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This does not mean that there is no story. Racing wheels are not really fun. It’s helpful to find your place in the music, but I wouldn’t dare try to scratch or engage in real DJ magic. Limiting its use in live systems is that there is no machine input, and the only two outputs (cue and main) are 3.5-mm TRS jacks. It’ll do the job if you’re just looking to practice at home or DJ a small house party, but if you’re going to a club with this feature, you’ll get the look.
The Best Combination
Chances are, regardless of your favorite DJ software or whether you’re using an iPad or laptop or Android phone, the DDJ-FLX2 should work with your setup. I tested it with a MacBook Pro, a six-year-old Dell XPS, an iPad starting from 2021, and a Google Pixel 7. I had few problems when connecting USB-C (except for the port on my Pixel. very beautiful).
Connecting to the iPad over Bluetooth would be unstable, and I couldn’t get it to work with my phone. That being said, due to the latency Bluetooth causes, it’s not really suitable for DJing.
AlphaTheta says the DDJ-FLX2 is compatible with Rekordbox, Algorithm Djayand Serato DJ Litealthough I only tried with the first two. Since AlphaTheta also produces Rekordbox, it’s no surprise that the combination is so strong. It works exactly as you’d expect out of the box, and the hardware displays the text you’ll find in the app. If you’ve never given it a go on a particular DJing platform, Rekordbox is worth checking out because there’s an amazing free version. It also supports streaming from SoundCloud, Beatport, Beatsource and Tidal, if you’re still building your library at this stage of your DJing career.
I used it a lot with Djay, because that’s the program I was trained in when I joined the team. Producer of Park Radio all those years ago. Plus, it has Apple Music integration, which makes it easy for me to add stuff to my playlist in less time and with less fuss. The FLX2 worked out of the box without issue with Algoriddim’s Djay Pro software, although the labels and naming conventions don’t always match up which can cause confusion.
Applications in Real Life
Photo: Terrence O’Brien
In addition to practicing at home, I played a few episodes of my radio with the FLX2 and also tried to do some short dance tracks on the air. The Smart Fader function made it easy for a noob like me to switch between tracks with the help of filter and echo effects, and to correct slight inconsistencies in tempo. And when I needed more time to make sure everything was in place or wanted to make a mini mashup in the next recipe, the paper loops worked like a charm. I can’t say I’m ready to DJ big venues, but I feel more confident incorporating dance into my show now.
