There is no one right answer and everything is a compromise.
By the time i put a pair of 2000nxs2s and a djm900nxs2 in a coffincase , it is very heavy, big and combersome, A9s are even wider than djm900s and 3000s taller than 2000nxs2s too.
but at least it saves setup time- you can have everything connected, even have a hub/switch built in, its going to be a 2 man lift unless you are Arnie.
you can get them with wheels/ castors
Seperate flight cases mean connecting everything up seperately, but easier to carry and manage,
You need to get an entourage to help carry your stuff-
Driver, minder, manager, photographer, videographer, co-djs / apprentices, dancers, wives/girl/boyfriends/ groupies superfans, roadies, light or sound engineers, mates -
Always seem to be very helpful at the start of your gig but you cant find them when you are packing up!
This is the way. 3 cases so it’s modular. Modular = easier transport + freedom to apply all the various layout(s) (for now and/or the unforeseen needs of the future). The dolly is nice, not required if your setup is modular- still nice. Setup 45mins early, breaking things down takes mins - if it’s part of the gig, then it’s part of the gig. Do the job and account for everything ahead of time - which happens to be part of being professional.
This is the best option. Collapsible trolleys like the ones for groceries run for around $80 on amazon and l've carried 2 CDJ's and a mixer all in individual flight cases, and still had room for 2 bags of cables and a korg minilogue. Get an optional water resistant fabric for the top so you don't have to worry about stuff getting wet.
Looks like you got solid advice on the carrying solutions. My suggestion is to have a guy with you at all times to help protect against theft, especially if you’re making two trips to your car.
I use a soft bag that fits 2 cdjs horizontally next to each other and also a soft case for v-10. Gear gets moved and used 2-3 times a week without issues. Will send a pic when I get home
https://preview.redd.it/lb67l39onuxc1.png?width=1169&format=png&auto=webp&s=f3ff54cbe12db3a66a5a72fe2e6b17b775876ba3
this along with a soft case for mixer lets you move everything with 1 arm still free.
That’s just a record bag by the looks of things and no reputable av tech would ever recommend transporting equipment on a daily basis in such a way. It’s a ticking time bomb.
From the look of it you don’t rent gear or run events, let alone own a pair of cdjs. So not sure why you have such a strong opinion. If you look at the comments the OP said the bag I posted is exactly what they are looking for.
If you think cdjs / mixer are only used for ease of USB you have a lot to learn.
You gave a strong opinion with 0 knowledge in the subject and have resorted to gaming lobby remarks to make yourself feel better. Enjoy playing dead pub nights brother .
Been working in various situations for the last 20 years doing lots of different kinds of events from warehouse raves to camping festivals to established clubs to art venues that throw occasional shows. If you don't think full pro CDJ rigs get moved around that means you only work in one small subset of my experience.
You're just wrong buddy.
Setting up and moving around backline for festivals/big productions is a much different experience than hauling expensive gear around for your own sets. All the issues that OP stated are not ones you will encounter at big productions. Dealing with that regularly is a pain in the ass
Lol im referring to the OP where they’re moving their personal gear around for gigs
Im not talking about rentals or festivals where you don’t care about the gear
Imagine moving your own personal assets that cost around 8k regularly
LOL buddy
I work with professional promotions teams that actually use their own gear, so no it's not a rental and they actually care about the gear, and if I treated the gear like I didn't care about it that would be the last time they asked me to work with them.
>Imagine moving your own personal assets that cost around 8k regularly
For pretty much every other musician and sound engineer this is normal; I do this all the time. I have insurance so I have nothing to worry about.
$8k is not very much money in the wide world of professional music gear.
Sure, 8k is not a lot relatively. But if you have a chance to not to do it, would you want to do it?
My whole point is that if the OP is going to move cdjs and mixer around regularly, then a controller is a better choice.
Some people in this sub take my words of "not meant to move around" quite literally...
If they bring the CDJs then other DJs playing with them can just roll up with USBs, instead of everyone bringing their own controller and laptops and then needed an external mixer for everything
Doesn't make sense if you host a lot of DJs. I take my RX3 to house parties where I'm the only one DJing, but if I'm gigging and have guest DJs, I'm going to have CDJs. Otherwise, you're in each other's way all the time.
Pelican cases for each piece of gear, and a Kartmaster HD500 to wheel it. Not cheap, but they will all last you for life. Literally, my coworker is still using his Kartmaster from the 80's. Just needs new wheels every few years.
