Beginner DJs Guide to DJ Equipment

CyberWaste

Thought since this gets asked a lot, that this would be of some help to total beginners looking to buy or get advice on DJ equipment. Maybe sticky this for future.

____________________

Choosing the equipment you need to DJ with can be quite a task if you are inexperienced or just getting started.

A few things to consider first; DJing is NOT cheap. DJ equipment costs a few hundred a piece for a good quality item and if you buy cheaper equipment, you get what you pay.

There are many different pieces of equipment, formats of dj'ing and factors to consider before making any purchase to ensure you make the best choice to begin your DJ career.

DJs use many different types of equipment depending on the musical format they wish to spin: Vinyl DJs use vinyl records, CD DJs use CDs and Digital DJs use MP3s/WAVs.

Regardless of the type of DJ you choose to become, there is always a basic set of equipment each DJ must purchase:

• 2 x Turntables
• 1 x Mixer
• 1 x Headphones (with 1/4 jack usually)
• Some sort of speakers/sound output

These things can be got in different ways such as 2 vinyl turntables and a mixer for vinyl DJs, 2 cdjs and a mixer for CD DJs and a all in one MIDI controller for Digital DJs.

NOTE: For digital DJs, you will also need a laptop/mac book running mixing software such as Traktor, Virtual DJ, Serato or the free software called Mixxx along with your MIDI (connected by usb) controller to be able to mix and basically DJ.

Also, for digital DJs, you will also need a sound card to output the sound and to cue songs with headphones, since you are not using a traditional mixer which has a built in sound card. Most newer MIDI controllers now have built in sound cards, but older ones such as the Vestax vci 100 do not, so you will need to buy a external sound card, such as the Audio 2 DJ.

-

The following is my recommendations for beginner DJs buying equipment for their format of preference but are sure they are going to keep DJing and that its not a short fad, if you can not afford the following equipment at the moment but are keen to get gigs and take DJing seriously, then I suggest you save up until you can afford the following pieces of equipment, instead of buying cheaper lesser known brand equipment. I will post under my recommendations for equipment, the equipment that complete beginners should buy if the insist on buying gear without having dont much practice or learning/


** Remember, prices for the following equipment varies from place to place and there is the option of second hand equipment**

CD DJ Equipment:

CD DJing was the next step in DJing; using CDs, DJs were able to bridge the gap between digital music releases and traditional “hands-on” mixing. CD DJing uses smaller turntables but their flexibility are unmatched; they fit perfectly between the analog and digital era. CD DJing is very standard for most clubs, festivals and events – it’s a great choice for those starting out that want to take full advantaged of modern technology.

Required gear for starting out (my recommendations)

• 2 x CDJ 800 mk2/850s
• 1 x Allen & Heath Xone 22 Mixer
• 1 x Sennheiser HD 205 Headphones

The gear listed above is not the major club or industry standard for CD DJ’s but this gear is very capable of any type of DJing and will give you full control over your music and mixes; it’s another great start for those that want to have the “hands on” feel.

-

CHEAPER ALTERNATIVES

• 2 x CDJ 200
• 1 x Behringer DX700 Mixer

The prices for this equipment is about half the price of whats listed above it, but do the same job, but are just older /not of same build quality.




Vinyl Equipment:

The vinyl DJ is where it all began; you get the full effects of using your hands to make your mix. A vinyl DJ setup is a bit more expensive overall but if you’re the type that wants to get to the roots of it all, build a vinyl record collection and have full control over your mix than this is where you should start. Prices will range from a few hundred euros to a couple thousands depending on your level of learning.
Required gear for starting out (my recommendations)

• 2 x Technics 1210
• 1 x Allen & Heath Xone 22 Mixer
• 1 x Sennheiser HD 205 Headphones

The pieces of gear listed above might not be industry standard, but it is definitely the perfect starting block for people looking to DJ with vinyl. Choosing this gear will allow you to transition into any club, festival or party without any resistance in using gear – its perfect for those that want to get into vinyl DJing without breaking the bank so to speak.


