What's you current playout setup?

[Tom]

Interested to see what people are using these days for their play out setups.

I used to use an digital setup (Denon HD2500) with back up gear as well, then I went to a full Denon CD/Mixer setup as at the time I refused to pay for a Produb licence (bit silly I know but we live and learn by our mistakes) but I've seen quite a rise in laptops and other digital setups being used.

What gear are you using to play your music on ? Why kind of run down of gear would be greatly appreciated :)

[Nakatomi]

I came out of retirement about 4 months ago to do walk in gigs for a guy I work with in my day job. Initially I was using just a HP g6 laptop running Mixxx on windows with an external USB soundcard but found full manual control using just the keyboard unwieldy.

So now, I've got a Denon mc2000, run Mixxx on Linux booted from a USB Ssd. I carry a spare USB soundcard in my bag and have a spare laptop & backup boot HDD (also USB) in the car.

I love the mc2000 but for 3 things:
1. It only has unbalanced outputs.
2. The Mic channel has no eq
3. The Mic channel has no on/off switch

Those three factors mean I have to use an external mixer, but that's not an issue since I'm always provided with one..., and if the mixer dies I can simply run into the PA with adapter cables I always have in my laptop bag.

I switched to Linux because one night running windows I was getting brief pauses in playback every few minutes & I couldn't reproduce it at home. Since the ssd doesn't have enough space for windows and the music I installed Linux which takes up much less space. I've not had so much as a hiccup since, often playing music continuously for 5+ hours.

Whoops, I forgot about the one time I heard a big thump over the pa & the controller stopped paying audio, needing to be replugged & Mixxx restarted.. But I've not had that since I added a fat ferrite clamp to the mc2000 USB cable at the controller end.

[funkymook]

Mac Book Pro running Traktor and a Denon MC6000mkll with another Pro connected as a back up, plus iPad and iPod with key tunes/playlists for the event and last resort iPhone also loaded with the key tunes/playlists.

If the MC6000mkll breaks down and can’t be recovered I can go straight into the PA (FBT Vertus) via the Pro’s headphone socket (mini-jack to twin xlr's) and use a mouse to control Traktor.

I’ve used various other play-out systems, including the HD2500 but I prefer the large screen that a laptop gives me so I can see as many tunes as possible when looking for inspiration rather than scrolling on a smaller screen.

[Shaun]

Still the HD2500. Old Skool baby. Yayyyyy! :d

[Benny Smyth]

Traktor Kontrol S4 MKII as my primary.
Traktor Kontrol S4 MKI as a backup.
Pioneer CDJ 400k and DJM 400k as my backup's backup.

And if all three fail, I think it's clear that a force greater than myself has decided that this event will no longer continue. :p

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Denon HD2500 as main system
Denon HD4500 with VDJ Pro 8 as back up
iPad with Deejay and Traktor as extra back up

[yourdj]

Still on a Vestax VCI 300 mk2 & macbook playing Serato.

Did get a MC6000 MK2 but preferred the Vestax.

i am however interested in the new mc4000 player from Denon soon to be released.
The only let down for modern players are that they need power and not USB.
Not a lot on this one yet.

17022

http://denondj.com/assets/microsites/wnamm2015/index.html

[Tom]

Thanks for the comments so far. Interesting to see what you lot are using.

When I was using the Denon HD2500 that used to drop out a few times over yer I think I had it. Had backup so wasn't too bad but that was a CD backup.

I've like the idea of a controller and software but I don't know if I can trust a laptop. I used to use a laptop for the DMX lighting and that was good as gold, but never for the music.

Ovcourse, If I was to go down the laptop route a Produb licence would needed and a carefully selected 5000 tracks would be needed. Got 3 or 4 times that and don't really want music on there that I know wouldn't be used, mainly my heavy metal collection, but you never know!!!

So I guess as a first thought, I could go down the route of having 2 cheap laptops with a large internal HD for the music on each one (main and backup) but the backup laptop being used for lighting control (always loved DMX control) and then have a tablet with Spotify which I pay for each month as a 3rd backup to that. Have the controller in the middle and that could be the setup. Have some kind of backup mixer just incase the controller/mixer decided to die just in case.

Think that would cover things.

Wanted to go back to the Denon HD2500 but I don't think I can trust it. Was a pain to search for tracks and if the ID tagging isn't spot on (lesson learned and would get it 100% right this time with correct Genre tagging also) it took a while to search for music. :(

[funkymook]

and then have a tablet with Spotify which I pay for each month as a 3rd backup(

Spotify isn’t for commercial use so it wouldn’t be an option for back-up.

[Tom]

Spotify isn’t for commercial use so it wouldn’t be an option for back-up.

Fair comment and point taken.

Swear I saw other people post comments (not here and not naming names) but no problem at all. :)

[funkymook]

Fair comment and point taken.

