CD'S it is..........Which decks now!!

Grey Son · Post by **Grey Son** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 10:11 am

Ok so ive fluffed around for ages now using cd decks, ableton etc etc. Dont like ableton, and really enjoy cd's / mp3! Im going to buy cd decks and just want to get peeps opinions on different brands out there.
Everyone seems to go CDJ, but ive seen the Stanton and Vestax which seem ok. Whats the difference???

Fents · Post by **Fents** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 10:54 am

Denon for life.

saintberry · Post by **saintberry** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 11:19 am

Yeah IMO the Denon DNS range is as solid as you can get. The pitch bend buttons kill. And to me anything that doesn't have an active platter is just whack. So that points the finger directly as Pioneer. Yet some people swear by the CDJ1000s so its pretty subjective.

Other options would be the Numark CDX. I'm not its greatest fan, why not just get Serato if you need to emulate vinyl so much? And it feels like your trying to skratch a boat or something.

You should def check out Vestax CDX05. I think an updated version has just come out too. Anyway I found them solid yet cut down, which is what I like. And as an added bonus they are compatible with the Tascam TTM1 controller (those things are the best for cheapie vinyl control).

Speaking of Tascam and cheap, if your strapped for cash also look at the DJ1 CDJ from Tascam. There was a load of (internet) hype around the DJ1/TTM1 combo at NAMM last year. Haven't used them but they are meant to be the most solid at that price point. And tiny!

Man that was a ramble and here is some more... Go and play with them all, as they all do pretty much the same thing in a slightly different way. Most will have shit you won't ever use and possibly that may be a waste of money. After looking at them all chances are you will by a Denon.

BAM!

deviant · Post by **deviant** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 11:37 am

pioneer cdj1000s all the way....

Active platter is a piss-take, seriously, I hate those things. When using denons I do appreciate the pitch bend buttons, but I still find the control wheel on the pioneer smoother than those buttons. I turn the actuve platter thingy off if I have to use those decks.

the vestax ttx (can't remember the actual model number) active platter (like the one they had at lounge before they woke up and bought cdj1000s) is a horrible monster of a thing.

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 11:59 am

I wouldn't go the CDX's.

Try something like the Tascam CD-DJ1 in conjunction with the Tascam TTM1. You should be able to pick that package up for under $800inc.

It will take up very little space in your setup, enable to you to scratch off your turntable and it works well.

http://www.tascamdj.com/index.html

EDIT: and I hardly think active platter is a "piss take", after all - that's the way good ol' vinyl works!

Grey Son · Post by **Grey Son** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 12:04 pm

Cool, thanks for the feedback!!
I dont have decks, so any extras are not needed. My price range isnt huge, about $1200.

LuKo · Post by **LuKo** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 12:53 pm

kieren from 48 Records says good things about those TT-M1 thingos

and he knows his sh*t - believe me

either way I hope you have been saving Greyson, expensive sh*t man

but nothing fun is cheap now is it

deviant · Post by **deviant** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 12:55 pm

Direktor wrote:EDIT: and I hardly think active platter is a "piss take", after all - that's the way good ol' vinyl works!

yeah, but CDs don't work that way. It's a piss-take to think that people will buy the product to get the "real" feel of vinyl, I know people do but... meh

. the only thing that is going to do that is serato/final scratch, or that tascam thing you posted (I tried one at VW the other day, it was pretty good), Oh and how could I forget.... VINYL!!

The numark thing is pretty extreme (full 4.5KG torque and 12" platter), but still I found it horrible to use.

Grey Son · Post by **Grey Son** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 12:58 pm

LuKo wrote:kieren from 48 Records says good things about those TT-M1 thingos

and he knows his sh*t - believe me

either way I hope you have been saving Greyson, expensive sh*t man

but nothing fun is cheap now is it

Yeah well i have my cash from when i was gunna buy some production stuff. But seeing as im a hack at that i didnt blow my wad ( so too speak )
Plus i will get more satisfaction from playin music thatn making it, so with all these Mp3 sites and that it is more of a viable option for me.. Plus i could play YOUR tracks too, he he!!

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 1:15 pm

deviant wrote:
Direktor wrote:EDIT: and I hardly think active platter is a "piss take", after all - that's the way good ol' vinyl works!
yeah, but CDs don't work that way. It's a piss-take to think that people will buy the product to get the "real" feel of vinyl, I know people do but... meh . the only thing that is going to do that is serato/final scratch, or that tascam thing you posted (I tried one at VW the other day, it was pretty good), Oh and how could I forget.... VINYL!!

The numark thing is pretty extreme (full 4.5KG torque and 12" platter), but still I found it horrible to use.

Yeah, not a fan of either the CDX or the HDX from Numark as there is no way to adjust the torq sensitivity of the platter.

I do want the feel of vinyl for a CDJ, and most turntablists would also (no, I'm by no means saying I'm a turntablist

More a tradionalist).

