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View Full Version : Vinyl not economic for DJ'ing (Generic music)



sav25
02-11-2012, 05:22 PM
Hi all

So I got myself some Technics 1210's a couple of years ago - and I almost treat them just like a stereo really, not that into "DJ'ing" - more of a nostalgic record collection player! I do mix a bit of UK Garage, but for personal pleasure rather than doing sets.

However, a friend recently asked me to DJ a birthday party, as she knew I had a set of decks. I declined due to my lack of 'generic' party pleasers - but was a bit miffed because the thought of DJ'ing got me a bit excited.

So, now I'm thinking...do I extend my vinyl collection to do partys - or just give in to 'the times' and go Mp3 to save on expensive, and high maintenance, vinyl?


I almost think that people prefer a vinyl DJ for that atmosphere that goes with it...but again, it would cost be a load to get started.

Any thoughts/opinions/similar experiences?

Kratosso
02-11-2012, 05:28 PM
If you have two fantastic Technics...
Vinyl is the way, only pleasure.

thehadgi
02-11-2012, 05:54 PM
So, now I'm thinking...do I extend my vinyl collection to do partys - or just give in to 'the times' and go Mp3 to save on expensive, and high maintenance, vinyl?


I think you might be the only person to answer that question. You already know vinyl is more expensive, heavy, higher maintenance, and not as flexible, and that mp3's are going to be easier to organize and play. You could do a serato/traktor thing if you want to use your tables and a laptop. But it's mostly up to you

inb4 thread derails into flame war

Sigma
02-11-2012, 07:03 PM
There's a couple of good arguments for vinyl: -

1. Having the vinyl collector's bug. Some people have it, some don't. If you do, then the cost doesn't matter. It's not a logical argument (outside of combining it with point 2), but then there's no logical reason to collect baseball cards, or teddy bears, or stamps etc.

2. Records you buy will always be worth something. Sometimes the price will go up, sometimes it will go down. It's hard to predict how much a track will be worth in 10 or 20 year's time. I bought some records in the 80s that I sold a couple of years later that would now fetch £50+, but when you buy records you never think "this one will be worth £100 in 2022". MP3s are never worth anything.

3. Buying a 12" doesn't just get you one track. It'll sometimes get you multiple tracks, maybe an acapella, maybe an instrumental, maybe a remix.

But that said, I would say just get a DVS, then you have the best of both worlds. You can buy the vinyl version of songs/albums you love if you're into collecting, and for more throwaway tracks that you're buying to DJ with you can get the MP3/WAV version.

thehadgi
02-11-2012, 07:06 PM
Good point Sigma. never really thought about the fact that they can collect value over time

Sigma
02-11-2012, 07:14 PM
Good point Sigma. never really thought about the fact that they can collect value over time
Yeah man. I know from experience that most records you buy will decrease in value, unless you're into obscure stuff to begin with and making really considered purchases, but it only takes a few to be rare gems and that compensates for it. The same thing has been happening with CDs too. I own some CDs that regularly sell for £100+. This one for instance: -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CD-LOW-PROFILE-WERE-TOGETHER-1990-RARE-MINT-/380092415999?pt=Music_CDs&hash=item587f45ffff

It's a buyer's market for second hand records right now, but these things tend to go in cycles.

dskreet
02-11-2012, 11:09 PM
Like Sigma said, DVS sounds like a good option. Just buy stuff on Vinyl that you really love.

mostapha
02-12-2012, 02:54 AM
There's a couple of good arguments for vinyl: -

Records you buy will always be worth something.…MP3s are never worth anything.…But that said, I would say just get a DVS, then you have the best of both worlds. You can buy the vinyl version of songs/albums you love if you're into collecting, and for more throwaway tracks that you're buying to DJ with you can get the MP3/WAV version.

:stupid:

100%

And my personal plan going forward.

One other thing that you're going to have to consider…what kind of parties are these? What kind of music are you playing? If you're playing disposable top40 and mainstream dance, you don't want that on vinyl. In addition to being a sunk cost, you might have to pay to dispose of them in the future. That is, if you can even find it on vinyl. If you're talking about actual EDM or hip hop, then there's a debate there. But I think the DVS wins even if you're using the mp3/wav versions as extended trials to see if you want to bother buying the record.

Chay
02-12-2012, 08:10 AM
Like Sigma said, DVS sounds like a good option. Just buy stuff on Vinyl that you really love.

