Mixers ------ If you are just getting into things and are unsure if you want to be doing this sort of work a year from now, investing into a big "it can do everything" mixer probably isn't a good idea. There are a lot of good smaller mixers available which fit the bill fine. There is a common misconception that a better mixer will make a better performance. A better mixer will only better a person's performance once they have the practice and know how to make effective use of their "it can do everything" equipment. Even then, a good DJ doesn't need it to do everything for a good mix. My favorite example is when I let a local radio station (KUCI 88.9FM in Irvine, CA -- Riders of the Plastic Groove Show) use my mixer for an evening. DJ Ron D Core (a big name in the Los Angeles area) was one of the guest DJ's for the evening and refused to use the station's mixer which had circular faders. (He said it was like using a washing machine.) My very simple Atus 200 sat between his turntables and let him mix one of the best sets I had ever heard. Believe me when I say the mixer had nothing to do with it. My point: Equipment never makes up for talent.
A few names to start with are:
o MTX
o Gemini
o Atus
o Vestax
o Radio Shack
o Rane MTX.
Very few poor reviews have been posted concerning the unit and it seems to be a popular unit for many DJs. It is mid-priced ($200-$500) and offers all of the elements needed in a good DJ mixer. Nothing flashy, just solid performance. Gemini mixers are a definate consideration for the starting DJ. They offer a wide array of mixers from entry level to professional and most DJs who use them seem to be pleased with their performance. Radio Shack is just bad news. Within the last three years of my net presence, I have only heard ONE good comment about their equipment and staff. (This comes from frequenting many different newsgroups, including many technical groups) Their mixers are the best priced, but it many not be a unit you'll want to keep for a long time... Vestax is better known for the CD players. I haven't heard much about them or their mixers, but you should just know that they are out there. Somewhere... The Rane MP-24 is a high-end mixer constructed with the professional in mind. At $1000 for a single unit, they are the most expensive DJ mixers available, but Rane has managed to justify the price tag with an impressive array of features and professional components. There is an audible difference when using one. These features include: ALP faders for clean transitions, four independent outputs, transformer isolated light trigger output (so you won't lose your sound if the light chaser cable shorts), a loaner program in case your unit goes bad (although it has been noted that redundancy is a key feature), and last but not least, a feature to disable the MIC from tape outputs (this allows you to use the MIC during a performance, but not have the taping reflect these announcements). 48 hour repair turnaround is also available. A note about sampling mixers: Sampling mixers have received mixed reviews in regards to their quality. Some have found their quality to be fine while others complain that they are too spotty. It seems a lot of people agree that the samplers are typically good enough for drum loops but not good enough for vocals.
CD
Players ---------- The features you need to look
for in a DJ level CD player include:
o Instant start
o Fast cueing
o Pitch control/Pitch bend
o Easy to read display Features that are nice to have:
o Pitch lock
The choices you have are:
1. Denon
2. Pioneer
3. Gemini
Some basic common tidbits of information:
1. The smallest unit of sound on a CD is a frame. One frame is equal
to 1/75 sec.
2. Instant start means a start time in the hundredths of a second.
Claims of instant start "In under 1 second!" are bogus.
3. No CD player (yet) can scratch or backspin.
4. This FAQ doesn't consider a CD player to be a DJ CD player unless
it has pitch control. Although there are many DJs who use traditional CD
players for their work, that sort of list would be better suited for Consumer
Reports to tackle.
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