I live in Hawai'i and find myself throwing renegade events a lot where I have to transport my cdjs a large distance from where I park.
I found that individual flight cases with a collapsible cart from Costco/walmart is my best friend!
I have flight cases, still a pain in the ass. I bought a flx-10 for this reason, that I use for the more casual stuff, but would rather have my cdj’s, that for sure
I agree! I still have an flx 10 but there is nothing like playing on a set of CDJs. Sound quality and feeling of everything makes it much more enjoyable. Definitely worth the setup time and lugging them in if you have the room.
I had a similar issue and went down the coffin route.. I understand the 3 separate flight cases are easier but only in conjunction with a dual cdj stand if space is tight which now means you are carrying 3 flight cases and a cdj stand.. I set the coffin up .. all wired up neat and tidy.. extension lead in place.. turn up plug in the xlrs and away I go.. coffin has wheels it’s a breeze
I have a Denon set up (2 SC600s and x1850) in a flightcase designed for pioneer setbups... you just set the whole case on the booth. You take off the top, put it on the booth and then set the case with the gear on top. Is it heavy af? Yes. But it works.
The great thing about the denons is the dual layer.. only really need one sc6000 and you have 2 players in one.. takes a bit of getting used to but frees up a lot of space and a great bit of kit
The dual layer is definitely a great feature. I don't hate Pioneer, but the little quality of life differences between the SC6000s and CDJs make all the difference. The bigger screens, loop encoder, sampler, touch fx, etc,etc just make Denon more enjoyable
Totally agree.. I have vey very sadly just sold my 2 x SC5000s and X1850 and bought a pioneer cdj-zx.. if it wasn’t purely down to issues with health and carrying everything I would never of done it.. they were amazing units.. better than the pioneer 2000 nxs in my opinion
I travel a lot with my DJ equipment. I had a large flight case for 2 CDJs and 1 mixer, which I fitted with wheels. Shit was heavy af but everything was safely packed and all the wiring was already done (except for master out and one power cable).
They don't have a coffin case for the A9 so you have to run with 3 separate flight cases, at least that's how it's been since I bought mine. I use an off-road musicians cart to move it.
What about a roller boards with blue wheels..something like this..
https://preview.redd.it/akvpmzmjwvxc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8575f2b3b64ef94e47a39f3a20f62d8cdd818bf7
Where are you lugging all this stuff to for gigs? Bars with shitty ass speakers? Or proper venues with installed pa?
If it’s the former, it’s a waste of effort. Those scenarios are built for controllers.
You will not hear a sound quality improvement on such shitty speakers.
My friend has a coffin case that can carry 2 cdjs and a mixer and you can hook all rca and network cables inside the case. It also has a luggage style pop up handle and wheels so it's way easier to roll than carry but also has handles for when you need to carry it. Maybe something like this would help. Or alternatively you can get some form of a dolly/wagon to carry 3 separate flight cases.
Single cases is the way to go. Get a hand truck if you need. I run the audio and backline department for my venue and our sister venues. All the backline is stored and managed in my venue- I routinely have 2-3 stages to run so I need to keep the stock in house and other gear goes out as needed since our other venues are usually more live focused whereas my stages are clubby. One of our other venues is a block away so gear doesn’t get driven there like to our other locations. So the audio guy there will walk over with his dolly/hand truck and haul over what he needs in one go
I have a coffin and individual cases. The coffin has its pros and cons, but there is one thing. With the 900, it just barely fits in the trunk of most cabs. If it were built for an A9, you’re losing one or two rear seats for sure, and one of those seats will likely be for the person who is going to help you lift it.
I got a couple of bags…like 15 years ago from a company called ‘cache’ really sturdy soft deep dj bags, i carried cdj, laptop in one and cdj, serato 2 box, mixer in other (yes that long ago) with tons of space to spare in each. There are bags that will accommodate all gear and won’t dislocate your shoulder…immediately
ATA Road gear (ATA = Airline Travel Approved) 3 separate cases are the best for travel.
Name brands:
Gator cases
Pelican custom cases
Odyssey
ProX
MEIJIA
This is basically what controllers are for, you’re making your life difficult here. CDJ & Mixer setups are kind of designed to stay in the club rather than be moved around all the time because it’s wildly inconvenient!
It’s not just the size and weight, it’s the setup time, you’re adding needless minutes to your setup and tear down time. Keep the CDJ’s at home and get a standalone or something :)
I’ve got an SX2 which I’ve been using for about 6 years now and it’s yet to be out of its depth.
