CD Players

What is the cheapest standalone CD deck that allows proper vinyl type manipulation. Ones that allow you to search though the track as if it were a record, not like the cheap ones that sort of pause and go though frame by frame. Not after effects or massive durability, just the same manipulation as the Pioneers etc. Is there a cheapo with a good wheel?

the only decks i would recomend are the pioneers or denon. pioneers are first choice even there budget cd decks are top quality.

Thanks, I'm totaly aware that you are correct. However Mk2 800 Pioneers are going to drop in s/h value big time soon. In the mean time I want to play around with someting cheaper to see if I ever want to use them instead of Vinyl. Are none of the Vestax, Stanton or others offering the vinal control in the same way?

you could allways hire out a pair for the weekend to play with .... you could end up saveing a packet on cheaper products if you like then save and buy. I have used so many differant cd decks over the years. there is only two options worth looking at. For a double rack mount cd player then denon make some great players, for vinyl controll type players then pioneer. denon make a vinyl type player as do a few others but so far nothing compares to the pioneers hence the price. look at links below....

www.denondj.com/DN-S3700-P79.aspx#
www.denondj.com/DN-S1200-P52.aspx#

or you could use a set of these...

www.panasonic.co.uk/html/en_GB/P ... ker_290187

with........

www.serato.com/scratchlive


the best digital dj system keeping to the original art of djing.

:lol: Got the Technics and can use them properly. The CD thing is due to weight and a bit of disputed ownership of vinyl (domestic bliss).
I hate playlists and PC based stuff (I'm in I.T.). Best thing for me is flicking through the record boxes, its tactile and easy to do and is what I did for 20 odd years. Reading CD covers in small print in the dark ain't as easy as it used to be (getting old) so I was going to do all the 12's as one per cd in the same style, just smaller lighter, "record" boxes.
Its funny, I would have no problem paying good money for the Technics as I know they'll be working fine in 20 years. £1300 quid on Pioneers, who lets face it made not very good Hi Fi and car stereos untill the CDJ's, I'm not so sure. I do see your point though, I would never substitue the SL1200's for anything and would be very shocked if a club had anything other.
So who's buying all the Stanton, Vestax, American DJ etc etc? Someone must be....

american dj stuff is pure poooooooo.
vestex still make very good mixers and controll equipment.
Stanton are an ok make mixers are ok mid table kind of stuff not budget but not high end sma as numark.
Allen and heath are great for highend mixers etc and denon as well.

I think you would be surprised with the ease of sorato and how like it is to the art of turntable ism. One big bonus with serato is you controll it with your 1210's and it wont auto beat match for you. so all your original turntable techniques are used. basically it works like a big record box. you load each track to the desired turn table then use the time coded vinyl like you would any other vinyl. My best advice would be go to one of the big dj gear stores that have demo rooms and play around for a few hours on differant cd decks and laptop setups and see what you feel comfortable with. If you feel good using a product and it does what you need then that would be the one for you. On another thread on this site there was a vinyl vs cd vs laptop debate. like you, i love the vinyl thats why sorato works great for me. As for not reading the inlays i saw a great little device for that some where it was a blutooth type ear clip with a very direct light beam (like a tourch) very handy for the dark venues.