Chuck Van Eekelen

Clearly the CHANNEL faders will affect your recording levels. Master level changes shouldn’t really I think (would have to check tough). Also the gain/trim level will change recording levels of course (this is pre-fader gain for the channels).

To avoid any problems, you could hook up your monitor speakers to the booth output. This has a separate volume control and will most definitely not interfere with recording levels and you can keep a 0Db throughout average recording level (First gain/trim channel when that is set to 0dB average fully opening your channel fader will give you 0dB to the master. Next play a track with full fader and set master level til the master level meter reads 0dB average as well).

Well, like many entry-level controllers, the SB2 has only RCA master outputs. Fine for close-by monitor speakers less than a few feet away. You’d need an RCA-RCA cable, preferably one you can split down the middle so you end up with two singles to run to left and right monitor.

Hooking it up to a (club) mixer is easy, shortish RCA-RCA cable and done.

Going to balanced (powered) speakers out on the floor will require something in between the RCA output and the XLR input. Either a small PA mixer (like the Yamaha MG and AG range) or a specific unbalanced RCA to balanced XLR box will do the trick. The small mixer will be more versatile, for example give you better support for a mic than the SB2. Or let’s you hook up an iPhone or something as backup device. And they are not much more expensive than the converters.

As for budget: don’t go wild with “Monster” cables, gold-plated stuff and such. Also don’t use the RCA cables like the ones that come with a home stereo. Look at online DJ shops for some sturdy cables. They should be affordable and give you long life.

Hope that helps some.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 10 months ago by Chuck Van Eekelen.

Good question. Not sure which is best for that. I focus on audio. Leaving video(editing) to folks that specialize on that. I know it can be done and understand the concept. But I am not “into” it.

That said, sure there are a few readers who do this stuff and can help you out.

I would think that if you use the record option in your DJ software that, yes, you would have stable volume levels and they certainly shouldn’t be influenced by your monitors/master fader (assuming they are master output, not booth).

You can use any tool to EQ/post-produce/prep tracks/mixes for publication, but I’d say that a) Audacity might not be the best tool and b) mastering stuff is a specialty among sound engineers. It’s not a set-and-forget or use-default-settings thing.

There is good mastering software out there, but … expensive.

Without at least the basics of compression for example (5 parameters there!) it will be hard to get things to sound right.

Finally, you are a DJ and as such use prepped music. If you use anything remotely modern, not only will it be professionally mastered and EQ-ed by engineers, but it will be compressed to the hilt already. To then go and compress a mix even further is gonna have you end up with a sound as flat as a pancake and not sounding very nice. Tiring and boring comes first.

So, figure out how to do proper recording in your DJ software, keep an eye on channel gaining (0dB rulez) and only move your channel faders for mixes or for effect. This should give you a clean sounding mix. Don’t compress or EQ anymore. What you CAN use audacity for is to correct mistakes you may have made without having to redo the whole thing.

Clearly the Pro Mixtape course is THE place to go to get really serious about your mixtapes.

Hi Nik, welcome to the forums. Good luck and have fun with your new digital skills!

Enjoy the forums.

You can always run a recording from your DJ software and add that later in some kind of video-editing software. Then you’d have both ambient and music and you can mix levels for either separately

The only real laptop-less option today is really the new Denon Prime series. I own the MCX8000 and while it is a great controller, there are still some limitations to not using it with software. What it does do is make it easier to put the laptop to the side and use the screens more for visual feedback and most basic things. Extensive searching, browsing and such still better on a laptop with keyboard. As is setting some FX and stuff.

The SC5000 Prime players (full dual layer!) have built-in i5 processors, an iPad mini sized HD touchscreen (glass, not that plastic feeling you get on cheaper phones) that is really fully functional. Combined with the X1800 Prime mixer you have what is an “old school” setup of two players (actually 4 with the dual layer functionality) and a mixer, but with all the features of a modern digital DJ setup.

While I have never longed to own the CDJ Nexus (having played with it regularly) and being completely happy with all the controllers I have owned, the Primes are high on my wishlist.

Clearly the pricing is a bit different. While lower priced than a (not really) comparable Pioneer Nexus2k2 setup, it is still a LOT more than a controller.

I would say your plan sounds solid. If only to find out the do’s and dont’s and your personal workflow. Having a look at the (moneyback guarantee) How To Digital DJ Fast course might help accelerate your learning curve.