CHEAPER ALTERNATIVES
NOTE: I do not have much experience in vinyl decks, but im sure there is cheaper alternatives to the technics 1210, just have a look online. But I recommend the following mixer.

• 1 x Behringer DX700 Mixer

The prices for this equipment is about half the price of whats listed above it, but do the same job, but are just older /not of same build quality.




MIDI / Digital DJ Equipment:

Midi and Digital DJ equipment is the latest flavor of gear used for DJing. There are many great pieces out there that give you unbelievable control over your mixes, allow you to use your digital music, transition into clubs, festivals and parties – and it’s extremely cheap.

Being able to play virtually any available song is one of the main appeals to digital turntables and time-coded systems. Another being the fact that you can have thousands of songs with you, just stored on your laptops hard drive instead of carrying hundreds of cds/vinyl.

In digital systems, DJ’s use controllers connected to programs on their computer and cue up MP3′s/WAVs which they have downloaded or ripped from their collection.

Digital is increasingly becoming a great choice for beginner DJs due to the ease of building a massive song collection on their computer without having to hunt down vinyl and CD’s in shops and across the net.

There is one thing though which can come down to preference, which is the laptop that you use. Macbooks are generally used by digital DJs, due to reliability and stability, but are expensive at the same time, but Windows laptops can also be used. Its your choice really.

Required gear for starting out (my recommendations)

• * 1 x Macbook
• * 1 x Traktor S4
• * 1 x Sennheiser HD 205 Headphones
  • 1 x Copy of Traktor Pro Software

The gear listed above comes with everything you need to get started DJing: turntables, mixers, headphones and DJ software (Traktor S4 comes with a copy of Traktor pro 2)

-
CHEAPER ALTERNATIVES

• 2 x Hercules RMX MIDI Controller
• 1 x Windows 7 laptop (Varies to your preference but are cheaper than macbooks. You can read about minimum specs needed to run traktor/serato/Virtual DJ etc. on their websites) Example here! Price is only €280
• 1 x Copy of MIXXX DJ software (its free)

The prices for this equipment is about half the price of whats listed above it, but do the same job, but are just older /not of same build quality.




__________




If you have already had a few DJ lessons and have used many pieces of DJ equipment and are sure this isn't just a short fad, then I suggest you follow this advice:

Before you make any decision on the DJ gear you plan to buy it’s best to determine your budget. Many people rush into making a purchase only to pick up gear which breaks within a few years or even months or is unreliable. Like the old saying goes “you get what you pay for”.

I highly suggest you make a budget of what you can afford along with a wish list, this way you can distinguish between needs and wants.

Set aside a bit of money from each paycheck, pocket money or whatever to go toward your gear funds. You may be tempted to buy some cheap pieces of equipment now with the money you have saved, try not to make any purchase just yet to ensure you’re buying top notch stuff. But if you insist on buying equipment even though you've not even learned to beatmatch yet, then I suggest you follow my recommendations above under "cheaper alternatives".


Other pieces of equipment I suggest buying, these are not essential though:

A flight case

These can save your equipment from damage over the years, and are well worth investing in. They come in all different shapes and sizes to fit pieces of equipment. Prices vary.

A Four Sleeve CD Wallet

These are handy for CD DJ as its easy to navigate through cds and can bring many at one time. I suggest you buy one such as the Case Logic CD wallet (these can be got in HMV currently for €17) or a Slappa case.

________

I hope you found this guide helpful and lets you know what you need to start DJing immediately.

As noted in the beginning, knowing what to buy before hand will help save you many headaches and unnecessary purchases.

I recommend saving about €1000 – €2000 before you make any definitive purchase, this way you’ll be able to pick quality gear from the beginning.

You can check local shops, browse online or find local deals through adverts, ebay, done deal, buy and sell etc.


There is always people selling their gear to upgrade or DJs that are getting out of the game. There are bargains out there, but if buying pre owned, make sure to thoroughly test EVERY function of the item before buying or bring along a experienced DJ to look at them with you.


