Ableton Forum

I've been producing music for quite some time, but I want to dive into DJing now. What cheap, USB, DJ controller would you recommend for a beginner? My view, and this could easily be wrong, is that they're all pretty much toys to use while you save up money for Technics or Pioneer CDJs, so cheap as possible, while still being workable is best.

penepasta wrote:My view, and this could easily be wrong, is that they're all pretty much toys to use while you save up money for Technics or Pioneer CDJs, so cheap as possible, while still being workable is best.

Once you get past the 400 UKP mark, then they start to become quite decent. Vestax VCI-100 for eg, Traktor 4, the pioner controllers etc look decent as well.
For the ultimate controller - 2 x CDJ-2000 + DJM-2000 mixer, or Allen hetah Xone 4D mixer

If i was starting from scratch today, I dont think In would even think about CDJ or Technics decks. I like them because I allways know them, but not sure its worth investing in them unless you allready are used to them. Traktor/Serato + new Pioneer controllers would be my first thought today.

As for cheapo controllers - NFI (no f***ing idea) not touched even with barge pole.

What software are you using? If its traktor, then I would say just get the X1 and be done with it - to hell with bothereing to beat match - seems noone can or does these days. (Hit sync, hit play, job done... - its a bar staff job)

I'm thinking of going with Serato, provided I can take advantage of Live + Serato, that's really why I became curious about this whole DJ thing. When I saw someone using the bridge it blew my mind.

Cheap, cheap, cheap is an X Session if you can still find them, I think around $99?

I've played around europe on a shoddy Behringer BCD3000 without any problems - It looks battered now but still works fine.

Numark Total Control is decent for the price...

wascal wrote:I've played around europe on a shoddy Behringer BCD3000 without any problems - It looks battered now but still works fine.

A BCD3000 was my first DJ controller, beacause like the OP, I wanted a cheaper controller before I could afford something more decent.

The BCD3000 did serve me well, but do not use it for DJ'ing anymore (as I now have CDJ's). Still, it comes in handy as an effects/midi controller for Live.

Used to have heaps of fun (no sarcasm intended!) creating my own MIDI maps for Traktor Pro and the BCD3000. Heaps of room for customization with the two.

If it sounds like a solution, and money is tight, the BCD2000 isfairly similar, but not as expensive. Can't comment on their performance, though I have heard it is not as good as the 3000.

My two cents.

Brock wrote:

wascal wrote:I've played around europe on a shoddy Behringer BCD3000 without any problems - It looks battered now but still works fine.

A BCD3000 was my first DJ controller, beacause like the OP, I wanted a cheaper controller before I could afford something more decent.

The BCD3000 did serve me well, but do not use it for DJ'ing anymore (as I now have CDJ's). Still, it comes in handy as an effects/midi controller for Live.

Used to have heaps of fun (no sarcasm intended!) creating my own MIDI maps for Traktor Pro and the BCD3000. Heaps of room for customization with the two.

If it sounds like a solution, and money is tight, the BCD2000 isfairly similar, but not as expensive. Can't comment on their performance, though I have heard it is not as good as the 3000.

My two cents.

The BCD2K seems useless as its rotary encoders generate midi that nothing other than their DJ software seems to understand as rotary encoding. (from rough memory years ago).

I don't even know if this is for sale yet:

http://www.skratchworx.com/news3/comments.php?id=1625

but it sure is cheap...

Numark Mixtrack Pro/Mixtrack gets good reviews...

I've just got a denon sc2000, bit like the Kontrol X1, but comes with a jog wheel. Can recommend it, nice sturdy feel, also pretty compact. You'd need a mixer though.

Having said that, think these are more Traktor orientated....

penepasta wrote:they're all pretty much toys to use while you save up money for Technics or Pioneer CDJs

Wrong! The dirt cheap stuff is not worth bothering with if you're serious but there's a lot of alternatives to Technics/Pioneer that are in no way toys.

penepasta wrote:I'm thinking of going with Serato

Well that's not going to be cheap...

Using Serato software (Scratch Live) means being tied to Rane hardware, which is expensive.

I looked into this a while ago, because I liked the sound of The Bridge - but there's no cheap way in.

picking up my denon sc2000 this weekend. Shame there is not a cheaper route for serato other wise I would have gone for something else. But the denon sc2000 seems to offer a lot of value

http://www.zzounds.com/item--NOVNOCTURN

Never used it but its dirt cheap...looks decent

How about Numark's DJ2GO:

http://www.numark.com/dj2go

It's like Korg's nano series controllers.

I think the best way to try to research one by yourself.

Test it and finally choose one which suits you best!