Swear I saw other people post comments (not here and not naming names) but no problem at all. :)

There’s been plenty of people saying they’ll use it for DJing - someone usually puts them right : )

Apart from that I wouldn’t want to rely on streaming when playing live.

[musicology]

Lappy running Mixxx, Hercules rmx controller plugged into Numark cd Bluetooth. If software crashes or hercules rmx packs up, neither of which has happened yet, I can switch to cds which I always have with me.

[Tom]

There’s been plenty of people saying they’ll use it for DJing - someone usually puts them right : )

Apart from that I wouldn’t want to rely on streaming when playing live.


Fair play lol.

To be honest I know where you're coming from. I personally wouldn't want to run the risk of a tune dropping in and out due to poor signal. If anything I would download the song and play it after, but I don't plan on doing this seeing that it's not for commercial use. Trying to be above board as I tried to do years a go.

Can always download a track that is paid for and use that instead. If I havent got in my collection then it was a needed track anyway. lol

[Daryll]

Laptop running ultramixer 4 , VSM4
Backup , laptop running Ultramixer 4 , Creative external sound card Alesis mixer

Daryll

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Denon MC6000. Had it three years and while it shows its age in appearance it still works without any faults. Think they still go for around £600 however as I said mine is still going strong and I've easily done 200+ events with it...

[yourdj]

I've like the idea of a controller and software but I don't know if I can trust a laptop.

Loads of people say that (I just think they are people who buy crap PC's or won't embrace new technology?),
I have never had any serious issues with MacBooks - solid as. Much more reliable than my CD'js were - especially the HD2500.

A decent spec Macbook pro is an industry standard now (and a decent PC will not do you wrong)
I use my Macbook for everything. Backup is now a second macbook and ipad with DJAY.

[Tom]

Loads of people say that (I just think they are people who buy crap PC's or won't embrace new technology?), I have never had any serious issues with MacBooks - solid as. Much more reliable than my CD'js were - especially the HD2500.A decent spec Macbook pro is an industry standard now (and a decent PC will not do you wrong) I use my Macbook for everything. Backup is now a second macbook and ipad with DJAY.Fair comment.To be fair, I'm all up for trying new things, but I prefer others to spend the money, try things out then if all goes well, then look into making the chance.

Already been looking at laptops, MacBooks ect just to get an idea on price. Not bought a laptop for a fair few years so need to see what's on the market. Think I'll go for a windows based laptop running windows 7 to be honest. Change the hd over to a large ssd so no spinning discs and go as big. Have a backup ssd just in case. Can never have too much back up lol.

Quite liking the digital route. Smaller, more compact and lighter. Only real weight will be the rest of the kit.

[Andy P]

Looks like im going up against the Denon crowd here:

My gear is probably a little lower spec and less specific

Use NUC PC with Windows 8 and Virtual DJ8
Backup is Toshiba Laptop running same

Use a Hercules RMX and a Behringer X1204 usb mixer
I carry a spare external sound card and behringer q1002usb mixer

[Nakatomi]

Looks like im going up against the Denon crowd here:

My gear is probably a little lower spec and less specific

Use NUC PC with Windows 8 and Virtual DJ8
Backup is Toshiba Laptop running same

Use a Hercules RMX and a Behringer X1204 usb mixer
I carry a spare external sound card and behringer q1002usb mixer

Why the NUC? Wouldn't a laptop of the same spec be about the same price by the time you add all the necessary extras? I'm just curious because I've considered using a small form factor PC too - to be honest it'd be blimmin great being able to use a nice big monitor.

[djeddie]

One system consists of:-
Purpose built, rack mount PC
Mix Vibes U-Mix Control Pro 2 with Cross software
Denon DNS 1200 CD players

The other system:-
Citronic Hawaii Iv

And over the last few months the "other" system is the one that's had more use. Much more use! Retro nights, solely on vinyl. Flashing spot boxes, ropelights and fuzz lights!

[Andy P]

Why the NUC? Wouldn't a laptop of the same spec be about the same price by the time you add all the necessary extras? I'm just curious because I've considered using a small form factor PC too - to be honest it'd be blimmin great being able to use a nice big monitor.

The spec for price was higher
more video outputs for karaoke and extra screens
Fits out of sight on back of nice 24" monitor
less to go wrong
its been ace

apec is i5 3.2
8gb corsair vengeance ram
1tb hdd and 128gb sdd

[Andy P]

My nuc was same prices as toshiba 17" laptop
in performance there is no comparison

[dicky]

And of course I really don't need to comment having started an entire thread about my custom built low cost playout setup

But I wanted to add that I will be bringing it down to DJ demo day at Coalville on Feb 8th so folks can come and appreciate it or take the mick out of it as they see fit ;) though from posts on here I think it is kinda 'liked'

Cheers
Rich