Alright, it's about time I've bought some. The main question that came to mind was CDs or vinyl. And fuck it, it has to be vinyl. I read some post around here saying that most shit you can find on cd/mp3. I don't know about that - most shit that I can find on vinyl hasn't been played before... and that's what I'm after. I think most people will agree vinyl is better quality. Vinyl is heavier? Fuck that, who cares. Price of buying tracks? If i can find tracks that i love and that is unique that I pay for, compared to shithouse tracks that someone else plays that I get for free... i know which one I'll be choosing. To me it's about the music, and only about the music.

So what to buy? Technics 1200s? Is that like the cdj1000s of turntables? Are there any other options? Do I bother looking else where? What do you recommend in terms of a mixer? Where is the best place online to buy these? And finally, where do I buy bedrock slipmats :)

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I guess if you get turntables you can run Traktor Scratch but you'll tire of the price and lack of choice with vinyl. More big name labels are moving to digital only every week.

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well, I found myself purchasing a lot more mp3's than I did vinyl in the past. I collected a good amount of records, from trance, hard house, acid house, techno, progressive and deep house... my shelf is full! I have a smaller shelf and it's only occupying 1/4 of it thus far.

I purchased my cdj's about 1 yr 1/2 ago and I love them.

I'll just say, you will have a much more BIGGER range of music selection (but be warned, it will consume your life looking for quality stuff).

Vinyl is great but just too expensive. And as far as Turntables go.. I have Technique 1200's. Best, but I know the turntable industry has come a long way since the 1200's.. so dont know how good other products have become.

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1200's are as good as they get IMO....rugged and timeless classic..No better alternative if you are getting decks...

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For a second hand set, that is in good condition what would be reasonable (or even good) to pay?

I have found a deal that is selling x2 Technics sl1200 mk2 and a Allen and Heath Xone 32 mixer for AU$1500 which for you US guys is 1,289.15 USD or 635 GBP for the poms.

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[quote=nikolic;513818]For a second hand set, that is in good condition what would be reasonable (or even good) to pay?

I have found a deal that is selling x2 Technics sl1200 mk2 and a Allen and Heath Xone 32 mixer for AU$1500 which for you US guys is 1,289.15 USD or 635 GBP for the poms.[/quote]

technics all the way, no question... as far as used... it used to be the case where they would depreciate only 30-70 USD from the $500 for new decks cause they are so fucking durable... only thing is now, i wouldnt think ANYONE is buying tech's.... so you very well may see some great deals. i wouldnt suggest not buying cdj's but i think its great you are... good luck and have fun :D

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Can't believe it, someone bought them before me. So disappointed. I thought it was an amazing deal.

Hopefully something else comes around the corner - but I hate waiting :)

So if anyone is selling theres within Australia. PLEASE let me know.

Thanks for the advice guys.

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I spin all vinyl for about 4 years now...I feel like that entitles me to pointlessly ramble a bit on this topic. So, here goes...

Vinyl vs. CD. Vinyl is of course cool and fun and all that stuff...but the digital wave is undeniable. You'll be spending a lot more money on your tunes and if anything it's only going to get harder in the future to get all the stuff you want on vinyl. Make sure you really love the music and the format before you commit to it...or get ready to invest in Serato.

Equipment: for vinyl, Technics is about the only sane choice. I got some used 1200s through a trusted source years ago and I use them to this day. I use a pioneer DJM-300 mixer...simple but high quality and def. not expensive. It's basically the same circuitry of the 600 without the channels and all the extra bells and whistles

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I just can't see myself enjoying the whole process of buying mp3s. It may seem weird, but by having a physical piece of music I find I appreciate it more and take more time with it. Mp3s seems so disposable.

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technics are surely the best choice for vinyl turntables, hands down. Always has always will be.

I commend you on your choice to go with vinyl. You will set yourself apart from all the "beatport DJs" mudding the circuit. Not to mention vinyl sounds a heap better than mp3s or even wav's. And you are also right in that the search and score of a track on vinyl will be much more worthy to you than a file on your computer. It's a true artifact of the music, unlike an mp3 which is just 0's and 1's. You can hold it and you will have visual attachment to it which makes it easier to remember what it sounds like when browsing your titles for your next selection.

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^^ well you can't really stop technology from advancing, and I hardly think the "beatport DJs" are mudding the circuit... take a look at all the top players using vinyl emulation systems with turntables, Hawtin, Magda, etc etc... they get their music from somewhere and it's probably mp3, wav and vinyl rips.

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[quote=djsethnichols;514902]technics are surely the best choice for vinyl turntables, hands down. Always has always will be.

I commend you on your choice to go with vinyl. You will set yourself apart from all the "beatport DJs" mudding the circuit. Not to mention vinyl sounds a heap better than mp3s or even wav's. And you are also right in that the search and score of a track on vinyl will be much more worthy to you than a file on your computer. It's a true artifact of the music, unlike an mp3 which is just 0's and 1's. You can hold it and you will have visual attachment to it which makes it easier to remember what it sounds like when browsing your titles for your next selection.[/quote]

I'm glad someone agrees with me :) cheers brother

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[quote=Caley Martin;515064]^^ well you can't really stop technology from advancing, and I hardly think the "beatport DJs" are mudding the circuit... take a look at all the top players using vinyl emulation systems with turntables, Hawtin, Magda, etc etc... they get their music from somewhere and it's probably mp3, wav and vinyl rips.[/quote]

Well the commoner digital DJ gets his/her music from beatport and the likes for the 'vinyl emulation' products. So how does that not make them 'Beatport DJ's' as I used the term? You acted like you were disproving something and instead further proved it...I'm confused.