Try to test out every piece before you buy, make sure nothing is broken and that it will work well with your other pieces of gear.

:cool:

RMD

There's no point in picking up "quality" gear unless you know you're serious about it. CDJs for example, you're much better off going for a set of CDJ400s/350s and a basic 2 chan mixer, than a set of 800s/850s a an A&H 2 chan.

Once you get into it, get the basics down, get your head around music choice and the right place to find it then invest in quality equipment that will last. If you decide it's not for you, it's fairly easy to shift a set of 400s and 350s without losing to much on them.

electrogrimey

Good post, definitely a sticky. Maybe put in a budget reccommendation of gear for each one? An S4 for example is huge money for someone starting out!

Maybe put in some more about DVS, just down to how many DJs use them.

CyberWaste

RMD wrote: »

There's no point in picking up "quality" gear unless you know you're serious about it. CDJs for example, you're much better off going for a set of CDJ400s/350s and a basic 2 chan mixer, than a set of 800s/850s a an A&H 2 chan.

Once you get into it, get the basics down, get your head around music choice and the right place to find it then invest in quality equipment that will last. If you decide it's not for you, it's fairly easy to shift a set of 400s and 350s without losing to much on them.

Fair enough I get what you mean, but some people teaching lessons recommend not to buy cheap equipment when starting out, as you will end up upgrading anyway. But ill edit the post to reflect your contribution.

Paul1979

defo sticky

so sick of new threads everyday on this:mad:

Zascar

Great Job CyperWaste, stickied

RMD

CyberWaste wrote: »

Fair enough I get what you mean, but some people teaching lessons recommend not to buy cheap equipment when starting out, as you will end up upgrading anyway. But ill edit the post to reflect your contribution.

Ye, if you're getting lessons you'll be serious enough about it so good quality equipment is a good choice but if not a cheaper set isn't a bad idea. 400s/350s still aren't cheap, a pair will of 400s second hand will cost €800 at the least if they're in good nick and a new pair of 350s will cost €1200. A set of cheap CDJs like Numarks or Geminis isn't a great idea. Forgot to say, great post.

VinylJunkie

Just to add to your cheaper alternative, them DJX700 mixers are terrible, I would suggest looking at a DDM4000 or even a second hand DDM4000 if you really needed a 4 channel mixer.
This is one of my posts from a similar thread;

Ok so you want to become a DJ but your not sure about all the equipment that is out there! My prefered online shop is Thomann, they have free delivery if you spend over €200.

CDJ's
CDJ's can range in prices from E166 to over E1000 depending on what you are looking for and what you can afford. Pioneer are by far the best in this category. The CDJ-1000 is the Big daddy of the CDJ world but personally I prefer the CDJ-400 due to its compatibility with a usb stick.

There are budget options such as the Numark Axis4 or the American Audio Radius 1000

Vinyl Turntables
Technics, Stanton and Vestax are your big brands with Technics being the so called Industry Standard. The downside of buying vinyl turntables is the price of vinyl. Vinyl can be expensive 5-10e per record, not to mention the weight of having to carry around 2-3 record bags, therefore you can consider a Digital Vinyl System (DVS).

Mixer
In my experience you are better off buying the best CDJ's/TT's you can afford and buying a cheap mixer. You can always upgrade the mixer in the future plus you will not notice the difference as you are only learning. It is also best to stick away from a mixer with effects as they can be distracting when you are trying to learn the basics. There are a ton of mixers under 100e here. Behringer are a company who produce cheap products. The only mixer they produce that is of good quality is the DDM 4000 and at 315e is a bargain.

Software & Controllers
There are again a load of options in this category but you are best not buying cheap as they can be un reliable. The Torq Xponent is an excellent Controller that comes with Torq software. Vestax also produce the VCI range such as the VCI-100 although you need to purchase an external soundcard.
As for DVS systems there are a range of them but the best in my opinion are Torq, Serato and Tracktor. There is cheaper options such as Deckadance and the Free open source Mixxx

Headphones
To be honest don't waste your money, just buy cheap to get you started, As I said earlier send the majority of your money on CDJ's or TT's. I bought a pair of Sennheiser HD-205 in Dixons for €40 when I was starting out and they where excellent!

