American Audio SDJ 2 Users Two Questions

[Megamix]

I'm selling some gear and re-investing/upgrading most elements.

I currently use a CD player as quick backup if my laptop were to crash/freeze.

The American Audio SDJ-2 (plus similar other SD Card players) seems ideal as a suitable replacement.

Question 1 - I've read the USB reader can't handle certain characters and can effectively crash the reading of the stick

Question 2 - Navigation - is this usable or a nightmare?

My main aim would be just to have time to play some tracks whilst I remedy any issues (re-start or swap laptops) but in the worst case scenario would the reader get me through a whole night if really needed or would I be in tears trying to find a track!

[yourdj]

IMO navigation is imposible compared to my Serato.
I would personally stick with a decent laptop or better navigational unit.

I only used mine once and sold it.

[Megamix]

I would personally stick with a decent laptop or better navigational unit.

like a Numark D2 controller? - I did have issues with a Cortex so I went down the laptop route - but I was thinking instant playout when laptop issues occur

[deltic]

if your music is well organised in small folders (sets)no problem,bearing in mind these machines have a limit to the size of card or memory stick they can read,usually about the 4gb mark.

[Megamix]

these machines have a limit to the size of card

yes I believe its 4GB for the earlier model and 16GB with USB of 500GB for the mixer model (2) but I dont fancy wading through 500 gb of folders one by one!

But that’s interesting - so you think its certainly navigable for one night and emergencies?

[DeckstarDeluxe]

like a Numark D2 controller? - I did have issues with a Cortex so I went down the laptop route - but I was thinking instant playout when laptop issues occur


I've never had an laptop issue myself apart from once having a duff charger (Thanks again Darren).

I havent used the SDJ2 but I have used the midi verison with my laptop and its pretty basic but does the job. Not as good as the denon but half the price.

[deltic]

yes I believe its 4GB for the earlier model and 16GB with USB of 500GB for the mixer model (2) but I dont fancy wading through 500 gb of folders one by one!

But that’s interesting - so you think its certainly navigable for one night and emergencies?

as long as you have your music sorted no problem doing a disco or for emergency use.

personally i have an rca to 3.5mm stereo jack lead instant back up via ipod / phone

[Megamix]

thanks for your comments - all things considered, and much searching and checking and reading online- I'm starting to think a Numark DDS would be a better investment.

[Booche]

yes I believe its 4GB for the earlier model and 16GB with USB of 500GB for the mixer model (2) but I dont fancy wading through 500 gb of folders one by one!

But that’s interesting - so you think its certainly navigable for one night and emergencies?

Cant you use a mini keyboard with it to help search as i was looking at a sdj2 to step away from my pc playout ?

Cheers Dave :)

[Megamix]

Cant you use a mini keyboard with it to help search

not as far as I can see

[Booche]

not as far as I can see

Damn must have been another unit i was comparing it too then :( good job i didnt get one lol as im used to typing in a song and then just looking lol

Cheers for letting me know though mate :)

Cheers Dave :)

[yourdj]

With these devices I always like the idea of the ipod players. You can organise everything in itunes in playlist and use it out live.
I even found my denon dnhd difficult to navigate in comparison.

I do not think I will ever leave a laptop based controller system tbh until some very good self contained solid state touch screen stuff comes out.

[Megamix]

Sorry to resurrect this but I've been searching and reading (far too much) on the SD Players (including Pagan Flame's review) and for £145 for the SDJ-1 I reckon the main aim of backup might put t back as the strongest contender - versus £375 for the Numark DSS.

Ipod players though could be the third option.

[pagan_flame]

I still have mine as a backup unit, and a lot of my Guest DJs at club nights use it and like it a lot.

However I am now using a Numark D2 Director as main playout due to the aforementioned searchability.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Sorry to resurrect this but I've been searching and reading (far too much) on the SD Players (including Pagan Flame's review) and for £145 for the SDJ-1 I reckon the main aim of backup might put t back as the strongest contender - versus £375 for the Numark DSS.

Ipod players though could be the third option.


