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ANY DJ's on here....

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Jdw40223

Member
I am going to buy a pair of turntables... i just need something VERY beginner- -I dont want to spend my tax returns- oK? but i dont know anything about turntable brands, really...

I found a pair on ebay called gemini, is that good or bad??


I NEED HELP!! PLZZZZ...
 
Jdw40223 said:
I am going to buy a pair of turntables... i just need something VERY beginner- -I dont want to spend my tax returns- oK? but i dont know anything about turntable brands, really...

I found a pair on ebay called gemini, is that good or bad??


I NEED HELP!! PLZZZZ...

I used to Dj a long time ago. Gemini are shit if I remember correctly. Obviously Technics are the way to go, but I believe that Vestax has beginner tables, just check their website. Oh, tables are not the budget smashing factor, keeping up with records will keep you poor and pissed off.
 
mixer is going to hurt in the beginning. Just buy gradually...

another ex-DJ here... I started on Technics, so I can't really tell you how good or bad gemini's are. I used to run with a gemini sound board... records weren't that bad, especially since I used to get about a dozen promo copies in my old PO Box. :D
 

Jdw40223

Member
Nice! thanks for the info...


whats with all the "X" DJ's haha not a boomin biz i guess. IM DOOMED! j.k i dont plan on makin it a perm. job.
 

dskillzhtown

keep your strippers out of my American football
Gemini is pretty horrid, even now. Technics 1200s are the way to go. I am sure if you search around enough you can find some used ones at a pawn shop or something.
 

DJ Sl4m

Member
No doubt buying DJ equipment is very costly, in fact it's not worth your time or money to buy a belt driven drive.

Technics 1200s were & still are the best for DJ's using vinyl, the problem is they are about $450. each without the $100.00 stylus and needle needed for each.

Buy any cheap mixer, as you can upgrade later without much trouble, but you should pay up now for something to help quicken your learning experience.

Belt driven drives and cheap tables have a ever changing drag issue that's going to occur with all tables anyway.
By going Technics 1200s you have a more steady pull and less change when dragging the record back and forth making it easier to learn beat mixing.

Do as you will, but I'm telling you if you buy a cheap set of tables dont be surprised if you simply cant get the aspect of matching beats or if it's unpredictable.
 

RepMovSB

Member
Be careful what you buy.

Although it's probably not what you want to hear, consider saving up for either Technics or Vestax.

I haven't tried many of the cheaper brands (or their cheaper models at least), but here's how it went with me...

As a teenager (too long ago), I bought a pair of Citronics (UK make?) plinths. These were the turntable platform but not mounted in an actual full turntable unit. These were then lovingly mounted into a homemade, dual turntable unit (a crude wooden box about 6 feet by 2 and a half feet, leaving room for a basic two channel DJ mixer in the centre between the decks). These did me proud, despite being belt drive and a little small (a 12 inch would slightly overhang the edge of the turntable itself). I certainly got a shit load of use out of them.

Later, when I could afford a pair of Technics SL1210s, I attempted, while setting them up to stop them (without slipmats) and was shocked when they nearly ripped my fingers off (in comparison to the Citronics).

I used the Technics for DJing in a pub for a while, along with my dual CD/mixer combo. These were stored at the pub as I didn't have transport available. This sucked big time, as I would have to listen to newly bought records in the pub through headphones before officially starting work.

To remedy this I bought a pair of Gemini XL500s (I think that's what they were called). The idea was that at least I would be able to preview tunes at home and decide on their appropriateness for playing out (there is a big difference between what I would like to play and what the public want to hear, sadly).

They were bad. The big problem was that the motor had no power to it whatsoever. This would affect both beat mixing and/or scratching (not that scratching was appropriate in the pub anyway). You adjust the pitch on one of the decks to match it with the one currently playing and it would take a second or two to catch up. Similarly, with scratching, you would have to give an artificial and entirely inaccurate push at the end of scratching to try and keep the rhythms somewhat together. Don't even try to adjust the tempo slightly by touching your finger to a record, and slow it down enough to fit back in, without the speed difference being audible to the punters. That shit would just stop dead.

Practical Advice:

The way you're talking, I'm guessing these are your first decks, and with that I guess you don't need anything too spectacular. However,

Try before you buy. Take one of your own records along. Find the first sound at the beginning. Pull the record back one quarter turn, and let it go. It better be going full speed when the music starts or the decks need to be damn cheap. I wouldn't buy off Ebay unless you are familiar with the actual model you are getting. Do some research. Try the actual model on Ebay in a shop but leave without making the purchase.

Don't sweat so much about belt drive versus direct drive. My belt drive decks shat on the direct drive Geminis.

Erm. good luck anyway.

Whatever you end up with, it's a really fun bedroom hobby, and can also be really satisfying when things go well publicly.

Post a mix on GAF when you get the hang of it.
 

DJ Sl4m

Member
PARTYHARDkitty.gif
 

Jdw40223

Member
DJ Sl4m said:
Do as you will, but I'm telling you if you buy a cheap set of tables dont be surprised if you simply cant get the aspect of matching beats or if it's unpredictable.

tru exactly what i was thinking... just gonna cost.

RepMovSB said:
Try before you buy. Take one of your own records along. Find the first sound at the beginning. Pull the record back one quarter turn, and let it go. It better be going full speed when the music starts or the decks need to be damn cheap. I wouldn't buy off Ebay unless you are familiar with the actual model you are getting. Do some research. Try the actual model on Ebay in a shop but leave without making the purchase.

Don't sweat so much about belt drive versus direct drive. My belt drive decks shat on the direct drive Geminis.

Erm. good luck anyway.

Whatever you end up with, it's a really fun bedroom hobby, and can also be really satisfying when things go well publicly.

Post a mix on GAF when you get the hang of it.

HELL YAH!! ill post my sh!t ... you may even see me mixin it up at ya nearest ugoogoly. holla.
 
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