Are you an aspiring artist looking to start your journey towards becoming a DJ or a bedroom producer who wants to play his/her live. For you to stand out among the crowd of rising DJs you need to have the right equipment to bring out the best in you.
The professional equipment you see on big stages and clubs are from major brands like Pioneer DJ and Allen Heath, which can be difficult to own as a beginner. Unless you have thousands of dollars to throw. These brands do offer beginner level DJ equipment that you can own for a third of the price and is a great way to start before investing into some serious equipment.
Before we begin you have to understand that these DJ Decks work with the help of a supporting software that is usually provided by the brand to DJ with. These Decks are called Midi controller DJ decks, whereas the professional equipment does not require a computer and can be used as standalone equipment. This is the main difference between professional equipment and beginner equipment.
This is done mainly to provide the chance for beginners to afford industry standard equipment with good audio output to perform live. So I’ve shortlisted a couple of the best DJ Decks out there that can help you own your skills as a DJ.
So let’s get started on the Best DJ Deck for Beginners.
- Pioneer DJ DDJ-200
- Numark Mixtrack Platinum FX
- Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S2 Mk3
- Numark DJ2GO2
- Roland DJ-202
Recommended Read: Best DJ Mixers for Beginners
What to look out for in a beginner DJ deck?
Your DJ deck will need to have a few basic functions and controls to be ideal for beginners. Check them out now!
- Jog wheels – In order to successfully learn the art of DJing, your deck needs to have a pair of sensitive jog wheels. It’s recommended to pick a deck with a pair of wheels as you will need them in case you do perform live.
- Mixer – Your deck can either have a built-in mixer or you can choose to pair your deck with an external mixer. The mixer will need to have a fader, cross fader and gain knobs to control the highs, mids and lows of each channel.
- Soundcard – Another important component to keep an eye out for is the soundcard. A built-in soundcard will ensure that you can connect your deck directly to a pair of speakers or a speaker set up.
- Headphone out/ volume/ cue master control – You will also have to ensure that the deck comes equipped with a headphone out, a volume toggle and a cue master control. You’re going to need these while monitoring the cues and while performing live.
Table of Contents
Top 5 Best DJ Deck For Beginners
Pioneer DJ DDJ-200
The first controller we have on my list is what I started my career as a DJ with, which is from the world renowned brand Pioneer DJ who are known for some of the best DJ equipment in the industry. The DDJ-200 is the base level DJ controller from their DDJ series, It offers a combination of mid and pro-level adjustments that make mixing tracks fun and simple. Which is perfect for beginners.
The signature stripped-back jog wheels are one of the main features that make pitch bending easy and possible to scratch, thanks to its large size platter. The mixer is designed to be in the center of the deck with a basic 3 EQ control for each deck to help mix the tracks together.
Eight performance pads have been provided for hot cue functionality and cue triggering to make your performance unique and fun. On the left to the performance pads are two solid round bottoms to cue and play/pause on each deck. On the right of each deck you have the pitch adjustment fader that helps adjust the tempo of the track loaded on that deck.
The controller is compatible with Algoriddim DJay, Pioneer rekordbox, edjing Mix and WeDJ which are well known DJ software. This DJ deck is one of the few controllers that offer Bluetooth connectivity to connect to your iOS or Android mobile.
The one big drawback of this DJ deck is that it lacks an in-built sound card, so you will have to purchase an external sound card to connect to large speakers or headphone monitoring. Hence the low price on this deck. But it is perfect for beginners who are just starting out in their bedroom to start practicing their mixing skills.
Key Features
- Light and portable.
- Low price tag
- Compatible with Algoriddim DJay, Pioneer rekordbox, edjing Mix and WeDJ.
- Does not require external power.
- Bluetooth connectivity to connect to mobile devices.
Numark Mixtrack Platinum FX
Next up we have the Numark Mixtrack Platinum FX that has been known for being one of the best club performance DJ decks. The Mixtrack Platinum FX is an excellent combination of great features at an affordable price. The Mixtrack Platinum FX has come a long way from its previous version the Mix-Track Pro.
Some of the unique and professional features this DJ deck provides is large jog wheels with an information display in the center of the jog wheel. This really helps understand which part of the song you’re listening to without looking at the computer display. Giving you a stand alone deck feel.
It is possible to control 4 decks mixing depending on the DJ software you are using thanks to its midi mapping interface to customize to your liking. It houses a professional mic input if you’re the type to get the crowd going with your announcements.
