all digital from friday.

[Spirits High]

Hi Guys,

After much ripping of cd's and my hair out :D we're ready to go full hogg into digital land from friday.

As you probably know I went with the Denon 2500, already had the 900 mixer and have cased them with the decks from the 4000 (again had these) just in case a punter brings a cd to play (got pics will post them soon)

Done a few good test runs and all seems to be well, got an ilum keyboard aswell so as you can imagine track selection is quick as. It'll be a bit weird not looking at CD cases but hey i'm sure i'll get used to it. Need to do some extra planning with the set though.

Think i'll just chuck in a couple of cds in case (and for my peace of mind;) )

Back up will be via laptop and pcdj.

Having spoken to Tony at length re tagging etc i'm off to give it a blast.

Ill let you know how it goes and as i'm out friday , saturday and Sunday it'll get a good run out :D

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Good luck! You will find it really easy as long as the tagging is done properly and remember to search various genres if you know something is there and can't find it at first. Some of my tracks had a space before the first letter (where I deleted the track number) and it was a pain to find them at first but sorted now.

[rob1963]

Good luck, Spirits High!

I look forward to hearing your report, as I'll only be a few weeks behind you with the digital move!

:D

[Shaun]

Best of luck, Paul. You won't look back. :)

[Excalibur]

Good luck Sir, I'm a bit of way from the final hurdle, but heading there.

[Penfold42]

Good luck mate....(although i might be late)...nothing like flying from the seat of your pants......well that's what it felt like first time.....:D :D :D

[Excalibur]

Good luck mate....(although i might be late)...nothing like flying from the seat of your pants......well that's what it felt like first time.....:D :D :D

I haven't gone fully digital yet, and yes the seat of my pants was invplved, but no flying! ;) :D

[Penfold42]

I haven't gone fully digital yet, and yes the seat of my pants was invplved, but no flying! ;) :D

What's that then......:p

I bob it first time....but after 30 minutes forgot about it....to busy doing other bits.....the mystical floor movement / watching.....:D :D

[Tom]

...to busy doing other bits.....the mystical floor movement / watching.....:D :D
Great fun ain't it. lol

[Penfold42]

http://sixthform.info/lawblog/files/churchill_dog.jpg

[geoffrey]

I would love to go digital, But I love my pioneer cd decks and love to mix using hands full on. I often get a small crowed of guests watching the mixing and I think it is part of my show. Some times the dancers just look at each other briefly in amazement as I get a mix perfect (Not too often though). The youngsters love it when I play two decks at the same time. I must admit though, I do get jealous when I hear from some of my Venue managers talking about how quick you boys/girls get set up and pack away. I have three cases of tunes on stands and it is a pain when you have tight spaces to work in. When you consider it CD’s are digital sound anyway so when will it be someone comes up with a hard drive system using wav format, but uses decks like my Pioneers? I need to mix full on, not just stitching the tunes together. I think as soon as they come up with a suitable design for me, I will join in the digital world.

[Corabar Steve]

What Pioneers do you have?

[TR2K Productions]

so when will it be someone comes up with a hard drive system using wav format, but uses decks like my Pioneers? I need to mix full on, not just stitching the tunes together. I think as soon as they come up with a suitable design for me, I will join in the digital world.

They Have, If im doing a club & need that "Authentic" Mixking feel i use Stanton Final Scratch. it basically uses MP3's and allows you to mix them via your decks. Pretty nifty piece of technology

[BeerFunk]

I would love to go digital, But I love my pioneer cd decks and love to mix using hands full on. I often get a small crowed of guests watching the mixing and I think it is part of my show. Some times the dancers just look at each other briefly in amazement as I get a mix perfect (Not too often though). The youngsters love it when I play two decks at the same time. I must admit though, I do get jealous when I hear from some of my Venue managers talking about how quick you boys/girls get set up and pack away. I have three cases of tunes on stands and it is a pain when you have tight spaces to work in. When you consider it CD’s are digital sound anyway so when will it be someone comes up with a hard drive system using wav format, but uses decks like my Pioneers? I need to mix full on, not just stitching the tunes together. I think as soon as they come up with a suitable design for me, I will join in the digital world.Consider it done (http://www.denondj.com/dnhs5500/) ;)

[Spirits High]

Well , that's one down two to go and so far so good, last nights wedding went off ok, off to a 13 yr olds party in a bit (that's as the DJ before Tony or Dave come out with a smart bum comment :D)