I got the SDJ1 yesterday and its pretty decent for a backup player. Only annoying thing is finding enough SD cards to put enough songs to get you through an evening. (They only take 2/4gb SD (Not SDHC) ones)

[Megamix]

I had a look at the DJ Tech version of this today and I can see how as a backup its easy and simple. It wouldn’t read my card as it was 8gb SDHC.
I think the SD cards are available but seem to be mostly 2gb though - which is probably more than enough to scroll through. With careful tagging and plenty of folders I can see this working.

[yourdj]

Honestly get something decent that you can navigate music with as your main playout.

There is a reason people use the sdj1 as back up. They are reliable but not very good for weddings and parties where people want everything now!

Each to their own but I could not even begin to think of using this device for a gig and i have owned one (for one week as well as a citronic mps somthing2). both were great but cak for finding tracks.

For the price a decent controller/laptop or ipod player is worth its weight in gold for navitability.

Numark are good in all realms of these sectors for budget options as im sure you know.

[Megamix]

I use a Mac with djay Toby and had CDs as backup but I'm changing my gear so need a backup to replace the CDs - I had a cortex 2 years ago and took it back as it froze regularly just in my testing stage despite all my effort re-tagging changing mp3s etc It put me off controllers plus the 300 quid price to sit there as a backup doesn't make sense - my CDs were not really used.

[Steve Cheese]

I've just got the SDJ-2.
The plan was to get a backup player in case of a problem with the laptop.
I chose the SDJ2 over the SDJ1 because it takes bigger capacity SDHC cards and also incorporates a mixer, which would be handy if the mixer popped mid gig. (it has happened to once - fuse!).
It seems quite flexible, there is an output for each player to go to your gig mixer or there are balanced outs to go straight to amp.
My first play with it was with some MP3s on a usb stick. But the tracks kept stuttering and skipping. I have looked into this and it could be down to naming and characters. But apparently the SDHC cards don't suffer with this problem.
I have ordered 2 8gb cards (class 4) and will let you know how I get on once I have tried them out.

So I think it will be ok for a back up player, but I wouldn't want to do a complete professional gig with it.

[yourdj]

I've just got the SDJ-2.
The plan was to get a backup player in case of a problem with the laptop.
I chose the SDJ2 over the SDJ1 because it takes bigger capacity SDHC cards and also incorporates a mixer, which would be handy if the mixer popped mid gig. (it has happened to once - fuse!).
It seems quite flexible, there is an output for each player to go to your gig mixer or there are balanced outs to go straight to amp.
My first play with it was with some MP3s on a usb stick. But the tracks kept stuttering and skipping. I have looked into this and it could be down to naming and characters. But apparently the SDHC cards don't suffer with this problem.
I have ordered 2 8gb cards (class 4) and will let you know how I get on once I have tried them out.

So I think it will be ok for a back up player, but I wouldn't want to do a complete professional gig with it.

I just sold one of these. I really like the mixer function.
Nice piece of kit.

I asked myself would I be happy if my mac went down to use this.
Definitely would not want to do a Whole set on it so looking for other options.

Possibly another mac and djay?
i have a four hour mix on an ipod which would be very handy if I had to leave the gig for some reason.

[Megamix]

But apparently the SDHC cards don't suffer with this problem.

Did you mean the SD format won't stutter but USB do - or SD cards stutter but SDHC don't?

[CRAZY K]

I got the SDJ1 yesterday and its pretty decent for a backup player. Only annoying thing is finding enough SD cards to put enough songs to get you through an evening. (They only take 2/4gb SD (Not SDHC) ones)

To repeat my argument--SD cards are great for backing up a smaller collection like my Barn Dance or Country Nights.

For general Disco the last thing (especially with Weddings) you need after having the unsettling experience of a failure of equipment is fiddling around with small cards and maybe dropping them on the floor in the dark--as my local DJ store mentioned :eek:

I cant see the point of having a limited selection that will get you through the night--thats not good enough in my opinion--especially if your advertising yourself as a Wedding specialist or whatever ( not you Neil just generally) and working off a playlist.

This is from the Internet (obviously written by someone selling the product who is not a DJ)

The dual MP3 file player features 2 integrated SD slots. Each slot takes an SD card up to 4GB. Don't let the card's small size fool you, each card storing approximately 800 tracks in an explicit quality (5MB/MP3) file. 1600 tracks will be at your fingertips and with each SD card assignable to either player, or both, you can play all night without the need to change a disc!