TT-M1 and CD-DJ1's look to be the goods, I'm hoping to get one as soon as I clear a little debt (gotta love the debt!).

saintberry · Post by **saintberry** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 1:33 pm

the only problem with the platter on the DNS is that they spin at 45rpm which is ridiculous when you try and emulate the world of skratching with is pretty much solely pressed at 33n3rd. That said the motor is a belt drive weak POS so it kind of evens out.

having an active platter is more that just a better tactile control. it makes the whole process more fun and opens up more possibility to make things interesting.

flicking a switch to "transform" aint what i call fun or interesting mr zabiela. using the platter on the CDJ range feels like your trying to skratch while taking a car tyre off. horrible.

the ttm1 is brilliant. stick a ball on the end of an optical mouse sensor and sell it for a hundred quid. BAM! filled a gap in the market before SSL came along.

betson · Post by **betson** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 5:47 pm

Love my denons, Hold pitch nicely and haven't missed a beat in 4 years of mobile use, I have the 5000's but you can't go wrong with the DNS 3000's.

Or maybe check the new bit of kit coming out next year(I think)

Noted Denon DJ Brand Manager Silvio Zeppieri: â€œDJ equipment has progressed over the past few years, with DJs moving from vinyl to compact disc to laptop computers to a combination of all three technologies. Our DN-HD2500 represents the next step in this product evolution, offering a total all-in-one solution that addresses and actually anticipates the many different needs of working DJs. With built-in hard drive, external memory, CD playback control, catalog back-up, special effects and more, the system is an all-in-one portable hub for professional DJs. â€

betson · Post by **betson** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 5:48 pm

prob be out of the $1200 price though.

Scholtzy · Post by **Scholtzy** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 11:18 am

Go with pioneer, if your feeling adventurous get a denon.

nic · Post by **nic** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 11:42 am

i picked up a denon s3500 on the weeknd after shopping around a bit i love it, having never used cd decks before im still getting used to it but i actually love that you can switch between pitch bend and 'scratch mode' as diff means of adjusting cd.

that said i dont think ill ever use teh scrtahc function to scrathc. some spelling probelms here. ist got a little sampler and some other looping toys and shit taht are fun to mess around with but thats secondary really.

feels solid looks good very easy to use and no more vinyl. go to storedj and try one out i was gonna get a cheap one till i felt the difference between them.

nee · Post by **nee** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 9:17 pm

Ah wicked!!

Im glad theres so many people mentioning the Denons

Over here in the UK everyone uses the Pioneers, but i took the brave move and got the Denon DNS3000's and basically i cart them to every gig i play at.

Highly recommended

johnnynostars · Post by **johnnynostars** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 9:26 pm

The alpha track on the Denon 5000 is sweet. Doesn't work with mp3s though, unless i'm doing something wrong...

Liam_B · Post by **Liam_B** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 10:34 pm

Grey Son wrote:Cool, thanks for the feedback!!
I dont have decks, so any extras are not needed. My price range isnt huge, about $1200.

Is that for one or two cdj's?

I got a pioneer CDJ800mk2 for $1099. It has all the same basic features of the 1000mk3. It suits me just fine as im not too worried about hot cueing etc at home! A 1000 is about $1599 by the way.

I would be reluctant myself on a Denon if you want to play out only because the venue would be most likely to have pioneers but I did consider one at one stage for home use.

Liam_B · Post by **Liam_B** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 10:40 pm

For $1200 you could get 2 CDJ200's to get you going, they are pretty cool but only have a jog wheel. They have a lot of features and would be fine for what you probably want to do. I was thinking about getting one myself as they are pretty portable and would never die as shown in the video!

Check it out mate, wicked CDJ200 demo :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lADz7OJRfcI

nee · Post by **nee** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 10:43 pm

Liam_B wrote:I would be reluctant myself on a Denon if you want to play out only because the venue would be most likely to have pioneers...

I'd just take them with you though.

Mine have been to Spain with me....

Liam_B · Post by **Liam_B** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 10:53 pm

nee wrote:
Liam_B wrote:I would be reluctant myself on a Denon if you want to play out only because the venue would be most likely to have pioneers...
I'd just take them with you though.

Mine have been to Spain with me....

Yeah, you could do that if you could be bothered I guess. Depends on how long you planned on playing on them!

I lugged my old Technic 1200's from New Zealand to london for a couple of years, then back to NZ and now they are here in aussie!

nee · Post by **nee** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 11:06 pm

Liam_B wrote:
nee wrote:
Liam_B wrote:I would be reluctant myself on a Denon if you want to play out only because the venue would be most likely to have pioneers...
I'd just take them with you though.

Mine have been to Spain with me....
Yeah, you could do that if you could be bothered I guess. Depends on how long you planned on playing on them!