Learning
Now for learning the basics, there is a thread all about Mixing advise for the beginner here or alternatively check out youtube videos such as the ones posted on this site http://www.djtutor.com, not everything I say is gospel feel free to disagree or add some advise!

Edit: Cleaned up the post a little!

hans aus dtschl

Hey great thread.

Just to add for the vinyl side of things, better not to save on the turntables. If you're a scratch dj, maybe get one of the newer high-torque things but otherwise, technics only, because you're so heavily reliant on how it "feels" you'll need that +/- 8% pitch and the feel of the technics torque, or you'll have a whole new learning curve when you go anywhere to play out.

Not an absolute "DONT BUY ANYTHING ELSE" but just saying, better to get a terrible mixer and technics decks, if you're on a real tight budget.

Also might be worth saying the DVS solutions are the most versatile, cos you can use them with cd, vinyl, and controllers, and you can play both digital and analogue formats.

I advise towards a DVS initially at the moment. Gives you lots of wiggle room to go towards cd, vinyl or computer based stuff later down the line.

Also, I find the cheap numarks great for the super-budget stuff. Better than the behringers, for me. Everything on them works as it should (for a limited time) rather than the behringer where half the features dont even work properly out of the box (by design).


My 2 cents.

huggybeer

Lads Great thread but need more help
I have a Y/O who wants to DJ at his local GAA Jounior disco and progress to Family parties.
He has a good laptop but am lost as to what else he needs including lights. All advice welcome.
Is this the kind of gear he needs dont want to spend too much incase he finds out its not for him. you know what kids are like.
http://www.adverts.ie/amps/professional-dj-set/514048

Thanks again brilliant advice

NIALLCONLY

Great post, if anyone wants any further info I'd be glad to help. I work selling this kand of equipment so PM me if you have any questions.

Niall, Aquariussound.ie

Zascar

Nice one Niall, good to have you on boards!

Renter

Yo, I posted this on another thread before noticing this one, think my question is more fitted to this thread.

Anyway, I bought a pair of Technics recently and I'm just wondering if anyone has any suggestions or advice as to what monitors/speakers to buy? I'm somewhat clueless about it. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

DubDJ

Renter wrote: »

Yo, I posted this on another thread before noticing this one, think my question is more fitted to this thread.

Anyway, I bought a pair of Technics recently and I'm just wondering if anyone has any suggestions or advice as to what monitors/speakers to buy? I'm somewhat clueless about it. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

It all depends on how much you'd want to pay and the power (Watt) of the speakers too. I haven't had active monitors so I'm not sure if I'm the right person to answer but I know a very standard set which a lot of my friends use (and I've even seen Pro's with them in their studios) is the KRK range. Or more specifically for the lower cost option the RKT6 or 8's. Im gonna start shopping around for a set myself soon and probably gonna go for these ones myself. I think you can pick up a set of RKT6's for around €400.

I'm sure somebody here might have more experience in the area and might be able to help. But these are a good little set anyway.

NIALLCONLY

there are loads of options open to ya on Monitors. Alesis have some great budget ones The M1 active 520's are 70 watts each and are 225 a pair.

If you want more punch , look for 8" monitors like the Yamaha HS80's. 120 watts each and 500 a pair.

Yamaha also make a HS50, 70 watts each and 310 a pair.

All info on www.aquariussound.ie

Niall

davenachill

Great thread mate!

I got a Vestax Typhoon dj controller and it works great for djing! Its light and compact and great for starting off as a dj. I'm currently using it with traktor pro which works like a charm! I would recommend

no scope

First off op , thanks for the info

Second thing is i have a laptop , numark total control , soundcard

thing is i dont wanna go out and spend money on speakers at the moment is it possible to hook like my ipod docking stations up and maybe a stereo system and go that way till i think about getting proper speakers

mossy464

Anyone have some recommendations for an alternative to something like the DJM800 but cheaper?

electrogrimey

mossy464 wrote: »

Anyone have some recommendations for an alternative to something like the DJM800 but cheaper?

