Choosing the perfect DJ setup is not and easy task, especially for novice DJs it is quite difficult to select the right one when it comes to DJ equipments. With this guide we are sharing the difference between popular DJ equipments.

1. Beginners Guide when buying DJ Equipment
Entertaining a crowd requires high level of energy, skill and most importantly the right
equipment. A dull party can be transformed into a packed venue if you‟re working with the right
equipment. When choosing to buy your DJ equipment there are a lot of options available and
sometimes it can get confusing.
Just like a true companion Rated DJs are happy to share some simple & important tips to help
you make a decision so that you can give your best at your next gig!

2. Vinyl (Analog) vs. Digital:
When it comes down to choosing analogue or digital, it‟s important to consider the pros and
cons for each medium. If you are an audiophile then sound quality is of upmost importance to
you then you may want to consider vinyl but do remember there are a couple of downsides
which make this medium impractical for everyday use.
Vinyl‟s are not portable & must be handled with care, a speck of dust or damage to the disc can
be heard as static or noise.
What’s the major Difference between Vinyl and Digital?
 Digital audio equipment like CDs, DVDs, USB‟s and iPadsare portable unlike vinyl
 CDs, DVDs and MP3s do not face the issue of „wear & tear‟
 Digital audio can be found/que‟d in seconds
Although it‟s a topic of hot debate when it comes to sound quality we believe vinyl has a „richer‟
sound quality but digital audio is quick and easy to work with at gigs.

3. Separates vs. Package:
An experienced DJ would most probably buy all their equipment as separates as he/she will
have previous experience & knowledge regarding what to buy, but for new DJs, buying a package
is a good choice.
Let‟s put this in a real world scenario:
You‟re new to DJing and you want to buy the best equipment to deliver the perfect experience
for your customers,unfortunately with limited experience you can‟t weigh up the pros and cons
of separates vs packages:our opinion is to purchase a package.
Why?
You can add or remove equipment at a laterstage when you‟ve mastered packages. We believe
packages are a good place to start your DJ career.
DJs with years of experience usually opt for separates as they‟ve mastered all the functions
available on multiple separates to make them feel as „one‟ complete package to suit their specific
needs.

4. Turntables:
Turntables are also referred to as “decks” or “tables” by DJs.
How well you perform at an event largely depends on the type of tone arm you use and torque
you have in your turntable motor. If your goal is to sound the best and turn heads at your event,
be sure to buy the perfect turntable within your budget. Keep the below points in mind when
choosing a turntable:
 Direct-Drive Turntables VS Belt-Drive Turntables- Belt-drive turntables feature
a motor attached to a smaller spindle that rotates a large rubber-band-like belt, linked to
the platter. These turntables take more time to get up to speed and respond slowly to
pitch adjustments compared to Direct-drive turntables. As a result it is an ideal choice
for the beginners.
Direct- drive turntables take less time to build up the speed as they include a motor with
a ring of powerful magnets that drive the platter. Experienced DJs love this sort of
speedy turntables. Even for a multi-turntable setup, direct-drive ones are highly
recommended.

5.  Start and Stop Buttons-
It is a contemporary option, which is in trend for quite some time now. This enables one
to have a better grip on the frequency of the playing speed. In case one needs to ease off
/go slow during the end of the track, this can be done through these buttons. On the
other hand if you need a fast start you can toggle between these buttons.
 Speed Selector and Pitch Control: It is mainly used for beat matching one record to
another; you can tune the speed of the music to 8 percent high or lower depending on
your requirements. You can even change the tempo with master tempo functionality or
key lock without modifying the pitch.
 Straight Tone Arm vs. S-Shaped: The risk of skipping is minimal in straight tone
whereas for non scratch DJs, the S Shaped tone arm is an ideal option due to its better
sound quality.

6.  Output Options: Line vs. Phono(analogue) vs. Digital:
Most turntables use phono as the standard output but some turntables also offer a
switchable line level output.
The most ideal among the three options for direct recording into the CD burner or
computer is the digital output.

7. Mixers:
Mixers or as we like to call them „the soul of any DJ setup‟.You can easily customize your sound
to great extent with the help of features offered by a mixer and its connection with gears. It‟s the
difference between an expert DJ and a beginner.
The main differences among mixers are channels, number of effects and input/outputs they
offer. For a new DJ, a basic mixer with enough inputs for turntables and CD player is sufficient.
 Channels-All channels come with their own set of controls. A basic mixer with two or
three channels is enough for a beginner to start spinning.
 Inputs and Outputs- RCA inputs let you plug in your turntables and line inputs are for
plugging in CD players.
 Controls-Some important controls are gain control, EQ knobs and a kill switch.
 Faders and Cross faders- The volume for a source is controlled by the channel faders
whereas cross-faders are used to fade one channel simultaneously while you fade
another one.

8. CD Players:
Due to the innovations and advancements rapidly being made in technology, today digital CD
players include lots of exciting features.
1. Digital setups are flexible and you can change the tracks with ease.
2. One of the important considerations while going for CD and Multimedia players is
whether one prefers a dual Rackmount player or two tabletop players.
 Tabletop vs. Dual Players- Both the options share almost equal points in terms of
technical ratings.

9.  Looping: It helps you to create your own mixes or extend a song. Re-looping feature is
used for playing the loop again and again.
 Memory: In order to store cue and loop points for a play later, usea CD player which
offers data storage with removal of memory cards.
 Fader Start/Stop: The crossfading over to a channel without the need to press play
is possible with the use of this feature.
 Pitch Control: Pitch control can be best achieved through digital CD players rather
than the traditional turn around tables.
If you‟ve most recently become a DJ we hope the above tips help you.