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Mixer - Manufacturers Guide

The Manufacturers

These are my own personal views on mixers I have used and owned and everyone's opinions will be different. I have likened the mixer manufacturers to car manufacturers so you have a comparative idea of what you are likely to get for your money, and where in the market they lie. This is not listing every manufacturer but are the ones you are most likely to run into. A point to remember is that most manufacturers produce and sell within two or even all three of my set categories. The categories aren't as clear-cut as this in real life and the boundaries are far more fuzzy, but hopefully as an example this should be enough to get your research started.

There are three categories of cost brackets based on this simplistic assumption.
Under £175 is the budget mixers, £175-350 is the mid-bracket and anything over £350 is, in all honesty, what we all want.

Category 1 - £350 plus

Multi-functional functionality, reliable components, decent crossfaders, assignable Xfade curves, channel reversing, several output channels and connectivity options (phono/jack plugs/digital) and up to five (possibly more when you read this) channels. These are the big boys. Asking DJs which they prefer at this level is all about personal taste. All are high quality mixers and in some cases considered "professional". If you mix in any club, ideally it'll be one of these. Effects units are sometimes built in to the unit and include echoes, delays, filters, warping the sound. Those mixers don't boast these features will usually have the ability to send/receive effects signals so you can add a separate effects box to your setup if you wish. Chances are you are talking now about a mixer keyed towards a different function - scratching. They will excel with more features catered to the turntablist.

All gadgets in this category work. BPM counters are present and are usually far more accurate than those in category 1 and 2. Even so, BPM counters are still no short cut to DJing success. If you believe it is you'll soon find its not. More on that in the Mixer Functions page.

You will not be disappointed whatever your choice. Pick which one suits ALL you needs but still is functional to you. You're lucky enough not to have to worry so much about it dying on you, componentry failure and it crumbling into bits if you put the vacuum cleaner a bit close whilst doing your annual spring clean.

Category 2 - £175 to £350

Vestax are well reknowned for their high quality mixers. Sound is always good although the faders are said to be questionable with extensive use (sound bleeding is a well known problem) and expensive to replace. Certainly true for older models. A great choice if you are not going to be moving the mixer about much but can have temperamental connections if used to play out in many different locations. I can't say this across theboard and you wouldn't be upset with any Vestax I've ever used. This info comes froom a good friend of mine who is a self confessed Vestax nut. All views are good views. He has had five Vestax mixers to this point and even with the points above still buys them without question.

Reliable componentry can now be found on the Stanton and they've come on leaps and bound in the past couple of years as a serious contender to DJing equipment. Joint best of the pick in this category in my opinion. P&G faders used on the higher end models, excellent sound quality and decent layout and ease of use especially on their battle mixers. Avoid the very bottom end of the range as there is here-say of the reliability. I can't confirm or deny this but all info is good info.

Eclers are also on a par - good sound, well built and they last. I haven't any experience on these apart from a swift demo but certainly worth considering, especially if you're looking for a scratch mixer. I'd take one of these over any Numark, of which I've had alot of experiences over the years.. Ecler are favoured with many DJ's with excellent user-reports Net-wide so a bit of your own research will help you here.

Numark are reasonable and an OK choice but only over the low end mixers. In time they may faulter with loose connections etc. but certainly a better built alternative to Cat 3 but in my personal opinion hte weakest in this group.

A bit more care required in this category as most manufacturers will appear in this and Category 3, the budget bracket. If buying from here, ensure it matches your key requirements and the optional extras may play a large part in your final decision.

Category 3 - Under £175

Sells on cheap price and aesthetic gimmicks - all looks nice but probably doesn't work quite how you'd expect. BPM counters being a prime example, endless flashing lights (usually of several colours - ooooooooh!) and useless displays. Poor self breaking componentry appears to be a must although you may find the odd model by the odd manufacturer is ok.

Don't expect to be scratching on it to any high standard as there will be no adjustable Xfade curve or it working perfectly a year down the line. It may die a most heinous and tragic death whilst trying to do what they were designed to do. Heart attacks are not uncommon within 6 months of their birth. Should they survive this long, they become almost deaf. Output or even power cables become loose internally either making the mixer loose all power any time the table is tapped or the lead is moved. Crackling and music leaking from the mixer (due to a worn and faulty crossfaders/gains) can be heard on recordings from the deck that was supposed to be silent to the audience.

Replacement parts are not worth bothering with as a cross fade is about half the cost of a whole new mixer and that's if there is even an option to replace them. Just buy better if you plan to keep it.

Ok to start with if budget is tight. Spend more on the decks initially and upgrade here later. Buy a BASIC one that is at least constructed with a hard wearing material like metal with screws and brackets, not BluTack, twigs and pebbles and what feels like corrugated cardboard. This bracket of mixer in the most case should be issued with a registered health warning. They will raise your blood pressure. Don't be surprised if you throw your other belongings at it (or simply throw the mixer itself) as these would (and probably have) been responsible for instigating satanic violence in Mother Theresa.

Anyone that seriously thinks an effects unit on one of these is worth having would mean that no one would buy the stand alone effects units that are hundreds of pounds on their own. Manufacturers should save money on the gimmicks and fix shoddy build quality and prolong their user use a bit more. But then they'd stop being affordable. So that's the trade off - durability/quality versus price/cost.

If you trying to spend under £100 this should be for one reason only - to allow you to buy technics or similar decks and not buy budgets. If its not then you may need to rethink your budget.
A mixer for £65 will be lacking in SO many areas you'll buy it and have a list of flaws as long as a toilet roll once you get the hang of what you are doing. You'll wish you'd not blown £100 on a hunk of crap and just saved for that extra month or so and bought something you won't die or you'll outgrow in three months.

The Higher End of the Category

This all reads as if anything under £200 is not worth considering. That simply isn't true - there are some great finds to be had here. Comparing a £65 Behringer to a bottom of the range Vestax is an exercise not worth doing however. The point I raise is that for every 30 quid you add over and above £100 will have a massive effect on the quality of mixer you will buy. In reality, the difference between £80 mixer and a £200 mixer will put them a category apart, but just not in this tutorial.

Summary

If you are looking at this to help you decide what mixer to purchase, this is the riskiest Category of all so Try Before You Buy is a MUST!!

Category 3 can be a success or can be a complete failure. Take your time. You don't need a Category 1 or 2 mixer to start DJing. One here will do the job. Just don't expect it to be as reliable, easy to use or a pleasure to own. It will function and at entry level to DJing is fine. One thing is certain though. You will outgrow it even if it doesn't break but for whatever reason will need to buy another one not too far down the line.

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