Does any one here care about vintage DJ mixers?

Let me reminisce...

I started DJing (bed room DJing) in the late 80s'. I was a high school student in Japan, and I was trying to find out about any info (this is way before Internet became open to public.)

Now, I kind of miss those old DJ mixers that were used in mid / late 80s'. GLi and Numark were selling good quality mixers (they weren't cheap, and they were made in Japan) and the Gemini DJ mixer that DJ cash Money (notably DMC 89) and DJ Jazzy Jeff (the mixer can be seen with DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince's 1st LP) were using back then. I heard that they were referred as "disposable DJ mixer", since it was cheap and faders were not user replaceable.
I also heard that they had only 2 phono-amp build in (so, stereo record would play in mono!) Can any one confirm that? Gemini later revived the same mixer with Jazzy Jeff's signature on it, with user replaceable faders.
Vestax was selling DJ mixer DSM-310 (I think that was their first DJ mixer), which was very similar design to GLi PMX-9000, but smaller. In retrospect, it was a good mixer. faders were not user-replacable, but they were definitely using better component.

I've seen Urei (and Bozak) mixer, but it's been highly sought after (for good reasons, they are like Rolls Royce), but they are not focus of this thread.

Do you any of you collect or own those vintage mixers still?

I don't, but I enjoyed reading your reminiscing. I remember a few of those, mostly you just got me thinking about Jazzy Jeff and Cash Money, Code Money and transformer style scratching. Loved the 80's and 90's.

You mentioned DMC 89, what year did DJ Miz win? (Fresco & Miz)

Metatron72 wrote:You mentioned DMC 89, what year did DJ Miz win? (Fresco & Miz)

I guess I stated wrong year then, it is before Miz won.

I would if I would have the money, few friends have vintage Urei and Bozak mixers which are nice. I just use the Urei re-issue.

I like the Melos PMX-2 (The first DMC mixer I think)

I got into DJ'ing in the 90's so most of my mixers I remenice about other than the Urei-1620 which was very popular with house DJ's at the time are cheap units like those Numark DM-2000's every one seemed to have and the ubiquitous Gemini PS-626

PMX-2 looked really good back then, it still look good. The panel layout is beautiful. it was hard to get in Japan, and Vestax was already selling DJ mixer that very similar to PMX-2. I think DJ Premier still use PMX-2 (it is in his recording studio.)

I have Vestax Scratch Master 2-channel mixer 5005, same function and about same size as PMX-2, which has the ugliest face panel I know. (I'll post the pic soon.) The quality is decent though, can't complain. Not made in Japan.

(To Vinyl Junkie) Off topic, but is the Urei reissue mixer (you have a SoundCraft version?) considered inferior than the original one?

By the way, Stanton used to sell Vestax mixers, not that long ago. Somewhere in late 90s' (I think) Vestax started to make mixers with really cheap component.

The Soundcraft Urei is more considered different rather than inferior, the build quality is very good and they have improved few flaws the original 1620 had i.e. PSU, connectivity and few safety issues that had to be addressed (The original wasn't fused)
It's made in China but the quality of the work looks good.

The potentiometers on the original 1620 were ALPS Black Beauty, this was a very good high quality Japan made pot but was discontinued around 2001 I think? Which is also why Rane discontinued the Rane MP-2016 and replaced it with the 2016a (Also had improved op-amps that had a higher headroom)
Any way the pot was replaced by the Blue Velvet, still made in Japan but this pot is considered to be inferior in life span and quality. Don't get me wrong it's a good pot but noting on the old one.
This is the pot fitted to the 1620LE as you could not source viably the orig pot... I mean you could in the USA but a company like Harman it doesn't make any sense.

It sounds veeerry close to a Original 1620 and it's still noisy like the original 1620 lol but it lacks something the original had too.. But it's good enough

JVC wrote:By the way, Stanton used to sell Vestax mixers, not that long ago. Somewhere in late 90s' (I think) Vestax started to make mixers with really cheap component.

Yeah I remember Vestax's quality dipping around then. In my my first post I didn't mean to say I don't care about these mixers, I'm just not collecting them or as knowledgeable as you guys. Great thread already though, with the info you guys are sharing.

I don't, but I enjoyed reading your reminiscing.

Yeah I second this, it's good to see.

Pretty dope thread overall, a lot of interesting gear knowledge is being put out.

Talking about DMC mixers... I don't really know much about vintage mixers but I got a Technics DMC SH-DJ1200 which I think looks pretty nice. I don't think it can be classed as vintage though because I think it's relatively new. In fact I think it's still being sold new on the 'net.

I also have a Teac M-09 in my attic in quite good nick. The VM-meters are cool as ****.

My first battlemixer was the gemini scratchmaster PMX15A with the transformswitches. Not that vintage but still old. I always tried to mod everything so I replaced the transfromswitch with another one with a shorter contact travel and also tried to make this crossfader run smoother
After that I bought the Technics SH1200 really nice mixer with a perfect volume curve on the linefaders IMO but an annoying crossfader cable.


That Melos PMX-2 (actually the pro version) was used in the video of "classic" by Premier

peace

peterpiper wrote:That Melos PMX-2 (actually the pro version) was used in the video of "classic" by Premier

Wait, there are more than one version of PMX-2? If so, what is the difference?

This is the Vestax mixer that I mentioned:
Street Master 5005:







It is pink and yellow print!

JVC, that Street Master is dope! Too bad they don't ever spice up gear like that anymore. (Beat Thang tried and failed )

Metatron72 wrote:JVC, that Street Master is dope! Too bad they don't ever spice up gear like that anymore. (Beat Thang tried and failed )

LOL! I am not crazy about the color scheme though! Only reason why I bought was that it was cheaper than other DJ mixers available at the store (Canal Hi-Fi in NYC), and it was not Gemini mixer. It still works after 10 years (of which it was in attic for a few years), so I can't complain.

I ain't gonna lie, had I seen it ten years ago I'd have been "meh". But gear is so boring now, silver or black always. But seeing it now I can't front on purple arrows.

Metatron72 wrote:I don't, but I enjoyed reading your reminiscing. I remember a few of those, mostly you just got me thinking about Jazzy Jeff and Cash Money, Code Money and transformer style scratching. Loved the 80's and 90's.

You mentioned DMC 89, what year did DJ Miz win? (Fresco & Miz)

Fresco was my cousin's boyfriend. Nice guy and respectable. He freestyled for my aunt's birthday back in 1990. I was suppose to be in that video where they flaunt their champion belts but I was young and was whooped to school. My cousin is the girl that says "DAMN" in that one. Good times back then, I learned from all those DJs personally like Kenny Dope, Clark Kent, ENUFF back in Brooklyn. I was like little Ray Charles sneaking in the jams just to see the DJs because I wanted to know how they made beats. Hip Hop was a phenomenal thing at that time.

Back on topic, Gemini mixers were the shit back then, so durable too. The Gemini P2000's were alternatives to Technic 1200's. I don't know why kids diss Gemini products, I still buy and they're still good.