this covers a few things mentioned above and wont help you out 100%. But this write up from MIK answers a few questions in OP and I think its worth a read. Has a fair bit of focus on Mac's. Getting Started If you're new to DJing--and even if you're upgrading to a new system--we recommend the simplest setup possible. Start with a minimalist approach and set out to do as much as you can with a minimum of equipment (such as one MacBook Pro and a MIDI controller, or two CDJs and a mixer). You should choose the setup that's most comfortable for you, but again, be flexible enough to adapt to any equipment so you're prepared to play at any venue. Whether you prefer to use turntables, CDs, or a MIDI controller, digital options are always available. The list of DJ software applications is constantly growing, but based on what we've seen from thousands of DJs who use Mixed In Key, we've noticed that the most popular options are Serato Scratch Live, Native Instruments Traktor, Pioneer rekordbox, and Ableton Live. At the risk of over-generalizing (and we certainly don't mean to offend anyone), we've come up with a few basic ways for you to determine what kind of DJ you are: • If you like simplicity and want the feel of vinyl, go with Serato. Keep in mind that Serato is a closed-box system and needs compatible hardware to run. • If you switch constantly between songs, don't mind turning a lot of knobs, and consider yourself a tech geek, choose Ableton Live. Live blurs the line between DJing and production, but it also requires a lot more preparation before each gig. • If you prefer a software package that's sleek and stylish with a lot of functionality and customization options, choose Traktor. Traktor is easy to use out of the box, and can work with controllers, turntables, or CDJs. • If you like using CDs or want the ease of showing up at a club with only a USB full of prepared music, choose Pioneer rekordbox. rekordbox has added a digital element to CDJ DJing, enabling more pre-show preparation options. All four of these options are valid and have benefits, so you really can't go wrong. If you can, try them all before you choose what works best for you. How to Build the Best Macbook for DJing Apple's MacBook Pro has become the most popular laptop among professional DJs, and for good reason. The machine is sleek, fast and durable, with a beautiful high-resolution screen that's rarely a strain on your eyes. The one drawback is that MacBooks are expensive, but if you're on a budget, there are a few loopholes you can exploit to make your new laptop more affordable. The secret is to focus on the individual parts of the computer that are essential to DJing and music production. The first thing to keep in mind is that every laptop is made with parts manufactured by different companies. Even though the MacBook is designed by Apple in California, it's assembled in China with a variety of different parts. At the heart of every laptop is the CPU. There are only two companies in the world that make them: Intel and AMD. In 2012, if you buy a CPU on Amazon, you'll pay usually between $150 and $200. Laptop manufacturers usually negotiate a sweeter deal with Intel, but ultimately it's still the same product you can buy yourself. When you configure your laptop, most companies will offer a selection of CPUs, as follows: • 2.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 • 2.8GHz dual-core Intel Core i7 • 2.2GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 • 2.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 Most people have no idea what this information means. Basically, all you need to know is that quad (meaning "four") is twice as fast as dual (meaning "two"). When you see a value like "2.4GHz," it's telling you how fast your computer can execute instructions--decode files, create MP3s, and so on. When Apple tells you that your computer has a 2.4GHz dual-core CPU, this means that the machine has two identical "brains," and each brain has the ability to perform 2.4 billion calculations per second. A quad-core computer, with its four brains, is twice as fast. This is why a quad-core CPU costs more, but we still recommend getting the least expensive quad-core you can find--it'll be plenty fast. Memory is another key component to look at. Most MacBooks come with four gigabytes of random access memory (RAM), which is what allows Traktor, Ableton Live and other programs to load projects without slowing down. The good thing is that memory is cheap, and the more you add, the better your computer will perform. In 2012, if you upgrade Apple's standard allocation of RAM from 4GB to 8GB, it will cost you an extra $200. According to our research, the same memory can be ordered from Amazon for less than $50. You could upgrade it yourself, but it's important that your Macbook has 8GB either way. Hard drives can be mechanical or solid state. Mechanical hard drives have moving parts inside, like an old clock. Solid state hard drives are like a giant version of a digital camera's memory card--a little stick that contains a lot of data. As you might imagine, solid state technology leaves mechanical technology in the dust. With a solid state drive, your applications will load faster, and your laptop will wake up from sleep mode almost instantly. Naturally, we recommend getting a solid state drive--it's the single best improvement you can make to the overall speed of your computer. The one down side of solid state is the price. Apple's own configuration specs list a 128GB solid state hard drive for $200, but if you want to double the size to 256GB, the price triples to a whopping $600. If the prospect of paying that kind of money for a hard drive makes you wince, here's what you can do: hack your own. Remember, Apple assembles its laptops from different parts, so the exact same hard drive that Apple wants to sell you is available on Amazon for half the price. In 2012, you can get a fantastic 256GB solid state drive with a 3-year warranty for $300. We recommend buying your MacBook from Apple with the cheapest 500GB mechanical hard drive, and then choosing a solid state drive and installing it yourself (according to Apple, this will not void the MacBook's warranty). Finally, you need to choose a display. Apple's Glossy version looks very shiny and has the disadvantage of reflecting light in bright conditions, no matter where you are. The Matte version looks professional, and it's easy to read under any light conditions--you can use it outdoors in bright sunshine, and it won't reflect a thing. A Matte display costs an extra $150, but again, it's worth it. If the laptop we describe here puts you over budget, you can shop for a Windows 7 laptop using this guide. Since Macbooks run on the same Intel CPUs and the same solid state drives that are available for Windows, you can get a great Windows laptop with the exact same hardware for a lower price. If your heart is still set on a Macbook Pro, you can strip away some options. You can downgrade to 4GB of RAM and still run most DJ software; even Ableton Live should run smoothly, unless you're creating complex projects. By the same token, you can also choose a slower CPU; a dual-core model will still work well for many projects. If your budget is really tight, you can scale back to the MacBook's standard Glossy display, but for reasons stated above, we can't recommend scaling back to a mechanical hard drive--the differences are just too great. At the very least, a solid state hard drive needs to be your top priority when building your MacBook. To save even more, you can also consider buying a refurbished MacBook directly from Apple. These are posted online at the Apple Store (scroll down to the lower left of the home page and click on Special Deals) but they tend to get snatched up quickly, so you'll need to check in often to get a jump on other potential buyers. Soundcards An external soundcard makes your audio sound clean, speeds up your laptop's processing power, and provides system stability. Some DJ controllers or other hardware such as the Pioneer CDJ-2000 include a built-in soundcard. Check your manufacturer's guide if you think you already have one. If you don't own a stand-alone soundcard yet, look for a USB version in any DJ store. Native Instruments makes excellent soundcards, but there are plenty of other options. Minimal latency is required for accurate manipulation, and multiple channels are usually required for sending audio to external equipment and for monitoring. Serato and Traktor products include a proprietary audio interface; you'll need to research appropriate interfaces for other DJ software applications.
I have been seeing some cool things coming out of Musikmesse this year. Thought i would post things that might interest the ADJF community. Was going to do this with NAMM14 and regret not doing it. So im doing it now. Source credit goes to synthtopia.com unless stated at the bottom of the post.