1600 tracks :daft:

No im not fooled its not enough:(

There are plenty of HD offers everywhere.

Do the job properly and get a spare Hard Drive or even dare I say it an ipod that can be used as a Hard Drive which will be my main playout next year for full Disco ( not Barn Dance/Country) subject to to rigorous back testing.;)

Then again even at Country events someone always says can you play Single Ladies ;) actually yes as its on my HD;)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I disagree. The cards are already loaded so you won't drop them or have problems with them being fiddly.

1600 songs is plenty. Most DJs probably use less than 1000 unique tracks in a year.

Back up is just that. Something to get you out of trouble. It's not going to happen every week and possibly not at all.

The company karaoke console we use has one of these in and only in case the software crashed. A couple of tracks can be played whilst the software is rebooted.

[Megamix]

I think Darren has the exact scenario I envisage - I carry a bootable USB clone in case of HD failure. I can't justify a second Mac but am planning on bringing a spare windows laptop running OTS or PCDJ Red in due course.
To have a track or two play whilst I fix or swap laptops would be all I require.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

I disagree. The cards are already loaded so you won't drop them or have problems with them being fiddly.

1600 songs is plenty. Most DJs probably use less than 1000 unique tracks in a year.

Back up is just that. Something to get you out of trouble. It's not going to happen every week and possibly not at all.

The company karaoke console we use has one of these in and only in case the software crashed. A couple of tracks can be played whilst the software is rebooted.
Indeed and if you organise your tracks on the cards correctly it shouldnt be too hard. I managed with loads of 700mb cds so dont see what the issue with 2/4gb cards are.

[Excalibur]

Well my views may come as no surprise, given my background, but I can't see enough of a price differential between these card players, and Cortex/Numark players, to justify accepting the lower spec. :confused:

Perhaps, I'm missing the criteria for backup. If as Darren says, it only has to pay two tracks while the main system reboots, then I stand corrected. My personal preference would be to have a machine which would easily cope with doing a whole evening easily.

I see the OP has had a bad experience with a Cortex, but that or a Numark would still be my choice.

[Megamix]

I can't see enough of a price differential between these card players, and Cortex/Numark players

I did look at the Numark but the DDS is around £400 and the D2 currently hard to find second hand.

The SD card player I've seen is around £139 new - not sure about the latest Cortex models, I did have mega problems with the DMIX300 (2007), which was £485 at the time and froze constantly.

[yourdj]

1600 songs is plenty. Most DJs probably use less than 1000 unique tracks in a year.

:agree:

I never understand DJ's who USP the fact they have 3 million tracks or whatever :confused:

Most of them play all the same tunes give or take a few randoms :p
Well I do anyway and most the DJ's i have seen or know agree?

I found that two cards held enough tracks for everything.

I had one for parties, one for old people, one for teens and a pre mixed back up set.

[Vectis]

I see the OP has had a bad experience with a Cortex, but that or a Numark would still be my choice.

Oh it warms my heart, it really does :D



fiddling around with small cards and maybe dropping them on the floor in the dark

Been there, done that.


And nowadays there's the supply issue of non-SDHC and SDXC cards (as I don't believe the SDJ1/SDJ2 accept these - only the bog standard SD cards). And the fact that the non-SDHC/non-SDXC cards are size limited to 4GB. For someone with a 320Kbit/sec mp3 collection this equates to about 400 tracks per 4GB card (assuming songs of "about" 4 minutes and allowing for formatting etc.).

Handy tool here: http://www2.le.ac.uk/projects/impala/documents/resources-and-tools-for-creating-podcasts/mp3-file-size-calcuator.xls


The other issue I had using the SDJ1 that I owned for a while was the relative complexity of the navigation compared to the Numark kit I was used to. The music has to be organised in a very precise way - there's no library or index to search - and so it's very much tree-style navigation a la Windoze Explorer circa 1995. And IIRC there's severe limits on the depth of the directory structure as well as the number of files per folder.

So - IMHO - it's a good last-ditch backup. I tended to keep a couple of tracks cued on mine for the duration of the evening. One current poppy one, and one 70s disco classic, to switch to in the event of a catastrophe.

