu Cox
I wouldn't really say it's a case of being "up to date" - the average bedroom DJ probably changes their kit more often than the average club.

The vast majority of clubs with permanent install CDJs have Pioneer CDJ1000s (mk1, 2 or 3 - really doesn't matter which - once you're used to one, you'll find it pretty easy to move to the others), failing that usually CDJ800s, which are also really easy to pick up if you're used to another Pioneer model. Some clubs still just have old Denon rackmount CD players though.

Mixers vary more widely than a lot of people seem to think... many clubs now have DJM800s, loads still have DJM600s, DJM3000s, quite a few have Xone62s, Xone 464s, Xone92s etc and some have different mixers altogether like Rane, Formula Sound and all sorts of brands you've probably never even heard of (and neither have I).

The best advice I can give is to ask around amongst your mates if you can have a go on their gear, see what they've got and try using as much different equipment as you possibly can - that's the only way to guarantee that you'll be able to cope with anything you might find when you turn up at a club. Even if you come across a mixer you haven't used before, if you've got a lot of experience using different kit, it won't take you long to work it out and will mean you can make the most of its features when you're there. The same goes for CDJs - most of the old Denon rackmount CD decks work in similar ways, as do the new Denons and the Pioneers respectively.

Also, it can be a good idea if you're not 100% confident about using different kit to phone up a club before you play there and find out what they've got installed - the manuals for all common CD decks and mixers are available on the net, give them a read through before you turn up.


Most people don't just use their decks at home for practising for gigs - they use them to record demos, podcasts, radio shows, play at house parties etc, so I wouldn't necessarily recommend going for the kit you're most likely to find in a club just so that you'll perform your best in such a situation... there's the age old problem of learning loads of tricks etc on your DJM800 and CDJ1000s then turning up and finding a Xone92 with a Denon DN2000F and not being able to do any of it.

Get the kit you think you're going to enjoy using the most and which does what you want it to do. In terms of mixers, I've personally got a Denon DN-X1500 - I've never seen one installed in a club, but it's a quality mixer I can use to do some awesome things on demos and it's really flexible with external FX etc. If you ARE the kind of person who wants to go down the route of FX and sampling etc, I'd strongly recommend looking at external gear to do that, as you can usually easily take that along to a club, meaning you can have the same facilities regardless of where you play.
TaylorR
one of the reasons why i love spinning vinyl

;)

all those different cd players would confuse the shart out of me.
msz
all cd players are pretty much the same,Cue button, play button very advanced right?(you have to be retarded if you can dj but cant use a cd player) research the scope of the pitch you think you need, but it would be best if you actually tried a in store demo to see how the pitch actually does feel. cant go wrong with any pioneers. 800s sort of feel like 1000s and you can get them pretty cheap at the right moment.

youre never going to be uptodate for a while because new technology keeps coming around, but hey... the concept will remain the same. mix the freakin tracks
Stu Cox
quote:
Originally posted by msz
all cd players are pretty much the same,Cue button, play button very advanced right?(you have to be retarded if you can dj but cant use a cd player)

Actually the Denon CD decks use a different cueing system from the Pioneers, enough to thoroughly confuse someone using them for the first time at a live gig - on the Denons, pressing CUE while it's playing stores a cue point at the last place you pressed play from (and returns there), while pressing CUE when it's stopped returns to the cue point.

I gather the Denon top-loading CD decks have the option to switch between that cueing system and the Pioneer system, but good luck finding that in a menu when you've got 2 mins left of the previous DJ's last tune!

I'm actually yet to see Denon top-loading CD decks in a club install though, which is strange cos it means I think you're actually more likely to come across the DN2000F (which came out in the mid 90s) in a club than any of their models since!
msz
lol comon
Mauricio
Thank`s for all :)
Owsey2008
quote:
Originally posted by Mauricio
I want to get used and be able to play in any gear in any gig, without 'fear' when I find a different setup.

What is the best affordable, what worths for me?

I dont have money to buy CDJ 1000mk3 now, but maybe a CDJ400 or 800. (I play on cd).


Theres not much difference between the 800's and the 1000's. You could easily go from switching the 800's to the 1000's in a club. Most clubs supply the 1000mk3's so if you have the 800's there should be no problem switching. :p
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