How many channels do you need?

For 2 channels, I'd say an A&H Xone:22, only about €250 or so, and a great mixer. Or if you like Pioneer and want the effects, get a second hand DJM600 or something.

mossy464

2 Channels would be all I need but would like the effects.

Is there many effects on the Xone 22?

electrogrimey

mossy464 wrote: »

2 Channels would be all I need but would like the effects.

Is there many effects on the Xone 22?

There's only filters, but they're much better filters then you'll get on Pioneer.

If you want effects, you could try a second hand DJM 400.

CyberWaste

electrogrimey wrote: »

There's only filters, but they're much better filters then you'll get on Pioneer.

If you want effects, you could try a second hand DJM 400.

Or even have a look out for a second Pioneer EFX 500, and then hook that up to your Xone: 22. Thats what I did, I picked up a fully working and in good condition EFX 500 for €85 on ebay, great piece of kit.

heffchap

hey guys

just wondering if any of ye can help me put. i'm gonna buy myself a midi controller but as i'm only starting out i'm a bit unsure as to what to go for. i've narrowed my search down to these three

http://www.djstore.com/item/usbcontrollers/herdjconsolermx.htm
http://www.djstore.com/item/usbcontrollers/relmixageie.htm
http://www.djstore.com/item/usbcontrollers/reldj2interface.htm

i'm gonna be using traktor and want a piece of equipment that i wont grow out of or get tired of too soon.

any of ye know anything about these three or any recommendations on any?

any help at all would be much appreciated

cheers

was.deevey

I'd go with the RMX its built to last and you'll get plenty of use out of it before outgrowing.

I had one for almost 3 years and it was reliable as hell .. you might compliment it with something like the Korg Nanokontrol as a separate FX unit if you don't like layering fx knobs.

I'm not into the layout of the Reloop apart from the newer (and muchos more expensive DJ3) which looks nice.

By the way the RMX is only 219 euro here so save a few bob http://www.thomann.de/ie/hercules_dj_console_rmx.htm

I know peeps will probably chime in with Vestax VCI perhaps. Personally I think for someone starting off an all-in-one unit is better - not everyone is a gear head and wants to deal with external soundcards.

Zascar

Lads just on this, what is the absolute cheapest controller with a built in sound card? It's for my 10 year old nephew - he wants to get into it so I want to buy something for him for his birthday but I'm not spending 300 lids! Anything around €100 (maybe even second hand) that would do the job?

was.deevey

@ Zacar

Behringer BCD-2000 is down to 88 yoyo's brand new but you'll be stuck on XP

Behringer BCD-3000 is $125 new if you can stretch it and it supports win 7

http://www.thomann.de/ie/behringer_bcd2000.htm
http://www.thomann.de/ie/behringer_bcd3000.htm

You might pick up one S/H or a hercules mk2 or 3 would do the trick nicely.

Zascar

Cheers dude. First ever mixer I had was the Hercules Mk1, awful fisher price junk, and then i had the BCD2000 which wasn't much better really. I think the 3000 might be a lot better. His mum has a mac so it needs to suppor that (which it does) so it might be a winner. The Hercules Mk2 might do and be cheaper (and a lot more simple too - lot of buttons on the BCD300 which might confused a 10 year old). I could not find anything on an mk3 though?

was.deevey

If you didn't like the herc Mk1 .. dont even bother with the mk2, its the same with mac support, the mk3 still feels like a plastic toy.

The BCD3000 is the same as the 2000 with mac support :-S still feels like crap.

How about a "Discover DJ", really easy setup, and Skratchwork's even gave it the thumbs up for those (pretty awesome) jogs and can be had for around 60 euro and plenty of knobs for basic DJ'ing for a kiddie.

