Bedroom DJ using MP3s

Pique

Hi All,

I'm looking to get a beginner DJ setup to use with MP3s.
I've come across a couple that look like they fit the bill perfectly (for me....total noob to this lark)
The ION iCue & the Hercules DJ Console (also the Hercules MP3 E2 Mixer).

Could anyone recommend one of these or point me to better alternatives ?

Thanks all..

sweetie

the hercules mk2 is fine for bedroom use and has a soundcard so you can cue properly. Should be able to pick it up for around the 100 mark second hand. no idea on the numark one. I use the Hercules rmx now when I gig as the mk 2 was a bit fisher price for the road.

electrogrimey

The other threads on digital set-ups are more geared towards quite a professional set-up, Vestax, Allen+Heath etc, so if you only want to throw in a hundred or two to see if you like it, go for something like the Hercules, or the Numark Total Control, or the Vestax 100.

ironclaw

Depending on your budget you could go for the Cortex HDTT5000 units. They are proper decks and take away the need for a laptop. You can pick up a set for about €500 in the US.

Link: http://www.decks.co.uk/products/cortex/hdtt5000

Laptop Dj-ing is great and a cheap route to go but the problem is you need a decent laptop.

robbie against

my advice would be try buy WAVs mate. if you ever do fancy playing out on decent soundsystem the MP3s just aint up to scratch.

electrogrimey

robbie against wrote: »

my advice would be try buy WAVs mate. if you ever do fancy playing out on decent soundsystem the MP3s just aint up to scratch.

:rolleyes:

320s are fine for playing out mate.

robbie against

its a debate that will always be brought up but from my experience playing in clubs is that the sound isnt good enough from any mp3s.

es-cee

robbie against wrote: »

its a debate that will always be brought up but from my experience playing in clubs is that the sound isnt good enough from any mp3s.

do ya know any good sites 2 get underground oldskool wav files? ie. asylum, sides, stuff. most of the 1's i know just have mp3's

Pique

Cheers for all the replies guys. The Hercules MK2 might be worth a punt...

SteveDon

robbie against wrote: »

my advice would be try buy WAVs mate. if you ever do fancy playing out on decent soundsystem the MP3s just aint up to scratch.

That is completely untrue, 320kpbs are almost indistinguishable from WAV files

xdeletiax

u shouldnt notice the difference between wavs or mp3s. unless your a dog or some other creature that can hear the missing frequencies.

OP: it might sound a bit pricey but id go for the hercules rmx. i have one at home and its perfect for bedroom mixing n house parties. easy to use too, and you can use it with tractor or whatever and map all the buttons to your liking.

Táck

if 320's are good enough for tiesto, then their good enough for me

jimi_t

I've the Hercules Mk.1 about a fortnight and I find it great - tiny little soundcard and ample midi-mappability on the controller itself. Not the best build quality but just the ticket for house parties.

As for the mp3 debate, 256kbps mp3s are fine unless you're playing on a Funktion rig or something - especially if you're dealing with ableton which warps everything anyway.

Táck

yeah ive been using the hercules and its a super little box, although i think i am going to opt for the xponent. the guy i play with cant understand at all why, but he also doesnt know what an anorak is.

jimi_t

Táck wrote: »

yeah ive been using the hercules and its a super little box, although i think i am going to opt for the xponent. the guy i play with cant understand at all why, but he also doesnt know what an anorak is.

If you have the option (i.e. cash) go for the Xponent definitely. I was literally looking for the cheapest thing I could get second hand - so if (when) it gets wrecked at an afterparty I won't be too pushed.

PatrickD32

If i had cash id go for 2x pioneer cdjs (even the cdj 400s) and a pioneer djm 600 mixer

ironclaw

I hate the look of the 400's. They just are too box-y. Now, the CDJ 900 or 2000. Then we're talking :pac:

OP, my pick of the rest would be the X-Ponent or the RMX. Just remember you need a decent laptop (Less than 18 months old) with decent HD space.

PatrickD32

ironclaw wrote: »

I hate the look of the 400's. They just are too box-y. Now, the CDJ 900 or 2000. Then we're talking :pac:

OP, my pick of the rest would be the X-Ponent or the RMX. Just remember you need a decent laptop (Less than 18 months old) with decent HD space.

Obviously Id go for the 2000s is had the money :pac::pac:
Best laptop to get is a mac, but expensive :mad:

SRFC90

Warning - silly question alert!

