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View Full Version : Should I go with a two or four-channel mixer?



MBOCHEY
03-14-2012, 11:54 PM
I bought a Vestax Typhoon to learn the basics of DJing knowing that I would have to upgrade my gear if DJing worked out for me. I am getting ready to get a pair of Numark NDX900s but I am not sure what mixer should get. I am afraid that if I get a two-channel mixer, I will want to upgrade it to a four-channel mixer. I only plan on using two decks but it seems like a lot of people still have four-channel mixers. In your opinion, is it important to have a mixer with more than two channels and why?
And if I plan on using the NDX900s to control Virtual DJ, will I need a USB mixer? (The NDX900s have MIDI capability)

Thanks,
Mike

Andrew B
03-15-2012, 01:45 AM
A four-channel mixer is for four audio sources. If you're not planning on having more than two, then a two-channel mixer is fine.

Panotaker
03-15-2012, 09:03 AM
With most two channel mixers, you can hook up two turntables and two CD players, but you can only play two of those at the same time. To play the turntables, you normally have to push a button or flip a switch and put the mixer on phono input, to play the CD's, you press a button or flip a switch and put it on line input. With a 4 channel mixer, you can play all four sources at the same time if you want to. Since most 4 channel mixers have the same switches, you can hook up more stuff to them, like 4 CD players and two turntables, or you can hook up an iPod or something else. It just makes it easier to have a lot of stuff hooked up to your mixer without having to unplug something and hooking something else up. My mixers are all 4 channels, but I normally just play two sources and not 4 at a time. Unless you really know what you are doing, playing four songs at once is not going to double the crowd on the dance floor, it will probably have the opposite effect;-)

B.Frank
03-15-2012, 12:10 PM
Most people don't use four channels or even three channels, but it's still nice to have those extra channels just in case. They can be used to play samples, cue up another track or let a buddy plug in his controller.

DJNR
03-15-2012, 02:24 PM
A four-channel mixer is for four audio sources. If you're not planning on having more than two, then a two-channel mixer is fine.

Some mixers even have 4 inputs like the Rain TMM57, which allow you to just switch the inputs to different sources even though it is only a two channel mixer.

Andrew B
03-15-2012, 02:26 PM
Some mixers even have 4 inputs like the Rain TMM57, which allow you to just switch the inputs to different sources even though it is only a two channel mixer.

Yeah, I should've clarified. If he wants four simultaneous audio sources. Any two-channel mixer will accept four audio sources, you're just usually limited to two at once.

KLH
03-15-2012, 03:23 PM
Since this is in the beginner's section, I'll chime in that the above discussion is focused on DJ Mixers. DJ Mixers allow multiple sources to be assigned to a channel (i.e. Phono in, Line in, Aux in, or computer in).

Regular mixers (i.e. straight-line, production, recording, etc.) don't usually allow different sources. What ever is plugged into the channel's input is the only source on that channel.

When DJing, most only use two sources - even though many may be available. For that reason, many DJ mixers only use two music sources at one time (microphone excepted). These are called 2 channel mixers (aka battle mixers).

Four channel DJ mixers allow for four music sources simultaneously. While certainly more flexible than two-deck mixers, very few use more than two channels at one time.

Which is better? It depends on what you want to accomplish. For most, a 2 channel mixer is all that's needed. IMHO, 2 or 4 inputs are just one parameter of what's important in a mixer...

-KLH

Finnish_Fox
03-15-2012, 03:29 PM
Maybe you should just quit while you're ahead... haha. :P

Seriously, you can get away with a 2-channel mixer with no problems. Chances are you will not be using the 3rd or 4th channel in addition to channels 1 and 2 at the same time. If you think you may want to move in that direction and have the money for a decent 4-channel, go for it.

A decent to good 2-channel > a cheap 4-channel.

mostapha
03-15-2012, 06:08 PM
The issue is that unless you're a hip hop DJ, most of the development has been on 3+ channel mixers. There are features available for 3 and 4 channel mixers that just aren't there on 2 channel mixers (for the most part). Whether you're using them and whether you can afford them are separate issues.

I use a 4-channel mixer with 2 decks. Before that, I used a 4+2 channel mixer (technically 6 channels, though 2 of them were limited in terms of EQ and input choices). Before that, I used a 3 channel mixer. I've used up to 3 channels at once, but the biggest reason for the bigger mixers was that 2-channel mixers were limited in terms of what they could do, not just the number of channels.