You will need a cheapy usb soundcard to go with it..should be able to pick one up for about a tenner or less. I have one of the ones below as a very macgyver style backup and it works fine on a mac as aggregate soundcard for under a fiver :P

http://cgi.ebay.com/USB-2-0-EXTERNAL-SOUND-CARD-3D-5-1-AUDIO-ADAPTER-PC-/300581458443?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45fc0d120b

IF there's an ipad knocking around the house the Numark version of the Discover dj would be ideal

http://www.thomann.de/ie/numark_idj_live.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEhDEZ6xi50

Zascar

I want to keep things as simple as possible as he's 10 and won't have a clue, so seperate soundcard is a no-no I think.

I remember having loads of problems with the Mk1 but it was many years ago, and on xp - would be easier on a mac. The BCD was breat at the time but when I got an Xponent it just seemed sh1t in comparison, I supposed everything does, I had a VCI after that and the xponent was crap in comparison (SQ wise anyway).

The Hercules and the BCD ran Virtual DJ back then whereas now they come with tractor so hopefully that coupled with mac simplicity might be ok. Fuk it he's only 10 I just want to see if he can get the bug and his parents can get him a better one if he uses it for more than a few weeks!

was.deevey

I hear ya :P

I'd go with the 3000 ... its a steal really for a fairly substancial musical object... he'll be looking to compliment it with an APC, Lemur, and Controller keyboard in no time

Wish I had an uncle like you !

Jerichoholic

Anyone know where I could get a decent bag that would hold a mixtrack pro and a laptop?

Zascar

I bought a logitech laptop backpack in argos a while back for €50 - way better and cheaper than most of the others I looked at.

Jerichoholic

You reckon that would be big enough? The Mixtrack is 18.75" x 11.5" x 2.5". Seems pointless carrying two bags everywhere.

ED E

A 17" bag might fit it at a stretch. I'd look for a nice big satchel if I was you.

Spaky12Eyes

Ok so I just need a bit of advice. I'm about to purchase a Behringer B-Control Deejay BC2000 off a friend for €65. I'm just starting out djing and am wondering if this will be suitable? What sort of soundcard will I need to get? I have seen them for €10 on pixmania.ie and am wondering if this will be suitable for a bedroom dj? I have speakers that connect through the headphone socket. Quick reply would be appreciated cos I need to let him know by tomorrow!

Thanks, Luke

mossy464

I have a set of CDJ 1000 MK3s atm but a really ****ty mixer that I had lying around.

Only got the decks but in the hunt for a proper mixer.

Would love a DJM 800 but too pricey, then was thinking maybe second hand DJM 600 but is that a bit dated?

Also, last night on this thread I came across the DDM 4000 by Behringer and was surprised to hear such good things about it since all of the bad things I have heard about the rest of their gear.

Would the DDM be a good buy?

Also, how is the DJM 700 in relation to the 800?

Cianh

mossy464 wrote: »

I have a set of CDJ 1000 MK3s atm but a really ****ty mixer that I had lying around.

Only got the decks but in the hunt for a proper mixer.

Would love a DJM 800 but too pricey, then was thinking maybe second hand DJM 600 but is that a bit dated?

Also, last night on this thread I came across the DDM 4000 by Behringer and was surprised to hear such good things about it since all of the bad things I have heard about the rest of their gear.

Would the DDM be a good buy?

Also, how is the DJM 700 in relation to the 800?

If you are looking at the djm 700 then you sould give the Allen & Heath xone 42 a look too its cheaper on thomann (€689) http://www.thomann.de/ie/allenheath_xone_42_black.htm?sid=31870b07d801a2d615d2a57fcb658cd9
and from what I've read their mixers are way better than pioneers, i'm in the same situation as yourself, waiting till i can afford the xone 42. Ive never even seen one never mind used one so I cant give any more detail, but a lot of the lads on here seem to rate them very highly.

Cianh

I'm thinking of getting an effects unit soon, can anyone recommend the best? pioneer efx?? of one of the korg kaoss pads or kaosillators? or something else completely, this is just for use with decks, at home.