Thankfully, being a Numark owner with a clean and legitimate music database, I never needed it.




I never understand DJ's who USP the fact they have 3 million tracks or whatever :confused:


Yeah... and IF (and I use the word cautiously) they can produce a ProDub certificate, you can almost guarantee it'd have numbers like '1' and '5000' on it ;)

[Excalibur]

I see the OP has had a bad experience with a Cortex, but that or a Numark would still be my choice.


Oh it warms my heart, it really does :D

Don't get too excited, my overseas friend. ;) I was recommending the principle to others. not giving it glowing praise. Yes, it's becoming the main player, due basically to the crate. The Cortex still beats it for me in many ways.

As for the card players, if you can't connect a keyboard, I'd say that alone disbars them from being capable of being a sole playout. An oddbsong or series while another system recovers is the best I'd expect to get out of one. £150 for a card player, £230 for a Cortex. Simples.

[Megamix]

You wise owls have made me reassess once again - Is it just a backup? - is going to be a second main player?...theres only one way to find out...

and what Cortex is £230 Excalibur - and have the freezing issues been ironed out on their players?

[Excalibur]

You wise owls have made me reassess once again - Is it just a backup? - is going to be a second main player?...theres only one way to find out...

and what Cortex is £230 Excalibur - and have the freezing issues been ironed out on their players?

This is the basic no frills model, the HDC 1000. OK, so I was a bit optimistic at £230, but not too far out.
http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/product/44056-cortex-hdc-1000-2u-dual-digital-music-controller.html/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=base&source=aw

http://www.djsuperstore.co.uk/=froogle/item/mp3-players/646353_2-cortex-hdc-1000-digital-media-controller

Freezing etc? I personally never really had that as a problem, all you need to do is power everything connected to it ( hub, HD, cd drive etc ) or use memory sticks.

Before doing anything at all with it, feed it the latest updated software, and it will be rock solid.

PS. If you use Ebay, a Cortex usually makes £100 - £150 s/h.

[pagan_flame]

Had an interesting situation on Friday @ my classic rock night.

Now, in my wisdom, I have kitted out my main console with LED gooseneck lights - and a fan - all running from a powered USB hub. Suddenly all the tech starts failing on me - tracks skipping, background hum etc etc.

(This was down to one of the LED USB lights earthing on the rack frame via the spacer plate, and hence throwing a curve ball to my Numark D2 / laptop... quickly fixed with a bit of insulating tape...)

But while tracking and diagnosing the fault, I shut down and rebooted the D2 and laptop - leading to puzzlement from the 4 persons watching as to where the music (that didn't miss a beat) was therefore coming from...?

A. = from the SDJ-2 - once again proved absolutely reliable in the face of my electrical incompetence.

Which is why they are still fetching more £££ secondhand than Mr Freezy Cortex.

STILL - 100% Used and recommended. :cheers:

[CRAZY K]

You wise owls have made me reassess once again - Is it just a backup? - is going to be a second main player?...theres only one way to find out...

and what Cortex is £230 Excalibur - and have the freezing issues been ironed out on their players?

Hi there, who told you there are freezing issues with Cortex:confused:

Apart from an odd rogue brand new machine (Gary had one I think) YOU WILL FIND ISSUES ARE CAUSED BY THE USERS.

Corrupt files are the culprit.:mad:

Had one myself:D

Once you get a machine that works perfectly after that point its going to be user error/ file error unless after some years eventually it packs up--nothing goes on forever.

I have 2 --never freeze, never fail--boringly reliable--I dont even take the spare one inside the gig, always leave it in the vehicle im so confident.

Incidentally, agree 100 per cent with Excalibur on all points made, I had forgotten about the keyboard angle--and no I dont care if it does get you out of trouble--would I rather have on my River Boat as a backup for engine failure--

a. An inflatable dinghy and a rope and some oars or b. a spare engine

Both get you out of trouble but one does the full job, the other gets you through if your lucky.

[Megamix]

I finally bought a DDS because I liked the idea (and price) of an SD2 but felt for the extra money I bought the ability to search quickly and do a whole night if necessary - you can't put a price on keeping cutomers happy.
I'm sure Cortex players are fine now but chickened out.