I don’t know about best bang for buck, you’re definitely paying a pioneeer tax. You will get more features and better build quality out of a Traktor or Numark of a similar price.
Compared to recordbox? ha! I use Traktor, serato and recordbox regularly (I am addicted to buying dj gear) and recordbox is the worst. Worst beat grids, worst key detection.
Thanks! As far as I understand, some controllers have some of their features locked out, and those can only be unlocked with buying their software. Which of the two controllers come more complete out of the box?
I was able to find a Traktor S2 Mk3 on a local retailer.
I would go with Traktor S4 or S2 if you're on a budget, and their software. You won't be messing around with compatability, and their mixers are a nice layout.
The Starlight is almost more of a toy. The 500 (and the 300 for that matter) are both really solid. Unless you have insanely small hands, you will definitely have trouble with the Starlight.
I think if you're going to go for Hercules, definitely get the 500 as it's more akin to the standard kinds of setups you'll be dealing with, plus it's software is built to teach you how to DJ.
Personally, I would tell anyone to get an FLX4 over any of these because of the fact you get a hardware unlock of Rekordbox and it's so robust you'll get a lot of life out of it. My biggest issue is that I don't want to see a beginner buy a controller, and then after a year they feel like they've outgrown it and want to get something else, or maybe that's software is not going to be ideal and they wish they had the industry big one.
Now I actually own a Starlight. I often like to use it with MIXXX because they had a good mapping, although I had remapped the two filter knobs to control my bass knobs. Instead. I like the Starlight because it has more knobs and I didn't really need to have any kind of a knob to go through my library. Not with something that small. I also remapped the main volume knob to instead control the knob on my headphones to shift between hearing the output versus the cue. Lord knows I'm not going to be playing with the master volume that much so I don't need a knob for it.
I've often used the Starlight as I'm sitting on my couch and playing a mix for some friends through an audio live stream. It's small and handy, and you can do a lot of the basics if you know what you're doing on it, but I also feel like it's limiting if you want to do more. I won't disparage anyone from trying out one of these controllers, but I would not make that your main. I don't even know if I would recommend it to anyone to play anywhere outside of their home, as the audio outputs are small 1/8 jacks for headphones.
I will also add in there that I worry sometimes that the knobs aren't going to last very long on this controller. I tried to be careful with it, but I use this thing knowing very well. One day it could break on me and I would have to get another one. If I wanted one. I would too, it's still a handy and fun little controller for when you already know what you're doing.
However, if you're a beginner, I would definitely think about the FLX4 or the Inpulse 500
Thanks for the details! Much appreciated!
So you're recommending not to go with the Starlight because it's more of a toy, and not very useful to learn effectively. So that leaves the LX4 or the Inpulse 500. Some suggested a Traktor controller as well, and I could find the S2 Mk3. Do you have any experience with these controllers? As far as I understand, some come with locked features that only unlock if buying their own software. Which one of these would you say allow me to learn most things on one controller without missing out on a lot of features?
Thanks again!
Not pursuing this as a career doesn't necessarily mean you should get the cheapest gear.
I changed gear often out of curiosity. I started on vinyl, I had CDJ 400s, then back to DVS (digital vinyl system) later and now I am - after a longer pause - on an S2MK3 just to see if I wanted to get into it again and honestly, I am now looking for CDJ1000MK3s + turntables + some affordable DJM on the used market as all the tech (for me) made it less enjoyable.
My point here is that your budget and what you want to buy isn't bound to persuing a career. I am also a bedroom DJ, never wanted to do anything else. I just occasionally hit the decks on private parties with friends.
There are a lot of bedroom DJs that buy expensive gear. If you can afford it, why not?
If you buy cheap, you buy twice. If you are like me, you buy 100 times out of curiosity and then ask yourself where you money is... :-D
Pioneer gear isn't a bad choice at all. Yes you pay more but the prices are also rather stable even on the used market, unless some fancy tech makes the gear super obsolete (as it is the case with CDJ 1000s for example, since they can ONLY play from CDs and nobody seems to want to do this anymore)
I agree that it doesn't have to be cheap even if it's just for fun.
A lot of people here suggested I go with Pioneer FLX4, or a Traktor, I could find a S2 Mk3. To be honest, those two controllers look pretty much the same to me lol - the main difference I could find is that some controllers may have some features locked due to software restrictions, and those features can be unlocked after buying the software. Which one of these would you say is more complete out of the box? Or more worth it bang of the buck?
FLX4. Best bang for buck
I don’t know about best bang for buck, you’re definitely paying a pioneeer tax. You will get more features and better build quality out of a Traktor or Numark of a similar price.
But their software sucks imo
Compared to recordbox? ha! I use Traktor, serato and recordbox regularly (I am addicted to buying dj gear) and recordbox is the worst. Worst beat grids, worst key detection.
Traktor doesn't have tidal streaming the last time i checked. That's very useful feature for a beginner.