Cheers
Cian.

ED E

Have a Kaoss a few months, still not worked out how to use it:rolleyes:

Cianh

ED E wrote: »

Have a Kaoss a few months, still not worked out how to use it:rolleyes:

Ha Ha, i'll take it off ya and try figure it out if you want

karl bracken

I have read the sticky and think the hercules RMX will do he job i want it for, just disco bar gigs.
I have always used 1210's but have to use a USB DJ controller of some kind, im living on Oz now and know sweet fook all about them....

Im assuming this has a built in sound card and i can mix with one tune in my headphones and one tune going to the PA in the pub?
So how does it connect up, USB to controller and headphones out of my laptop headphone jack?
Then just RCA into the mixer that is set up in the pub, is it that simple or am i missing something?!

Laptop is an Asus K53SC

http://www.asus.com.au/Notebooks/Versatile_Performance/K53SC/#specifications

Or is there much between that model and the HERCULES DJ 4 SET?


Thanks for any info

Zascar

My DjTechTools VCI-100SE & Native Instruments Audio 2 DJ has been collecting dust for ages - If anyone wants to make me a decent offer for it I might pass it on...

liamduffy1994

I started with a macbook, a second hand Hercules E2 controller than set me back 45 quid and a numark DJ-IO, Anyone wanting to start out using a laptop, make sure the laptop is high spec and very reliable if your going to be playing live. You WILL need a good Soundcard, the jack in your laptop will not do! But a good soundcard can be bought for about 40 beans so no major expense.
Now I have a MBP, a Traktor S4 with the flightcase and my own sound and lighting.
My advice is start small, build your way up! CD decks are a good way to start, you learn most of the basics and they are alot cheaper nowadays with so many going digital.

liamduffy1994

I started with a macbook, a second hand Hercules E2 controller than set me back 45 quid and a numark DJ-IO, Anyone wanting to start out using a laptop, make sure the laptop is high spec and very reliable if your going to be playing live. You WILL need a good Soundcard, the jack in your laptop will not do! But a good soundcard can be bought for about 40 beans so no major expense.
Now I have a MBP, a Traktor S4 with the flightcase and my own sound and lighting.
My advice is start small, build your way up! CD decks are a good way to start, you learn most of the basics and they are alot cheaper nowadays with so many going digital.

liamduffy1994

karl bracken wrote: »

I have read the sticky and think the hercules RMX will do he job i want it for, just disco bar gigs.
I have always used 1210's but have to use a USB DJ controller of some kind, im living on Oz now and know sweet fook all about them....

Im assuming this has a built in sound card and i can mix with one tune in my headphones and one tune going to the PA in the pub?
So how does it connect up, USB to controller and headphones out of my laptop headphone jack?
Then just RCA into the mixer that is set up in the pub, is it that simple or am i missing something?!

Laptop is an Asus K53SC

http://www.asus.com.au/Notebooks/Versatile_Performance/K53SC/#specifications

Or is there much between that model and the HERCULES DJ 4 SET?


Thanks for any info

Generally Controllers with a built in Soundcard have a headphone jack in them along with a mic jack, You wouldnt use the laptops jack as then you would be using the Hercules IO and the Laptops internal IO for the same tracks which isn't really possible. That is a nice controller though, Its metal I believe?

Squ

Zascar wrote: »

My DjTechTools VCI-100SE & Native Instruments Audio 2 DJ has been collecting dust for ages - If anyone wants to make me a decent offer for it I might pass it on...

If still available, how much were you looking for?

Forde_1

Hi Guys,

Just starting out DJ'ing and to be honest i'm complete novice when it comes to equipment so could do with yer help! Just bought pair of 400w-800w peak 8 Ohm speakers but i'm unsure on what size amp I need, any recommendations? I have been looking at amps online but i'm unsure on what i need to match the speakers. For a mixer I have the Hercules RMX in mind! Its all fairly low budget just to get up and running and get few gigs if things go well I can look into upgrading the equipment! The aim is to do it all digital using Virtual DJ to start.

