About the database

What this database is for

Does it work with your software? Can you plug in another player? Will it fit your desk or travel case? Can it play music on its own, or can only its mixer work without a computer? Put DJ controllers next to each other and compare every important spec on a single page. That’s it.

The site is curated and updated over time, and it’s built from the ground up with Astro for fast browsing, so you can skip the dozen different websites you’d otherwise have to dig through for the same data.

I’m more of a tech guy than a traditional reviewer. Obviously, I haven’t had the pleasure of owning or using most of the devices listed here myself. That’s exactly why I put the emphasis on quick, methodical, extended spec comparisons, which have helped me many times when I was looking for music hardware.

If you’re an absolute beginner, you’ll find much more information and guides on DJGear2K. Reddit communities such as r/Beatmatch and r/DJs are also great places to start if you don’t know much about DJ gear yet. These are the resources that helped me a lot when I was starting out.

Where the data comes from

All the data in this database is assembled from official manufacturer specifications, manuals and other trusted sources wherever available. For older devices, many data points are hard to pin down, but I’ve done my best to make the data as accurate as possible.

You’ll find links to the official manuals for most controllers on their detail pages. Most of these links point to the manufacturers’ own websites. For a few discontinued models whose official copies are no longer online, they point to copies on ManualsLib or to Serato’s quickstart guides.

The database doesn’t yet contain all of the more esoteric, roughly pre-2012 controllers you might be looking for if you’re here for some digital archaeology. These will be added as time allows me to expand the historical side of the database. New devices are added as soon as possible after release.

If you spot any discrepancies, errors or missing features you’d like to see, please reach out at [email protected].

A note on software support & licenses

Software badges indicate official controller support, confirmed on the controller and software makers’ official pages and in the manuals. If a device works with a piece of software only through custom community mappings, it is not listed as compatible.

Official support means the software supports the controller, and shows whether a separate license purchase or subscription is needed. Hardware unlock denotes whether connecting the controller unlocks the software, including the exact version or edition where specified. Optional upgrades and add-ons can still cost extra, so keep that in mind.

Included license denotes a supplied software license, separate from hardware unlock. Notes cover relevant exceptions. Legacy controllers may only work with older software versions and operating systems, so check the software maker’s current terms and compatibility before buying, especially for older units. Serato, for example, keeps a compatibility list for discontinued hardware .

Reading the specs

If a value is missing, I couldn’t confirm it from a reliable source; it doesn’t necessarily mean the feature is absent. “No” means a feature is known to be absent, and “Not applicable” means it doesn’t apply, for example motor torque on a non-motorized jog wheel.

The main “Standalone” marker denotes devices that can be used without being connected to a computer. The “Standalone mixer” marker, on the other hand, means the mixer can take external sources into its channels without a computer. A device with only a microphone or AUX pass-through input doesn’t qualify. These are easy to confuse as a beginner, so make sure you know what they mean.

Mixer channels, controllable decks and physical deck sections are separate counts. Connector counts refer to physical sockets, except RCA line/phono and AUX inputs, which are counted as stereo pairs. In comparisons, the higher/lower indicators only show which number is larger, not which controller is better.

I’ve also collected the official metric and imperial measurements for the listed units. If a manual or other primary source gives only one unit, the converted, approximate value is marked with ≈.

The Legacy label marks discontinued models. Many older units are still very useful, and you can often find great deals on them online. Note that the Legacy label isn’t an official manufacturer designation: I add it by hand to devices that are no longer in production or no longer extensively supported by their manufacturers.

On the MSRP and retailer links

The price filter works on launch prices (MSRP) for the models I was able to source them for, so it won’t include models without a reliable MSRP, mostly older and less popular units. You can check current prices using the supplied retailer links. Prices and availability change frequently, including on the second-hand market, so always check them at the source.

Purchases through retailer links may earn us a commission. This helps both DJGear2K and this tool stay online. Retailer relationships don’t determine the specifications, which models are included, the search order or any other part of the database.