Moving to an apartment: cheap way to keep mixing? Better headphones or budget monitors?
Hey everyone,
Bit of a beginner question. I mix on a DDJ-400 and used to practice using some old Wharfedale speakers together with Sony XM4s plugged into the DDJ400 for cueing. Recently I started mixing only with the XM4s (master cue in headphones, no speakers at all), and while it technically works fine, I can tell I enjoyed mixing more when I also had speakers playing.
I’m moving to an apartment soon and don’t need anything fancy at all, just a cheap/practical setup to keep learning and enjoying mixing without annoying neighbors.
I also know my setup is pretty scuffed compared to what a lot of people here probably use lol. I’m aware headphones like XM4s are probably a bit of a sin for DJing since they’re super colored out of the box, but I’m not really an audiophile or trying to build a studio setup. I just want something that works reasonably well and doesn’t sound completely terrible.
Would you prioritize:
- getting a proper pair of DJ headphones and just mixing in headphones only, or
- getting a cheap pair of budget monitors and sticking with my current XM4s for cueing?
Not trying to build a studio or anything, just looking for the best low-budget option for practicing at home. Help is greatly appreciated!