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Most DJs start small and most often with a smaller investment when it comes to buying DJ controllers. Many DJs also remember the night they played for the very first time on one of the larger DJ booths/mixers, with sweat dripping from nervousness. For some, it was their first time in a nightclub, bar, or at a friend’s place who might already have a mobile DJ setup. With this guide, we will explain which advantages and disadvantages are associated with moving from a small to a large DJ mixer booth, recommendations for choosing DJ controllers, and what responsibility it involves when, for example, you play at a nightclub or at a company party.
Overall advantages of switching to a larger DJ Booth
Overall, there are of course always advantages to moving from a small DJ controller to a larger one. With a larger DJ Booth you get several advantages, including:
- More control and more buttons – gives you the ability to have greater control over the music you play.
- It will typically have more inputs and outputs. This makes it possible for you to connect more devices and sources to your setup, for example if you are out as a mobile DJ.
- Faster software that reads your music quickly, with an incredibly fast loading time. This gives a faster flow when you play.
- Greater comfort – more space to work on. It becomes easier for you to mix and manipulate your music in a more natural and intuitive way.
- Longer durability. A larger DJ Booth will often be built from stronger materials – robust construction. Resistant to wear and tear.
If we look at the contrast between a Pioneer DJ DDJ-200 or DDJ-FLX4 and a complete booth with two Pioneer DJ CDJ-3000 players including a Pioneer DJ DJM-A9 mixer that connects the two players, there is an enormous difference in what each of them can do.
As you can also see in the pictures, the first thing you naturally notice is the size, but also the number of buttons. Don’t worry, it shouldn’t scare you off. The larger setup with the CDJ-3000 players and the DJM-A9 mixer can simply do more things and has significantly more functions than a DDJ-200, but the basis of being a DJ will always remain the same.
Beginner DJ Booth
DDJ-200
If we take the Pioneer DJ DDJ-200 as a specific example, it is an excellent starter DJ mixer, as it can be connected via your iPhone where, using a free app (WeDJ), you can learn to play using the tutorial function. You simply connect your iPhone to your FLX-2, and from there you can mix your tracks from e.g. iTunes/Music. The mixer also includes a quick start guide that shows you how to set up the DJ controller with WeDJ and Rekordbox.
In addition, the DDJ-200 has several functions and advantages such as:
- Number of channels: 2 pcs.
- Easy to transport: A weight of only 1.2 kg.
- Touchpads and effects
- Transition FX
- Bluetooth 4.2 (Only for the WeDJ App)
Disadvantages:
With this unit, you are required to use a split cable to separate the audio output from a smartphone or PC, so you can have audio out to headphones and external monitors; this way you can check the sound in the headset when you use the cue button for the next track, while the guests can hear the master output from the speakers.
DDJ-FLX4
If we take another beginner unit as our starting point, which is also more suitable for a new DJ because it also has master output, so you can get a feel for what it’s like to play out as a DJ, then the DDJ-FLX4 is a fantastic option.
With a DDJ-FLX4, it has never been easier to start your DJ career, and the layout of this controller is very similar to Pioneer’s top products.
Compared to the DDJ-200, there are more advantages and features on a DDJ-FLX4:
- Number of channels: 2 pcs.
- Beat FX
- 8 Hot Cues
- Microphones input
- Master output (RCA: Phono Left & Right)
- Headphones output (mini jack)
- Trim (channel level)
- Loops (in- & out, 4 beat and call function)
- Includes Pioneer’s DJ Software: Rekordbox DJ and Serato DJ Lite
- The Pioneer DDJ-FLX4 controller is packed with great features and effects
- Bluetooth 4.2
- Sold with flightcase
Disadvantages:
This DJ controller can do pretty much everything you need as a DJ. The only major downside is that you can’t use a USB drive if, for example, you have all your music on it.
For the experienced DJ
CDJ 3000 X DJM-A9
If you're up to date with Pioneer’s latest trend, then the CDJ 3000 players and the DJM-A9 mixer are a huge go-to! This is the unit that is Pioneer’s top-of-the-line product. The brand-new combined solution, where AlphaTheta has tried to create an all-in-one unit that delivers everything that 2 x CDJ 3000 + DJM-A9 provides, is predicted to become the future reference standard – the model is called XDJ-AZ
CDJ 3000 Player
Over the past 30 years, there has been a revolutionary development in the CDJ collection. The CDJ 3000 players have everything you dream of when you play as a DJ. There are loads of features and advantages, but among the most important is that it:
- Reads virtually all hardware (hard drives, USB, SSD, SD, PC/laptop etc.)