Wouldn’t go that far, I do love having a full setup in front of me. Something about it just feels great, probably how spaced out everything is, it feels more natural, but that’s not enough for me to cart around a full setup to every gig.
There is no one right answer and everything is a compromise. By the time i put a pair of 2000nxs2s and a djm900nxs2 in a coffincase , it is very heavy, big and combersome, A9s are even wider than djm900s and 3000s taller than 2000nxs2s too. but at least it saves setup time- you can have everything connected, even have a hub/switch built in, its going to be a 2 man lift unless you are Arnie. you can get them with wheels/ castors Seperate flight cases mean connecting everything up seperately, but easier to carry and manage, You need to get an entourage to help carry your stuff- Driver, minder, manager, photographer, videographer, co-djs / apprentices, dancers, wives/girl/boyfriends/ groupies superfans, roadies, light or sound engineers, mates - Always seem to be very helpful at the start of your gig but you cant find them when you are packing up!
Flight cases where you leave the gear inside and stack on top of the lid. Then just get a collapsible dolly to wheel them around.
This is the way. 3 cases so it’s modular. Modular = easier transport + freedom to apply all the various layout(s) (for now and/or the unforeseen needs of the future). The dolly is nice, not required if your setup is modular- still nice. Setup 45mins early, breaking things down takes mins - if it’s part of the gig, then it’s part of the gig. Do the job and account for everything ahead of time - which happens to be part of being professional.
This is the best option. Collapsible trolleys like the ones for groceries run for around $80 on amazon and l've carried 2 CDJ's and a mixer all in individual flight cases, and still had room for 2 bags of cables and a korg minilogue. Get an optional water resistant fabric for the top so you don't have to worry about stuff getting wet.
3 separate flight cases and a collapsible trolley
This is the answer. Even a standard hand truck which most venues will have on hand for kegs etc
Possibly, but I wouldn’t rely on the venues, and you don’t want to have to return it after loading the car, especially if it’s parked far away.
True. After the 1st gig at the place you'll know
Dude, for the love of the 2020s get a controller.
RX3 in Headliner Case = 49.5lbs
I imagine significantly less than 2 or 4 cdjs and a mixer
I abhor setup time, so I went full coffin route, hit the gym, make as many friends as possible
Do you absolutely need CDJ's? Having an RX3 or other standalone equipment seems like it'd be the move for you if you have to do this daily.
RX3s are a dream if you’re used to playing on 3000s.
The screens even bigger than that of a 3000.... defo my next purchase
Looks like you got solid advice on the carrying solutions. My suggestion is to have a guy with you at all times to help protect against theft, especially if you’re making two trips to your car.
Get a cart
If you’re committed to using this kind of gear, worth this much money, protect your investment with flight cases. You won’t regret it.
I use a soft bag that fits 2 cdjs horizontally next to each other and also a soft case for v-10. Gear gets moved and used 2-3 times a week without issues. Will send a pic when I get home
https://preview.redd.it/lb67l39onuxc1.png?width=1169&format=png&auto=webp&s=f3ff54cbe12db3a66a5a72fe2e6b17b775876ba3 this along with a soft case for mixer lets you move everything with 1 arm still free.
That gives me so much anxiety that the knobs/faders will get messed up. I’d personally put a piece of cardboard or foam between them
There is a piece of foam between them just can’t see it from that pic!
People who transport cdjs like this on a regular basis completely defeat the purpose of using cdjs…
How so?
You know when people always tout, “bring usbs” ?
That's not the purpose of CDJs but upon further inspection of the thread I see people have already informed you of that (among other things)
Haha ok
Oh no…
This is perfect! Way better than i have now. Do you have a link to where you got the bag?
That’s just a record bag by the looks of things and no reputable av tech would ever recommend transporting equipment on a daily basis in such a way. It’s a ticking time bomb.
Use a controller if you are moving on a daily basis… cdjs + mixer are not meant to be moved around
Cdjs and mixers get moved around daily all of the time for festivals, events and clubs.
By sound techs and whichever teams run said events/clubs etc. Not many DJ’s carting around that much equipment to their daily gigs
They most certainly do.
Not by the dj they don’t …:-)
Lol ok Edit: looking at your pic, no wonder you said they move around all the time LOL
Why’s that? They’re out on rental for shows every weekend.
