Laptop for Serato question

Dubsta

Dubsta

Well-Known Member
VIP Junglist
Joined
Apr 4, 2011
Hey guys,

Im thinking of switching to serato after christmas. Of course i know serato is going to knock me back 300 odd quid and im going to need a lappy to run it on and store my tunes of course. Now im doing my live stream shows thru a PC and want serato running from a laptop, which as got to be small to carry around to bookings and my events...It'll be using soley for storing tunes and serato.

1st Question is what lappy do you recommend, like i said its purely a work horse for serato and tune storage, so dont need any fancy gimmicks etc.

2nd question is there pro and cons or using vinyl controllers or cd controllers? ive not used 1210s for a few years now so maybe id be better sticking with cdjs, but then i had a go on 1210s with serato this weekend and loved it...much more satisfying.

thanks for any advice.
 
If your only using it for serato a couple of gig ram should do ya, just make sure you turn of wireless and any other background programs or you might get dropouts.
 
To be honest any piece of shit will do higher RAM = less likely to freeze but to be honest I've got 8gig and it has frozen in the past. Just make sure you don't maximise Serato on the screen and you should be okay.

I use vinyl controllers I love them but then again I have assiduously avoided anything to do with CDs so I can't really compare them. I do sometimes look at how much I've spent on decks/carts etc and wonder if it wouldn't have been better spent on an mp3 controller thingy though.
 
I recently switched to serato having been a vinyl user for god knows how long. Best decision I've made tbh... Reinvigorated my enjoyment of djing, still need to sort out how i arrange my tunes and other little bits like that but it was the best 300 quid I've spent. The laptop I'm using it with at the moment is just an inexpensive pc laptop i'm using as a stopgap while i save to get a macbook pro. It's not given me any problems to be honest and I'm pretty much thinking along the same wavelength: ive literally got serato & itunes on it and thats it.

As for what to use? Ive only ever used 1210's so will fully extol the virtues of decks. Controller feel and look a bit shit to me
 
Papa Jaro said:
I do sometimes look at how much I've spent on decks/carts etc and wonder if it wouldn't have been better spent on an mp3 controller thingy though.
Click to expand...

Subjekt Music said:
As for what to use? Ive only ever used 1210's so will fully extol the virtues of decks. Controller feel and look a bit shit to me
Click to expand...

Completely agree about the controller comments.
Never used one that I've liked but I've always mixed vinyl guess it would be strange but the majority feel flimsy.

Been looking at heading down the digital route myself and even with the shitter of a laptop I have now I could run Traktor on it but obviously running it on a Mac is the one. Tried and tested.
 
Agent Smith said:
Been looking at heading down the digital route myself and even with the shitter of a laptop I have now I could run Traktor on it but obviously running it on a Mac is the one. Tried and tested.
Click to expand...

Do it man. Seriously. I got so bored of using vinyl, mainly cos i wasnt buying any new tunes so was just playing the same ones over again, so lost so much of the enthusiasm for djing. But since copping a Serato box i've got back into it again. Plus I can play all the promos i get sent now and can play tunes i never got to because they were digi only and have bought tunes I didnt have on vinyl digitally now. Opens up the experience a bit more
 
Subjekt Music said:
Do it man. Seriously. I got so bored of using vinyl, mainly cos i wasnt buying any new tunes so was just playing the same ones over again, so lost so much of the enthusiasm for djing. But since copping a Serato box i've got back into it again. Plus I can play all the promos i get sent now and can play tunes i never got to because they were digi only and have bought tunes I didnt have on vinyl digitally now. Opens up the experience a bit more
Click to expand...

Completely agree with you.

It will happen one day soon. Just need enough self encouragement to take the plunge.
 
1) buy the best macbook you can with as much RAM as you can get in it. Get an SSD in there if you are playing out regularly, as sometimes monitors being too close to the HD can interfere up your lappy.

2) You need to decide where you are going to be using it and if you ever play out. if you want vinyl emulation you're still going to encounter all the problems in clubs with people not being able to set up 1210's - feedback / needle skating \ jumping but without the sound benefits of vinyl warmth. also you are going to have to get to the back of the mixer which can be an utter nause in some clubs, with the danger of doing it in the dark / after a few beers / not being able to properly see what you are doing, all of which is going to make you look like a proper div in front of both 100's of people and the dj who was on before if you pull the wrong lead out. With control cds you don't need to bother with the mixer as you unplug the phonos from the back on the CDJ. Also control cds obviously maintain pitch better, which if you plan to use things like loops / cue point jumps / bpm synced FX its going to be more desirable for you.

Also buy a controller. You're missing out on easy access to the majority of the functions of the software if you don't. The Denon DNHC1000S is built like a fucking tank (great for touring) but doesn't have an FX section. The new pioneer one looks pretty cool too.
 
Wayne you should look in to getting a MacBook Pro on finance through Apple. You can pay through either 12, 24 or 36 months.

And the Denon HC1000s does have an FX section. You have to download the map for the Serato EFX I think
 
in regard to the dvs vs control cds it's entirely dependant.

CDs are easier in terms of setting up when playing out as mentioned, and on the newer models of cdj the latency is exceptionally accurate, whereas on previous incarnations (the 1000mkIII for instance) the latency was sometimes slightly off i found.

i find it's the same argument as always really with vinyl vs cdjs. whichever you prefer using / will find easier to use.

my laptop struggles a bit with serato at times but thats because it has a shit design, and overheats too readily. 4gb should be fine as long as you arn't running a thousand and one programs in the background.
 
+1 with what rockwell said.

Although I personally feel you can get away with quite a cheap laptop as long as you can maintain it, but an SSD is essential, purely for boot times if nothing else.

The whole shambles about plugging in your soundcard can be negated if you get there a little earlier or at the very least, know your gear and label ALL your RCA's. Its made my life so much simpler.

Controllers are getting better, they arent built like 1210's yet, but then I dont think anything else is built quite as well as those in this day and age. They are however, without doubt, one of the best tools to speed up your workflow.
 
MacBook is the way. £56 a month for 2 years and you look trendy as hell
 
danwell said:
MacBook is the way. £56 a month for 2 years and you look trendy as hell
Click to expand...



starbuck_full.png
 
Back
Top Bottom