Vintage CDJ DJ needs help!

[electricblu]

Hello - CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP A VINTAGE CDJ DJ?

I play Trance using purely CDs on my CDJ1000s and have been using a TASCAM X9 mixer which I was happy with although it is now giving up the ghost and it would be time to replace/upgrade but I don't have a clue about modern equipment and mixers? (specifically MIDI and all the traktor/serato stuff)

OK so I record my sets onto computer (using M-Audio Delta 2496 soundcard) using a program called REAPER. I know this can be used with MIDI, now what I'd like to do is to control some of the parameters (levels, record start/stop) using the mixer if at all possible as I have just been using keyboard/mouse up until now? Am I dreaming or is this possible? Can it be done with other software? Perhaps someone can explain how this MIDI on the mixer works to me??

Now my budget is ~£700-£850 (obviously the cheaper the better but could stretch to this for right mixer) and I have been looking at 2nd hand mixers along the following lines:

DJM700
DJM750
DJM800
Denon DNX1600
Denon DNX1700
Allen & Heath DB2

My mixing style can vary between simply smooth beatmatching to chopping and using effects, although scratching isn't really part of my repertoire.

I don't use Traktor/Serato and know less than nothing even about them. I know some of these mixers can be used with these, but I truly don't understand it? Is this something I should be looking to using from a 'future proofing' point of view?

I'm buying a house in next few years, so I guess this will be my last big gear purchase and I'd like to make the right choice and get something that will see me through.

Important points for me are: Must have good effects, build quality must be excellent, I'm not hung up on an internal sound card although it would be nice so I can ditch the one in the computer. I have a 'version' of matrix assignments on my current mixer so I can copy a channel to another which means I can set effects on separate channels. Matrix would be a nice feature.

I currently have a Behringer DEQ2496 for equalisation and run this through my effects send/return loop so I can control the output afterwards with the master control on the mixer. Now this may not be an ideal way to do it as it EQs my master for recording so if someone can help with this also as it needs a good input level to do its job properly? I understand on modern Pioneer mixers the send/return loop eats up the effects and as such I would be without them? Perhaps I need to just put in the master output and control levels on the amp itself?

Another option could be buy the cheaper end of the pioneers (700) and get an RMX500 (or even 1000 if I can find one within the budget) to expand the possibilities? What is everyone's thoughts on this?

Sorry for the million questions, I really want to get this right as I don't often make purchases and want to do the right thing! I'm not a Pioneer fanboy, although I do have the CDJs and HDJ2000 phones so it would sort of complete the set, although I have often found Pioneer relatively 'feature lacking' compared to the competition? I do like that the Pioneer stuff holds it value relatively well comparatively though, always nice to have residual value in the gear in case of wanting to swap/change.

PLEASE can some people more experienced in modern gear than me help out?

[WestonParish]

Welcome to DJF!

You could definitely simplify that setup quite a bit with a few modern touches!

As you are just looking to replace the mixer, your budget and needs (seemingly FX mostly) will dictate which you get. You hit the nail right on the head with future-proofing, however. I LOVE A&H mixers, personally. So your selection of the DB2 is a fantastic choice in my opinion. It has a huge amount of built-in FX, and can also be used as a MIDI controller in the future whenever you decide to get messing around with software like Traktor or Serato.

I would completely take the Behringer EQ out of the signal chain, and just send RCA via the Record Out on the mixer you get directly to your already-great Audiocard's RCA inputs. You can record your set either with Reaper, or another free tool called Audacity.

As far as controlling whether or not the computer records via buttons on your mixer, that is something that is potentially possible due to the MIDI capabilities on the DB2, but I don't really think that makes much sense in the end. You can just as easily open a Reaper or Audacity session, set your inputs, and hit record. No messing with an external EQ, and you can do your final touches in mastering the mix lightly within Reaper (compression and basic EQ).

In your eventual experimentation or transition/inclusion of digital DJ tools, the next steps I would recommend are trying out Traktor Scratch Pro using Timecode CDs in your CDJ1000s. This will allow you to control music on your laptop/computer within the Traktor software, while mixing on your DB2. This also requires some other equipment bundled with the product (Audio 6 soundcard), which can be seen as a cost-prohibitive experiment when you could just save it and invest in HID compatible pioneer CDJs/XDJs later on. HID means they can be directly connected to the computer and have all functions work just like a normal CDJ, except you are 'spinning' the music files on your computer rather than CD.

Instead of ditching the soundcard in the computer, I would continue to use it as long as it isn't really getting in your way. I am unsure of a mixer that can record sets internally. Most folks go with a portable audio recorder from Tascam and just throw a line-input on it.

[light-o-matic]

One of my shittiest dj mixer experiences ever was on the Denon 1600. Not a fan of Denon in general. They lull you with all their features but they have problems.

As far as the Pioneers they are solid units. My favorite mixer is Ecler but I have a Pioneer 800, I got it for sound system rentals where a Pioneer is expected. It's a solid mixer and works very well.. my main complaint would be the (common) issue of the headphone master being tied to the master output volume.. so if you have got the master low, the headphones are low. This sucks because I mainly mix in headphones. But most mixers do this (but not Ecler!), I have learned to deal.

As far as the sound card, I'm not your guy for that info, but my understanding is that the DJM 750 does have a computer sound interface both input and output (last I heard it was not Traktor certified but don't take my word for it.. things change). The 800, being older, does not. The 700 also does not.. being basically an 800 with a few features taken out.

All three have MIDI mapping of their controls but the 750 is via USB whereas the other two are a standard MIDI DIN connection so you'd need an interface to the PC. So yea you could map some of your buttons etc. I have seen videos where people are using two channels to mix regular decks and two channels to control software.

[light-o-matic]

WTF is it with people who sign up, ask a question, and never come back to see if anyone answered??!
That's really annoying.

[greenlight]

Seeing as the OP'er disappeared I shall veer OT.

As far as the Pioneers they are solid units. My favorite mixer is Ecler but I have a Pioneer 800, I got it for sound system rentals where a Pioneer is expected. It's a solid mixer and works very well.. my main complaint would be the (common) issue of the headphone master being tied to the master output volume.. so if you have got the master low, the headphones are low. This sucks because I mainly mix in headphones. But most mixers do this (but not Ecler!), I have learned to deal.

You might be interested to know that Pioneer appear to have finally ended the madness that is tying the headphone master to the master output volume. The DJM-900NXS2 & DJM-450 no longer do this. I was looking into it because I mix in headphones too. Mentioned here and from what I can see from looking at the schematics appears to be true.

[light-o-matic]

That's cool, thanks! Tho it does not help me with my DJM-800. Still I will try to find out if any settings are necessary for this to work on the newer models so that if I get up to play on one I'll be able to take advantage of it.

It seems to me that the part about them being unable to fix this in discontinued models is BS seeing as how its digital mixer so more than likely that a small firmware update would take care of it.

[mitchiemasha]

WTF is it with people who sign up, ask a question, and never come back to see if anyone answered??!
That's really annoying.

Especially when they spent the time to make such a big post.

[greenlight]

That's cool, thanks! Tho it does not help me with my DJM-800. Still I will try to find out if any settings are necessary for this to work on the newer models so that if I get up to play on one I'll be able to take advantage of it.

It seems to me that the part about them being unable to fix this in discontinued models is BS seeing as how its digital mixer so more than likely that a small firmware update would take care of it.

As far as I can tell no settings changes are needed - nothing in the manual about it, anyway.

As to whether it would be possible to fix older models in firmware... I don't know enough about how the DSP is engineered to say.