- Lightning-fast loading time
- 8 Hot Cues
- Loops (in- & out, 4 beat and call function)
- Built-in displays that are larger than the previous predecessor (CDJ 2000 NX2)
- Jog wheel adjust (hardness and softness)
- Jog mode
- Master tempo and tempo
- Touch bar keyboard
- Search button
With a link cable you can also connect the two players into a switch together with the mixer, so when one of the players is sending music from a channel, it lights up red, while the other, which is not playing music, lights up white. This way, you are never unsure which player is outputting the music.
CDJ-3000 requires a standard power cable to come to life. In addition, it has “audio out”, allowing you to play music from the player alone via RCA phono cables without a mixer.
DJM-A9
DJM-A9 is a 4-channel professional DJ mixer that takes the standard for club mixers to completely new heights.
It is built much wider, and with it you have much more space to work on. Some of the most important (and newest) specs are:
- Two computers/PCs can be connected at the same time
- Two headphone outputs (ideal for B2B DJs)
- Center Lock
- Condenser Microphones (+48V phantom power)
When you compare DJ controllers with Pioneer’s latest top products, there is no doubt why more expensive is also better. From features, size and speeds to the user-friendliness of the product, the contrast is huge.
Recommendations
When it comes to which recommendations apply to each individual DJ, it has to be said to be a hugely subjective opinion. If you are completely new to the field, it is recommended to start with a DDJ-FLX4, as it has a great many features that a DJ should learn in order to get properly started. Also, if for example you would like to play in a nightclub in the long run, it is advantageous to choose the DDJ-FLX4, as it can do many of the things Pioneer’s top products from the CDJ collection can.
If you are a more experienced DJ and have been playing for a couple of years, it would definitely be great to have a complete Booth with CDJ 3000 players and a DJM-A9 mixer set up at home, but of course there is a huge range of options where you can save money. It is recommended to invest in this complete Booth if you want top-class features, or if you want to prepare a set 1-to-1, in case the same Booth is available at a nightclub or a festival.
Remember the most important things!
As mentioned, there are a huge number of differences between DJ instruments, but it’s essential to distinguish exactly what each of them can do and whether it’s necessary to upgrade. Here is a list of the most important differences when switching between the 3 setups mentioned in the article. It gives you an overall picture of what you get from your investment.
| Pioneer DDJ-200 | Pioneer DDJ-FLX4 | Pioneer CDJ-3000 + DJM-A9 |
| Advantages | Advantages | Advantages |
| Portable: weight 1.2 kg. | Has audio output via RCA phono cables | Can read USB, SSD, SD and PC/laptop |
| Compatible with smartphone | Can adjust trim/volume per channel | Wider and larger screen |
| Free app | Can connect headphones | More control |
| Works with RekordBox | Portable: weight 2.1 kg. | More buttons |
| 8 touchpads/cue points | Compatible with smartphone | More inputs and outputs for output |
| Transition FX | Free app | Greater comfort |
| Bluetooth | Works with RekordBox | Longer durability |
| Inexpensive | Inexpensive | Robust |
| Center Lock on filter | ||
| Two headphone outputs | ||
| Two PCs can be connected at the same time | ||
| Disadvantages | Disadvantages | Disadvantages |
| Cannot adjust trim/volume per channel | Does not read USB | Heavier in weight |
| Split cable for output | Less comfort | Higher prices |
| Less comfort | Fewer buttons | |
| Fewer buttons | ||
| Less control | ||
| Does not read USB | ||
| Cannot connect headphones directly |
History - DJ Controllers - DJ Belmin
I started on the then-current Numark N4. The purchase was inexpensive and it was easy to get started. After a few months, I saw a video of an incredibly skilled DJ who I was hugely fascinated by. He could do some tricks on the then-current DDJ-SX that weren’t possible with the features the Numark offered. This was the reason I sold my old DJ controller, switched to Pioneer’s DDJ-SX, and from there I took a more dedicated approach to the DJ world. I couldn’t thank myself enough, as the purchase gave me the confidence to make lots of DJ videos, which later landed me a regular gig at the most popular nightclub in my hometown. Before my first night at the nightclub, I was extremely nervous because I knew I would be playing on a CDJ 2000 setup. That made me invest in a couple of brand-new CDJ 2000 NXS players and a DJM-900 NXS mixer. They have held up ever since, and now I want to invest in a single CDJ 3000 player, purely because it means I can play music from 3 players at the same time, giving me room to create advanced mixes, live mashups and edits. That way I can make more videos and build my brand and my skills.
We hope you learned something new about the differences and similarities between DJ controllers, players and mixers.
Enjoy getting started and investing in your DJ career!
