Help needed with DJ Turntable Package

[Clstrphbc_donut]

I'm looking at buying a beginners turntable package, but I have no idea about anything other than belt-drive and direct-drive. I would rather skip belt-drive and go for direct-drive turntables because of the belt slipping and I don't want to spend £200 on some, find I like it, have to get rid for half the price and spend yet more on direct-drives instead of just going straight for direct-drives. I've got £200 to spend and I was looking at the Kam Kam MIX150 DJ Kit .

Good enough for a beginner? Is the mixer enough for a beginner? Any other thoughts or reccomendations about other products?

Thanks.

[mart_haj86]

Looks pretty good for a basic setup I would say however you have got to budget for your vinyl and headphones aswell. There is also one other thing I would mention aswell, if you can afford to spend a little extra it might be worth while upgrading the mixer for one that has a 3-band eq on each channel, But really it depends on what music you intend to mix?

[Clstrphbc_donut]

Looks pretty good for a basic setup I would say however you have got to budget for your vinyl and headphones aswell.

I have headphones I can use and a few of my mates DJ so I can borrow their vinyls, and I also get paid Friday so my cash can go towards vinyls. The package is being bought from the money I'm getting from selling my drum kit

There is also one other thing I would mention aswell, if you can afford to spend a little extra it might be worth while upgrading the mixer for one that has a 3-band eq on each channel, But really it depends on what music you intend to mix?

Well it will be allsorts really. I'll be borrowing my mates vinyls first so i'll be starting on "bouncey house/scouse house." They recommend this because it is easy to mix. Then onto hard house & hardcore later, I may even attempt some DnB as I can lend some DnB vinyls from another friend.

I have looked at packages that cost more and they too only have 2 band eq. They change to 3 band eq at £325 which is WAY too much. And I very much doubt I can get 2 turntables & a mixer seperately for £200?

[mart_haj86]

having just had a look around i see your problem with going for a 3-band mixer 2 channel should be fine, its just that if you have to tunes with clashing mid tones it can really mess up a mix. I myself was given some turntables last week some KAM belt drives, its a whole new ball game compared to dj-ing in traktor dj studio.

[Clstrphbc_donut]

I've been offered two 2nd hand packages within 10mins. So I'm not sure what I am going to go for yet. I would rather buy new but I've heard one set is brilliant, from someone who has 1210's and sold them for some newer upto date Vestax (so he knows his stuff), and I'm waiting to hear about the other set.

[BlindMelon7]

Go technics if you can. They rock.

[ACiD303]

In my experience, KAMs have always been the lower end of equipment. But at least what you have (or had, considering your offers) are direct drives, and this is the most important for beginners. For me, and a lot of other people, belt drives are the ultimate nightmare. Having said that, a mate of mine started off and still is using belt drives - and he is more than a good DJ.

If all you're doing is beatmatching, then any direct drive turntable would suffice for a beginner - I got hold of *hand-me-downs* from a mate who turned pro, after a while you will get a feel for what you like - believe me, once you got beatmatching down with decks from crapola, you will enjoy mixing with better decks - and be better on them. I'm old fashioned and like Technics - I will always say no to Vestax purely (and a few of my mates swear by Vestax on their scratchable side) because I played in a Vestax competition once and they were absolutely ****ed - I've played on 15 year old Technics and they are just as good as the new article, but occasionally you will come across ones which have been tanned - which leads onto if you can buy even just 1 Technics 1200/1210, then it's worthwhile. Most setups (as because of the industry standard blah blah blah) will have Technics, so if you ever play in a club, or party then you've got equipment to have confidence in.

As a beginner, you might not want to get too bogged down in equipment - anything is a starting point. I know folk who have blown £1.5k on decks, mixer (most of the money) and amp - and did very little with it beyond 6-8 months. I started with 2x Limit Decks (worse than KAM imo) and a Synergy Mixer (a big brand knock off) which had NO EQ, just 3 band kill switches - but it was more than enough to learn on - if anything it taught me to be more creative. Once you get a grounding, get the basics and confidence, you will want more, but beginner packages are usually easy to sell on.

You are spoilt for choice in terms of lent vinyl, but if you figure out what you want, send me a wants list as I've got 3000+ records Im gonna offload (and cant be assed typing them all out)

[mart_haj86]

Go technics if you can. They rock.

They do rock but at around 700 quid a pair, I think they are way out of the OP's price budget.

[Clstrphbc_donut]

In my experience, KAMs have always been the lower end of equipment. But at least what you have (or had, considering your offers) are direct drives, and this is the most important for beginners. For me, and a lot of other people, belt drives are the ultimate nightmare. Having said that, a mate of mine started off and still is using belt drives - and he is more than a good DJ.