All help will be appreciated!

Thanks!

Eddie Ere

Is looking to finally invest again in some equipment.

Looking at this to begin with: http://www.thomann.de/ie/native_instruments_traktor_kontrol_s2.htm


Yay or Nay?


Heavily considering the Vinyl route so I could learn the basics the way they should be learned, and I would really love to go down it, but at the moment money is a factor and 2 turntables, a mixer and then records on top of that is just a bit too much for me at the minute.


Any thoughts and help is appreciated. In a nutshell I'm just looking for something to help learn the basics and have some fun with.

ianuss

Eddie Ere wrote: »

Is looking to finally invest again in some equipment.

Looking at this to begin with: http://www.thomann.de/ie/native_instruments_traktor_kontrol_s2.htm


Yay or Nay?


Heavily considering the Vinyl route so I could learn the basics the way they should be learned, and I would really love to go down it, but at the moment money is a factor and 2 turntables, a mixer and then records on top of that is just a bit too much for me at the minute.


Any thoughts and help is appreciated. In a nutshell I'm just looking for something to help learn the basics and have some fun with.

If you're just looking to have some fun and learn the basics, €400 is a bit of a splash IMO. You could get 2 technics and a mixer for that. And you'd be surprised how quickly you'd accumulate some records too. Even if it's just 1/2 a week or whatever. Maybe have 1 less pint a week and you almost have the cost of a record (Dublin prices anyway). I started collecting records about 6/8 months ago and I've about 125 now, but I've picked them up in drips and drabs. The odd splurge when I have the cash but mostly in small numbers.

If you want to do it on the cheap I'd recommend something second hand. A VCI or an Xponent or something like that. Check adverts or alternatively I've seen a few around here mentioning that they they have controllers they aren't using (mine just went in to the back of the wardrobe this week).

Eddie Ere

ianuss wrote: »

If you're just looking to have some fun and learn the basics, €400 is a bit of a splash IMO. You could get 2 technics and a mixer for that. And you'd be surprised how quickly you'd accumulate some records too. Even if it's just 1/2 a week or whatever. Maybe have 1 less pint a week and you almost have the cost of a record (Dublin prices anyway). I started collecting records about 6/8 months ago and I've about 125 now, but I've picked them up in drips and drabs. The odd splurge when I have the cash but mostly in small numbers.

If you want to do it on the cheap I'd recommend something second hand. A VCI or an Xponent or something like that. Check adverts or alternatively I've seen a few around here mentioning that they they have controllers they aren't using (mine just went in to the back of the wardrobe this week).

I've been looking about for Technics but I can't find anything in that price range, have mainly seen 1210s second hand. Any recommendation on something similar?

What do you reckon on these 2 turntables?

http://www.adverts.ie/turntables/turntables-stanton-t62x/1328249


Used to own an Xponent, wasn't too impressed, bit too flimsy for my liking plus it has to be mapped to work with Traktor (I think).

ianuss

Eddie Ere wrote: »

I've been looking about for Technics but I can't find anything in that price range, have mainly seen 1210s second hand. Any recommendation on something similar?

What do you reckon on these 2 turntables?

http://www.adverts.ie/turntables/turntables-stanton-t62x/1328249


Used to own an Xponent, wasn't too impressed, bit too flimsy for my liking plus it has to be mapped to work with Traktor (I think).

I wouldn't be able to give any advice on turntables, sorry. Try googling the make and model with review in the search and you should be able to get a handle on what it is you're looking at. Alternatively, maybe some others here might be able to help.

I just had a quick look an adverts there and it does seem as if prices are a bit high for people selling their Technics. But when I was looking prices were a fair bit lower. I've heard a few people picking up sets for ~€400 (Electrogrimey I think was one) so I'd be going with that sort of price as a good estimate. Email the sellers and offer them cash, you never know what some people will end up accepting. The 'selling price' and 'sold price' are often miles apart.