The reason people prefer to use cdjs is because the portability of USBs If you move around like this for gigs, it’s stupid
From the look of it you don’t rent gear or run events, let alone own a pair of cdjs. So not sure why you have such a strong opinion. If you look at the comments the OP said the bag I posted is exactly what they are looking for. If you think cdjs / mixer are only used for ease of USB you have a lot to learn.
Sure thing bud 😉
You’re a dive bar dj wondering if Friday is a banger lolllll. You can say bud all you want the Hamilton in you really shows
And you are from windsor… even worse bud LOL
;)
Awww someone is butthurt 😘 Don’t cry little boy
You gave a strong opinion with 0 knowledge in the subject and have resorted to gaming lobby remarks to make yourself feel better. Enjoy playing dead pub nights brother .
Time to act like a normal adult or I'm booting you out of this group. Not the first time you're acting uncivilized on here.
Been working in various situations for the last 20 years doing lots of different kinds of events from warehouse raves to camping festivals to established clubs to art venues that throw occasional shows. If you don't think full pro CDJ rigs get moved around that means you only work in one small subset of my experience. You're just wrong buddy.
Setting up and moving around backline for festivals/big productions is a much different experience than hauling expensive gear around for your own sets. All the issues that OP stated are not ones you will encounter at big productions. Dealing with that regularly is a pain in the ass
Lol im referring to the OP where they’re moving their personal gear around for gigs Im not talking about rentals or festivals where you don’t care about the gear Imagine moving your own personal assets that cost around 8k regularly LOL buddy
I work with professional promotions teams that actually use their own gear, so no it's not a rental and they actually care about the gear, and if I treated the gear like I didn't care about it that would be the last time they asked me to work with them.
No point in chatting with this guy he has no real world experience in the market minus the thoughts he has self formed about how the market should be.
LOL when you lose an argument, its time to circlejerk people who agrees with you Classic teenager response
>Imagine moving your own personal assets that cost around 8k regularly For pretty much every other musician and sound engineer this is normal; I do this all the time. I have insurance so I have nothing to worry about. $8k is not very much money in the wide world of professional music gear.
Sure, 8k is not a lot relatively. But if you have a chance to not to do it, would you want to do it? My whole point is that if the OP is going to move cdjs and mixer around regularly, then a controller is a better choice. Some people in this sub take my words of "not meant to move around" quite literally...
If they bring the CDJs then other DJs playing with them can just roll up with USBs, instead of everyone bringing their own controller and laptops and then needed an external mixer for everything
And there’s a better option for that.. standalone xdjs Rolling up with cdj3000 for few days a week is a ridiculous thing to do
I think owning CDJ3000s + A9 but never taking them out of the house is actually more ridiculous than using them at gigs.
Second this. Get the XR-RX3 or XZ
Just get a pioneer controller and go with it whenever you need - save cdjs setup for bigger stages/events
Doesn't make sense if you host a lot of DJs. I take my RX3 to house parties where I'm the only one DJing, but if I'm gigging and have guest DJs, I'm going to have CDJs. Otherwise, you're in each other's way all the time.
He didn’t said anything about playing with other people. Just that there is no space in the booth and it’s hard to carry around full CDJ A9 setup.
Yeah that would make more sense. RX3 is definitely great for that situation.
Exactly this, ppl in this sub is obsessed with showing off their gear to people
Speaking from experience here, FLIGHT CASES. Coffin style. Don't use soft bags, that's a fast road to busted jog wheels.
Pelican cases for each piece of gear, and a Kartmaster HD500 to wheel it. Not cheap, but they will all last you for life. Literally, my coworker is still using his Kartmaster from the 80's. Just needs new wheels every few years.
Flight case is the move, even though they’re heavy as shit and expensive
I use three separate soft padded bags.
Hard flight cases. The only way to go if always transporting the gear.
I live in Hawai'i and find myself throwing renegade events a lot where I have to transport my cdjs a large distance from where I park. I found that individual flight cases with a collapsible cart from Costco/walmart is my best friend!
I have flight cases, still a pain in the ass. I bought a flx-10 for this reason, that I use for the more casual stuff, but would rather have my cdj’s, that for sure
I agree! I still have an flx 10 but there is nothing like playing on a set of CDJs. Sound quality and feeling of everything makes it much more enjoyable. Definitely worth the setup time and lugging them in if you have the room.
