Point is, if you’re a DJ, or thinking of becoming one, there’s a very hard truth that you will have to come to terms with. Hate Britney Spears? How about the latest Akon song? What if you had to listen to it every single weekend, for the rest of the year, at least twice a night at full volume? Well, truth is, more likely than not, you will have to play that. Hard dance is dead, and the only thing lifting it’s ugly head, is commercial music. And I’m not even saying commercial DANCE music. In South Africa, you will have to play what can only be referred to as “the hits”. If it’s on MTV, you’ll most probably be forced to play it. That’s if you want to make it in the club scene in Namibia or South Africa. If your true to yourself, and you play only a specific genre, you can forget about ever making it as a DJ. There are a few exceptions (especially if you look at the really good House DJs in South Africa) but generally, for most of us, this is fact.

Why’d I bother writing this negative article? It’s not really meant as a warning to people thinking of getting into the DJ scene, but more as a informative message to regular clubbers. People that come to you night after night, asking you to please play song x by artist y. Sometimes there are some really good requests. Other times it’s even worse than the songs playing. But the point that I’m trying to get across is this: LAY OFF THE DJ! Yes, he’s probably playing shit music, but unfortunately, that’s what the club and most of the people around you want to hear. Don’t believe me? Ask a few people OUTSIDE of your friendship group. You’ll soon realize like I realized, the following 3 things are more true than you’ll ever know.

1. People don’t know what they like, but the like what they know.
2. Everyone has different taste.
3. Most people truly do like something of everything.

As deejays we are subjected to loud music and constant hammering beats, so our ears take a lot of punishment, event dj’s suffer just as much as the local club dj’s, whether it is playing a set for an hour to a whole night of deejaying, our ears suffer, now the most important tool for a dj is his headphones, sure we can go out and get budget headphones and dj with those, but these headphones have not been designed to block out the noise from out side, so the dj’s end up increasing the volume on the mixer so that they can block the outside noise, through doing that we damage our ears, so what I suggest to the budding dj’s out there do not save money on headphones rather spend money on a good pair, below are a just a few headphones that I think will be able to take the punch and also save your ears in the long run.

Pioneer HDJ1000: Pioneer up the stakes in the battle for sound supremacy with the hdj1000. Built to take on Sony, Technics and the mighty Senheisser, the hdj1000s feature a massive 3,500 mw of maximum input that practically guarantees distortion-free sound quality with crystal clear clarity. The ear pads have tear resistant material, a swivel mechanism which allows the headphones to be manipulated to any position, and the cord is held in place by screws so should you need to replace it for any reason you won’t have to fork out for a whole new set, just the cord. Pioneer have thought of everything, down to the tiniest detail and it’s all added up to a headphone that will thrash the pants off practically all the competition!

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

· Closed dynamic headphones

· Frequency response 5hz to 30 khz

· Impedance 40 ohm

· 270g excluding weight of cord

· Foldable and swivel cups

· Padded headband`

· Coiled 1.2 meter cord

· 3.5mm gold plated mini plug

· Carry bag
Weight: 0.6kg (including packaging)

Allen & Heath XD53: Following on from the immensely successful xone series, allen & heath are entering the headphone arena with a purpose designed dj headphone. The xd53’s incorporate a circum aural isolation design, providing high isolation from ambient noise, which makes them ideal for dj’s requiring immersive listening in a loud club environment. Comprising of 53mm high power neodymium drivers, the xd53s are capable of handling high power and achieving high spl’s with excellent sound reproduction. Rotating ear pieces and a single sided cable will accommodate any dj’s bizarre headphone wearing style and single cup monitoring. The xd53s will also fold away to a compact size, ready for headphone bags, and record bag pockets. The allen & heath xone series are subject to a loyal dj following, thanks to their strict specifications of sound and build quality, the xd53’s feature all the same qualities and are destined to become just as popular.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

· Closed back

· 5-33,000hz freq response

· 36 ohms impedance

· Swivel adjustable cups

· Padded headband

· Single sided coiled cable

· 6.3mm (1/4″) jack gold plated

· & 3.5mm (1/8″) jack gold plated connectors

· Silver/black design

· Includes free carry pouch
Weight: 1.0kg (including packaging)