Spain was a 1 hour set

For me though i reckon it was worth it, just for the fact that i know them so well...and can give my best using them.
Im sure i'd be able to use the Pioneers, but theres no-one i know around here that has got a set, and the last place i want to be learning them is in front of a crowd

But yeah, its deffo each to their own with this sort of thing...and if you dont want to be carting them around then i reckon the Pioneers could be the ones for you

Smile on Impact · Post by **Smile on Impact** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 8:42 am

I have to recommend pioneer.
The 800 is awesome aswell, the looping and tempo bends are phat. and they sound great, because the converters are such high quality.
The 1000 is obviously excellent aswell, and they seem to be at more clubs.
There is somthing to be said for getting 'good' at the standard.
take it sleazy.
Arlo.

steiner · Post by **steiner** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 6:49 pm

sorry to duplicate.

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Includes all boxes and manuals.

Fantastic CD DJ package.

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PM for further details.

Amick · Post by **Amick** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 1:32 pm

Why are you selling them?

nic · Post by **nic** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 3:04 pm

because they ahve a Bring It On slipmat?

not that its a bad movie.

flippo · Post by **flippo** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 3:53 pm

nic wrote:because they ahve a Bring It On slipmat?

not that its a bad movie.

isn't she a brazilian soccer fan?

mrj · Post by **mrj** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 6:03 pm

flippo wrote:
nic wrote:because they ahve a Bring It On slipmat?

not that its a bad movie.
isn't she a brazilian soccer fan?

she's a brazillian soccer fan who wants to bring it on.

everyone wins.

steiner · Post by **steiner** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 10:30 pm

Amick wrote:Why are you selling them?

Going overseas to study for six months. Would rather the cash than have them sit in my bedroom.

nic · Post by **nic** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 8:53 am

i love kirsten dunst.

Scotrod · Post by **Scotrod** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 3:33 pm

I'm interested in this topic too as I've just recently bit the bulllet and started buying digital tunes. I'm hoping you guys can answer a few questions for me....

About the Tascam's.....are they controlled by a slip mat or vinyl record?
The one I mucked around on was with a slipmat, it's like trying to scratch with a REEEEEALLY warped record. And let's face it, playing slip mats just makes you look like a knob..

Serato - Now, what happens if the song is really long?
Does the needle keep spinning at the end of the record or does the tune cut out once you get to the end of the time coded vinyl?
Or does it just spin with the needle never actually moving forward? Also, what if you want to start a track further in?
Can you move the needle half way along and drop it, or does it still start at the beginning of the MP3 regardless of the needles position?
Also, what about scratch latency? Anyone have trouble?
I saw Mix Master Mike use it, so if he can, I suppose any bastard can hey?
Also, can you switch from Serato to phono on the mixer and play a normal record or do you need a third deck to play "real" vinyl?
In other words, does it go through the line or the phono?

I'm thinking Serato more than CDJ's because if something else comes along, I can just buy the new program for my laptop instead of buying whole new hardware ( Like say, if they bring out CDJ 2000's a month after I waste money on the 1000's..)

Changing format is such a pain in the ass....

flippo · Post by **flippo** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 3:38 pm

Scotrod wrote: I saw Mix Master Mike use it, so if he can, I suppose any bastard can hey?

yeh, he's a n00b

Post by **system** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 3:46 pm

Scotrod wrote:Serato - Now, what happens if the song is really long?
Does the needle keep spinning at the end of the record or does the tune cut out once you get to the end of the time coded vinyl?
Or does it just spin with the needle never actually moving forward?

The Serato Scratch records play for over 12 minutes - you should be safe.

Scotrod wrote:Also, what if you want to start a track further in?
Can you move the needle half way along and drop it, or does it still start at the beginning of the MP3 regardless of the needles position?

Just change the mode that Serato is in, it can do either mode (that you mentioned).

Scotrod wrote:Also, what about scratch latency? Anyone have trouble?

None yet!

Scotrod wrote:Also, can you switch from Serato to phono on the mixer and play a normal record or do you need a third deck to play "real" vinyl?
In other words, does it go through the line or the phono?

No, you can just play a 'normal' tune through the phono output.

saintberry · Post by **saintberry** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 3:59 pm

Re that tascam controller, you can have pretty much anything on the deck, slipmat, vinyl, sheet of paper. anything. its a really simple concept its uses optical sensors kinda like ones found in optical computer mice to track the movement of a ball type thingie.

serato latencey is down around 8ms which most people find pretty good for skratching. and it dosent artifact (sound crap) doing really slow drags which most vinyl emulation tools struggle with.

saintberry · Post by **saintberry** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 4:02 pm

not wrong re the mix master. dj quest is the only person that comes to mind that has faster cuts. so yeah, thats a good comparison when it comes to latency.

sounds as though your pretty heavily into skratching - if so, serato is the only digital malarkey that will satisfy you - for the time being at least.