Anything less than 320kpbs is a complete no-go!?

dubsbhoy

I never used it but a lot of people say great things about the hercules mixers, i think we have a total control mixer in work that does the job too but its not used too much.

electrogrimey

SRFC90 wrote: »

Warning - silly question alert!

Anything less than 320kpbs is a complete no-go!?

You'll get away with 256 as well, but I'd say 128 is a bit too low for playing out.

ironclaw

electrogrimey wrote: »

You'll get away with 256 as well, but I'd say 128 is a bit too low for playing out.

Agreed 128 is a tad low. However, at high volume and in a normal club setting most people can't tell the difference.

+1 on the Mac by the way. VERY hard to crash and seemless intergration into most software suites.

tman

ironclaw wrote: »

Agreed 128 is a tad low. However, at high volume and in a normal club setting most people can't tell the difference.

Aye, 128 is going to sound crap, especially if its poorly encoded. I personally wouldn't consider playing something below 192, and would prefer to stick with 320 or waves unless there's no other choice.

ED E

ironclaw wrote: »

Agreed 128 is a tad low. However, at high volume and in a normal club setting most people can't tell the difference.

In a lot of places 96 would do, the punters are too sloshed to care and the PAs are pushing the limits.

electrogrimey

Has anyone ever done a test to see whether regular club goers can notice the difference between 128/256/320 and wav?

ironclaw

Lethal_Bullet wrote: »

In a lot of places 96 would do, the punters are too sloshed to care and the PAs are pushing the limits.

I would never play a 92. All my newest stuff is at least 320.

No tests have been done and to be honest there is no need. No download store sells anything below 320 / WAV these days to my knowledge. And if your encoding your CD's into 128 to DJ you need your head examined.

SRFC90

I ain't a DJ, but I always thought playing something along the lines of 128 at high volums in a club would sound blurry, bassy and generally unclear!?

Táck

do some controllers not pick up on a lower quality and re-jig it to sound better??

my mate has the hercules, and i was on my high horse saying all i'd play was 320's and to be honest no matter what he plays it sounds pretty much the same, at least it does to those who know no different.

copeyhagen

personally its 320 or nothin for me

jtsuited

SRFC90 wrote: »

I ain't a DJ, but I always thought playing something along the lines of 128 at high volums in a club would sound blurry, bassy and generally unclear!?

most club systems are blurry, bassy and unclear.

PatrickD32

jtsuited wrote: »

most club systems are blurry, bassy and unclear.

Loads clubs sound is very poorly setup, its handy have a mate whos sound engineer or someone with a clue, cos most the clubs just lob in a sound system and think its done.

Some are terrible

dublin 16 lad

On the topic of sound systems. Does anyone know what Dublin club has the best one?

PatrickD32

My guess would be Tripod?

Jev/N

dublin 16 lad wrote: »

On the topic of sound systems. Does anyone know what Dublin club has the best one?

Twisted Pepper, no competition

PatrickD32

Jev/N wrote: »

Twisted Pepper, no competition

really ye? havnt been there.
Must try make a gig sometime.

Jev/N

Check out some info here:

http://www.voidaudio.com/news/news_item.asp?NewsID=53

jtsuited

Jev/N wrote: »

Twisted Pepper, no competition

+1.

It mightn't be the highest spec (maybe it is) but downstairs in the TP is tuned absolutely perfectly for techno/house and for the size of the room. An absolute joy to listen to.

VinylJunkie

jtsuited wrote: »

+1.

It mightn't be the highest spec (maybe it is) but downstairs in the TP is tuned absolutely perfectly for techno/house and for the size of the room. An absolute joy to listen to.

Agreed, excellent system.

electrogrimey

Jev/N wrote: »

Twisted Pepper, no competition

Yep.

+1

jimi_t

Only thing I will say was that at Carl Craig the saturday before last, at least one of the CDJs completely crapped out around 2am - possibly from the condensation. Sound system is decent alright, but its easily enough done in a place with such a low ceiling. I think that overall Tripod has the best venue/system in dublin given the space they're catering for. TBMC used to be brilliant but was underwhelemd the few times I've been back to the rebranded Button Factory.

electrogrimey

jimi_t wrote: »

Only thing I will say was that at Carl Craig the saturday before last, at least one of the CDJs completely crapped out around 2am - possibly from the condensation. Sound system is decent alright, but its easily enough done in a place with such a low ceiling. I think that overall Tripod has the best venue/system in dublin given the space they're catering for. TBMC used to be brilliant but was underwhelemd the few times I've been back to the rebranded Button Factory.

