Best Brand of DJ Mixer To Buy

[02tranzam]

hello everyone,
i was just wondering if i had to buy a new mixer today what would be the best brand and model to buy. if you can please give one with no spending limit in mind, and one with about a $1,000 limit. thanks
carmine

[NickNack]

Hi Carmine,

Keep a lookout for the upcoming issue of Remix magazine: Vol. 5, Number 12, December 2003. They have an entire section reviewing the latest mixers, high and low end, all price ranges. It's really good and would give you a great starting place. They also give all the contact information for every mixer they list: phone, email, websites. I think there's stuff in there that'll have your mouth watering and your wallet open. :D

If you checkout www.remixmag.com, they have the issues online. Right now they're still listing the November issue with Bassment Jaxx on the cover. The December issue has Missy Elliot up front.

If your considering getting into dj'ing, you might consider subscribing to Remix, DJ Times and the like. DJ Times, www.djtimes.com, focuses on the mobil dj but they always cover all the bases, gives monthly music updates with record pool feedback and answers technical questions from their readers. Couldn't hurt.

[02tranzam]

hi nicknack thanks for pointing me in the right direction i will check out that web site as soon as im done typing this post. even though ive been d.j ing since i was about 9 (im31 now) ive always been loyal to numark mixers. but im finding out that there are others out there to look into (such as stanton and rane), even though ive heard of these names i still went towards numark. now with the christmas season coming, i think ill treat myself to a christmas gift :lol: thanks again nicknack
carmine

[NickNack]

I'm assuming that on 12/1 the website will put up the current issue of Remix. I'm sure it will be helpful. They review all the "names", including Stanton, Rane, Vestax, Numark, Gemini, Denon, Pioneer... you name it. And with all the web addresses given, if they're not talking about one you like, you can check out the entire product line at the source.

I bought my Stanton-Vestax PMC 900 quite a few years ago and it's still going strong. The two companies have since gone their separate ways and Vestax kept the line of mixers. They review two in the issue: The PCV-180 running about $650.00 and the 'monster' PMC-500 costing close to $2,000.00.

BTW: Good luck with your Technics. They're the best! When I was using them in the clubs and they had the Stanton 680's or 500's installed, tracking and anti-skate was always matched somewhere between 2 - 5 grams. It's a catch 22: the heavier tracking provides some stability from floor vibrations but when slip-cueing your tearing up the vinyl. The lighter you can work with it, the better.

[02tranzam]

hi everyone
i just went to my local dj store to inquire about the newest mixers. i asked about the new stanton vrm-10 mixer (retails for 1,999) and they never heard of that model. they called stanton directly and was told that the reason the store (sam ash) never heard of this model was because the model had "quality control" issues. which is good to know before you shell out 2 grand for a mixer. they also said if your going to spend that kind of money to go with the rane mixer which retails for about 1500 hundred. just sreading the word.
carmine

[ALBATROS]

Hi, folks,
Giving 1,200 bucks for D.J. mixer is awfull lot of money! I am technician by trade and know that when you buy a mixer today over 60% of price you would most probably pay for trademark, not for technic. For example Numark isn,t any genuine electronic producing company - they just sell things under that trademark. Couple of years ago I have oportunity to get a catalogue of asian companies producing" no name " electronic equipment. They have ALL MIXERS NUMARK HAD AT THIS TIME BUT THERE WAS NO LOGO ON THEM! The advertising inside say, that on demand they will print your own logo on front of equipment. Price? For peanuts. Mixer with this price you have mentioned would cost uder 400 bucks! Be aware!
If you want best value& quality for your money You should look at BEHRINGER. This German company produces quality
mixers for very fair prices. Check on their homepage.
They have a new mixer comprising lots of features with digital efects, beatcounter,VCA faders and so on. Price is quater of 1200 $,which you want pay for vrm-10 . And sounds very good at that.
ALBATROS

[Sami M]

Are you looking for a mixer to use at home or at gigs? I myself has 2-channel Pioneer in home use and it is very sufficient. I got it second hand. If this dj thing get going I will uppgrade it, but mainly becouse to get more channels.

