We’ve not yet reviewed it, but the new American Audio MXR-10 could solve your issue.
Reader Natalie writes: “It’s my partner’s birthday in a couple of weeks and I’d like to buy him a mixer as a present. He used to be a house DJ years ago and has a vast vinyl collection and turntables, but his mixer died a few years ago and he’s been a shadow of a man without it – but is too sensible to make such a frivolous purchase just for himself!
I don’t have a clue what to get, his mates are useless. I know that he wants to play his records but maybe mix in MP3s also. I have a tiny budget, maybe £150 max. Could you suggest anything please?”
Digital DJ Tips says:
He’ll need a mixer that also has something called an “audio interface” in it. This allows a computer to be plugged in, which means that he can play music from his computer through the mixer in addition to the record decks. While your budget is very limiting, the Behringer VMX300USB and DJ-Tech X10 will both do it.
In both circumstances he’ll need to have some DJ software for his laptop…
Just over your budget (around £180) is the new American Audio MXR-10. This does most of what the mixers above does, but with the added benefit of not only being able to take music from a laptop for your partner to use “in the mix”, but being programmable to control some aspects of laptop DJ software too – something he may enjoy having down the line.
In both circumstances he’ll need to have some DJ software for his laptop, but if funds are tight, he could use free Mixxx software. There’s a bit of a learning curve to setting these kinds of things us, but the good news is that the mixer will work just fine with his record decks out of the box – and the rest can be added in when he’s got the time to set it all up.
I’ll throw this open to our audience too, to see if the readera have any more ideas or use similar systems themselves that they can share details of.
So, over to you! Any recommendation for Natalie, bearing in mind the small budget she has? Please share your thoughts and ideas below.
Now go to:
Review & Video: DJ-Tech X10 2-Channel Digital Mixer
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Tags: digital mixer, midi mixer
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Listen to these sites, and not the dogmatic opinions of the DJing keyboard warriors
[ link ]those warrior are here also.
[ link ]Behringer DDM4000. Not sure how this fits with the budget (proberly well over) as I am in Oz but it is great for the money. No inbuilt soundcard though
Loads of other great features including MIDI.
[ link ]I think its more sensible to go for a straight up mixer and forget the interface completely – this is a guy that hasn’t replaced a broken mixer in YEARS. The guy wants to play HIS VAST VINYL collection and only MAYBE the odd mp3 . With a regular two channel mixer, he can play an mp3 if he wants to through the PC soundcard, or do the cable-splitter trick if he gets curious about digital (this is a “frivolous” hobby at home for an old-school dj). Reasonable quality audio interfaces (eg Native Audio2 inluding Taktor) are cheap if he wants to add one later, but instead the advice seems like he’s going to end up with the worst of both worlds due to the budget… or the reason he hasn’t bought one is because he wants a top end pioneer and can’t justify THAT price, which is going to mean he’ll be rather dissatisfied with an American Audio… Basically if it were me, I’d be far more stoked with a solid old second hand Vestax or something (which you’ll find on that budget – you’d actually find quite a feaure filled Numark for that) rather than scraping the bottom for the sake of some functionality that he might not even use…
[ link ]In addition, I’d even bet the majority of readers of this site don’t have mixers with internal interfaces, so I’m really not sure why thats the main peice of advice that came up just because mp3 was mentioned!
Agreed.
[ link ]Look for a second hand 2 channel mixer from vestax, pioneer, Allen & Heath, ecler… and then you’ve got a decent mixer sorted that you can then grow into dvs/mp3 dj’ing from there.
Personally I would go with a good quality second hand mixer. You can get a DJM-400 for around that budget on gumtree so you could get a good deal if you shop around.
[ link ]i think you should think about a gift certificate!
to chose a mixer or controller is a very hard question with so many options and it depends on what he wants to do with it, the style and the ways he likes to play and mix! and it’s not only about vinyl or mp3 or both together, but also about e.g. if he prefers to use effects or only EQ, or if he does scratchin or not, or prefers line faders or knobs for special functions, or if he want to add something to his setup later and so on and so… could be continued…
so even if he would choose something for himself it’s really difficult to decide, i think! maybe it would be better, when you write him some nice card, where you tell him, what you wrote here… something like, that it made you happy, see him playing his records, and that you want it be like that again. offer him to go shopping together with him, visit some music stores together, where he can try out some devices and so on… besides he can put than some money on top if he wants to buy even a better mixer.