With experience of playing in both, I'd rate the system in Tripod miles above that of The Button Factory, but I'd still say the Twisted Pepper is better than both of them.

SteveDon

the system in the tivoli is pretty wild aswell, but id agree that the basement in the pepper is the best around

Zascar

I've never really been that impressed with the Tripod system. Been there plenty of times including big nights like Hawtin, Underworld and Dubfire and to me it has always been 'good' but not 'brilliant'. I prefer the one in Button Factory - anyone know what make it is? The Turbosound in the original Redbox years ago was amazing. I

ED E

Those void speakers look brilliant. Seems the produce good sound too.

*Added to lotto list*

copeyhagen

Zascar wrote: »

I've never really been that impressed with the Tripod system. Been there plenty of times including big nights like Hawtin, Underworld and Dubfire and to me it has always been 'good' but not 'brilliant'. I prefer the one in Button Factory - anyone know what make it is? The Turbosound in the original Redbox years ago was amazing. I

didnt the redbox system win a few awards years back?

sherdydan

hi guys, might be pulling the thread off topic a little too much, and if i am could a mod rectify it, but basically, im after ordering one of the following: http://www.musicstore.com/en_EN/IEP/Gemini-CDM-3600-Doppel-CD-Player/art-DJE0002271-000?CatalogVideo=

it isnt here yet, but have i made a good choice (probably should have asked before ordering:o) i checked up a few reviews online and it seemed alright, doesnt have scratch is the only thing it really seems to be missing, but i want it mainly for house/trance/techno and maybe a little *cough*hardstyle*cough* so im not bothered about that. Prefered the idea of vinyl, but try get vinyl down here in athlone:rolleyes:

c_o_ck p_i_ss chillage

jtsuited wrote: »

most club systems are blurry, bassy and unclear.

Most djs haven't a clue about levels and distortion!!!!

jimi_t

c_o_ck p_i_ss chillage wrote: »

Most djs haven't a clue about levels and distortion!!!!

Yeah, but as long as the levels on the mixer itself aren't red and clipping, its hard to mess up on that end. Its more to do with the way the club system is set up.

ironclaw

jimi_t wrote: »

Yeah, but as long as the levels on the mixer itself aren't red and clipping, its hard to mess up on that end. Its more to do with the way the club system is set up.

Agreed but it does have alot to do with the mixer output.

On the side of the Button Factory, who put the speakers so low? The amount of people I've seen pressed against them... I can only imagine the ringing and I wear plugs specifically when I go there. The sound is excellent but too bassy hence the plugs clear it up :pac:

xdeletiax

Hearing the difference now isn't the reason to encode to FLAC. FLAC uses lossless compression, while MP3 is 'lossy'. What this means is that for each year the MP3 sits on your hard drive, it will lose roughly 12kbps, assuming you have SATA - it's about 15kbps on IDE, but only 7kbps on SCSI, due to rotational velocidensity. You don't want to know how much worse it is on CD-ROM or other optical media.
I started collecting MP3s in about 2001, and if I try to play any of the tracks I downloaded back then, even the stuff I grabbed at 320kbps, they just sound like crap. The bass is terrible, the midrange...well don't get me started. Some of those albums have degraded down to 32 or even 16kbps. FLAC rips from the same period still sound great, even if they weren't stored correctly, in a cool, dry place. Seriously, stick to FLAC, you may not be able to hear the difference now, but in a year or two, you'll be glad you did.

Zascar

xdeletiax wrote: »

Hearing the difference now isn't the reason to encode to FLAC. FLAC uses lossless compression, while MP3 is 'lossy'. What this means is that for each year the MP3 sits on your hard drive, it will lose roughly 12kbps, assuming you have SATA - it's about 15kbps on IDE, but only 7kbps on SCSI, due to rotational velocidensity. You don't want to know how much worse it is on CD-ROM or other optical media.
I started collecting MP3s in about 2001, and if I try to play any of the tracks I downloaded back then, even the stuff I grabbed at 320kbps, they just sound like crap. The bass is terrible, the midrange...well don't get me started. Some of those albums have degraded down to 32 or even 16kbps. FLAC rips from the same period still sound great, even if they weren't stored correctly, in a cool, dry place. Seriously, stick to FLAC, you may not be able to hear the difference now, but in a year or two, you'll be glad you did.

Seriosuly???? Sorry I find that hard to swallow. An mp3 like any other digital file is a series of One's and Zero's - I can't see how an mp3's audio quality can degrade over time... Can someone explain?