Felt really strange to begin with but WOW, came into it's own with punters requests

Think i'm gona like these ;)

[Shaun]

Felt really strange to begin with but WOW, came into it's own with punters requests

Think i'm gona like these ;)

The 'strangeness' passes after one or two gigs. It's lovely for requests though. :)

[Excalibur]

The 'strangeness' passes after one or two gigs. It's lovely for requests though. :)

Ain't that the truth? ;) :D Found two I had no idea I possessed, and three on the fly in seconds! :D :D

[Penfold42]

Nice to see you getting there old man.....:p :D

[Excalibur]

Nice to see you getting there old man.....:p :D

So far it's been a long hard expensive road. :( I have to say I can't see why people slate the Cortex though? :confused: Apart from the annoying tab requirement, it does exactly what it says on the tin! ;) :D :D You wouldn't believe how much I learnt on Thursday!! I now know where I'm headed next, the ludicrously expensive mixer is still on the cards, A cheap USB soundcard for the Laptop, and a session with the woodworking power tools and soldering iron for a custom builkt enclosure for the kit. :D :D

[Penfold42]

A cheap USB soundcard for the Laptop

Will your laptop be back up then??....I would steer clear of cheap soundcards...IMO....I've got one and have regretted it.....:)

[Excalibur]

Will your laptop be back up then??....I would steer clear of cheap soundcards...IMO....I've got one and have regretted it.....:)

More in depth report to come, but lappy will be part of playout system, cos it will be the only part capable of playing downloaded singles, unless they come as MP3's! :doh:

[One Vision]

I would love to go digital, But I love my pioneer cd decks and love to mix using hands full on. I often get a small crowed of guests watching the mixing and I think it is part of my show. Some times the dancers just look at each other briefly in amazement as I get a mix perfect (Not too often though). The youngsters love it when I play two decks at the same time. I must admit though, I do get jealous when I hear from some of my Venue managers talking about how quick you boys/girls get set up and pack away. I have three cases of tunes on stands and it is a pain when you have tight spaces to work in. When you consider it CD’s are digital sound anyway so when will it be someone comes up with a hard drive system using wav format, but uses decks like my Pioneers? I need to mix full on, not just stitching the tunes together. I think as soon as they come up with a suitable design for me, I will join in the digital world.

I would have to check but I am almost certain that the D2 is compatible with wav format????????

Just checked on Numark site.

The D2 Director supports MP3, WAV, and AAC (unprotected) formats.

[Corabar Steve]

Consider it done (http://www.denondj.com/dnhs5500/) ;)
Which is why I asked what model the Pioneers are.

[Vectis]

The D2 Director supports MP3, WAV, and AAC (unprotected) formats.

Correct-a-mundo.

And with firmware 1.09 or above, you can connect USB CD and DVD drives and use these as additional input sources, either standard audio discs or iso volumes of mp3s. Helps with the transition if you want to move gradually into digital whilst carrying CDs around. Also helps when some punter shoves half a dozen CDs in your hand at the start of a gig and says 'play some of these' :)

[Spirits High]

Well, that was good :)

3 gigs this weekend and now i'm a digital convert!

Lost that "strangeness" feeling of not picking up a cd , checking the back putting it in the player, blah blah blah

Now like it , a lot :D

Got the week to sort out a few dodgy tags then out friday , saturday next weekend.

I'll post some pics in the gallery of it "cased" up along with the complete LED set up :eek:

[geoffrey]

What Pioneers do you have?

Steve, They are Pioneer CDJ 1000 Mk111 :cool:
Fantastic to work with and worth every penny. Yes they play MP3's but would take to long to burn them on a cd and list there contents.:)

[PropellerHeadCase]

...but would take to long to burn them on a cd and list there contents.:)

How so? A decent DVD burner and attendant software will burn them fast AND create a CD cover (cut and paste the cover info into excel and/or into your database).

[Shaun]

So far it's been a long hard expensive road. :( I have to say I can't see why people slate the Cortex though? :confused:

I'm one of the ones who have slated the cortex in the past. If I hadn't already used the Denon I probably wouldn't have been so negative, I guess I've just been spoiled with the Denon. The differences between the two are like night and day. I'd liken a Denon/Cortex side by side comparison to owning a Mercedes, then being given a Fiat Punto as a courtesy car while the Merc is in being serviced. The Punto is not a bad car but it's definitely not a Merc :D

That said, I'm glad you like the Cortex. Digital's a nice place. :) :)

[geoffrey]

How so? A decent DVD burner and attendant software will burn them fast AND create a CD cover (cut and paste the cover info into excel and/or into your database).