[ link ]and if you think this way is unkind, just write a card and put some cash… in this case it’s not! it shows that you really understood the problems with this decision (damn you even wrote to a dj-blog! i would love it, if i knew my girldfriend would do something like this!!!). you can also tell this to him in your card or a small letter, that you really looked closer into this subject. and when you go shopping you will have a nice time together!
i also can imagine some creative ways to make this “gift certficate” more special: e.g. you could get an empty box from a mixer, and inside he will find your letter, “i didn’t know that to choose, but hey, let’s choose it together” or something like that…
and another idea would be to ask some of his friends (these who couldn’t help you by now) for more money to increase the budget…
hope it helps! good luck!
oh, and i want to add something…
sorry that my answer goes in a complete other direction. here’s something more direct to your question:
if you really don’t like my idea about a gift certificate and wanna see any device in his hands on his birthday, than you should definitely find out more about his needs in this topic!
[ link ]you will know ways to do it without attracting attention… try to talk about the topic and his opinions about it… maybe you get some statement like “i wouldn’t buy anything else but a pioneer DJM”… or maybe “doesn’t matter which device, i only want to play and hear my records from time to time” – than you know more and maybe can decide better
Not a fan of that Behringer vmx300 usb or Dj tech x10 but Nataliecan can look at the Behringer nox 202 or the American Audio dv2 tho I will prefer the American Audio mxr 10
[ link ]and i agree to Eoghain… you couldn’t do it wrong with a pioneer DJM… e.g. myself, i don’t like standard-mixers at all, i prefer it all digital, and i am more the controllerist type, but if i had the money i would buy some standard pioneer djm, just to have it, i think everyone likes high quality stuff like that, just feels nice, works good and so on! maybe you can get a cheap used one…
[ link ]Does his mixer have to be new? I know there are plenty of good deals on used equipment and you can find some “really good” mixers from when he was DJing for a lot less than what they sold for back then and he’s probably already familiar with that kind of mixer.
While it’s true that most of the new mixers can be hooked up to a computer, you don’t have to get the newest, fanciest mixers just to play music. If your partner has MP3s and he wants to play them, he can still rip them to CD and play them like any other CD… of course this does presume he still has his CD players and they’re in good working condition.
If he doesn’t have his CD players anymore and he does have a good laptop, he can pick up a good used (or new old stock) mixers for about $250 (or even less) like the VCI-100 from Vestax. While these controllers might be a little dated, they have all the basics a Techno DJ needs and he’ll probably be really excited that you not only cared about his needs, but that you also considered your budget as well. Be warned though, if he still has a lot of music he’ll probably be lost for a few nights ripping all of his old favorites to MP3.
[ link ]My wife never buys me gear, because she thinks that even with her permission, I would not return it, even if I was dissatisfied. If what she got me met my needs, she is right, but with her permission, if it did not, I would. That being said, if you decide to get him something, give him the receipt, and make it clear that your intention is to get him what he needs to play again. Since it seems to have been awhile since he played his vinyl, I wonder what his digital collection looks like. There are some decent entry level controllers out there that include the necessary sound card, and have phono inputs. The mixer may not be as heavy as the old 2 channels, but for me, going digital was very lacking without the tactile control. There is not perfect solution for those of us on a budget, but most of all what you want for him, is priceless. Maybe look for a used controller. Found these two on your side of the pond.http://www.amazon.co.uk/HERCULES-4780474-Hercules-Console-RMX/dp/B0012GS2T2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1351472098&sr=8-2 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gemini-CNTRL-7-Digital-DJ-Controller/dp/B005I4S5CI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351471387&sr=8-1 I like Herculese, and have not heard anything bad about the Gemini, there are many more out there, but from the sounds of it, if you don’t spend the money like a gift certificate, or buying him something, even if he wants to exchange it, he would talk himself out of spending cash. Good luck.
[ link ]DJM 250… cheap and quality
[ link ]The Numark M2 is priced at $89.99 US Dollars and would serve as a good 2 channel mixer for mixing between two vinyl records. It is a good mixer for scratching, but works just as well for smooth blends and seamless transitions. It’s what I was using before I bought a Rane 57 and I have it stored away if the day comes where the 57 is not working and I need to use it again.
I was using it with a Serato SL2 Box, which runs $499.99. It’s definitely not in her price range, but does give the ability to do what he would want to do and then some with the mp3 controlled by the serato vinyl. Of course, SL is the standard in bars / clubs where I’m from – so it goes without saying that I needed it…
For the guy who hasn’t spun in years… if he does decided to get back into it, he will probably upgrade to something more his stype soon… If he just wants to mix for small parties and at home, a controller with a phono input will let him control his MP3s, as well as mix in pressed vinyl.
[ link ]Get the djtech mixer. It is exactly what you’re looking for.
[ link ]I think it’s actually a great little mixer, especially for the cash.
[ link ]Phil, will you be doing a review on the 10MXR mixer?
[ link ]Yes, I am sure we will sooner rather than later.
[ link ]Is it necessary with a mixer?
[ link ]How about a rca to usb interface and plug in the vinyls to the computer. Mix it from there. Cheap and at the same time possible to put in his vinyls in the computer as mp3:s too.
It may just be a great solution and spacesaving and cheap.