The unit supports a FX section for quick on the fly DJ FX like Auto-loop, Beat Sampling, Hot Cues, Fader Cuts. A pair of paddle switches are provided for quick access to Serato’s built in FX if you are a Serato user.
It has a Three-band EQ mixer with individual filter knobs for each deck with two channel fader to control levels of each deck and crossfader to mix. A high-quality sound-card is installed to connect to speakers via RCA cable.
This DJ deck is available to you for less than $300, which is great value for money for all the features you get with the Numark Mixtrack Platinum.
Key Features
- Large Jog wheels with Hi-Res display in the center.
- Built-in high-quality sound-card.
- Separate FX unit.
- 4 Deck mixing.
- Paddle switches for serato DJ.
Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S2 Mk3
Here is a brand that only focuses on live performance gear and studio equipment and delivers excellent quality that is unmatched. Native-Instruments has been in the DJ gear scene for quite some time, long enough to release the MK3 of their entry level DJ decks, the Traktor S2 MK3.
The console has a sturdy body and build offering excellent portability and a premium feel and look. The DJ deck is compatible with Native-instruments professional DJ software Traktor Pro 3.
Just plug it-in and you’re ready to go.
It has two large jogs wheels for beat and pitch bending that are much larger than the previous versions of the S2. Below the jog wheels you have 8 pads to support hot cues and quick cue release. Two loop knobs are provided for quick loop selection on the fly and a pitch control to adjust the BPM of the track.
The mixer houses a 3 band EQ with individual gain controls and filter knobs. Though the console lacks the FX section which was present in the previous versions of the console. The Traktor S2 Mk3 has a lot to offer for beginners and professionals and is worth using in club spaces. Thanks to its in-built sound card that provides robust and solid output compared to other DJ decks.
Key Features
- Large jog wheels for easy pitch bend and scratch capabilities.
- In-built soundcard.
- Comes with a free license of Traktor Pro 3.
- Sturdy build quality.
- USB ready plug and play.
Numark DJ2GO2
If compact is your thing it doesn’t get more compact than this. The Numark DJ2GO is designed for the DJ’s on the go, it is light in weight with all the functions required for you to mix all your favorite numbers.
Though pocket sized numark has found space to fit in two jog wheels, a cross-fader to mix between songs, 4 performance pads to assign hot cues. Headphone cue, track controller for reach deck and pitch adjust fader to control tempo. All this packed in a solid sturdy body.
It comes with a free license of Serato DJ-Lite that is pre-mapped to the controller, so just plug and play right out of the box. The numark even supports a headphone out for monitoring and a mono speaker out.
Key Features
- Pocket-size for easy portability.
- Comes with a free license Serato Lite.
- Headphone monitoring and mono speaker out.
- Sturdy body and build.
Roland DJ-202
Roland has made some of the music industry’s best music production equipment, right from the infamous Roland 808 drum machine, Roland 909 drum machine, Roland 707 drum machine and their best the Roland TR-8. Recently Roland has decided to step-into the DJ realm with a sleek and classy looking DJ deck controller the DJ-202.
If you notice the design resembles the Roland TR-8 a lot and has the signature light green color code that gives it a premium look. Two large jog wheels are the center of attention in the beast with 8 performance pads beneath each. The pads are large enough to juggle beats and create a unique mix experience.
A high-quality mic input provides the options to use a professional dynamic mic with vocal effects like reverb, gate, echo and filter. That most DJ decks at this price range fail to offer.
The unit comes with Serato DJ lite and is pre-mapped to the software which is upgradable to the Serato Pro.
Key Features
- Impressive and sturdy design.
- Large jog wheels.
- 8 Performance pads.
- High-quality mic input with FX’s
- Comes with Serato DJ lite, upgradeable to pro.
Can I connect my Beginner DJ Deck to a professional DJ Mixer?
Yes, provided that you have an in-built sound card or an external sound card connected to your computer. Without a sound card it will not be possible to deliver the sound from the DJ software to the standalone external mixer.
Conclusion
I hope you found a perfect match to kick start your DJ career, as you understand these are beginner level DJ decks that are a gateway to professional DJ equipment that will blow your mind.
Happy DJing.
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Greetings! My name is Michael and this is my website.
I've been specializing in audio equipment and accessories for a while and have a little something in store for every kind of hi-fi enthusiast.
Based in California, I keep attending special launch events across the globe. This has helped me understand the products better, and with a unique hands-on experience I'm able to provide you with easy to understand reviews about the best in audio tech from around the world.