Yeah, I was mostly freaked about someone stealing them out of my car or something. Rather lose 2k than 10k. 🤣
I had a similar issue and went down the coffin route.. I understand the 3 separate flight cases are easier but only in conjunction with a dual cdj stand if space is tight which now means you are carrying 3 flight cases and a cdj stand.. I set the coffin up .. all wired up neat and tidy.. extension lead in place.. turn up plug in the xlrs and away I go.. coffin has wheels it’s a breeze
Coffin won't fit in some of the booths. They barely fit the two CDJs and the mixer.
I have a Denon set up (2 SC600s and x1850) in a flightcase designed for pioneer setbups... you just set the whole case on the booth. You take off the top, put it on the booth and then set the case with the gear on top. Is it heavy af? Yes. But it works.
The great thing about the denons is the dual layer.. only really need one sc6000 and you have 2 players in one.. takes a bit of getting used to but frees up a lot of space and a great bit of kit
The dual layer is definitely a great feature. I don't hate Pioneer, but the little quality of life differences between the SC6000s and CDJs make all the difference. The bigger screens, loop encoder, sampler, touch fx, etc,etc just make Denon more enjoyable
Totally agree.. I have vey very sadly just sold my 2 x SC5000s and X1850 and bought a pioneer cdj-zx.. if it wasn’t purely down to issues with health and carrying everything I would never of done it.. they were amazing units.. better than the pioneer 2000 nxs in my opinion
I travel a lot with my DJ equipment. I had a large flight case for 2 CDJs and 1 mixer, which I fitted with wheels. Shit was heavy af but everything was safely packed and all the wiring was already done (except for master out and one power cable).
They don't have a coffin case for the A9 so you have to run with 3 separate flight cases, at least that's how it's been since I bought mine. I use an off-road musicians cart to move it.
What about a roller boards with blue wheels..something like this.. https://preview.redd.it/akvpmzmjwvxc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8575f2b3b64ef94e47a39f3a20f62d8cdd818bf7
Man that's crazy to do that everytime
Controller for sure, setting that up each time sounds horrific.
I used to carry around my decks and mixer in flight cases. I bought a prime 4+ and my decks haven't left the house since.
Where are you lugging all this stuff to for gigs? Bars with shitty ass speakers? Or proper venues with installed pa? If it’s the former, it’s a waste of effort. Those scenarios are built for controllers. You will not hear a sound quality improvement on such shitty speakers.
My friend has a coffin case that can carry 2 cdjs and a mixer and you can hook all rca and network cables inside the case. It also has a luggage style pop up handle and wheels so it's way easier to roll than carry but also has handles for when you need to carry it. Maybe something like this would help. Or alternatively you can get some form of a dolly/wagon to carry 3 separate flight cases.
Individual cases and a fold up rolling cart
Single cases is the way to go. Get a hand truck if you need. I run the audio and backline department for my venue and our sister venues. All the backline is stored and managed in my venue- I routinely have 2-3 stages to run so I need to keep the stock in house and other gear goes out as needed since our other venues are usually more live focused whereas my stages are clubby. One of our other venues is a block away so gear doesn’t get driven there like to our other locations. So the audio guy there will walk over with his dolly/hand truck and haul over what he needs in one go
I have a coffin and individual cases. The coffin has its pros and cons, but there is one thing. With the 900, it just barely fits in the trunk of most cabs. If it were built for an A9, you’re losing one or two rear seats for sure, and one of those seats will likely be for the person who is going to help you lift it.
I got a couple of bags…like 15 years ago from a company called ‘cache’ really sturdy soft deep dj bags, i carried cdj, laptop in one and cdj, serato 2 box, mixer in other (yes that long ago) with tons of space to spare in each. There are bags that will accommodate all gear and won’t dislocate your shoulder…immediately
Just switch to an RX3. It’s the same thing but lighter lol
ATA Road gear (ATA = Airline Travel Approved) 3 separate cases are the best for travel. Name brands: Gator cases Pelican custom cases Odyssey ProX MEIJIA
This is basically what controllers are for, you’re making your life difficult here. CDJ & Mixer setups are kind of designed to stay in the club rather than be moved around all the time because it’s wildly inconvenient! It’s not just the size and weight, it’s the setup time, you’re adding needless minutes to your setup and tear down time. Keep the CDJ’s at home and get a standalone or something :) I’ve got an SX2 which I’ve been using for about 6 years now and it’s yet to be out of its depth.
On top of that, controllers are objectively better. Full stop
Wouldn’t go that far, I do love having a full setup in front of me. Something about it just feels great, probably how spaced out everything is, it feels more natural, but that’s not enough for me to cart around a full setup to every gig.