Looking to buy CD Decks Turntables / CD Decks Discuss Looking to buy CD Decks in the DJ Equipment Forum forums; I need some help... I've been messing about mixing on Traktor 3 for about 8 months now. Most people seem to laugh at me when I mention I dj on ...

[aghastpumpkin]

I need some help...

I've been messing about mixing on Traktor 3 for about 8 months now. Most people seem to laugh at me when I mention I dj on a computer and because of using a computer, I don't have a hope in hell of transferring any "skill" I may have to a bar or a club.

I've got a few contacts and doing stuff for parties, and bars in Brighton is certainly a possibility....but not while I'm only using a computer....

So my new years resolution is to buy and learn to not only use, but use very well, cd decks.

I've been looknig at Pioneers, but unless I settle for the low end 100s they are just too expensive and probably overkill for a beginner.
I don't want low end. Low end annoys me and having low end decks won't do anything for me.
My budget is £800 maximum for decks and mixer....

Also. I do not have a hi-fi. I have some very good speakers hooked up to my PC and would like to have the decks/mixer hooked up somehow that possibly could even allow me to use Traktor as well. I've seen various MIDI/USB audio devices on HTFR that seem to be for this including a unit built by Native Instruments which looks very classy.
If anyone knows exactly how to do this, I'd be very appreciative.
Also, there are a lot of dj equipment sites....if you know one which is cheap but good I'd love to know.

Thanks very much....and I hope you guys don't laugh at me for using Traktor or de-value it like so many others! I have uploaded mixes on Vuze before and they have been downloaded thousands of times, so it can't be THAT bad - I just need to be able to use CD Decks.


Thanks - and happy new year!

[littlepete]

The 100s arnt bad but they could do with a 0.02% pitch rise value rather than the 0.1% for more accurate mixing. Also they havnt got many features but that doesnt bother me tbh. The cdj200s might be a good shot at though as they have the lower pitch rise value and more features with looping. As for the mixer there are a lot of midi mixers about at different prices.

The best dj equipment shops in my opinion are:
DJ Store | DJ Equipment | CD Decks USB Turntable Mixers MP3 DJ Equipment in the UK
DJ Equipment, Decks, Mixers, Headphones, Buy DJ Equipment - decks.co.uk

I always use djstore and they offer a brilliant service.

Try to stick to pioneer cdjs though if your playing in bars etc!
hope this helps a bit

[aghastpumpkin]

One thing Traktor allows me to do is change the speed of a track whilst maintaining pitch. So you can increase by say 10bpm without the vocal pitch changing, so the vocals stay the same. They just go quicker.

So when you talk about pitch rise, does this mean CDJs don't do this?

Thanks for your excellant help.

[littlepete]

not quite no. CDJs have a master tempo button which means the speed of the song can be changed without the pitch of the song been changed. On the cheaper cd players the pitch adj. will rise or decrease in steps of 0.1% and on the more expensive the pitch adj. rises or decreases in 0.02% or around that value.
its quite hard to explain lol.
Say youve got a +/-10% pitch slider on a cheap cd player the value of the pitch will rise by 0.1% so you will see on the display the pitch rising like this: 1.2%,1.3%,1.4% etc whereas on more expensive cd players the increase is much less which means tighter and more accurate beatmatching can be performed

[aghastpumpkin]

You've explained it perfectly, I think I totally understand. Traktor also tells you %...and because it's software you can adjust that value to whatever you like. Which is pretty good!

[aghastpumpkin]

DJ CD Packages - Pioneer - CDJ-400 & DX626 Package - decks.co.uk



I can always replace the mixer later on if need be....

[littlepete]

yeah thatl be a good setup. The cdj400s have only just come out aswell and they look quite good!
wish i could afford some lol
did the djstore link work? as i tried .co.uk earlier and it wouldnt work but .com did

[Reece Duncan]

The CDJ 400's would be a very very good buy, excellent sound quality and feel (although feel quite cheaply built compared to 800 or 1000) and jam packed full of features, you would undoubtedly be able to use them for years without needing to upgrade. I played on these @ the BPM show @ their launch and was very impressed, im a huuuge fan of the 1000's but these are very good players. They are also very small, compact and light, so would be excellent if you were going to travel with them

Do not look any further unless your budget could stretch a little further towards 800's or 1000's
Regards

[aghastpumpkin]

I've been in contact with an American retailer who said:

Thank you for your email. I do have the CDJ-400 in stock, the cost is $519.00.

The shipping is about $20....

So thats....£282 including shipping for a CDJ400. so for under £600 I could have both decks....

I can't believe this would be a scam, they are a huge eBay retailer with several verifications and a shop and thousands of customers.
What do you guys think?