CD's vs. Vinyl

The longest and most heated of DJ debates ceases to be that of "CD's vs. Vinyl". As long as the two counter-parts co-exist however, no winner will ever be determined.

The fact is both CD's and Vinyl have their strengths and in some cases, weaknesses. A DJ should keep in mind that deciding on a single format is not always necessary.

When it comes to portability, its obvious that CD's (Compact Discs) were named for the convenience associated with them. Vinyl however, takes a downfall in this category. In a comparison done by a fellow DJ, while 80 records weighed in at 20kg, 60 CD's hit only 6.8kg on the scale. If you have the strength for it though, weight may not be an issue.

Quality you ask? When it comes to the sound of both formats, Vinyl has been said to be the winner. A visual explanation for this originates around the needle. A stylus is used to pick up vibrations coming from the record as it spins around and around. This description is said to give Vinyl a "warmer" feeling. However, when a CD player's laser is on it melts a tiny hole into even burned CD's!

When it comes to personal experience, I personally find that CD's give a DJ more variety. In my case, finding any Croatian, Slovak, or other music from Eastern Europe is nearly impossible where I am located! Never mind Vinyl, these CD's cannot even be ordered as imports and thus I have been burning CD's for shows.

If its creativity you're looking for Vinyl is a great choice. While CD's give you more choice, Vinyl allows you to feel what your doing. With Vinyl you're able to manipulate music using touch. However, the CDJ-1000 emulates this experience by using a joystick designed for scratching.

If its long lasting materials you're looking for, CD's are also the way to go! We all know what happens when you scratch something... and if you accidentally ruine a record it is likely that you'll never get it back.

When it comes to DJ-ing, everyone knows that its an expensive hobby to maintain. A high-quality pair of headphones cost almost $200 to start! However, it is highly recomended that one get the best of both worlds! Take advantage of the qualities that both formats have to offer!