I’m looking for a DJ mixer to perform live with my DT2/DN2, Octatrack, Eurorack, and some external FX. I really enjoy the control that DJ filters, EQ, and send/return functions add to a performance.
Ideally, I’d also like to use this mixer at home to record multi-track mixes. I’ve been considering the Xone:96, but I’ve read that its USB interface only allows multi-tracking pre-fader or pre-master, which wouldn’t capture the performance adjustments I make on the mixer. Does anyone know if that’s accurate? Or if there are DJ mixers out there with multi-tracking post-fader?
Thanks so much for your help. I’ve seen similar questions on forums but haven’t found a definitive answer.
Multi-tracking post-fader is a bit of a niche thing. Capturing a “mixing performance” is usually the realm of automation. And for a while a lot of the music one would want to capture this sort of performance for was either being produced with Live already (and thus had automation for free) or built around a stereo crossfader, so recording the master stereo mixdown was sufficient.
For DAWless multitrack recording of post-fader mixes, the only devices I can think of are the 1010 Bluebox or TE TX-6. But both of these are tiny, portable things that you’d probably want to supplement with MIDI controllers anyway for a performance. So that kind of takes us back to “Why not just Ableton?” I suppose they’d save you from lugging a laptop around and there might be a reliability case to be made?
But as to your original ask for post-fader multitracking within a full-on hardware mixer, I don’t think it exists.
Another thought I had was perhaps you could build something with modular, but I couldn’t find a mixer that had a crossfader. But you can probably make a system that does that and add filters etc of your choice… Gonna get pricey but still maybe cheaper than the DJM-V10!
I had a look at the WMD performance mixer mkII and that might be a good central part of such a setup if there are ways to implement a crossfader using other modular components or a well-programmed Faderfox controller etc (if you need a crossfader that badly of course).
@ThorntonForce@jemmons thanks for your insight. I feel as though I want the feel of a DJ mixer. But that Eurorack idea is interesting. I’m going to look into that Pioneer mixer.
You’re welcome! I know what you mean re the feel of a dj mixer. They are generally more spaciously laid out and good ones have nice positive-feel pots and faders. I feel more free on a dj mixer vs something more cramped. Good luck with your search!
@ThorntonForce thanks so much for all this help. I’m not sure if I read this table correctly. Does that say post ch 1 fad goes to cross fader A? What does that mean?
I don’t own a pioneer with these functions so I’m just going off the manual here, but as far as I understand it, I think USB 1-2 can output anything from the left column. All the other USB outputs (3-4,5-6,7-8,9-10) can output anything from the right column.
So if you choose from the drop down menu for USB output 3-4 you’ll get an option for Pre CH3-4 Fader audio, or for USB output 5-6 you’ll get Pre CH5-6 Fader. I.e you couldn’t output Pre CH3-4 Fader out the USB output 5-6. But that’s no problem for what you need as far as I can see and it should do exactly what you need (as it should do for that kinda price!).
Maybe someone who has used one will chime in since these things aren’t always clear in the manual and I might be reading it wrong.
