DJ Mixers

One of the most important pieces of dj equipment is a good dj mixer. A dj mixer is usually necessary if you are mixing from records, CDs or MP3 players. Even if you are mixing MP3s using a computer, a dj mixer can useful for mixing in a microphone or covering you if you have computer problems.

The DJ mixer market is extremely competitive, so no matter what you buy, you should get good value. You do get what you pay for. More expensive mixers will have more channels, better quality faders, and additional features, such as digital effects.

If cost is a major issue, a good low-end dj mixer is the Behringer DJX700 5-Channel DJ Mixer. It's about $150, and has all the basic things that you need, including a mic input, eq, 5 channel faders and a cross-fade. This gives you a lot of flexibility, and a little room to grow. Behringer is known for its ability to manufacture good quality gear at great prices.

If you're just starting out, getting something in the $100-200 range is recommended if money is tight. Dj mixers in this range will have the features you need, but you won't be spending money on top-of-the-line electronics or esoteric features.

At the other end, Pioneer, Numark, Vestax and Denon all have excellent dj mixers. You can expect to spend $800-1200, but the electronics will be great, with very low noise levels. DJ mixers at the high end have more features, such as sampling, digital effects and beat counters.

At this end of the price range, the options vary a lot. What makes the most sense for you will depend on the types of djing you are doing, and what your preferences are.

Our DJ Mixer Guide has overviews of most of the dj mixers available.

Types of DJ Mixers

DJ mixers have different features, depending on how you want to use them. There are two main categories:

Scratch DJ Mixers - these are designed for DJ scratching, with heavy-duty cross-faders. They are intended primarily for mixing between two sources. They usually have adjustable cross-fade curves. If you're into rap or hip-hop, you'll probably want a battle mixer.

Club DJ Mixers - these mixers don't put as much emphasis on scratching, but have features that are better for dance mixing. Common features are precision EQs per-channel, overall filters, effects, and sampling. They typically have more channels than you'd see on a battle mixer, because club dj mixers are usually the main mixer, while battle dj mixers often feed into a group's master mixer.

General DJ Mixers - many mixers now are designed to support both club-style mixing and battle (scratch) mixing. These typically have three or more channels, along with a cross fader, EQ and even special effects. The DJ Mixer Features page discusses the parts a dj mixer.

Check out our DJ Mixer Guide for overviews and prices for most of the dj mixers currently available.