They are using Pioneer djm500 or 600 in almost every club in Finland. I've heard they are quite solid. If you want better sound quality and built go for Allen&Heath or Rane. I would chooce A&H becouse they are cheaper here. A&H even seem to have some quite high end hi-fi like mixers with tubes used in the most expensive models.

You can get Pioneer djm500 and least two channel Rane/A&H in the price range you gave. A&H xone02 and 3-channel xone32 cost both some 800 euros = 976 $ at the moment.

[02tranzam]

thanks albatros,
i took your advice and went to the behringer website. i looked at the vmx1000 model and i have to admit it looks really sharp. its msrp is 240 us dollars. my question is how good is the quality of a behringer. how is the sound quality compared to rane or allen and heath. currently i have a numark 4 channel mixer. at the time it was their top of the line model (450 dollars). it hasnt given me any problems ever. is the behringer better than a numark?? i'm looking for the best sound quality mixer with the most features that i already have.
carmine

[Sami M]

If you really want a best sound quality mixer then set no substitutes and go for Allen & Heath. :P At least check it out!

http://www.allen-heath.com/

I have not tested Behringer but I have observed the comments of others and it's clear that Behringer doesn't stand a chance even against Pioneer pro series. We are talking about electronics and though you may get more features like channels etc. with such low prices that e.g. Behringer sells, you can't get good sound quality cheap. Not ever! For a solid good sounding 4-channel mixer 1000$ is not a bad price at all.Being a hi-fi freek of a kind myself, I find A&H very respectable indeed.

I'd say the sugegsted Behringer would be equivalent or beat up your old Numark mixer.
Then the Pioneer (djm-500 or any) would beat up Behringer any time.
And then the A&H would beat up Pioneer.

[02tranzam]

thank you sami for your feedback i really appreciate your opinion on this subject. i went to the a&h website and just fell in love with the xone464 model. it retails for $1,599 us dollars its a little on the high end but i think its worth it. i really want the best sounding mixer with all the flexibility i already have with my numark. i this is the model i will go with. after the christmas season of course :o
p.s. does anybody have a allen heath mixer to tell us how it handles in the mix
carmine

[ALBATROS]

Sorry, but the height of price today doesn't tell much about
anything - except maybe tendency to get more elitistic image. The cost for production and parts for devices are only tiny bit of actual price, especially in big quantities.
Indeed Pioneer mixers are very popular in d.j. circles, but mainly because they were one of the first companies putting really lot of features in (at that time) unique design.
The whole generation of D.j.'s have started with Pioneer's, so it isn't any wonder that they still swear on it. But this has
nothing to do with quality of sound etc. It is also well known that for example d.j.'s who are playing Hip-Hop or r'n'b music they swear on different kind of mixers as others who playing Techno... Pioneer mixers are especially popular
in Techno circles - they have even become kind of "industry standard" status there. But... their sound is harsh, too syntetic - maybe perfect for techno but if you play more "human" music vith vocals - then this is another issue.
Putting Behringer away just because is cheap ( in term of price not in term of quality ) is pure ignorancy. Sorry to say that. My friend is running a D.J. store and he sell also different kind of D.J. mixers. We have oportunity to test new Behringer ( I cannot recall a model ) last month - it looks similar to that of Pioneer- it played with a clear superb sound and have much more features than Pioneer...
This is not advertising for that company, but I just have to say that. Look at this way - Behringer is STUDIO EQUIPMENT COMPANY, and they start to produce D.J. gear just recently, but they have HUGE experiences in designing professional audio equipment. Just check theirs products on net. They put SAME quality electronic preamplifiers in D.J.
gear as in big mixing consoles. They intentionally hold fair prices for their products and thanks this policy it was first time possible to get this stuff for NORMAL affordable money! And not last, their mixers have good sound - to say it clear and simple.
Albatros