bedroom nerd-jay
To quote DJ Loon:
Update this page slacker. Oh, and your mixing board. Let’s see, $20000 in records and $20 dollars for a mixer? That’s like buying pez in super-bulk with no dispensor, or buying that milkcarton looking pack of beebees without the gun. Plus you have those neato newish technics with no dead spot but wouldm’t pony up for a mixer that didn’t fizz and crackle (I know, I’m the guy who first modified it with a cocktail straw so the left channel didn’t short). Jesus man, it’s been 10 years since I found that thing under der tannenbaum. might as well go for the two pencils, rubberband and lobster claws model of dj setup and keep it realHe’s an obvious mentat/savant type and is not one to trifle with in any sort of debate. I might have the edge on him in the computer arena and ollieing over bike racks but that’s about it. The computer thing might be due to laziness or concern for his eyesight but the bike rack thing is obvious to anyone who’s seen me skate a mini-ramp. Point Lanky to the parking lot and let him practice his “style” there. Where was I? Ah yes…
His clairvoyance obviously picked up on the fact that I spent most of Martin Luther King day researching the current crop of high end DJ mixers. I have it narrowed down to a few models, all of which are more expensive than I’d really like them to be.
The Rane TTM-56 seems to be the most alluring with those exotic unbreakable faders and nearly all the other features I’m looking for including an effects loop with Wet-Dry fader etc. (An auto-gain feature is just now becoming available only on the ultra expensive Empath? This is a long overdue necessity, provided it works right.) The knobs and faders just all seem to make sense on this puppy and white on black is easy to visualize in one go. I’d love to go with an all fader, no knob mixer but the Stanton SA-5, depsite it’s affordability seems to have it’s shortcomings. (Must I insist on built in rackmounts to hang my mixer from the edges of my turntable cases?) The Allen & Heath XONE-02 seems to be the top alternative (How much better is one mixer’s sound quality vs. another?) but those faders for the EQ and pan seem to be a wee bit stubby for the high-action treatment in the middle of my fist-pumping, techno drumroll crescendo inflicted on frenzied glow-stick bearers. Something tells me I’ll wish I had the impervious magnetic faders on the Rane when one of those Penny & Giles faders goes belly up and I have to pony up $90 bucks for a replacement. The Stanton SA-12 DJ Craze Signature Mixer seems pretty damn solid and it even has a built in (removable) effects section with an accompanying TRS connection to hook up an on/off foot pedal controller. I wish this thing had that full fader/anti-knob treatment of the SA-5 but honestly my biggest peeve is one of its selling points – the gimmicky effects kit. Is this just the sampler on the Scratchmaster all over again? Nice tall faders though – even the little ones. There is also the maddening possibility of going with a more versatile model like the Allen & Heath XONE-32 but why wouldn’t I get the cheaper, indestructible Rane and get a separate “WackyBox-x9000” for effects later.
Basically the big test will have to happen in a hands-on test. I’m not sure if I can find these all in one room but San Diego is pretty DJ friendly. I think I’ll start at CSL and work my way back to (heaven forbid) Guitar Center if necessary. I know there are other cheaper models with good sound and nice faders like Ecler but the knob layout seems generic. I want something special for a big chunk of money. Ergonomic before economic, I guess.
What I really need are a couple of pep talks on the pros and cons of XLR vs. TRS outputs, an explanation of Balanced Master Output (and if unbalancing that master output would be a useful option), some realistic discussion of DJ mixer sound quality per manufacturer, and finally any suggestions based on first-hand use or experience with the aforementioned mixers. I’m sure jshobar will also want to give me advice on a schematic to make my own mixer.
If anyone thinks I just need to shut up and by a $150 dollars worth of any new mixer with high/mid/low EQ, feel free to send your grievances for this pathetic and long-winded gadget babble. Don’t worry Mom, the christmas money will not be squandered on foolish toys… it’s headed to my savings account.
21 January 2004, 00:09 ::
commenting closed for this article
Peace, ya baby killer
— ken 2004-01-21 12:48 #
New toys are always fun…. even if I can’t work them.
— j smiley 2004-10-30 02:15 #