Exactly this, I've been buying vinyl for the music that I really enjoy! :D

DJ Matt
02-12-2012, 12:52 PM
i agree with sigma, this is what i do also, i am collecting those special record which mean a lot to me and i bring the technics to gigs when i have the luxury to do so.particularly if its an important event or if there will be photographers :D vinyl is more about the aesthetics than anything else these days. unless you are a scratch dj in which case this is your "instrument"
or indeed one of the people who likes to beat match using DVS

but the core of the setup is a mixer which controls the computer but also takes input from turntables & cd players so i can combine the lot, thats what i would recommend to you

apart from the cost facter it also is load of extra hassle to bring technics to a party

bernardgregory
02-12-2012, 03:07 PM
for parties, DVS is the way to go since you already have TTs.

The thing about controllers and CDJs... they cant play vinyl. With DVS, you can play vinyl, mp3 etc

abubacar
02-13-2012, 01:33 PM
The way i deal with this (as a record lover) is by doing hybrid mixes of actual records and serato. I buy the stuff i really love on vinyl and then just get the mp3s for the "party pleaers" and just tracks i don't think warrant spending 10 dollars or so and play those through serato. You get the feel of records (can't stand CDJs) but you don't have to spend an arm and a leg.

I suggest serato because if you like just DJing with vinyl, i feel that serato is the better option. The layout is cleaner and doesn't have all the uncessary stuff that traktor has (which is good in its own, but not for just vinyl replacement, IMO.) Plus you can get a serato set up for about $230 bucks. Check ebay for a used SL1 and pick up some control records, then you can just download the software from serato.com.

KLH
02-13-2012, 01:57 PM
To the OP: What IS economical in the DJ world? The cheapest thing is really the DJ...

-KLH

dlove
02-13-2012, 02:06 PM
The same thing has been happening with CDs too. I own some CDs that regularly sell for £100+. This one for instance: -



looking for a tune the other day, it was only available on a compilation cd for £37.00. I nearly keeled over!

fueledbymusic
02-17-2012, 12:31 AM
There's a couple of good arguments for vinyl: -


2. Records you buy will always be worth something. Sometimes the price will go up, sometimes it will go down. It's hard to predict how much a track will be worth in 10 or 20 year's time. I bought some records in the 80s that I sold a couple of years later that would now fetch £50+, but when you buy records you never think "this one will be worth £100 in 2022". MP3s are never worth anything.





Its very true that vinyls will always have some value. and mp3s are never worth anything. Very true on that part. But it does cost more to buy vinyl. They typically cost say $5- $10 to buy each one. The mp3s typically cost $1 or $2.

DTR
02-17-2012, 01:00 AM
But it does cost more to buy vinyl.

Not always. With discogs and ebay second hand vinyl can be had for cheap, especially when you buy several from one seller. The last (relatively) big order I made from discogs cost me just over a pound per tune, postage included. Doesn't apply to the latest releases though, admittedly.

dlove
02-17-2012, 01:26 AM
Good point Sigma. never really thought about the fact that they can collect value over time

they're only going to collect value if the seller knows the value and the buyer wants to pay, going through everything one by one. Chances are, a lot of collections just get sold off as a job lot by some non-vinyl-junkie relative when the collector dies. Ah, I'm full of the joys today :)

Sigma
02-17-2012, 01:45 AM
Another consideration is that a ton of music (most music in fact) has never been released digitally, including on CD. The thread was originally about generic music (top 40 stuff) so you'll have no problem getting that as a digital download, but that's certainly not the case with all music.

I'm making a mix at the moment that features music all from 1 artist. I have all 7 albums that they released. 3 came out on vinyl, cassette and CD, 3 were only ever released on cassette and vinyl, and 1 was only ever released officially on vinyl and cassette, but it was also released as a bootleg on CD.

Obviously, most DJs are playing mostly current music with some older tracks thrown into the mix and so this isn't an issue, but if you're a music fan and you get heavily into a genre and start looking back, you will find stuff that you simply will never get on CD or from iTunes and the like.

Oh, and the MP3 to vinyl pricing comparison is a tough one. An MP3 may be $2, but you get 1 song for that. There are some one-sided 12"s that only have 1 track on them, but they're very rare. Most 12"s have 2-5 tracks on them. Admittedly, you may only want the 1 main track on that record, so you're having to pay for the others even though you don't want them, but in some cases you're getting an acapella, an instrumental and maybe a remix and they're all useful tools for DJs. Also, you can buy vinyl second hand, while you can't do the same with MP3s, plus if you buy the vinyl all you need to do is record it and you've got a nice lossless WAV file or an MP3 as well. It's really not as simple as saying "an MP3 is $2 and a record is $8" or whatever.

dlove
02-17-2012, 01:51 AM
Another consideration is that a ton of music (most music in fact) has never been released digitally, including on CD.

slightly off-topic, but pertaining to CD's and price...I was looking for the new Soil & Pimp compilation on vinyl the other day, but it's only available on CD at the princely price of...(wait for it)...£37.00. I'm still in shock.