Aside - the big names aren't going to digital download websites for their music. They get it directly from the sources. the producers themselves or the labels. And they get stuff before it has a chance to get to vinyl, and usually even longer than it gets to the digital download sites.

The term 'Beatport DJs' is in no way a reference to the major headliners - their music is upfront and (by my standards) excusable for the digital medium. If it's not on wax that's fine, rock the digital. But these downloader DJs think they're getting the same stuff as the big guys and they're not. Many of the big names only made the conversion to the digital medium because of the upfront aspect - not waiting for it to get pressed before playing it out. The commoner DJ is not getting anything upfront, so what's the logic in playing digital other than saving some $?

Which takes me back to my other point. You will hold more value to something you invest more into. The digital stuff is usually considered expendable whereas something of a physical element that cost a little more and took a little more time to get will be more special to you, longer.

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I'll reply to that, but I am lazy at the moment.

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You dont need "upfornt material" to play good music or be a good dj. You value vinyl more than a file because you can touch it, smell it, see it, I agree, but just because a person is a "beatport dj" does not mean they dont play "fresh" music.

Shit, there's plenty of older tracks at beatport that sound more "upfront" than actual "upfront" shit.

[quote]But these downloader DJs think they're getting the same stuff as the big guys and they're not. Many of the big names only made the conversion to the digital medium because of the upfront aspect - not waiting for it to get pressed before playing it out. The commoner DJ is not getting anything upfront, so what's the logic in playing digital other than saving some $?[/quote]

I personally dont think I'M getting the same stuff as the big dj's over at beatport, in fact I could care less; as long as what I play sounds dope, weather it's from 1996 or 2008 pre release whatever.

imo upfront is overrated, why be like everyone else. The logic in "playing" digital is not to be upfornt or save money (at least not to me), but to be able to have tracks that you wouldn't be able to on vinyl because they are out of print / rare / deleted etc.

my 2cents

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No doubt. I wasn't saying you have to be upfront to be 'good'. I was more just referring to the thing that sparked the acceptance of the digital medium (whereas before everyone was playing only vinyl, for the most part). It took a headliner DJ (like Sasha) playing the digital format before the commoner DJ would come to accept playing digital themselves. My point is that they were influenced to play digital by the headliners, but the headliners are playing digital because it is upfront and easier than spending $80 to press a dubplate of a new track, not because they can get it on beatport. The commoner DJ doesn't have access to this upfront material, so why digital? DJs have tossed one thing entirely for a new thing instead of introducing it and making a part of what was already firmly established and traditional. Digital is good for lots of things, as mentioned, getting old out of print stuff in full clean versions and not hacks off of p2p's. Playing classic vinyl that should be kept in home safety. Playing your own produced tracks. Good for having a bunch of stuff to take along with to a gig just to have in case you need to fill in a blank here or there (like those filler tracks that aren't worth the price of a vinyl). Good for the young starting labels that want to get their music out without much overhead out the gate. But to think of digital as the primary medium of choice is a far reach for me. It's a step down in the ways of quality, aesthetics, and fun...and I have high standards. Record labels and producers spend so much time and money to make tracks sound perfect, down to the very smallest sound. So why then would we take that high quality sound and play it via sub quality sounding means? It's degrading of the true sound that was meant to be heard.

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vinyl is great, and it is where most of us started.. but there is something to be said about being able to make your own edits of mp3/wav tracks! chopping out long pointless breakdowns, vocals, rearranging tracks.. cant do that with vinyl ;-)

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Would one really be able to tell the difference at a club when an mp3 file is being played and a vinyl is being played,.. all the while dancing, drinking and talking..? I doubt it.

Technology is constantly being born like every 5 months.. it was just easier for the producer/label to send their material directly to the big dj's because of it.

Im all for vinyl and every so often still purchase them, but I've found a new horizon with digital files.. it just expands your capability further imo, wether it be "upfront" or a lable's back catalogue.

I really dont think the "commoner dj" has gotten into cdj's/files because they think they too can be upfront like Sasha lol, that's just ridiculous.. People are getting into it becasue the technology is just there to try out period.

If the commoner dj is purchasing all this upfornt technology stuff to be something they're not, then they're getting into it for the wrong reason imo.

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[quote=Steve Graham;515925]chopping out long pointless breakdowns, vocals, rearranging tracks.. cant do that with vinyl ;-)[/quote]

Who plays music with long breakdowns these days?? :lol: :p

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[quote=BureOne;515948]Would one really be able to tell the difference at a club when an mp3 file is being played and a vinyl is being played,.. all the while dancing, drinking and talking..? I doubt it. [/quote]

I wouldn't make a deal of it if I didn't think it were noticeable. It most definitely is. Even more so on big club systems - the imperfections are amplified greater. Smacky highs and flat bass, the sacrifice of the digital sound. Not to mention the poorly mastered digital files going around the web (many of which are sold on websites) which make things even worse.

Check out this read on the digital sound : [url=http://www.musicangle.com/feat.php?id=106]Article Here[/url]

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Step 1: Buy used 1200's, preferably M3D's or MK5's (no pitch click). So many people are "dumping" their 1200's for digital, that there are quite a few out there. By them locally (not ebay), check craigslist. That way you can try them out in person.

Step 2: Buy Torq (or Traktor Scratch, SSL if you have the cash).

Step 3: Enjoy the best of both worlds and practice a lot.