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View Full Version : Upgrading: DJM350 | Opinion?



Rocky L
04-05-2012, 09:27 AM
Hello fellow forum members,

I haven't had much time last year (beside the occassional school partys) to spin some music in the public, now my exams are getting close and so is the final year of my high school, I wish to invest in some better equipment.

I currently own this: American Audio Q-D6 DJ mixer together with 2 American Audio Flex 100 MP3 CD Players. It was a pretty nice set a year ago, €450 all with flightcase and stuff. But I feel I've outgrown that system by now, and mixing became boring for me (mainly because of the lack of functions), it had some effects on the CD Players themself. But I don't like that, and you had no good control over the fx.

I'm playing mostly Electro (Dutch) House and lately some Dubstep and Moombahton.

I got a pretty good income for a schoolkid, let's say €500+ every 4 weeks, so actually money isn't that much a problem.

I can still resale the full other set for around 300 euros as it is in pretty perfect condition, and market price is still 450.

I was looking for some Pioneer gear, and saw the 350 Series. I once played on some CDJ2000&DJM800 at a club, and I really felt I missed experience on those.
I couldn't use the mixer at all, besides the basic stuff, since I had no effects on my mixer at home. Neither could I get used to the jogs and sensitivity of the 2000's, because the American Audio jog is really loose, and the buttons are soft, which means it triggers later then CDJ's would.

So I felt like upgrading towards the DJM350 mixer for now and use them with the American Audio CD Players (this probably looks like shit, but it's just for home use for now, and creating podcasts, cause that is one of my ideas for this summer), and after my exams buy myself 2 CDJ350's. Do you guys think this is worth it? Can I go for another 1-2 years on that system?

Thanks for the advice already!
Rocky L

Estacy
04-05-2012, 09:33 AM
the DJM 350 is a POS in my opinion. the effects are in no way similar to a DJM 800. they suck even, only 4 effects and only 1 parameter. Buy a 2nd hand DJM 400 if you really want that Pioneer feel for cheap. I've had similar cd players (CDI 300mp3, the same, but no effects) I really didn't think transitioning from them to CDJ's was all too difficult.

If you want to know how to use a DJM 800, you need a DJM 800. its as simple as that. My advice? buy a 2nd hand DJM 700. you can find them for about 600 euros (I've seen them on Marktplaats for that price). You still get that Pioneer feel, proper effects and a mixer that you won't outgrow anytime soon

Rocky L
04-05-2012, 10:04 AM
Thanks for the reply! Yeah I was actually having a hard timing hearing my beatmatch through my headphones, so that was actually more an mixer related issue for me back then. Oh and autocue pretty much screwed me, it was set up differently then my American Audio's had so yeah, that was unexpected.

I'm currently browsing Marktplaats a little bit, also searching for the 400 & 700, the 400 actually goes for half the price a new unit of the 350 goes so yeah.
I'm still not sure yet though, any other opinions?

I'm not that good a DJ to have real big gear standing at my home I suppose, I'm mostly just above average on what the American Audio allows me to do, but I feel so limited.

Estacy
04-05-2012, 02:06 PM
The djm 400 is a fun little mixer, 2nd hand that is, new it was too expensive. The headphone system on the DJM 400 is not the same as on other DJMs, but that really shouldnt be an issue. It is a home mixer strictly, it has no balanced outs, no rec out. the DJM 700 has all this. Its a more professional mixers.
If you want something else than Pioneer, then theres quite a lot of options

DJNR
04-05-2012, 02:48 PM
The DJM400 isn't even that great of a mixer either... Everyone I know that had one abandoned it eventually because the bad effects and sound quality, and the thing gave more problems with repairs than it was worth.

If you really want Pioneer stuff, I would look at the 700 or above. If money isn't an issue, then it shouldn't be too hard to find an 800 second hand for a good price.

Edit: On a side note, there are plenty of other mixers out there that sound better + better build quality than Pioneer gear. That being said however, the Pioneer "feel" is something you can only find on their line of products, hence why I didn't recommend anything else.

Rocky L
04-05-2012, 02:59 PM
I think I've made up my mind, I'm going to buy myself a brand new DJM700. Why brand new? I'm actually not a fan of buying used stuff, bad experiences and stuff. The DJM800 is still a too big purchase for me so yeah.

I really want that pioneer feel, I've had too much trouble getting along with Pioneer the first time I used them at the clubs. I really want to make something of this upcoming summer, so I think the 825 should be well spend in this case?

Also, for the DJM700. I wish to make some high quality podcasts, monthly or so, I don't own anything for recording (that's what I liked about the 350).
Does the DJM700 offer any solution for this? Or does this obligate me to buy an external soundcard for good quality recording?

Thanks both!

Estacy
04-05-2012, 03:10 PM
the DJM 700 has a record out that gives a constant volume no matter what the master level is at. So plug a cable from that into a line input on your computer and you're good to go. If you keep your levels below 0dB. for better sound quality you need an external soundcard, but Behringer makes some that are less than 40 euros so that shouldn't be a problem

Rocky L
04-05-2012, 03:35 PM
Great to hear!

Thanks, I've made up my mind. Gonna order myself the DJM700 tommorow.
For the future, I really wanna upgrade to some CDJ's. Just so I start using USB's instead of CDs. But I suppose the 350's will work for that?

They have some pretty good features, I was comparing them to the 850K, but I don't think the 850K offer that much more for the 600 Euro difference.
The 850 just looks more like the 2000's. And probably are slightly more solid, but not something I wanna pay lots more on.

Cardell
04-06-2012, 02:23 PM
The 350s are fully Rekordbox compatible, so your usb drives at home will work perfectly at a club with, say, 2000s.