If all you're doing is beatmatching, then any direct drive turntable would suffice for a beginner - I got hold of *hand-me-downs* from a mate who turned pro, after a while you will get a feel for what you like - believe me, once you got beatmatching down with decks from crapola, you will enjoy mixing with better decks - and be better on them. I'm old fashioned and like Technics - I will always say no to Vestax purely (and a few of my mates swear by Vestax on their scratchable side) because I played in a Vestax competition once and they were absolutely ****ed - I've played on 15 year old Technics and they are just as good as the new article, but occasionally you will come across ones which have been tanned - which leads onto if you can buy even just 1 Technics 1200/1210, then it's worthwhile. Most setups (as because of the industry standard blah blah blah) will have Technics, so if you ever play in a club, or party then you've got equipment to have confidence in.

As a beginner, you might not want to get too bogged down in equipment - anything is a starting point. I know folk who have blown £1.5k on decks, mixer (most of the money) and amp - and did very little with it beyond 6-8 months. I started with 2x Limit Decks (worse than KAM imo) and a Synergy Mixer (a big brand knock off) which had NO EQ, just 3 band kill switches - but it was more than enough to learn on - if anything it taught me to be more creative. Once you get a grounding, get the basics and confidence, you will want more, but beginner packages are usually easy to sell on.

You are spoilt for choice in terms of lent vinyl, but if you figure out what you want, send me a wants list as I've got 3000+ records Im gonna offload (and cant be assed typing them all out)

I learnt to beat match on 12010's but unfortunately I don't have the money to buy them, they are way out of my price range. And as you said, I don't want to buy a very expensive set to find I'm not all that interested. From the 2 sets I've been offered, one lot are Stantons, which I've heard aren't too shabby. The mate of mine offered me them when I asked for advice, said he had used one alongside one of his 1210 and there wasn't much in it, the 1210 was just a little better. The lad wants £200 without mixer, £250 with mixer, but being a mate of a mate, he'll throw the mixer in free. And I'm waiting to hear about the other set.

Thanks for the offer of the vinyls, could you PM me/reply here with what genres of music you have? Money is looking short at the moment, so I'm not so sure I will be able to afford new vinyl as of yet.

[ACiD303]

200 for stanton decks and mixer sounds like a steal to me, whats the other set you're waiting to hear back from like? The stantons are solid for the price, Ive only played on them once, but I was far more impressed with them than more expensive Numark TTs.

My collection is mostly genres of 4x4 - house/prog/trance/bootlegs/hardhouse/hardtrance/techno/acidtechno (you get the picture), though I have lots of other stuff which I experimented with (acapellas,dnb,hiphop,breaks etc.) but not too sure where they are. there will be plenty Im keeping (mainly the early age stuff and probably rarer items). What kinda DJs are you into, I could dig out a like-wise selection, a beginners pack of say 10 vinyl for £15 inc p&p. Thats probably less than £1/vinyl after p&p - mainly looking to shift volumes.

Although to be honest, if you have shedloads of time, going to vinyl bins or basement sections in vinyl shops is the way forward - stuff is usually 99p - £2 each, and Ive picked up some true gems and some really rare stuff which turned out to be worth a lot of money!

[Clstrphbc_donut]

200 for stanton decks and mixer sounds like a steal to me, whats the other set you're waiting to hear back from like? The stantons are solid for the price, Ive only played on them once, but I was far more impressed with them than more expensive Numark TTs.

I don't know, Nick Flood on here has offered me them but hasn't replied to the PM i sent asking what they are. I was told these Stantons are £600 a pair. I've just rang my mate about these Stantons to find out exactly what they are, so I'm awaiting a text from him. All I know is they have straight tone arms, which doesnt narrow it down by much.

My collection is mostly genres of 4x4 - house/prog/trance/bootlegs/hardhouse/hardtrance/techno/acidtechno (you get the picture), though I have lots of other stuff which I experimented with (acapellas,dnb,hiphop,breaks etc.) but not too sure where they are. there will be plenty Im keeping (mainly the early age stuff and probably rarer items). What kinda DJs are you into, I could dig out a like-wise selection, a beginners pack of say 10 vinyl for £15 inc p&p. Thats probably less than £1/vinyl after p&p - mainly looking to shift volumes.

Although to be honest, if you have shedloads of time, going to vinyl bins or basement sections in vinyl shops is the way forward - stuff is usually 99p - £2 each, and Ive picked up some true gems and some really rare stuff which turned out to be worth a lot of money!

Just hardhouse, hardcore, DnB, I wouldn't mind some hardhouse vinyls but as of yet I've not heard from my uncle who is buying my drums, so Im hoping he doesn't let me down tomorrow.