Technics RPDH1200’s are the flagship headphones from the 1200 series of dj products that have been integral pieces in modern dj history. With a wide frequency response, huge 50mm driver units, the dh1200’s are a cut above the rest when it comes to sound quality, volume and bass response. They also have all the ergonomical features found on other more comfort-based headphones; swivel able fold able cups, a padded headband, plus a brand new replaceable coiled headphone cord with locking mechanism for extra toughness. They have even thrown in a free carry pouch for keeping them safe between gigs, protecting your investment.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

· Closed back

· 5 - 30,000hz frequency response

· 50 ohms impedance

· 4.5lb without cord

· Foldable

· Swivel able cups

· Padded headband

· Locking replaceable coiled cord (1.2m)

· 3.5mm gold-plated stereo connector

· Free carry pouch

· Reinforced joints

Weight: 0.8kg (including packaging)

Senheisser HD 25 Mark 2 C

Senheisser HD 25 Mark 2 C:The long awaited mk2 version of the much sought after headphone from Senheisser. The c version is updated with a 3 metre coiled cable an even more extended listening distance. The closed-back hd25s are purpose-designed, professional monitoring headphones offering high attenuation of background noise. A favourite amongst dj’s, the legendary hd25’s are capable of handling very high sound pressure levels and are of extremely robust construction. The headphones perform exceptionally well in high-noise environments, so they won’t let you down, even in the loudest of clubs and dj booths. The capsule is rotatable for one-ear listening, and thanks to the readily available parts, they’ll last you a lifetime.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

· Senheisser hd25 mkII headphones

· Closed back

· 16 - 22,000hz frequency response at -10db

· 30 - 16,000hz frequency response at -3db

· 70 ohm impedance

· 140g without cable

· Swivel design ear cups

· Padded split adjustable headband

· 3 meter detachable & single coiled cable

· Transport bag included

· Spare ear pads included
Weight: 1.0kg (including packaging

Denon DN-HP1000’s: Denon dj are a renowned provider of top-quality equipment for dj’s and clubs, and by introducing the new dn-hp1000’s they reinstall that belief. Designed to provide dj’s with the ultimate monitoring tool, the dn-hp1000 headphones utilize a dynamic, closed back design for superior isolation. Additionally, these new headphones employ one of the largest speaker drivers (53 mm) in their class for outstanding audio quality at high volume levels, and feature rich bass with an extended high-end frequency response perfect for the defining of sounds needed when mixing. The cups offer superb padding and isolation, and with a 180 degree swivel on each cup, they can be positioned to fit any way you like. Also included is a leather carry case, perfect for the working dj.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

· Closed back headphones

· 5hz - 33khz

· 36 ohms

· 320g

· Adjustable cups with 180 degree twist

· Padded headband

· 3 metre cable

· 1/4″ jack & 3.5mm jack connectors

· Black/silver & chrome finish

· Leather carry bag included

Weight: 1.0kg (including packaging)

Stanton Pro 3000’s:
Stanton PRO 3000’s: Stanton have a lot of fellow companies running scared at the moment, thanks to their continuing mission to push forward the boundaries of dj technology (just look at the str8-150s for a good example). Now, they have unleashed upon the market a new pair of top quality dj headphones, the dj pro3000s, and have set another benchmark for quality. With 50mm neodymium drivers for clear low end reproduction and superior power handling, the 3000’s come with totally flexible ear cups and a padded headband for comfort. A 3.5mm connector is included, as is a handy carrying pouch to transport them in. With a wide frequency response for clarity of sound, these headphones have unique features like blue led’s which beat in time to the music and passive high and low filters so a dj can personally modify the sound to his / her preference. Forget the rest, give these a test!

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

· Closed back dynamic headphones

· Frequency response 16-22 khz

· Impedance 30 ohms

· 428 grams

· Foldable / swivel able cups

· Padded headband

· Coiled and detachable 3 metre cord

· 3.5mm gold-plated “elbow” connector

· Carry pouch included

· Passive high & low pass filters

· Blue led beat-counters

Weight: 0.4kg (including packaging)

Drum n Bass is one of the most energetic and fastest genres found today. Songs range between 160 BPM (beats per minute) and 180 BPM. Which is significantly faster than electro house (120 BPM - 135 BPM) and most trance songs (130 BPM - 145 BPM). Drum n Bass is also often referred to as “Jungle”.

