Beats.PH by N&M Online

𝐏𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐉 𝐃𝐃𝐉 𝐗𝐏𝟐: 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬

DDJ XP2 is a remarkable piece of versatile equipment, with the long-standing reputation of incredible quality and excellent audio performance from Pioneer. In a lot of ways, it's almost identical to the previous XP1 model; the same robust controller, and everything is lightweight so you don't have to worry about portability issues.

It's biggest selling point is being tactile, bright and responsive. Any DJ who've tried this product before can attest on how brilliant they've felt. The product also comes with a USB bus power system, so don't have to worry looking for extra power supply. However, you might consider investing on a stand to make your set-up as ergonomic as possible.

This controller is going to appeal to a very niche selection of customers. If you already have the XP1, most probably, you're not going to upgrade to this version, unless you want to tap into Serato technology as well. At the same time, most DJ's are capable of producing fantastic musical experiences without having a device like DDJ XP2 at all.

With that, if you're looking for something that gives you freedom to work with performance pads, and unlock more functionality in your software, DDJ XP2 is a great buy. The fact that you can be able to choose between Rekordbox and Serato is a huge plus.

Pros
- Beautiful build quality and durable design
- Works with both Rekordbox DJ and Serato DJ
- Comes with access to Rekordbox DVS and DJ software
- Option to upgrade to Serato DVS
- Support for mapping with Traktor Pro 3 and Virtual DJ
- Brilliant and robust pads with RGB color
- Perfect drumming and trick performance from 32 pads
- Advanced feature set
- Touch strip FX slider
- USB Bus powered connection
- Instant looping function taken from the previous tool for familiarity
- Great value for money

Cons
- A little redundant for some DJs and performers
- Touch strip controls aren’t as seamless as traditional button and k**b options
- Not enough functionality to set it apart from the XP1 model

Want one? Use this link.
https://invol.co/cl2vaxk

𝐌-𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨 𝐁𝐗𝟒 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰

At First Glance

The speakers are basically black rectangular boxes, but with rounded corners to give a finished feel. They have 4.5″ woofers, and 1″ tweeters, and are sold as 120W speakers, but are really 25W RMS – which is technically pretty loud enough for your practice room. They are made from MDF with a plastic front, and a screwed-on plastic back panel, which has a bass reflex port. They’re lightweight, one being considerably lighter than the other since the primary speaker contains all the electronics, the amplifier, the controls and so on. That makes them different from the bigger M-Audio BX5-D3, which is a self-contained model.

A mono 1/8″ to 1/8″ jack cable is included to link the two speakers. It’s a plus point to us that this is a “standard” cable – some speakers of this type use a proprietary cable, which is a pain if it breaks or if you lose it. However, it is a pretty low quality cable, and only 6′ long – if you want longer or experience issues, it would be worth replacing. The box also includes a stereo 1/8″ to 1/8″ jack cable (for plugging a music source into the usefully-positioned Aux socket on the front of the primary speaker), and an RCA cable-to-1/8″ cable. Both are budget as well.

On the front of the primary speaker, there is a 1/8″ headphone socket, and a master volume control, that also has a satisfying “click” to turn the pair on and off. Around the back of the primary speaker are more sockets: The RCA inputs mentioned earlier, a pair of balanced 1/4″ jack inputs, the output socket for wiring to the secondary speaker, and a power socket for the supplied power cable. The power transformer is built-in to the speaker, which is nice – no power brick like some speakers of this type.

Some nice additions around the back are high and low EQs and an “active speaker” left/right switch, so you can set up with the primary speaker on the left or right and adjust the stereo pair accordingly. They’re designed to be used as “near field” desktop monitor speakers, either side of your computer or DJ controller, or even in a small beat-making set-up, so you’ll likely be doing just that, using the supplied adhesive foam “feet” to isolate them a little from your desk, and make them more stable.

During Use

BX4 has a nice, clear but not harsh treble end, and the bass is surprisingly good for a small speaker without being earth-shattering. The mids are slightly muted, giving them a comfortable, pleasing sound.

One can also appreciate the flexibility of having three different inputs. For example, you can plug your computer into the RCA's, your DJ controller into the 1/4" balanced inputs, and if you want to listen to music using your phone, you mmay use the 1/8" socket on front. This means you don't need to be continually pluggig and unplugging stuffs. However, as soon as you plug something in the Aux input, that cancels out the other two.

One downside of this speaker though is that there is no Bluetooth. You'll need an adaptor to plug in your phone to the front. Bluetooth is, nowadays, the preferred way for this since some phones no longer have headphones out.

The Verdict

When it comes to budget, these are good little speakers, well suited to small rooms. For DJ practising, podcasting, livestreaming, even beat making, they're good enough. It is not, however, advisable to use them for full-on usic production since they are too small and not as accurate compared to much more expensive speakers.

They are also not loud and sturdy enough to be used on parties. Do not even be tempted to turn them up too loud for too long since they won't sound their best; or worse, you might damage them. They don't even have protection against physical accidents, more likely to happen during parties, because there are no covers for the exposed speakers.

Some good features like left-right switching and low-high adjustment, plus the on-off on the front and aux in or headphones out point towards a flexible speaker for day-to-day use. This is why Bluetooth should have been an obviously a good addition.

It is also worth mentioning that they also ship with audio and Midi recording software Pro Tools First, a cut-down version of the famous recording software. Though most DJ's use Ableton Live, it's good to know that just in case you'd like to try to test the waters in music production, you do't need to shell out extra cash at this stage.

Overall, BX4 is a good value purchase if you want a competent all-rounder for your creative pursuits, you work in a small room, and if you're not doing serious music production (despite having a production software in the box).

You can check out M-Audio BX4 in the link below:
https://invol.co/cl2ugcw

I'm kind of guilty with this list's #2 sometimes 😅
How about you guys?

DJ Mixes: 7 Things Nearly All DJs Do Wrong - Digital DJ Tips Are you trying to make a mixtape right now? Have you been putting the job off for ages? It's not surprising, with all the silly mistakes DJs make...

Pioneer DJ
DDJ-SB3

Compatible Software:
Serato DJ Lite / Serato DJ Pro

Key Features:

Intuitive layout
All of the features were designed to be where you need them, when you need them. The layout inherits elements from our DDJ-S series with jog wheels, Performance Pads, play and cue buttons, independent Auto Loop buttons and all k**bs and fader positions arranged in an easy-to-reach way that mimics professional gear.

Pad Scratch
Add scratch effects to cued and currently playing songs without a turntable thanks to Pad Scratch. This new effect lets you reproduce, and create patterns from, eight of hip hop legend DJ Jazzy Jeff’s different scratch recordings. As the speed automatically matches the BPM, you won’t need to worry about breaking rhythm.

Smooth transitions
Whether you’re an experienced DJ or beginner, mixing is seamless with the FX Fade feature. By reducing the volume and applying FX at the same time, FX Fade smoothly blends tracks – even those from clashing genres. Choose eight combinations of the following four FX patterns – high pass filter, low pass filter, loop playback and back spin.

Durable Design
The DDJ-SB3 is constructed from premium materials and audio circuitry. Its robust build ensures durability, while the distinctive styling and aluminum jog wheel deliver a professional feel.

Large jog wheels
It may be compact, but the DDJ-SB3 features large, low-latency jog wheels to give you great scratch response and accuracy.

Get yours now!
https://invol.co/cl2s08c