Are The Latest DJ Controllers Worth Your Cash?
Hey there fellow waveform conductor!
It still surprises me how some things change so rapidly, and some stay largely the same.
If you drove a car 20 years ago, you’d still find today’s moving boxes largely familiar. A steering wheel, a gear stick, some pedals. It’s a classic formula.
It’s the same with DJ equipment. I started out two decades ago with a set of Citronic PDQ turntables and MSX-1 mixer.
It’s still the same basic setup DJs use today. A couple of big circular things, pitch control, some EQ knobs and some faders.
Some designs just work.
DJ companies have been on the egg nog again, pumping out new shiny toys at a rate not seen since…last year.
But are they actually any good? Or just the same old thing repackaged?
November: The month of DJ Controllers
November has been a big month for controller releases from the biggest names in DJing. In the last few weeks, we saw a load new controllers from Denon and Pioneer DJ.
I thought it was the perfect time to talk about how you can make sure you're getting the best controller for your needs—no matter what they are!
Denon SC Live 4 / SC Live 2
If you want to get away from laptop DJing, then Denon has just released two new standalone controllers.
The SC Live 2 is the 2 channel version and the SC Live 4 is the 4 channel.
Priced a bit below the popular Prime 2/4 units, the main new features here are built in speakers and Amazon Music integration.
Both units work with Serato DJ Pro and Virtual DJ and of course Denon’s own Engine software.
If you are looking for a great standalone system for home use, these could be perfect.
Learn more
Pioneer DDJ-FLX4
With DDJ-400 stocks running low for months we had a feeling a replacement was coming for this beginner controller classic.|
The answer came with the new DDJ-FLX4.
It has many of the same features with a few nice little upgrades like USB-C connectivity, combination colour FX and the ‘Smart fader’ that does the BPM matching and EQing for you.
In the right hands this sounds like a great creative feature - in the wrong ones…well, it’ll probably sound awful.
In any case, this is an excellent controller for beginners or even as a backup controller for travelling with.
Learn more
Pioneer DDJ-FLX6-GT
The first new Traktor controller in 3 years! I’m not sure it deserves an exclamation point.
But, this is a nice little update to the FLX6 which also adds support for Virtual DJ along with the existing Rekordbox and Serato DJ Pro compatibility.
Aside from a new graphite colour that’s about all there is to talk about. This remains a very solid 4 channel controller for the price.
Learn more
Gift ideas for picky DJs
DJs are notoriously hard to buy for.
In my latest video, I share a few ideas that might help you out with gift giving this holiday season to suit every budget.
Live-streaming: The new way to reach an audience
Never played in a club, but want to play in front of a real audience? Live-streaming could be the answer!
I’ve been live-streaming for a few years now, and want to share all my tips and tricks to get you playing for music lovers in just a few hours. And you can try it FREE!