DJ Mat G

Controllers generally are lighter, more mobile and can be most importantly, used to practice at home (being less expensive as well). This means people are comfortable with their equipment when it comes to the gig.

It also comes all in one piece there fore quicker to set up and generally takes less space. All these are pluses especially for mobile DJs.

Ipad touch screens can be used on their own as back up (headphone out/airplay out to powered speakers), if the controller dies!

Hi DigitalDJ

I started Djying with CDs and have returned to DJying with DJay Pro and Reloop beatpad, having skipped the whole laptop phase. I think this is the way forward. I just found the hardware only solution (think Pioneer) overpriced and underperforming/not creative enough (not enough Fx, no spotify integration). I recently upgraded to DJay Pro from DJay 2 as the software supports 4 decks. I just need to find 4 deck controller now! Numark mixdeck quad is probably the way forward, unless DJay Pro pulls its finger out and creates a toggle button to switch between virtual decks while using a 2 deck controller. Having said that you still have the touch screen so you can still use the 4 decks, just minus physical control for 2 of them.

I wouldn’t go with 4 ipads (though DJ Juicy M was seen doing amazing things on them) as I would miss sync too much (and miss out all the benefit of having 4 decks digitally integrated in one ipad. Love to see all 4 pitch faders go up at the same time when I move 1)! For me sync takes away the some of the stress to focus more on important things like the crowd reaction and song selection. There is still a lot you need to manually do to make a mix sound professional even with sync like phrasing, using Fx and when to mix etc. which I’m sure you know about. Sync is quite ‘dumb’ as it requires proper beatgridding or it will sound awful and wont work well if EDM is not your daily bread. It is quiet revolution (think mice and dinosaurs) but it is only getting better and it pays to be at the forefront.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 11 months ago by DJ Mat G.