Digital DJing

[Ricesnaps]

Sort of started this on Alans mixer thread.

Have a set of DND4000 decks which play MP3 from CD. Never eally had the courage to do much with this feature until last weekend. In the situation where I have a lot of tracks on the poorly laptop that I wanted to use, I burned a couple of 700Mb discs with MP3 files - that's probably about 100 tracks at 350? They worked really really well and sounded great - mixed with them OK too!

So my point here is why do I need to get the laptop up and running again or buy a Cortex (with seemingly doubtful sound quality) when i can do the whole digital DJ thing with a handful of CD's and my Denon?

Tru it might not have the search and find features that the Cortex or lappy does, but a list on paper is fine and the Denon displays the track details.

Anyone else use the Denon or similar decks like this?

[spin mobile disco]

Yeah I used a set of these over christmas at a walk in gig. Not bad actually I especially like the track name display and the rotary switch for track selection. All in all a good unit , the one I used was badly in need of service as the switched were wearing out on the play amnd cue buttons but other than that seemed ok.
P.S there is no quality problem with the cortex, just people forget that when ripping to choose right bitrate, frequency and encoding method.
Or if they have room stay with wav as they sound just as good as the cd when played back on a cortex (but buy yourself a huge hard drive for it)

[sleah]

If it works for you, then go for it!
I guess most (like me for example) who have moved to laptop is because we want to for various reasons.
If you don't see a reason, don't bother!

HOWEVER!!!!!
I don't think there is a current legal way to have mp3 files on CD :(
The DDJ Licence only allows the files to be on a computer (or hard-disk unit) so not sure how you'd stand.

[Corabar Steve]

S G 6 ?????????????

[sleah]

Sg6 ?????????????

Ch...Ching!!!!

[gillo]

:D how do you burn mp3 cds anyway :confused: :confused: :eek:

[sleah]

:D how do you burn mp3 cds anyway :confused: :confused: :eek:

Ripp a CD to mp3 on yer puter or download from t'internet, then just burn the files to CD as a data CD rather than as an audio CD.

Job done.

[Ricesnaps]

S G 6 ?????????????
OK, now if we are completely honest about this, what "should" you have to be able to do that and what is generally felt to be OK to do in the real world (if that turns out to be different to the "should" answer)

[CRAZY K]

OK, now if we are completely honest about this, what "should" you have to be able to do that and what is generally felt to be OK to do in the real world (if that turns out to be different to the "should" answer)

Couple of points, Spin is right--theres absolutely no problem with Cortex quality just my system is light on bass--

Having used the Cortex briefly and now with the keyboard to find tracks quickly I really dont think you would want to go the Disc route if you tried it out sometime.

Lot of time consuming hard work to set up--but after that your cruising:D

CRAZY K

[Ricesnaps]

Couple of points, Spin is right--theres absolutely no problem with Cortex quality just my system is light on bass--

Having used the Cortex briefly and now with the keyboard to find tracks quickly I really dont think you would want to go the Disc route if you tried it out sometime.

Lot of time consuming hard work to set up--but after that your cruising:D

CRAZY K
Sorry Alan,

I'm trying to put down the Cortex, just that it is a new bit of kit with not a great deal known about it. Picking up on your comments, it does sound as if there is an issue with the sound (however slight you may think this to be). I'm sure it's lovely to use, but in all honesty, if you could get mixmiester on a unit like my Denon control panel I would be in heaven!

The thing with the Denon digital solution is i can continue to use CD's and add in digital discs as we go along with exactly the same quality of sound.

The only thing that does seem to be a problem with the Denon is downloaded tracks with the DRM thing.

[gillo]

i click in windows media player data cd then klick start burns and it stops straight awaw!:eek: :confused: :mad:

[Corabar Entertainment]

Sorry Alan,

I'm trying to put down the Cortex, just that it is a new bit of kit with not a great deal known about it. Picking up on your comments, it does sound as if there is an issue with the sound (however slight you may think this to be). I'm sure it's lovely to use, but in all honesty, if you could get mixmiester on a unit like my Denon control panel I would be in heaven!:eek: :eek: Was that a typo Matt?????? :eek: :eek:

[Dragonfly]

the sound quality on the cortex is not the problem i guess its how best to eq it to your system for which there is a simple answer.

ladies.... read the manual for your mixer and other bits of kit maybe call helplines if they have them

gentlemen ......... have a play swear alot threaten to throw it at the wall and keep going till the flippin thing does what your telling it to.

[Thames Valley Discos]

Anyone else use the Denon or similar decks like this?
Yes , i use pcdj and two Denon 5000,s.in the same way
;)

[spin mobile disco]

remember drop the 1k on the EQ and raise the bass level. It evened out on my cortex. Sounded much better.

[BeerFunk]

I also have used the MP3 feature on my Denon DN-S5000's, but much prefer to use regular CD's. This is because I like to have a tracklisting, when I am unsure of what's on the CD, or what order it's in. Sure enough I could print one, but I don't think it's woth the effort.

Also, there is a 5-10 second delay as it loads the MP3 CD, whereas you can fire in a regular CD and have it playing in a matter of seconds (very handy if you've been distracted by someone, and you're running out of time to get the next track on! :eek: )

[CRAZY K]

Sorry Alan,

I'm trying to put down the Cortex, just that it is a new bit of kit with not a great deal known about it. Picking up on your comments, it does sound as if there is an issue with the sound (however slight you may think this to be). I'm sure it's lovely to use, but in all honesty, if you could get mixmiester on a unit like my Denon control panel I would be in heaven!

The thing with the Denon digital solution is i can continue to use CD's and add in digital discs as we go along with exactly the same quality of sound.

The only thing that does seem to be a problem with the Denon is downloaded tracks with the DRM thing.

Fair enough Matt--whatever you are most comfortable with-theres no quality issue now--see my post on mixers today.

Dragonfly Spin and myself will leave you with your discs while we tap in the keyword for the next song on our mini keyboard and watch it cue up automatically on Cortex ready to play!

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Although the HDC1000 is the basic model (good enough for me) I imagine the bigger models and the new Denons could prove difficult to resist for digital DJing if you dont already have a laptop

CRAZY K

[Ricesnaps]

Fair enough Matt--whatever you are most comfortable with-theres no quality issue now--see my post on mixers today.

Dragonfly Spin and myself will leave you with your discs while we tap in the keyword for the next song on our mini keyboard and watch it cue up automatically on Cortex ready to play!

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Although the HDC1000 is the basic model (good enough for me) I imagine the bigger models and the new Denons could prove difficult to resist for digital DJing if you dont already have a laptop

CRAZY K
Alan,

I meant no offence. just a little careful sometimes. There has been a lot of 198 or 320 bit rate conversations lately and I for one am extremely sensitive to poor sound or changes in quality - maybe something to do with learning the trade through the theatre with an ex-BBC sound engineer. So to me, any doubt over sound quality would be a concern for me. The Cortex is untrodden territory so to speak and i am far far more interested in the way it sounds than the ability to access MP3's easily. That's probably why I was keen to understand the problems you were having. No question to my ears, 320 or nothing, regardless of space.

having said that, I think I need to save up for a better mixer, the Citronic is a dream to use, but doesn't quite do the Denon's or the Machs justice. But if I had the money, maybe I would order the new Denon MP3 unit?

have fun with it and keep on letting us all know how it's going!

By the way, if there's anyone close to me at any point with the Bose system, I would love to hear it - having grown up on 802's!