Hello all! I play 3 nights a week at a local bar, relatively new to DJing with decent gear so apologies for the noobish question. Traktor with a Behringer NOX404 mixer, Maya44 soundcard. I love the 404 as far as first mixers go, but I am looking to dive into the controller world. Currently I just jack into the house system via the XLR ports on the wall, no worries. It's how I've always done it. I was looking at the Mixtrack Pro but I noticed unlike the Traktor S4 I had my eye on, MP doesn't have XLR outputs. How would I/can I go out about hooking into the house system like that? Is it even possible, sound degradation issues, etc... Would I have to continue to use the Behringer just to make that connection? Many thanks in advance.
Direct injection box? An example (Not advertising just for reference so you know they are available) is http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/pcDI/
Well if you only have unbalanced outputs (RCA) then a DI box can help. If your cable length is really short (below 2m) you can also get away with using a simple RCA to XLR adapter plug. Most controllers that are a step up from the mixtrack pro have at least TRS outputs, you can always connect those with a TRS to XLR cable, since both are balanced and have basically the same quality. If you want to look at some controllers and know their features I recommend our free controller guide, that you can find here: http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2011/12/dj-midi-controllers-buyers-guide-2012/
I would have to agree with Terry and take it a step further: don't go with a mixtrack. You are actually stepping down, and quite a lot, even from a Behringer mixer, which feels like a weird thing to say (I like some Behringer equipment, but they are not the most highly looked upon). Do yourself a favor early on, and always buy the best equipment you can get within your budget. If you DJ 3 nights a week, you should be pulling in some decent money. If not, save a little bit every week until you can afford something nice. If you don't want to drop the money on an s4, but you are looking for a great all around 2 deck mixer, you can't do any better than a Traktor s2. It has balance 1/4" outputs, you can run 1/4" to XLR cables and maintain a balanced connection to the house system. It's $500, but it includes the Traktor 2.5 full license software (which separately is about $100). Look at it this way: sell your soundcard and your behringer mixer for $100-200, and you are already halfway there. You won't need the two separate devices, because the s2 will replace both.
Steelo's right, this is often fine as long as you don't need to use a really long lead to do so, in which case balanced would indeed be preferable.
No house mixer at this particular location unfortunately, I am left to my own devices. Basically I'm set up in the middle of the bar and dining room of a sports bar. @Will, funny you should mention the S2. I had myself all but talked into that one as of this morning. I'm a big proponent of crawling before you can walk. I don't want to rush too far ahead with the biggest and baddes that I skip fundamentals. BTW Phil, BIG fan. Your video series is amazing and this site has been an invaluable resource as I've started to evolve my skills. So cheers and thank you!
If you are used to a traditional mixer do NOT get the S2...main reason...shift + Gainknob Filter Pots...the rotarys for the filter are not smooth and click...this can lead to the filter being more choppy than a smooth sweep etc. I freakin HATE that about the S2. The Cheapest and easiest solution for a controller that doesnt have XLR like the S4 is to get TRS to XLR cables...they are really cheap and imo you should never leave for a gig without them. I always keep: 1 - RCA Daisy Chain cables 1 - RCA to XLR cables 1 - TRS to TRS 1 - TRS to XLR 1 - RCA to Digital cable This way no matter where i go i can always plug into something...be it a bar, club, house party etc.
If you want to go the Traktor route maybe think about the Reloop Jockey 3. As there is no inhouse mixer the Jockey has also stand alone mixing functionality that is a real plus in such environments. Also since the latest firmware upgrade by Reloop the jogs integration in Traktor is now finally really nice and the mapping is excellent. Also you can later pimp the setup with additional controller units (like F1) at any time.
I'm with Drew, get a DI box. In fact, I think every dj that plays multiple venues should get one and keep it in the trunk of the car. A box that can make any connection into any other type of connection means you will almost never get stuck no matter what is present at the venue... Think of it like $100 for an insurance policy.
Oh I'm definitely getting one in addition to whichever controller I decide on, they're a FANTASTIC idea I didn't even know about. I'm IT guy by trade so I'm all about backups.
