Learnings, Insights and Tips on Speakers, Subs and DJing
Tray Fiddy 
Headphones made specifically for DJing are essential for tight mixing; no one wants a set of trainwrecks, no matter how well your mix was programmed. If you’re a novice in this field and you’ve only recently started to think about getting a pair of DJ headphones, natural questions that pop up are: What are DJ … Read more
When looking for speakers as a mobile DJ, sound per size is more important than sound per dollar, as only so much gear will fit in a vehicle. Powered tops are the industry standard and will minimize things to carry/worry about, opposed to passive. They’re generally lighter too. But as good as those tops will … Read more
I think there are two kinds of audiences: those who desire what they expect, and those who desire what they don’t expect. That said, most people want a DJ who will get them to twist their bodies like they have an alien in them. For a DJ set to be good, it is all about … Read more
Large events of thousands are quite the struggle to throw, but a small rave in the woods isn’t that hard. They need to be isolated, and discreet, and have a good generator or two, a decent sound system, some lights, and some stage setup. It will take a few folks to coordinate, some trucks, the … Read more
CDJs are just a CD/USB playing unit with pitch faders, a large jog wheel, and perhaps a touchscreen if it’s more recent. So why on earth are they so expensive? Even units from less popular brands are still hundreds of pounds for one. What could possibly cost so much? Is it merely a case of … Read more
Disclosure: Some product links in this guide may be affiliate links. If you buy through them, Starting to DJ may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend gear that makes sense for the topic, not just whatever pays the most. People are always asking me which USB drives to … Read more
Quick 2026 export update: Rekordbox USB export now has an extra wrinkle: newer supported players may use OneLibrary alongside the traditional Device Library. Rekordbox says OneLibrary stores essential performance data such as playlists, cue points, and beatgrids, and some newer equipment needs it to browse exported USB devices properly. Check the official rekordbox USB Export … Read more
Quick workflow note (2026 update): Preparing tracks in rekordbox is still mostly about clean beatgrids, cue points, loops, playlists, and export checks. The newer layer is STEMS: rekordbox can separate a track into vocal, drums, bass, and instrument parts, but STEMS are best tested before a live set rather than trusted blindly. For more on … Read more
I recently talked to a friend who’s a software engineer, and he told me that it blows his mind how Rekordbox has so many problems, given how dominant they are in the space. We both think it would be more productive to slow down development and deliver more quality software. Or make it beta, so … Read more
Rekordbox can sometimes be a bit unpredictable, but we love it and use it anyway. Headphone delay, sound cuts, messed up channels, etc., are some of the problems most Rekordbox users experience. At least once. The Windows drivers for the Realtek audio devices are to blame for most of the frustration with the audio not … Read more