Thread: Rottary Mixers

Rotary mixers are pretty much all analog, as opposed to the digital Pioneers (and most other new ones).

The one in that video is an E&S DJR-400, which is a high end boutique mixer made one at a time by hand. I think they're around $2000 (possibly more now) with a lead time of over a year.

The first club DJ mixers were all rotary, made more or less custom at first, then by people like Bozak and Urei. They're one of the iconic things from the disco era, coming just after people realized radio desks weren't the best things to use in clubs.

As far as differences in spinning...they are a lot simpler to use. They don't have crossfaders. Most don't have per-channel EQs (the DJR-400 does, but only 2 bands). A lot have a 3-band master EQ. Most have really simple cueing systems, just one source selection....no split cuing, and no way to blend the master signal into a cued channel (Bozak AR-6 and rane mp2016s and 2016a can blend in the master). Most have 6 channels, a couple boutique ones have 2 or 4. Also, when they came out, they tended to sound a lot better than the line fader mixers of the day because they were made out of better components.

The "fader" curve is also totally different. Most don't have per-channel gain controls, so "full volume" winds up at around 7 (if it has numbers), and you bring up quieter tracks by turning the knob further. They also kick in a lot lower....basically as soon as you touch the knob, you can hear the track (though it's really quiet).

Because of that, lots of people think they're better for long, smooth mixes. It's obviously not like you can't do smooth mixes on a line fader mixer, but that's one of the draws.

Personally, I've always wanted one. I think they're gorgeous in their simplicity, and the combination of not being able to slam faders and having more usable range on the level controls seems like it would fit better with how I want to mix. The times I've mapped controllers to traktor's mixer to behave like a classic rotary were some of the most enjoyable mixes I've done, even with the terrible, small knobs.

I'd buy a DJR-400 in a heartbeat if I ever got the chance, even though I'd have to have it modified to make it what I'd want (bypass the channel EQs and the phono preamps, so I could run 4 line sources and just buy discrete preamps for my 1200s).

I think I'm going to buy a rane mp2016s by the end of the year. It does have channel gains, which I don't really like, but it doesn't have channel pan controls, which seem to exist just to screw you up. And it has a modern cueing system that I like, but I wouldn't say no to an AR-6 if I figured out how to buy one...the design is (IMHO) even better....I just can't figure out when they actually sell them or how to buy one without paying in GBP, plus VAT and international shipping.

They're really just a different kind of mixer, and one I really like, at least enough to try.

ETA: Also, that was a really fun set. Not all my style, but fun.

Agreed. I've done that. If the controller is good enough, it's close.

Now, I'm also the weird guy who prefers digital summing (I've blind A/B'd good examples of both) but also rotary mixers.

The thought of spending $1400-2000 on a nice rotary seems dumb compared to building a midi controller that will be smaller and easier to transport. I'm just not the least bit confident in my ability to build one.

How's Rane Empath in a rotary version? Anyone have first hand experience with it?

I love flipping faders way to much to have any desire to play on one of these!

Originally Posted by SlayForMoney

How's Rane Empath in a rotary version? Anyone have first hand experience with it?

I've seriously considered one multiple times...at least a few times a year since I started spinning. I've handled them and played on a linear version but not played on a rotary.

They feel....weird. Definitely quality, but they feel like what they are....battle mixers with rotaries for some reason. It is more flexible just because it has a crossfader and channel EQs, so more people will be happy using it. It's like paradise garage, warehouse, and grandmaster flash had a 3 way....which is actually kind of a cool idea.

They sound amazing, like all rane mixers.....definitely more on the clinical side than the warm side, though. I think that's a bonus....some prefer pleasing distortion. If I wanted that, I'd run it through something else later depending on the sound I wanted....you can't make something cleaner once the distortion is there.