So…what kind of a budget are you looking at, and what do you want the mixer to do? That's a lot more important than just the number of channels.

Finnish_Fox
03-15-2012, 06:20 PM
The issue is that unless you're a hip hop DJ, most of the development has been on 3+ channel mixers. There are features available for 3 and 4 channel mixers that just aren't there on 2 channel mixers (for the most part). Whether you're using them and whether you can afford them are separate issues.

Can you give examples? I can really only think of effects, which I don't use, but could be a deal-breaker for someone else?

djirsk
03-15-2012, 09:56 PM
if youre gonna be utilizing more than two audio sources, go with a 4 channel, if not save some cash and get a 2 channel

MBOCHEY
03-15-2012, 10:53 PM
A decent to good 2-channel > a cheap 4-channel.

^^I like that




So…what kind of a budget are you looking at, and what do you want the mixer to do? That's a lot more important than just the number of channels.

I am sort of thinking that it doesn't really matter much to me to have effects on a mixer because the CD players already have a bunch of effects. Even filters, the CD players have that too. So maybe I just want to get the Numark M1USB. It is very simple and low budget and if I will be able to use it with VDJ if I want.

jazzyj
03-16-2012, 10:05 AM
I think it also depends on what you're going to be doing.

If you're a club DJ, or bedroom DJ, especially just starting, my guess is as everyone has said that 2 channels is enough.

Now for mobile DJ'ing where you will be doing weddings, having 4 channels is more than just a convenience.

I use channels A & B for the tracks. Then I keep channel D as the mic input because we do announcements/intros throughout the night, and I take it off the crossfader so even if I'm faded away from channel D, the mic is still live. I also use Channel C as an alternate input for an ipod or some other 3.5mm audio source if the need ever came up - OR I also use it as a 3rd track channel to have a special "event" song cue'd up such as the song the Bride & Groom want to be introduced too, so as I'm playing that background music before they get there, as soon as they arrive, the track is in C ready to go.

My 4-channel is the Traktor S4. I believe they've come down about $100 in price since they came out last year, but still not falling too much yet.

sense
03-18-2012, 07:52 AM
If you're a club DJ, or bedroom DJ, especially just starting, my guess is as everyone has said that 2 channels is enough.
:bing:

Gareth
03-31-2012, 05:37 PM
A decent to good 2-channel > a cheap 4-channel.

Absolutely!

I started with a Behringer DJX750, which is a 4 channel mixer but found it a horrible thing to use. One of the things I discovered after buying it which wasn't mentioned in the reviews I read is that although there are 4 channels (1, 2, 3 and 4) that can be hooked up to 4 devices you really only have 2 channels that can be played simultaneously (A & B) and you actually have to assign channel A to be either source 1, 2, 3 or 4 and the same with channel B.

I was kinda expecting to assign channel 1 to either A or B, same with channels 2, 3 and 4 so I could play them all simultaneously if I wanted, but Behringer did it the oposite way round.

I then upgraded the Behringer to a Denon DNX600 mixer which is "only" a 2 channel mixer... but despite that is miles ahead of the Behringer I started out with.

Gareth
03-31-2012, 05:40 PM
Also, unless your name is Carl Cox then you can get away with 2 channels... and if your name is Steve Angello then you only need one.

Dix
03-31-2012, 05:46 PM
I started out with a 2 channel mixer but eventually bought a 4 channel because it had a mixer & some other features that the 2 channel didn't have. I only use one channel but I figure... what if one channel goes out or has a problem. I have three more. I am pretty sure that I will always have a 4 channel but, only because its my preference. I have to say, this 4 channel is probly 2 to 3 times larger than teh little simple 2 channel. So, it does occupy more space on my table at gigs.

DjAaron
04-05-2012, 12:58 AM
I went with a 4 channel because I always have my ipod connected on one channel just in case the laptop crashes and I can quickly resort to a mix on the ipod. With my controller it is also a stand alone so I don't need the laptop if I wanted to connect some cdj's to it. I do like having 4 channels because I can also use decks C&D for samples and drops if I wanted to.

Basically really think hard of how far you want to go with DJ'n and what would suit you the best. Most DJ's do great on 2 channels and some do great on 4. Just overall preference and the style you want to go with I think