For me it's a big can of worms, I always rip my CD's onto a laptop and use media player for a search engine and one for the guest's so they can search out there tunes. My problem has always been when I rip my tunes I sometimes get clicking happening on some rips. When I researched why I was getting the odd occasional clicking it apparently boils down to the Drive itself. I have purchased around three different drives and not the cheap ones either.I have burnt and ripped at slower speeds also. I have also used two base units and a laptop and still get clicking. I rip at 320 Kps and if I burn them to disc I notice a distinctive but small drop in volume and the bass is a little softer compared with the original CD. Also I believe a cd has around 1,400 kps and taking that to 320 disturbs me a little. That is why on my other post's I have said I want to use wav format. Geoff

[Excalibur]

Well, that was good :)

3 gigs this weekend and now i'm a digital convert!

Lost that "strangeness" feeling of not picking up a cd , checking the back putting it in the player, blah blah blah

Now like it , a lot :D

Got the week to sort out a few dodgy tags then out friday , saturday next weekend.

I'll post some pics in the gallery of it "cased" up along with the complete LED set up :eek:

My probs are the big blank spaces in my head, without the prompts of CD covers for inspiration! I think Rob's Idiot sheets may yet appear in my folder! :o :o


I'm one of the ones who have slated the cortex in the past. If I hadn't already used the Denon I probably wouldn't have been so negative, I guess I've just been spoiled with the Denon. The differences between the two are like night and day. I'd liken a Denon/Cortex side by side comparison to owning a Mercedes, then being given a Fiat Punto as a courtesy car while the Merc is in being serviced. The Punto is not a bad car but it's definitely not a Merc :D

That said, I'm glad you like the Cortex. Digital's a nice place. :) :)

I have not used a Denon, so can't comment, but all I can say is that I believe the Denon to be packed with features I would never use. To use your car analogy, like buying a 4x4 and living in London. ;) :D I personally didn't fancy the single screen Numark, though it had some advantages over the Cortex, so my choice was in effect made for me. For what it's worth, I reckon the early Cortex probs are behind them now, ( hopefully!! ) I'm happy with my Punto, the Merc won't fit in my garage! :D :D

[Shaun]

To use your car analogy, like buying a 4x4 and living in London. ;) :D
I'm happy with my Punto, the Merc won't fit in my garage! :D :D

Touché :D Can't argue with that. :)

[BeerFunk]

Which is why I asked what model the Pioneers are.
Steve, They are Pioneer CDJ 1000 Mk111 :cool:
Fantastic to work with and worth every penny. Yes they play MP3's but would take to long to burn them on a cd and list there contents.:)The decks I linked aren't CD players though, they are essentially a tweaked HD2500 in table top format. I tried the 'MP3s on CDs' route with my DN-S5000's, and I wouldn't recommend it as anything other than backup to be honest. Mind you, as always, it depends what you want from it - if you just want to press play it will be fine, but all the other functions we're spoiled with like fast search and so on aren't there. I also don't like the quality of CDRs - and that's any CDRs - on the market, I don't think they're good enough for using week in, week out; rather than just now and again as backup.


I have not used a Denon, so can't comment, but all I can say is that I believe the Denon to be packed with features I would never use. To use your car analogy, like buying a 4x4 and living in London. ;) :D I personally didn't fancy the single screen Numark, though it had some advantages over the Cortex, so my choice was in effect made for me.I don't use all the features on the HD2500 either, but there are some simple features that my style of DJing has evolved to demand - one of them being instant start - which is something the Cortex failed when I tested it. It wasn't as noticeable on the D2, but I still got the impression I couldn't rely on it to an accuracy of a split second.

[geoffrey]

Thanks Beerfunk, You just reminded me that when I did try out an mp3 cd quite a few of my usual functions wouldn't work as I often use looping fast search and pre program certain tracks etc for on the spot mixing. One particular thing I always do is fast search as when a real hit comes out on 7" I like to extend it to 12" using two cd's of same tune and need full functions and control. I suppose there are swings and roundabouts what ever media your using. Geoff