Although not hugely popular in South Africa and Namibia, there is a small community that does support this genre. In Cape Town there are a few Drum N Bass clubs, or rather, clubs that do play Drum N Bass from time to time. “Mercury”, off the top of my head, is such a club. In Namibia, there is no club that plays Drum N Bass, and it’s unlikely that there will be one in the near future. Namibia is and all likeliness always will be extremely commercial.

Check out DrumNBass.co.za for event updates. The site isn’t every updated at the moment, but the forum on the site might be a useful starting point for anyone interested in the genre.

Urban Wave offers your average joe the opportunity to get VIP status to some amazing parties. They were the people behind the Camel Party held in Swakopmund last December. Although I’m not terribly impressed by their selection process, I must say that these guys are truly offering something amazing at absolutely no cost to the lucky few that are chosen!

So, if you want to broaden your horizons a bit, and attend some truly wicked parties, Head over to www.urbanwave.co.za and sign up for free! You never know, you might just be one of the lucky selected ones!

Psy-trance only recently gained some appreciation in Namibia, mostly thanks to a group of people called “Wackazoo“. In South Africa, psy-trance has been around for a while. If you live in Cape Town, you’ve no doubt been invited to a “trance” party. Although called “trance” parties, the music found at these events is Psy-trance. Some of these events include: “Alien Safari” and “Vortex”. For more information, go here: www.aliensafari.net and here: www.vortexsa.co.za.

Psy-trance originated from Goa Trance in the 90’s. Psy-trance can only be described as very repetitive (with songs usually lasting between 8 and 12 minutes) and very weird. It’s a sound that can easily be distinguished from other genres, as it has a very distinct “kick” used in most songs. Have a listen at the samples below to get an idea:

The “Best DJ in Namibia” poll is over!

The dnhs5500 is an amazing combination of the mighty dns3500 cd deck, the incredible dnhc4500 usb / midi controller with some of stunning features of the dnhd2500 hard drive media player. With all the aforementioned being widely regarded as the most capable devices in their class, the dnhs5500 was always going to take the world by storm. A host of playback and media options mean you can use the dnhs5500 with a usb storage device, mp3 player, ipod or thanks to the implementation of a midi interface, with software. You can playback audio from wherever you want and however you want. The deck will identify audio in the form of mp3 or .wav and it features an intuitive file search interface for finding files on large drives. Custom mapping of the controllers will give the user full control over virtual decks in traktor or similar dj software. You can even fit a 2.5″ modular hdd to the internal easy access caddy for storing audio and playing back audio on the unit itself, in the same vein as the dnhd2500. The internal usb audio interface offers 2 stereo outputs with 44.1khz sampling ranges and low latency asio / osx core audio support, this means you can use the unit as two decks in a single chassis. By the flick of a switch one single unit can be converted into 2 virtual decks to play 2 tracks at once, all with full functionality and with total control over your audio. This also means you can control 2 independent sources on software too. Whether playing from hard drive, usb storage device or software, you get twice the power and creativity in a single unit. Core dj features haven’t been missed either. The motorized platter gives true vinyl feel over your media. And with 2 hot cues, 2 editable loops, variable pitch range, key control and a total of 9 dsp effects, whether your scratching, hot mixing or club mixing, this deck has more than enough capability to take your skills to the next level. A large 3.8″ lcd display provides all the information you need for tracks, play lists, time displays and audio source. Denon have even gone as far as including software for creating and editing pre-defined playlists, perfect for clubs, mobile djs and home users. The dnhs500 is nothing short of an amazingly capable, versatile and professional media player for the ever evolving and advancing digital dj.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

· Digital dj deck / usb dj controller

· Mp3, .wav & midi compatible

· Internal hard drive caddy (fit your own 2.5″ hard drive)

· Connect an manipulate audio direct from:

· Flash drive, external hard drive, cd-rom, ipod pc/laptop, mp3 player

· Control dj software (eg. Serato, traktor etc)

· +/-4, 10, 16, 24, 32 and 100% pitch range

· Instant start time

· 96mm (3.8″) lcd display showing track ,time elapsed and remaining in numeric and bar form, with pitch reading and pitch mode, playback mode and level indicator and cd text support

