djs:Vinyl or CDs? Which do you use?

**Ninthwaver** · June 23rd, 2002, 03:56 PM

People have been telling me that many DJs now use Cds, is this true? What is really the case?

**Vladimir Valette** · June 23rd, 2002, 04:24 PM

A lot of DJs are beginning to use CDs more and more and even now there is a move towards mp3s. The hardcore old-school DJ's still prefer vinyl to anything else. I'd have to side with vinyl personally.

**seraphim** · June 23rd, 2002, 05:06 PM

I personally prefer CDs to vinyl. I have only spun vinyl once at a private party and while it was a nice change of pace, I still lean towards CD. There's nothing you can do with vinyl that you can't do with CD, even scratching.

Yes, some DJs are going the way towards mp3s. I have a friend who is busy encoding his entire collection now. I don't know how I feel about that, considering there are programs that do all the mixing, beat matching for you.

**Jenz** · June 23rd, 2002, 11:29 PM

i prefer vinyl to cds - but being that most of my collection is cd now the last few times i have spun (not much anymore) i have used cd only. Also, another problem I had was that the lst time i brought vinyl with me to play the set up was all stupid and the turntables didn't work correctly - being that i did not have the chance to test the system it was quite annoying.

I still collect vinyl .. just for different reasons now.

**pop** · June 24th, 2002, 02:14 AM

For Synthpop,Goth, & Industrial, CDs are better choice. If you are putting out TRANS/HOUSE/TECHNO, pressing on vinyls are way to go. Different scenes have different taste.

**7red7** · June 24th, 2002, 09:03 AM

I used to d.j. New Wave stuff to trendies back in the days, and I only used vinyl, albeit you couldn't d.j. with cd's at the time...If I were to go back into it today, I'd probably go with cd's, it's easier to haul the equipment as theres less of it, and it's easier to keep them cd's clean and skip free, than records are...Someone bumps the table, your s.o.l., in contrast with the cd decks you have anti-skip...Oh the wonders that are technology...

**Nu romantik** · June 24th, 2002, 01:16 PM

DJing from a laptop is definitely the way to go. If you use something like Mixmeister Pro you can let it do the beatmatching slog-work while you get on with the creative stuff of picking the songs, adding samples and even throwing in some visual stuff if you've got a VJ program as well.

However, I'd warn against DJing with MP3s, as sound artefacts can be really noticable at the high volumes you get at clubs. Stick to uncompressed, ripped WAVs (and apologies for getting techy).

**NoirTech** · June 24th, 2002, 06:48 PM

I too prefer CDs and MP3s. I have a huge collection of vinyl that I used back in the late 80s to early 90s, but I don't touch them anymore when DJing.

**DjPhink** · July 4th, 2002, 09:22 AM

I would have to side with cds on this one. With the new Pioneer CDJ 1000 there is nothing you can not do. You have a graph so you are able to see when your breaks and build ups are coming, you can scratch, backspin and reverse play on the fly as well as loop on the fly. The other bonus is I can bring 10 cds and be able to spin an 8 hour set with out lugging 100lbs of vinyl.

Dj Phink

**DJ_IZ** · July 8th, 2002, 02:27 AM

CDs are my choice as well. I just don't see the selection out there for vinyl in the industrial/EBM genres. Am I missing something? CDs are great to use and every month it seems like a new feature is added into the DJ CD player market. I still like to throw in some vinyl once in awhile, and I have tons of respect for the DJs who only spin vinyl - it takes a LOT of talent to do it well!

**electro_DJK_uk** · July 8th, 2002, 06:43 PM

i currently use cds as i find vinyl of the latest releases hard to come by here in the UK. saying that i know a DJ in london who exclusively uses his laptop and he does a remarkable job at that! if i had the money then that is the way i'd go, to be honest.

good discussion though

DJ K

**Joevirus** · July 25th, 2002, 05:42 PM

I use both CDs and Vinyl at the club. Mind you, I've been spinning since mid 80's and my collection of vinyl is huge. I love my CDJ1000 and my 1200's. I like being able to scratch in samples over EBM/Industrial tracks, it hypes up the crowd too. Scratching isn't just for rap and house DJs. I agree about not having to carry fifty pieces of heavy vinyl to the club. I would take two crates of records every night when I started out. Now I take four 200 count cd bags full of compilations with all the hits and club anthems. I have to fill up 6-7 hours worth of dancefloor hits. Like I said, I love the vinyl, but thank god for my cdj1000, my back sure does.