Beginner Electronic Music DJs – What Equipment You Need to Start Out
Controllers & Stand Alone Units
The model of Beginner Electronic Music DJs equipment isn’t the most important thing, as long as you have something to practice on, prepare sets, and record mixes on at home. We recommend sticking with a Pioneer (now Alpha Theta) controller or stand-alone unit so you can keep everything in Rekordbox, It is industry standard in clubs, which is why we use this equipment on all of our DJ Classes, worldwide.
Using a controller from Traktor or Serato will require you to switch between multiple DJ software programs with separate libraries, which isn’t ideal for a beginner. An entry-level controller works great, but you can also get something with more features depending on your budget.
DJ controllers (used with laptop during performance)
Stand-alone units (used with USB during performance)
- Omnus Duo- $1499
- XDJ-RX3– $2099
- Opus Quad– $3199
Headphones
You don’t need to have expensive headphones, you just need to be able to hear the song that you’re cueing up to beatmatch! We recommend a pair with a closed back, so sound is clearer when the sound outside is loud!
- Audio-Technica ATH-M20x– $49
- Pioneer DJ HDJ-CUE1-BT– $72
- Sennheiser HD 25– $149
- Audio-Technica ATH-M50x- $149
Studio Monitors
Keep in mind you will need some speakers for your DJ setup. Bluetooth doesn’t tend to work well for DJing since there’s usually a lag between the music and the waveform you’re seeing and hearing in your headphones. You’ll need something that’s wired to the controller or mixer. Here are some entry level options that work great for DJing.
- M-Audio BX4 4.5″– $149
- YAMAHA HS series (multiple size options)- $199-$800 pair
- KRK Rokit series (multiple size options)- $400–$650 pair
USB drives
Last, you’ll need a USB flash drive to export your music to, so you can play at clubs and venues. Here are a few different options. SanDisk is one of the most compatible and reliable brands that work with Pioneer DJ setups. We recommend USB 3.0, 64gb or higher.
- SanDisk 64GB– $15 (2 pack)
- SanDisk 64GB USB A & C– $17 (No dongle needed!)
- SanDisk Extreme Pro SSD– $37