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[Rob Spence]

I am a live sound and lights provider. Sometimes I get hired to bring a PA and lights for a DJ event. I don't know much about DJ gear. I know some names (Traktor, Serato, Virtual DJ, Pioneer) but.... I have a box (virtual cd spinners and mixer) that works with Virtual DJ and I have cross rented Pioneer and Rane mixers and turntables and CD players along with a Serato box but all I had to do was take an output and run it into the PA.

So, what are the popular systems? Why?

I have a DJ event soon and his rider asks for something no one around here seems to have so...

Thanks for the education.

[Steve Kendrick]

Pioneer cdj 1000 /2000, Pioneer djm800 or Allen and Heath xone mixers, with
Serato  scratch live software / hardware.

[Marlow Wilson]

Pioneer cdj 1000 /2000, Pioneer djm800 or Allen and Heath xone mixers, with
Serato  scratch live software / hardware.

+1 on the above for most EDM.  Technics and Rane would be common (essential) for hip-hop and occasionally are requested more widely.

If someone insists on something other than a DJM 900/800 or Rane TTM they are probably full of shit.  There are touring acts who insist on Xone, Urei, or some wild vintage rotary mixers, but these guys play night clubs, 95% of which have Pioneer mixers and CDJ's and or Rane/technics.  When it comes down to it if they refused to work on either, much of their work opportunities would disappear.  Unless you're actually a big deal AND headlining whatever show is being booked, most promoters who know what they are doing are happy to TELL the DJ that a standard kit is being provided and whatever else they want they can bring.  Like anything, there are exceptions.  Booking artists from the UK sometimes requires a bit of flexibility for example.

Providing a Pioneer mixer is like providing a Yamaha console.  The 800 might be analogous to a M7, or even 5d.  I've provided DJ backline for many large scale DJ events (dozens of units) and it's very unusual to get asked for the bigger brother DJM 2000 (which might be analogous to a PM1D).

The CDJ 1000 is on its way out.  Many riders now ask for either, but because some insist on the new CDJ 2000 it's a safer option unless the rental prices are really far apart.  Most CDJ 1000's will also be a good bit older.

To answer the why question.  Pioneer has become the standard.  There are other good products, but if you're a nightclub or you want to buy what the DJ's are using. If you're a DJ you want to buy what the nightclubs are using (and so on). 

[Rob Spence]

Thanks Marlow. It is an education I need so I can negotiate for substitutions when the direct unit is not available.
I didn't know that a DJM1000 might not be ok to sub for an 800 or a 900 (Hey, it is a bigger number, must be better, right?).

I find out this morning that one thing on his rider (that I can't get clarification on), he brings. Sigh... why put it on the rider?

[Marlow Wilson]

Thanks Marlow. It is an education I need so I can negotiate for substitutions when the direct unit is not available.
I didn't know that a DJM1000 might not be ok to sub for an 800 or a 900 (Hey, it is a bigger number, must be better, right?).

I find out this morning that one thing on his rider (that I can't get clarification on), he brings. Sigh... why put it on the rider?

You have no idea what I've been through!  1000 would be a fine substitution for an 800, but maybe not a 900 as it is a newer model.  The 900 is really the new standard but there are so many 800's and they work fine that they'll be acceptable for a while.  It's hard to say for certain.

[Tracy Garner]

I am a live sound and lights provider. Sometimes I get hired to bring a PA and lights for a DJ event. I don't know much about DJ gear. I know some names (Traktor, Serato, Virtual DJ, Pioneer) but.... I have a box (virtual cd spinners and mixer) that works with Virtual DJ and I have cross rented Pioneer and Rane mixers and turntables and CD players along with a Serato box but all I had to do was take an output and run it into the PA.

So, what are the popular systems? Why?

I have a DJ event soon and his rider asks for something no one around here seems to have so...

Thanks for the education.

DJ mixer doesn't seem to be as important as having CDJ1000 and a monitor. I've done a bunch of mid-level gigs and the guys without riders generally care more about getting a decent monitor than anything else.

[Chris Chambers]

Most places I'm seeing are going technics 1200's and CDJ2000's with the 900. I've seen very few with Rane mixers and even fewer running a full digital setup however 5 years from now, I bet we'll see an increase in things like the NI S4. People don't want to have to cart around entire crates of vinyl or their entire CD library. It's much easier for them to just carry a USB, that's why clubs are having so much success with players like the 2000's.

I'd just settle for 1200's, CDJ2000's and a DJM900 and a few years from now look into what the clubs are using.

[Tracy Garner]

Most places I'm seeing are going technics 1200's and CDJ2000's with the 900. I've seen very few with Rane mixers and even fewer running a full digital setup however 5 years from now, I bet we'll see an increase in things like the NI S4. People don't want to have to cart around entire crates of vinyl or their entire CD library. It's much easier for them to just carry a USB, that's why clubs are having so much success with players like the 2000's.

I'd just settle for 1200's, CDJ2000's and a DJM900 and a few years from now look into what the clubs are using.

Yep - you will find that 90% of the people actually using the 1200s are using them as a controller for their Serato box.

[Jason Boyer]

I am a live sound and lights provider. Sometimes I get hired to bring a PA and lights for a DJ event. I don't know much about DJ gear. I know some names (Traktor, Serato, Virtual DJ, Pioneer) but.... I have a box (virtual cd spinners and mixer) that works with Virtual DJ and I have cross rented Pioneer and Rane mixers and turntables and CD players along with a Serato box but all I had to do was take an output and run it into the PA.

So, what are the popular systems? Why?
it depends on the type of dj
hip hop needs techs with rane serato mixer
most house needs cdj 1000,900, or 2000 with pioneer 800. or 900
it depends what they want, and we give it to them
ie like a band ryder
I have a DJ event soon and his rider asks for something no one around here seems to have so...

Thanks for the education.

[Brandon Bejarano]

I'm a DJ in Las Vegas and in all the clubs I've spun here, all have Pioneer DJM 800-900's for mixers, serato scratch live, Technics 1200's and CDJ's (1000, 2000). I've seen one allen and heath mixer and 1 rane 57, but that was 2 out of a few dozen venues I've played in. Any DJ in the  usa should have no problem with that set up.

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