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Thread: Sound quality

  1. #1
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    Sound quality

    So,we all know that the Behringer Mixer DJX750 is junk (I know I wouldnt use it at a gig) but,what about SOUND QUALITY
    vs A high end Pioneer? Any difference ? Or about the same.

  2. #2
    Moderator pete's Avatar
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    Sound quality is a very subjective issue.
    A general consensus would show the Behringer sounds bad, even for the time period it was released.

    What is more objective is the quality and implementation of the compnents used in the machine.
    Behringer make cheap equipment, and use bargain basement components.
    So the quality isn't there. But for a ~150$ mixer - what do you honestly expect? It will have about ~20$ of hardware, such is the nature of commerce.

    As for a Pioneer, is it made with amazing quality components? Compared to what?
    DJ equipment, by nature, are not hifi quality sounding products.
    Vinyl, objectively, sounds bad. The DACs that are everywhere in modern mixers are OK, but again, are not high end.
    Pioneer is built to a price point by a large company, so will be compromised.
    "Better" than the Behringer. Well, without question, yes.
    "Good"?
    Well... that is relative.

    Something like a Condesa, E&S, Bozak, Rane and most Allen&Heath are objectively "better".

    Its kinda like the car market. Ford spend a lot on advertising and sell a lot of cars. A lot of famous drivers get paid to use their stuff and it is everywhere.
    But their "driving quality" is not better than many specialist constructors.
    Last edited by pete; 12-08-2019 at 05:32 AM.
    bored, curious, deaf or just bad taste in music?
    finally a mix by me
    and what's this, another shoddy mix...another dull mix

  3. #3
    BanHammer™⚒️ Manu's Avatar
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    I don't regard pioneer as good sounding either.

    Try Allen and Heath, Ecler, Formula Sound, Rane, or Bozak for sound quality.

    Then once you're done, stop using lossy formats and badly mastered tracks.

    (behringer) sound quality vs A high end Pioneer
    lol, thread moved to mixers.
    Last edited by Manu; 12-08-2019 at 04:39 PM. Reason: typing too fast

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Manu View Post
    stop using lossless formats
    I think you meant to say LOSSY formats

    But yea.. well what I would say on the subject of sound quality in DJ equipment, is.. in the past (eg 20-40 years ago), it was much harder to make really great sounding audio gear, so cheap gear sounded.. CHEAP. Now, a company has to truly go out of their way to produce a mixer that really sucks. Behringer gear does not sound bad at all, it doesn't sound amazing, but not bad. But it breaks really easily in my experience, and doesn't feel good to use.

    The hating on Pioneer sound quality is, in my opinion, kind of silly at this point. Things have come a LONG way since the 1990's DJM-500, a LONG LONG way. I have a DJM-900NXS now and it has tons of headroom and sounds quite good. I understand that the NXS2 has even more headroom and sounds even better. But for years I was bringing a DJM-800 out to gigs, and that model DID have some limitations, it did not have enough headroom for starters. But if you did not retardedly push the levels into the red when every DJ knows you should not do that, it still sounded quite acceptable.

    I used to get MANY major compliments on the sound of my system using that supposedly terrible sounding DJM-800. Of course I use speakers that cost over $3000/each, bi-amped, carefully setup processing, a rack full of quality amps... so if the mixer really sucked that hard, you would think that it would have dragged that whole system down with it and the result would have been just awful. The reality is that while the mixer wasn't pristine sounding, it was still a fairly pro quality piece.

    I also have a Xone:62 and Ecler Nuo, and I carefully compared those three to see what I liked, and my conclusion was that while I preferred the sound of both those mixers to the sound of the 800, it was the kind of difference you would hear only on hifi speakers or pro studio monitors, or on a perfectly tuned high-end club system. The mobile DJ with his Mackie Thumps can use whatever mixer he likes because it won't make much difference.

