CD Decks or Laptop?

Kevin2006

Here's the story, ive been DJ'ing for 4/5 years on vinyl. Have a good collection of records - few hundred. Now I want to move to cd or a laptop simply because of the cost of vinyl vs downloads. There are pro's and con's for each of them though and im wondering which I should choose.
CD - Pro's - looks alot better then playing on a laptop. Dont have to load-up like a laptop. Doesnt crash!
Laptop - Pro's - dont have to burn downloads to cd which will be cheaper. Will have my own laptop to surf the net rather then using the busy family pc.
Both are around the same price - 1500 for a laptop and software, and the same for two cdj800's.
What do you think?

cornbb

I'd deffo go for the laptop. You'll be able to do far, far more than you would with just decks e.g. start playing with Ableton Live or Traktor. If the look of the laptop worries you, you can pick up deck-like USB controllers: http://www.zzounds.com/item--HERDJCONTROL

electro.ie

Laptop + Serato scratch would give you the best of both worlds. You have the ability to download mp3's and play them as vinyl. Laptop also allows you to move towards the production side of things. Having an exclusive setup of cd decks would get boring after a while imo.

Zascar

Definitely go the Laptop route I'd say. I have the Hercules DJ console, have a look here and here for threads on it.

I've just ordered the Behringer BCD2000 so when I get it next week I'll let you know what its like.

Have a look into Virtual DJ, Traktor and Ableton Live. Free trials availible of all of them. I like Virtual DJ due to its simplicity. Aparantly tracktor is better, I don't like it much. Alblton live is pretty much industry standard by now, kinda scares me it looks pretty complex, but you can do amazing things with it. Youtube is gret for info on all of these... Ableton - Virtual DJ - Traktor - Hercules - Behringer.

I don't really know much about Serato Scratch etc but you can hook up tirntables or CD Decks to the Hercules and the Behringer no problem. Can anyone tell me why you would want to use turntables with a digital setup apart from if you want to scratch, or play a tune you only have on vinyl?

electro.ie

Zascar wrote:

Can anyone tell me why you would want to use turntables with a digital setup apart from if you want to scratch, or play a tune you only have on vinyl?

Hey Zascar,
I use turntables with my setup, however my setup varies depending. I'll give you an example;


Ableton Live
Evolution UC-33 midi mixer
2 technics
1 cdj 800
6 channel input soundcard

the three decks are routed into live on seperate channels and assigned tracks on the mixer. One other channel is assigned to the mixer for digital tracks on the pc ( my own work, loops, etc.)

So all in all Im basically using Ableton Live as a mixer, reason being Live is far more powerful than any hardware audio mixer out there for Effects, sampling etc. and infinitely expandable with vst hosting.

Granted now I had to overcome some latency issues between midi sync and audio outputs but all in all it's worth it.


I wouldn't use this setup if I was playing out somewhere. I'd use the laptop with Serato scratch. Wouldn't trust live (especially not on my windows based laptop!)

Serato scratch comes with two time coded vinyl you place on your turntables, you then run the audio outputs of the ttables to the serato scratch module, the time code is sent to the pc, and the corresponding audio time is sent back to the mixer channels with absolutely no delay. I suppose I run this setup as it allows me to save a fortune on buying records and effectively reproduces the whole feeling of playing on vinyl.

Deep down we'd all miss vinyl if it were gone

Zascar

Sounds pretty cool, but the 'feel of vinyl' is something I don't know much about as I've only ever mixed on computers or CDJ's. But is it really that important to be able to control your vinly by touch, and beatmatch every track yourself? For me I like to be able to press a button and have it already beatmatched and in the right palce, so I can concentrate on the more important parts of being a DJ - choosing the right tracks, mixing, building the set etc. I just don't really understand why the 'before bit' is important?

electro.ie

Beatmatching is key to Dj'ing.
How many Dj's (not live acts) push buttons to mix tracks?
It's an art in itself, it's the slight imperfections, it's like the reason why people prefer analogue to digital, sure digital has more of a sonic clarity but analogue warmth can't be beaten. Learning to beatmatch gives you a better understanding of rhythm, timing and pitch correction, it trains your ears. Dj'ing is and should always remain an art, it's the physical manipulation of tracks, a dj set should be spontaneous, not a playlist. Like by your logic why bother learning to play an instrument when you can just learn off the notes and chords of songs. The basics, i.e. beatmatching allow you to progress on to the next stages (like mixing in key, mixing off-time) just as learning keys and chords in music.

god reading that I sound angry and grumpy, sorry I dont mean any bad feelings I just cant stress enough the importance of learning to beatmatch. It will help your music so much!

Selik

I use both a laptop and cd decks but I have to say the cd decks are alot more fun no question.... no issues either with soundcards and software etc....

But you can deffo do more with a laptop and some decent software.

Kevin2006

Well Ive decided to get a cd deck - only one. Buying a new laptop simply to DJ in my bedroom is crazy. Plus I would feel like an idiot DJ'ing at a house party/ club with a laptop!