· Direct drive touch sensitive jog wheel for true vinyl emulation

· Track search / file find with keyboard support

· 2 hot cue buttons

· Master tempo (key control)

· Bpm counter

· 2 editable seamless loops

· Vinyl emulation

· 3 platter effects (brake, dump, reverse)

· 4 dsp effects:

· Flanger

· Filter (high-mid-low)

· Echo

· Tail echo

· Echo loop (auto beat looping)

· 3 platter effects:

· Brake (adjustable in real-time)

· Dump (reverse sound without losing true forward time, like a radio edit)

· Reverse (plays your music backwards and platter spins backwards too)

· New mirror mix effect (juggle two copies of the same track with adjustable delay:?, ¼ , ½ , 1/1, 2/1 beats)

· Directional scratch lever (scratch without a cross fader)

· 2 deck layers (2 virtual decks in one - play 2 audio files or control 2 software decks from one unit)

· 3-way pitch bend (scratch disc, bend buttons or platter finger pressure)

· Next track function (cross fade between 2 tracks on one cd)

· D-sync: link two decks for master / remote control

· Usb 2.0 audio interface: (24-bit internal sound card): 2 x stereo outputs & asio / osx core audio support

· Two way cue search system (cue like a cdj or denon deck)

· 7″ adapter (use 7″ records on platter for vinyl emulation)

· Usb inputs (supports up to 4 device via hub)

· Digital output

· 2 x rca output

· Includes denon dj music manager application

· Automatic plug & play device detection, no driver required

· Firmware is upgradeable for further feature enhancements

Weight: 7.8kg (including packaging)
Power: 240V / 220V Only

This information was courtesy of Hard To Find Records UK
If you want any more information on the Denon products please check out Denondj.com

Pioneer’s cdj400 is a flexible, affordable feature-packed performance dj cd player. The cdj400 features full mp3 playback, and playback direct from usb devices, such as usb keys, external hard drives and mp3 players. The cdj400 can also be used as a midi controller via the usb output, making it possible for the decks to control dj software and other applications, such as pioneer dj’s or serato scratch live etc. Inspired by the cdj1000, the cdj400’s jog wheel features unique illumination with six different patterns so you can even personalize your own cdj ’slip mats’ or jog sheets. In addition to the jet, wah and roll digital jog wheel effects, the cdj400 features the worlds first scratch effects in vinyl mode. Bubble simulates a scratch technique and is great for spin backs, while trans is like rhythmically transforming with a mixer’s cross fader and wah resembles the guitar wah pedal. Furthering your creative potential, a new beat loop divide facility rhythmically dices loops to fashion beats with drama, intrigue or whatever your desired effect. It is easily adjustable using its (- and +) buttons during loop playback, thereby creating loops with mind-melting, dance floor-destroying twists. Besides the beat loop divide, the cdj-400 lets djs create flawless four-beat beat loops and hot loops. For the latter hit the hot loop (in/out point) buttons during a loop to re-trigger the loop. Up to 10 cue/loop points per disc, for up to 920 discs, can be stored in memory and transferred by usb key between cdj-400s

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

· Front loading single cd deck with usb

· Cd, cd-r, cdrw & mp3 compatible

· Playback media from usb devices

· +/-6, 10, 16 & 100% pitch range

· Instant start

· High-quality 7×5 dot matrix display

· Display features disc remain, track remain, time elapse, cd-text & id3 information

· Illuminated touch sensitive jog wheel (with 6 different settings)

· Track / folder / file search

· Master tempo

· Digital anti shock & pioneer oil damper float

· Bpm counter

· Hot looping

· Beat loop divide facility (rhythmically dice hot loops)

· Vinyl emulation

· 3 dsp jog wheel effect:

· Jet (flanger)

· Wah (filter)

· Roll (echo loop)

· 3 scratch effects:

· Bubble (scratch technique simulation)

· Trans (rhythmically transform)

· Wah (guitar wah pedal sound)

· Reverse play

· Midi control function (use deck to control software)

· Line level / digital output

Weight: 4.0kg (including packaging)
Height: 10.8cm x Width: 21.8cm x Depth: 29.7cm

This information was courtesy of Hard To Find Records UK

If you wish to get more information on the Pioneer Dj products please check out Pioneerdj.com