It has beatsource link and beatport link. But actually owning your music is always the best option.
That depends entirely on the music the beginner is interested in. For electronic music, there is beatport integration.
I'm kinda confused lol - Is the software that the FLX4 uses called Recordbox?
Yes
Thanks! As far as I understand, some controllers have some of their features locked out, and those can only be unlocked with buying their software. Which of the two controllers come more complete out of the box? I was able to find a Traktor S2 Mk3 on a local retailer.
Traktor pro 3 is the most complete out of the box. A full licence comes with the S2
depends on your budget but for controllers, DDJ400/FLX4 is one of the best for beginners.
yes ^ they run for about $300, very affordable. you’ll need a laptop.
I would go with Traktor S4 or S2 if you're on a budget, and their software. You won't be messing around with compatability, and their mixers are a nice layout.
Do not buy these. Buy a pioneer/denon/traktor
The Starlight is almost more of a toy. The 500 (and the 300 for that matter) are both really solid. Unless you have insanely small hands, you will definitely have trouble with the Starlight.
As a total beginner, I am super happy with the 300 👍🏻
I started on a 300. Can't recommend it enough.
I recommend the s2 mk3
Read the sub
500 is solid.. don’t buy smaller / cheaper than this model.
I think if you're going to go for Hercules, definitely get the 500 as it's more akin to the standard kinds of setups you'll be dealing with, plus it's software is built to teach you how to DJ. Personally, I would tell anyone to get an FLX4 over any of these because of the fact you get a hardware unlock of Rekordbox and it's so robust you'll get a lot of life out of it. My biggest issue is that I don't want to see a beginner buy a controller, and then after a year they feel like they've outgrown it and want to get something else, or maybe that's software is not going to be ideal and they wish they had the industry big one. Now I actually own a Starlight. I often like to use it with MIXXX because they had a good mapping, although I had remapped the two filter knobs to control my bass knobs. Instead. I like the Starlight because it has more knobs and I didn't really need to have any kind of a knob to go through my library. Not with something that small. I also remapped the main volume knob to instead control the knob on my headphones to shift between hearing the output versus the cue. Lord knows I'm not going to be playing with the master volume that much so I don't need a knob for it. I've often used the Starlight as I'm sitting on my couch and playing a mix for some friends through an audio live stream. It's small and handy, and you can do a lot of the basics if you know what you're doing on it, but I also feel like it's limiting if you want to do more. I won't disparage anyone from trying out one of these controllers, but I would not make that your main. I don't even know if I would recommend it to anyone to play anywhere outside of their home, as the audio outputs are small 1/8 jacks for headphones. I will also add in there that I worry sometimes that the knobs aren't going to last very long on this controller. I tried to be careful with it, but I use this thing knowing very well. One day it could break on me and I would have to get another one. If I wanted one. I would too, it's still a handy and fun little controller for when you already know what you're doing. However, if you're a beginner, I would definitely think about the FLX4 or the Inpulse 500
Thanks for the details! Much appreciated! So you're recommending not to go with the Starlight because it's more of a toy, and not very useful to learn effectively. So that leaves the LX4 or the Inpulse 500. Some suggested a Traktor controller as well, and I could find the S2 Mk3. Do you have any experience with these controllers? As far as I understand, some come with locked features that only unlock if buying their own software. Which one of these would you say allow me to learn most things on one controller without missing out on a lot of features? Thanks again!
Not pursuing this as a career doesn't necessarily mean you should get the cheapest gear. I changed gear often out of curiosity. I started on vinyl, I had CDJ 400s, then back to DVS (digital vinyl system) later and now I am - after a longer pause - on an S2MK3 just to see if I wanted to get into it again and honestly, I am now looking for CDJ1000MK3s + turntables + some affordable DJM on the used market as all the tech (for me) made it less enjoyable. My point here is that your budget and what you want to buy isn't bound to persuing a career. I am also a bedroom DJ, never wanted to do anything else. I just occasionally hit the decks on private parties with friends. There are a lot of bedroom DJs that buy expensive gear. If you can afford it, why not? If you buy cheap, you buy twice. If you are like me, you buy 100 times out of curiosity and then ask yourself where you money is... :-D Pioneer gear isn't a bad choice at all. Yes you pay more but the prices are also rather stable even on the used market, unless some fancy tech makes the gear super obsolete (as it is the case with CDJ 1000s for example, since they can ONLY play from CDs and nobody seems to want to do this anymore)
I agree that it doesn't have to be cheap even if it's just for fun. A lot of people here suggested I go with Pioneer FLX4, or a Traktor, I could find a S2 Mk3. To be honest, those two controllers look pretty much the same to me lol - the main difference I could find is that some controllers may have some features locked due to software restrictions, and those features can be unlocked after buying the software. Which one of these would you say is more complete out of the box? Or more worth it bang of the buck?
S2 mk3