Zascar

Kevin2006 wrote:

I would feel like an idiot DJ'ing at a house party/ club with a laptop!

Really? I've seen loads of guys at party's with laptops etc. I've even seen guys do great sets using just ableton and no external mixer, personally I need a contoller though. I think it always looks pretty cool having a nice setup with lots of toys. This was my last one. Bit messy but it did the job.

That looks like a fairly lethal setup..im thinking bout venturing into the world of djing and at some stage wouldn't mind picking up a couple of them there cd scratch thingys that you've got..in the meantime just a laptop maybe..with live, and a controller..

connundrum

Zascar wrote:

This was my last one. Bit messy but it did the job.

Oh I hate seeing beer anywhere near someone's gear! The last time I let someone with a pint stand next to me, they stumbled and let it drop onto my amp. Shortest gig of my life

Ronan Raver77

connundrum wrote:

Oh I hate seeing beer anywhere near someone's gear! The last time I let someone with a pint stand next to me, they stumbled and let it drop onto my amp. Shortest gig of my life

Saw the pic and cringed......Imagine a drunk at a party spilled beer over the gear...............RIOT

Heisenberg1

electro.ie wrote:

Beatmatching is key to Dj'ing.
How many Dj's (not live acts) push buttons to mix tracks?
It's an art in itself, it's the slight imperfections, it's like the reason why people prefer analogue to digital, sure digital has more of a sonic clarity but analogue warmth can't be beaten. Learning to beatmatch gives you a better understanding of rhythm, timing and pitch correction, it trains your ears. Dj'ing is and should always remain an art, it's the physical manipulation of tracks, a dj set should be spontaneous, not a playlist. Like by your logic why bother learning to play an instrument when you can just learn off the notes and chords of songs. The basics, i.e. beatmatching allow you to progress on to the next stages (like mixing in key, mixing off-time) just as learning keys and chords in music.

god reading that I sound angry and grumpy, sorry I dont mean any bad feelings I just cant stress enough the importance of learning to beatmatch. It will help your music so much!

here here your dead right. myself im used to using vinyl and the human touch
im only starting to use music programs like reason and cubase sx too make my own music long live the 1210s

Steo K

Well it depends if you want to do gigs late on if you do decide to continue,The advantage in having a Laptop you can use Tractor and Acid Pro to record your own mixes. But the thing that afew forget laptops overheat easily and can get virises, and when your downloading songs songs from limewire your laptop can get virises, while CD Decks can't because you can't get virises off CDs and if its anyway desent it will never overheat.

You could do with both but for me CD Decks do it as they are much more relieible and wont overheat while in the middle of a club.

Hopefully my advice helps you.

Helix

Kevin2006 wrote:

Will have my own laptop to surf the net rather then using the busy family pc

i CANNOT emphasise this enough.... if you buy a laptop for djing, do NOT use it for the internet, or anything other than djing

and people wonder why machines crash

Zascar

Yeah I've ahd a laptop crash while playing at a party. 2 minutes of no music when you have to restart, not good. At least have somehting else to be able to take over just in case.

Agree with above, your mixing laptop should be a clean insall (of xp) with nothing else, and use CD's to transfer music. Make sure it is tested to be stable before doing a gig.

Helix

yeh good point... a track already cued up and sitting at the start of a busy phrase is essential to have, just in case something happens the laptop

sturgo

... U could go for a Mac. Liam Howlett uses two powerbooks when playing live with the Prodigy. I have a 12" G4 Powerbook running Live & Reason 3. It's never crashed on me. :cool: I wouldn't go near a XP machine playing onfront of an audience.

Helix

neither my xp laptop nor my xp studio machine have never crashed

know why? i take care of them

Steo K

Helix wrote:

i take care of them

The most inmportant factor in anything, Good point Helix, I see djs and the laptop is completely ****ed and they expect to go through a whole gig without any problems???

CTRob

I use a Laptop and Serato scratch live and I think its the business, I don't require any other equipment for the uses I have.

Kevin2006

Well I got a cdj800 mk2 there at xmas and im very happy with it. Exactly what I wanted. The loop buttons are wicked! I couldnt imagine having to wait the time it takes to load a laptop and the programs to simply play a tune. Maby in the future!

Zascar

Kevin back to your original question, you said you are switching to CD/MP3 simply because of the cost of vinyl vs downloads. If it is just that then go with the CDJ's. Especially if you every gig in bar's etc, they are standard you'll never have any problems.

However, if you are keen to progress your skills and learn new tricks and techniques etc, then digital is the way to go. If you don't already know the amount of things you can do beyond vinyl cababilites is incredible. It gives you so much ability to be creative, and if you already have vinyl decks, you can have a savage setup, best of both worlds! Have a look at Ableton Live's abilities

I'm actually going the oppasite way. I've been playing wth Mp3 djing for years, but now I'm getting some CDJ's. I'm not really that pushed about complicated effects and looping etc, I just want to mix thew tunes I love in a decent set and hvae fun with it!