mixer
On one side the usual sources (readers cd players and turntables), have been the impact of new technologies il mixer rimane invece un punto fermo di tutte le consolle. I lettori cd oggi leggono spesso anche le chiavette usb e hanno funzioni di controller MIDI con relativa scheda audio e anche i giradischi sono stati "upgradati" con sistemi timecode per il controllo dei file digitali, ma la loro funzione principale, quella della messa a tempo, è ad oggi, purtroppo o per fortuna, parzialmente in declino. I software permettono, come è noto a tutti, di mixare i brani perfettamente in sync senza bisogno di agire sul pitch e senza correggerne la velocità: il motore del software, e non più quello del Technics 1210, fa tutto il lavoro. Su questo argomento si potrebbero fare diverse considerazioni, e magari saranno presto affrontate in un articolo futuro...
Se le normali fonti audio possono oggi essere tranquillamente sostituite dai deck virtuali (non importa se pilotati da un controller, da un lettore cd, da un giradischi o da un semplice tasto sync) la parte di miscelazione del suono rimane invece legata ancora ai mixer tradizionali per una serie di motivi. Partiamo da un semplice presupposto: il mixer è il cuore del sistema audio e deve necessariamente "spingere" la musica, colorire il timbro del suono e gestire il routing del segnale smistando in uscita i segnali master, rec, booth, preascolti in cuffia... I software ad oggi non hanno ancora un'adeguato processamento del segnale per i gain, le equalizzazioni e i volumi e l'uscita dalle schede built-in audio controller can hardly be connected to a sound system (PA). We can do it maybe with a small plant for an evening with friends, certainly not in a professional environment.
For now, the market has essentially two ways: digital mixer complete with sound effects and classic analog. Leaving aside the discussion at the time of the MIDI and sound cards are known to have disappeared, at least in the high end products, analog mixer with effects (Pioneer DJM600, Ecler Nuo5, Denon DNX-1500, etc.).
The digital mixer stand at an acceptable cost to offer a wide range of functions with the inclusion of plenty of loops and effects on multiple channels, while analog (of course with the same end product) offer certainly sounds more exciting and full of harmonics.
In recent years, is often used with the configuration together with the use of analog mixer dj software-as sources in order to exploit the potential of digital technology but handling the audio mixer via the classics, often Allen & Heath, to give more to the sound (but also the Ecler Nuo series offer excellent sound quality). The other solution is to use instead of the normal cd / usb player and then to exploit the potential of a digital mixer, often Pioneer (also if Denon Ecler and now offer good products) for the part of effects and customization of the set.
course between these two settings "standard" everyone has found the hybrid that best fit their set, and in this speech then you can introduce the possibility of iteration with the PC by the mixer itself and its analog (Xone 4D) and digital (Denon DNX 1700, Pioneer djm2000 ...). You might consider whether it would be convenient to have a digital mixer complete with effects like the Pioneer DJM800 and then also use all the effects of Traktor Pro with a controller at the expense perhaps of the quality of sound output. It is also unnecessary to use even the vinyl and then have a digital mixer. Just as it is unnecessary to map the faders and EQ faders on a mixer virtual mixer and equalizer of a professional might as well use the audio channel of the mixer, as it usually costs more than a little ...
All of these words to do some 'think it's nice to have so many solutions, but is having too many unnecessary and even redundant. Tip: choose the products that are easy for what you really want to do.