    But yea, now, with the 900NXS, if I were to do the comparison again, it is def better sounding than the 800.. and sure, these boutique analog mixers may very well sound better, but it is a much closer horse race than it ever was, and you have to have a top quality sound system to notice a problem with quality mixer models from any company. While the Ecler NUO remains by far my favorite mixer (as a DJ) to mix on, I really question whether, if I were to compare it head to head with the NXS or NXS2, if it would really be the better sounding.

    But yea, back to the subject.. Behringer, is cheap. And falls apart, and is just not so great. I wouldn't buy one, if I had to buy a cheap mixer due to limited budget, I'd look to Numark first. Allen & Heath and Pioneer both make good models at around $300 more or less.. that's not too much money for a decent mixer, so I'd go that way if I could rather than waste my money on a Behringer that I will just end up throwing away in a couple of years.

    But, Behringer sound quality? Probably fine, because if you are a cheapskate on the mixer you probably aren't buying very good speakers either, and speakers have WAY more importance in the final sound quality than the mixer choice.
    Last edited by light-o-matic; 12-08-2019 at 03:13 PM.

  5. #5
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    As I always mention... The room itself does more damage to the sound being reproduced within it than the difference between the overall quality of the gear. Even the cheapest converters sound pretty decent, the tech is that good but cheap speakers will sound harsh. The problem with old cheap mixers was they didn't distort well, they didn't colour the sound in a pleasing way like expensive mixers. Digital mixers, you can't distort at all with out sounding bad (edit:some may use limiting to prevent this but the point still stands)... high quality digital mixers will handle higher signal levels before distortion. As long as you stay with in the correct gain staging of all the equipment, everything will sound as good as the room will allow.

    Once a mixer or converter is neutral, there is no better quality. The only better quality is due to colouration, which isn't 'objectively' better, it's entirely 'subjective'.
    Last edited by mitchiemasha; 12-08-2019 at 08:01 PM.

  6. #6
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    Here's where I stand with DJ equipment.IT's OUTA HERE! (i quite DJin' a while back) so Hi Fi stuff(as high end as I
    can afford) is my thing.No Home Theater surround processor or video. Used vintage seperates (amp/pre amp) possibly tube
    Mcintosh (dream on) and speakers the size of small refridgerators should do the trick.But Im trying not to spend 10k
    so it's time consuming as hell.Putting together the right components for A desired sound can be trial and error.
    It looks like the Pre amp alone will be about 1500.And I'm thinking the Technics 1200 TT won't do.
    Anyways, this Audio Bug is insanity !
    Thanks for your guys' lowdown on mixer sound quality !Top Notch!

  7. #7
    LOL then why are you asking about Pioneer mixers much less Behringer.


    If you want something vintage that sounds great, and don't want to spend 10K, there are good options out there, you gotta be more creative.. you can't afford McIntosh or Audio Research, Conrad Johnson or anything like that, so forget it! What you do is, get yourself an amp and preamp (or integrated amp) of just plain excellent quality from those times.. like, Tandberg (which I used to have a whole system of). Harman Kardon Citation Series (ditto), B&K (I still use my ST202 amp from the 80's, still sounds great), Marantz, Hafler, etc... Even a higher end Yamaha from the 70's-80's will sound great. Get something like that, have it re-capped and cleaned up.. then spend the rest of your money on the BEST SPEAKERS you can afford. As far as the turntable there are quite a few options out there, I had a Systemdek XII, I gifted it to my nephew for his 18th birthday.. I'm a nice uncle ain't I? Those aren't too expensive but they're good. Plenty of good old gear out there at reasonable price if you stay away from the flashier, more boutique names. Not that I wouldn't LOVE an Audio Research setup, or whatever, but you don't have to spend that kind of money for great hifi.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by davethewave View Post
    so it's time consuming as hell.Putting together the right components for A desired sound can be trial and error.
    it's not... because if you've done nothing to your room non of it will matter. And a lot of those "old" things are considered better sounding, not because they are better, but that they colour the sound in away that those who like them prefer.

    If you want to over complicate it and that's how you get your kicks, fair enough but most of it is BS! especially when those spouting it have zero acoustic panelling or bass trapping in their room. Bass trapping should always come first to improve the sound of a system, then first reflections. The room is paramount!!!

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