More midi/mixer advice please.

milltown

I'm splitting this from my Netbook Dj thread (which had some great advice in it, thanks!) for better visibility and hopefully to be easier to find for anyone else looking for similar info.

I called into Aquarius earlier to check out the Numark midi mixers they have and was very pleasantly surprised at the quality of even the entry level Total Control mixer (albeit a €200 entry level) but having no i/o or suitable sound card I'd be looking at another 100 blips for the DJ I/O doohickey right? (Necessary for headphone cueing the next track as I understand it) Meaning €300 worth.
So two steps up the range there's the Omni with it's own sound card built in for much the same price, €305 to be exact. I was almost sold until I discovered there was no external inputs to the mixer for the next part of my plan.

I have a couple of hundred records in the attic at home that I'd like to digitize so I can mix them again. Well probably 100 that I'd invest the time in. I toyed previously with the idea of a USB turntable but got very mixed reports about their results. So the plan was to get a midi mixer that would take a phono input and buy a mid range Numark or Stanton deck or something and feed them into the PC that way. Can anyone confirm that this is even possible? And would it be one of the better ways to achieve what I want?

Or would I be best off treating the two projects seperately, buying a mixer for mixing MP3s and a USB turntable for converting?

deevey

Hercules DJ RMX has 2 line/phono & Inputs 4 outputs , so you can use your existing turntable to record into audicity or similar program or even use the hercules as a standard mixer if you wish during a gig, nice and handy.

The build quality is streaks ahead of the Total control (IMHO), full metal body and solid feeling faders and knobs and only about 100 euro more than the Total control from thomann.de

If you are buying a USB turntable you will need to replace the cart anyhow (another 30-40), the ones that come with (most if not all) them are sh1te and your recordings will suffer.

Do you have turntables already ?...if not you'll prolly pickup a 1210 with decent cart for the same price as a USB turntable (I sold a 1210 on adverts a while back for 100 euro or so)

sweetie

plus one on the RMX, such a step up from the mk 2 it's unbelievable. You could do serious damage to a lairy punter with it!

Zascar

Yeah I had the mark2, was my first controller. Grand for a total newbie int he day but man looking now it was a total piece of sh1t and looked like a kids toy

milltown

Zascar wrote: »

Yeah I had the mark2, was my first controller. Grand for a total newbie int he day but man looking now it was a total piece of sh1t and looked like a kids toy

Actually, I picked up a 2nd hand Hercules Mk2 off Adverts.ie the other week, just to get me started. Build quality for a plastic yoke is pretty decent IMO but I find it a bit cramped. I'll probably still go for a quality controller while in the states though.

Is the DJIO the only game in town for what it does? Looking at HTFR for the first time today and see the likes of this:

http://www.htfr.com/more-info/MR237038

Am I missing something else that the DJIO offers apart from an extra output for cueing?

Thanks for all the advice so far btw!

deevey

The mark II has phono inputs and soundcard built in, or do you have hercules DJ control MP3 ??? *confused* Assuming its the MK II you can use it as a soundcard to record vinyl... issue solved.

Torq connective, U46dj & NI audio 4 are just some similar soundcards to teh IO and sofar as I can see have better features than the DJIO

The "soundcard" you saw in HTFR will work (with effort) you can pick em up for 2.50 euro odd on ebay... great quality asssured :rolleyes:... the built in hercules mkII soundcard is MUCH better.

If your not into the build quality as a controller pair it with a vestax VCI / kontrol DJ or something decent similar and used it as an extra midi controller (yay more knobs!!!!), .

Seriously check out the RMX as an all in one box its a far cry from the MKII... and has the features you are looking for.

milltown

Thanks again for the patience!

It is the Mk2 I got, with all the ins and outs so, yes, a turntable is all I need to get ripping. If I had picked up Deevey's 1210 for 100 blips I'd be a happy bunny!

At this stage, after so many recommendations it seems it'd be rude not to pick up the RMX as my next step. The reason I was asking about the soundcards was, unless I was moving to something like a Numark Omni control, Hercules RMX or Behringer (against Vascar's advice) that the DJ soundcard could add another €100 to the package cost.

Lastly, the RMX is listed at $350 which comes out at around €250, €60 cheaper than Thomann who offer free shipping over €199. Is it worth my while buying in the states for a €60 saving, and having to lug it back? Can any owners comment on the weight of the RMX? Will I have to leave my shoes behind to get the RMX in my suitcase and keep to the weight limit?

deevey

1. Its heavy .. round 2.5 times the weight of my macbook I reckon .. BUT ... I managed to lug mine to Asia with me alongside my Lenovo s10 / White Macbook / DSLR / Korg Nanokontrol in the same bag.

2. customs were a bit miffed "have you got any OTHER electronics in your bag sir?" My bag weighed in at errr 13 kilos !!!! Thankfully they didn't apply the 7kg rule on me, US customs might not be so forgiving, and you'll probably need to leave behind 3 pairs of shoes.

3. If you get caught bringing it back from USA, you'll need to add another 20%+- to the charge ... and from a warranty point of view, germany is a hellofalot closer.

If it were 100 euro difference I might say Yay.

Check out some of the UK stores too, seeing as the Sterling has gone to crap !!! (Turnkey or Similar).

sweetie

I got my RMX on adverts for about 200 so keep an eye there