Missing dexterity, cheapest turntable to plug into ableton?

[db120]

I'm just doing this for fun so I don't want to spend a lot of money on 1200's again, but I do miss the dexterity of a spinning wheel mixing and scratching. What's something current that doesn't feel too much like a toy that I can mix in with Ableton?

Can be a cheap deck and mixer or all-in-one, I'm all ears wondering what my options are for around 500 (US)?
I've owned, final scratch - way back when it was in2it over ten years ago and it was a linux only pain in the ass. Traktor s4 a few years ago, used it a little, but it felt "slightly" toyish. Maybe open to this again or an S2, but maybe there something better like a cheap CD turntable as long as latency is good enough to scratch a little. I know it's subjective, but maybe there's something out there for less now? Mspinky, midi deck, etc?

[MrNicHoe]

I don't know, if there are any Controllers with turntables that can actually work with Live. If you just want to mix something, why don't you use Traktor or Serato, which are most common software tools for doing mixes?

At least, you could get a look on the Novation twitch. Maybe it interacts with ableton, I don't know.

[102455]

Yeah, Live and scratching - not possible. Closest thing to it is the Ms Pinky system, which is a vinyl timecode system that allows you to scratch a clip that's been loaded into the Ms Pinky plugin - not actual Live clips.

Then there's The Bridge, which came about via a Serato/Ableton colab but never really caught on - and has pretty much been dropped by both parties. You have to own both Ableton Live and a Serato Scratch Live setup, then run both s/w at the same time. Expensive and awkward.

You're better off with DJ software - unless you REALLY need the warping.

If you want spinning wheels, there are several options (but not for $500)...

The Numark NS7 II controller has a pair of 7" motorised platters, a four channel mixer and MPC style pads. Then there are the Denon SC3900 decks. Nice big platters, and can be used standalone or as controllers for DJ software.

[db120]

I should have added I don't need control over Live at all, I don't even need it to hook "into" Live like the bridge to nowhere Serato collab would have. Just want to manually mix the music back and forth (by ear) between a turntable/cdj/s4/midi-cdj-turntable-alternative(?) and do it as cheap as possible. Been making music and playing out with Live since v1 and interfacing the same way with it is honestly stale. Already own midi key controllers and Maschine and am even tempted to go the Push direction, but having Maschine already seems like overkill for the element I'm trying to add. Push has that scale making mode and I've no doubt you can use it like an instrument or full track live PA, just thinking about it seems SO quantized, that wildness seems missing, that element of potentially fucking up that would get me in the zone.

I still have that muscle memory of playing 1200's for many many years and miss the meditative feeling I got when I'd be mixing records. That's what this is more about. Suppose the best route would be just to get the cheapest cdj and bare bones mixer on the market as long as I can scratch what's playing from the cdj. Suggestions?

[102455]

You did say you wanted to plug it into ableton...


My suggestion would be to not get the cheapest DJ CD players, because you'll regret it after a few minutes use - the performance will most likely be dreadful.

Mixer, yeah you're OK getting a cheap one as long as you're not too fussed about sound quality - but the lowest price CD players will be dire. Don't go there.


All-in-one controller/mixer/soundcard units have the same rules as CD players. Don't get a cheap one, it'll be rubbish.

The most popular low end unit is the Numark Mixtrack Pro. It sells because it's cheap, not because it's a great DJ controller.

Your requirement of "cheap as possible" is the issue. You want to invest in something worthwhile, yes? Something that's not gonna make you want to chuck through the window after five minutes. Get something mid priced (or up). Avoid the low end stuff.

[stoersignal]

synQ Extrem-1 are very cheap and very good! if i can choose between technics 1210 and those synQ would win. at the moment i don`t know the price exactly, but i think you can get 2 for the price of 1 technics