---
date: "2020-04-29T00:00:00-08:00"
tags:
- blog
title: DJ Setup Evolution
---
During a relatively recent Dally Rhythms stream (it was on 2020.03.29, which is relative compared to the age of the universe), I shared a picture of my current DJ setup with the fediverse.

In doing so, I explained how my setup had changed throughout the years and some people on SDF expressed interest in the history of my setup.  This article is to share the evolution of my current setup over 12-ish years of DJing.

## Starting Out

My interest in electronic music started in March of '96 with Firestarter by The Prodigy.  My young, naive self didn't realize the significance of electronic music with that song (nor realized it was "electronic music"), but that sound stuck with me growing up.  As I grew up and my taste in music changed, I began to understand and appreciate the art of DJing and mixing music.  Around 2006, I learned that a co-worker was a DJ, but was discouraged from pursuing the hobby when they shared how much their Pioneer CDJ + DJM setup cost.

My interest in DJing and electronic music grew, but being well below the poverty line, I could never justify the cost of gear and didn't have anyone to share that cost or their gear (I had moved away from my previous co-worker/DJ friend).  Around 2008, I became friends with some ravers who also had an interest in DJing and they introduced me to Native Instrument's Traktor Pro and midi controllers.  Before this, I thought that turntables or CDJs were the only way to DJ and so when I tried researching DJing, it was only within that context.  DJ software with midi controllers made DJing much more financially accessible.  I saved up some money and purchased a Numark Total Control, which came with a lite version of Traktor Pro (I believe it only allowed two decks, no recording, no streaming, and other limitations).

![Numark Total Control midi controller](/images/numarkTotalControl.jpg)

I eventually saved up money again and purchased a full version of Traktor Pro and started playing with the robust midi mapping capability.  If you aren't familiar with the idea of midi controllers and midi mapping, then the following article will get you caught up.

[Intro to Basic Midi Mapping with Traktor](https://djtechtools.com/2015/02/26/intro-to-basic-midi-mapping-with-traktor/)

I used and abused that Total Control for a couple years, even DJing for a couple parties and campouts.  I used the headphone jack on my laptop to get audio out to a system, sometimes only using some cheap desktop speakers.  Nobody really complained as long as the music was good and could be heard, though as I practiced and started learning more about DJing, I realized the importance of being able to cue in a pair of headphones.  This realization led me to saving up again and getting a Numark DJiO USB audio interface.  I don't remember what my first pair of headphones were, though I assume they were some cheap, over-the-ears model.

![Numark DJiO USB audio interface](/images/numarkDJiO.jpg)

## Controllerism

As a fan of Ean Golden and a reader of DJ Tech Tools, I really wanted to introduce elements of Controllerism into my setup.  

* [A performance by Ean Golden](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4DUUDw3mww)
* [DJTechTools Website](https://www.djtechtools.com)
* [Controllerism Wikipedia Page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controllerism)

I was tweaking my midi map of my Total Control quite regularly, but found myself wanting more out of my setup.  These feelings led me to saving some money, selling the Total Control and DJiO to an old friend who was interested in digital DJing, and purchasing the Novation Twitch, which had a built-in audio interface (which unfortunately was quite quiet for whatever reason).  The Novation Twitch was an amazing controller that introduced the form factor of controllers that is still in use today, though it was built with Serato in mind, not Traktor Pro.  I was able to still midi map it, but I found myself using it with Serato much more.

![Novation Twitch midi controller](images/novationTwitch.jpg)

Eventually, music production started to interest me, along with exploring traditional DJing.  While I have looked at and considered many different DAWs, Ableton Live was always the one that stood out, mostly because it can be used as a DJing tool, in addition to producing music.  During this time, I received an original Novation Launchpad as a Christmas gift to use with my copy of Ableton Live (initially pirated, eventually purchased).  My Launchpad is still being used, though more for controlling Traktor than Ableton.

![Novation Launchpad midi controller](/images/novationLaunchpad.png)

## Settling In

2012 was a quite the pivotal year for me, my identity, and my DJing; it was the year I went back to school and it was the year that I purchased my Allen & Heath Xone:DB2.  This purchase did not come after I had saved up money though, it came out of my student loan for that school year (obviously a terrible decision, but we are long past that point in time).  After much internal deliberation, I sold my Novation Twitch to help offset the cost of the Xone:DB2.  I had figured that I could map my Launchpad in Traktor to closely mimic the workflow that the Twitch provided with the Xone:DB2.  This deliberation included me considering an Allen & Heath Xone:92 and Traktor Scratch Audio 6, instead of the Xone:DB2.  I decided on the Xone:DB2 because of the singularity of the system, instead of a mixer and audio interface.  In hindsight, I wish I had gone with the Xone:92 due to the issues I have ran into with the Xone:DB2 drivers, but I still love my DB2.

![Allen & Heath Xone:DB2 mixer](/images/allenHeathXoneDB2.jpg)

During this time, I started analyzing my mixing and realizing that I really wasn't the next greatest controllerist.  Most of the time, I was blending two songs together and that can get kinda boring if the sync is turned on.  I wanted to move towards a more traditional DJ setup and force myself to be able to DJ with anything.  This was where I again researched gear, saved up money, sold some things, and purchased two Denon SC2900s (took a few months to get both of them).  The Denon SC2900 was an amazing CDJ that could also be a midi controller for Traktor Pro (having been upgraded to version Pro 2 at some point).  The player allowed me to learn how to manually mix on a CDJ without the sync enabled, while also being able to fall back on the familiarity of Traktor and my mapped Launchpad.

![Denon SC2900 CDJ](/images/denonSC2900.jpg)

## #currentYear

After learning and feeling comfortable with mixing on CDJs, I was left with one last traditional DJ medium; turntables.  Native Instruments announced that Traktor digital vinyl system (DVS) will work with any audio interface when they released the Traktor Pro 3 update.  This announcement is what encouraged me to once again save money, sell items (the SC2900s), and purchase new equipment.  This time I purchased two Audio Technica AT-LP120-USB turntables with a pair of Traktor control vinyl.

![Audio Technica AT-LP120-USB turntable](/images/audioTechnicaATLP120USB.jpg)

So my latest setup consists of two Audio Technica AT-LP120-USB, a Novation Launchpad mkI, and an Allen & Heath Xone:DB2 controlling Traktor Pro 3 and mixing digital files and actual vinyl (though that last point is only during private practice sessions).  This setup includes pieces of kit that were purchased eight or more years ago, and I doubt it will be the same eight years from now.  My headphones are the Audio Technica ATH-M50 and they are perfect for me.  I did have the V-Moda Crossfade at some point, but they were stolen from me.  The Crossfade's sounded amazing, but weren't that comfortable on my head.  I feel quite happy and comfortable with my current setup and don't have this urge to change it.  Check back in a couple years.
