customer reviews
55 People rated this product :
7 out of 10
5 People wrote reviews
3 out of 10
"Avoid, save up for something better!"
Feature:
You might think that 2 is a pretty low rating, but there is a catch to this one. When I first started DJing, it was on this. So I used to think it was fantastic and everything I could ever want... and it was. Trouble is, now I'm getting frustrated with it. On the hardware side, there are a whole host of issues. Firstly, the layout. It's all wrong! EQ's should be vertical, as should the play/cue buttons, and the looping/syncing/other stuff should be horizontal. The platters should be bigger and not surrounded by controls (I keep accidently hitting the pitch controls when using the jog wheels.) Sticking with the jog wheels, they are rubbish! If you increase the sensitivity (which you pretty much have to to avoid getting cramp) they become so sensitive they send out MIDI commands without even being touched! Furthermore, the latency is pretty horrific, the build quality is truly shocking and it's doesn't have enough buttons! I want dedicated effects buttons for each channel, extensive cueing and looping options, 4 band EQ and larger platters. And this lack of options is true with Traktor too. No VST plug-ins, hardly any good or useful effects/filters and no sampler. It's so frustrating and it feels like my creativity is being stifled. Now even for a mobile jock like me, people say "oh you don't need to be creative, you just play the chart stuff and it keeps the client happy." Which is true to an extent but it's not just a job, it's a hobby too and so I want something to mess around with at home as well as something I can work with on a regular basis.
Quality:
Has failed at 2 gigs now and feels like a toy. Everything is plastic and it just has such a bad feel to it. The crossfader and channel faders feel wobbly and cheap, not to mention the pitch sliders which are really hard to use accurately. The mic input has never worked, neither have the LEDs despite much hard work and searching for answers.
Value:
Well this is an interesting one. Yes, it does do a lot for the price, especially when you buy with the full version of Traktor and not just the LE (like I did.) It is a nice way to get started.
Desirability:
Now? I think it's awful, however the price was attractive at the time, when I was naive about DJing and though the cheap stuff would be just as good as the expensive stuff! The appeal I guess is that it's an all rounder which is a good starting point for bedroom DJs. However as I said before, layout, looks and build quality seriously let it down.
Sound:
The sound card that's built in is OK, nothing special though. If you plug it into a really loud system in a club for example you can notice some unwanted crackles and such. But really, not much to worry about in this particular area.
Ease of Use:
Well for this part I have to mark it high because it is very simple to use and set-up was a breeze. I found some of the buttons useless though, such as the mid and high kill buttons which do nothing no matter which style EQ you use in Traktor. So I used MIDI Learn and re-mapped them to looping divisions which was so easy. If they added more pre-set options and configurations I would have given it a 10.
Support:
I've given it a 5 because I have never dealt with them, so I can't comment on this section
Overall:
I know I gave it some high marks for value and sound, but that's not what these things are about. Sound quality is the most basic thing in the world, so that doesn't even come into it. For me, it's simple... don't buy it, get the M-Audio Xponent instead. Yes it's more expensive but it's even more expensive to buy this and then have to buy that as well because you realize you've made a horrible mistake! The only reasons I can think of to buy this is either because you didn't do your homework on the topic or you really aren't serious about it and all you want to do is move from track to track. Which I promise you gets REALLY boring after a while! (My reason was the former, I was just naive at the time!)
Submitted: 9/1/2008
Style of Music: Popular, Funky House, Trance, DnB and Indie
8 out of 10
"Most Inexpensive Way to Start DJing"
Feature:
For the price, this thing is feature packed. Get everything you need to DJ in a pretty low price.
Quality:
The build quality is not bad, but it's not a tank either. The plastic knobs, when turned, don't feel bad but the knobs itself are made out of cheap, light plastic. The pots can also be inconsistent to feel throughout the board.
The pitch bend feels fine, and the buttons have good feedback. You can feel the button being pressed and unpressed.
The "turntable" is not as smooth as I anticipated. It is a little inconsistent depending on where you put your finger and turn it. But I am not planning to scratch with this so this is not a problem. Pitch bend works great still.
Value:
There is no cheaper way to get into DJing. Even buying used gear will not come close to this price.
Desirability:
It's a fun an inexpensive way to have some fun mixing. It is stable enough to even do parties and a lot of people do so already. Computer DJing is definitely a little more desirable because of this product.
Sound:
The sound quality is rather good. The only problems I have heard is that the sound quality of the mic input is not too great. But the output quality is very good and there is nothing to complain about.
Ease of Use:
Honestly, I had some trouble setting this up. What I found is that you need to set the BCD3000 ASIO control panel setting to Standard mode and disable wireless internet to have it work well. The only problem I still have is that the Set Cue button is not working and the lights don't work. Otherwise, it is working perfectly. I am troubleshooting using the Native Instruments forums and have also sent in this question to Behringer. Hopefully, I will get a good response soon.
But otherwise, this is very easy to install. Basically, plug in BCD3000 to usb port, install drivers, install Traktor LE (comes with, but you can use any other software), restart computer, do those things I said above, and start DJing.
Overall:
Overall, I am very satisfied with the BCD3000. For the price, it cannot be beat. It has everything you need (minus a computer) to start DJing. It works well enough to let you do so for long amounts of time.
For those looking for a higher quality product (meaning higher quality knobs, pots, case, etc), you should look elsewhere. You'll want to take care of the BCD3000 because it is not bullet proof. But please keep in mind it's also not a time bomb about to set off any minute.
Submitted: 7/3/2008
Style of Music: Rock, House
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