What is the Average Cost of DJ Equipment?

Written by: Zach Wright
Updated:

The average cost of DJ equipment is around $1,400 for everything you’ll need depending on the type of equipment. This cost can get much higher (or sometimes lower if you buy used) depending on where you shop and how high-end the equipment is. DJ gear can be quite expensive, and you certainly don’t want to end up buying equipment that is not worth the price. A great way to ensure that you’re buying the best equipment at the best price possible is to do your research.

DJ gear involves many components, and each component has its price. Most industry-standard equipment, such as the Pioneer DJ gear, can cost thousands of dollars. This is where you might get worried! Rest assured, there are many other brands that offer the same quality and the same features at a more affordable price. We recommend that you look into the most popular brands and their average prices before settling on one!

Oftentimes, brands simply put higher price tags on their merchandise because they know people are willing to pay it. The fact is, you can almost always find the same kind of equipment at a much lower price, ideal for tight budgets.

Following is a list of the most common and essential pieces of DJ equipment with their average prices.

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DJ Speakers

DJ Speakers can widely range in price depending on the quality as well as the brand. You can find speakers from $50 to about $500. The stark difference is due to the quality as well as the size! With more and more mobile setups, brands have started coming out with powerful, premium speakers that are smaller in size and cost much less.

A great example of this is the Mackie MR8 mk3 Speakers, which cost merely $160. This is a great price to pay for 8-inch high-quality speakers. On the other hand, the Yamaha DBR 10-inch speakers cost about $400 and include the same features.

You should be wary of too low a price as well. In many cases, you will find that cheaper speakers compromise the quality of the sound. $50 speakers can only achieve a certain amount of volume without cracking the audio quality. Generally, something along $200- $250 is sufficient to provide high audio quality, even at higher volumes.

Top Recommendations

 

Product Name

Price

Comments

High-end Option

Yamaha DXR8 Powered Speaker Cabinet

$550

Innovative features including protection, the flexibility of input type as well as high audio clarity.

Dupe

Alto Professional TS208 – Channel Powered Speaker Cabinet

$170

Lightweight and compact with great audio quality. Basically, the same features.

DJ Controllers

DJ controllers are an essential part of the digital DJ equipment used today. They can perform the functions of the turntables as well as the mixers. In short, they can save you the trouble of carrying heavy analog equipment. With DJ Controllers, all you need is a laptop and software to operate them.

Here's our top picks for budget friendly and premium dj controllers

DJ Controllers can cost anywhere from $100 to about $4000 depending on the features and the quality. The Numark Mixtrack Pro 2 costs about $250 and comes with the most basic features and sound effects, while the Allen & Heath Xone: 4D Universal DJ Controller costs about $2000 and includes over-the-top features that only the most professional DJs might use.

The best part is that most industry-standard equipment can be found at quite low prices. The Pioneer DJ DDJ-SB3 DJ Controller costs about $250, the same as the Numark one. Statistics show that the average price for a unit controller is about $620. This can be due to the fact that folks go for extra features such as a touchscreen audio interface etc.

Top Recommendations

 

Product Name

Price

Comments

High-end Option

Pioneer DDJ-SZ2 4-channel controller for Serato DJ

$2200

Countless faders, buttons, as well as 4 filter channels.

Dupe

Denon DJ MCX8000

$1100

Includes even more options than the high-end one.

DJ Headphones

When it comes to DJ headphones, there are a number of factors that you need to consider. These can include sound quality, ease of use, comfort, and cost. There are a wide variety of options available in the market, from high-end to very low-end ones. You will find that most budget options are quite sufficient to fulfill all your needs.

A great example would be the Behringer HPX2000 Headphones High-Definition DJ Headphones that cost merely $37. Yet, they tick all the right boxes, including comfort, ease of use, and sound quality. If you compare that with the mid-range Sony MDR7506 Professional Large Diaphragm Headphone that cost about $200, you will find that the only difference is that the Sony ones are closed ear.

We recommend that you go for a pair of headphones that costs about $100-$200, or cheaper ones if they can deliver the best quality.

Top Recommendations

 

Product Name

Price

Comments

High-end Option

Sony MDR7506 Professional Large Diaphragm Headphone

$200

High-quality closed headphones.

Dupe

Audio Technica ATH-M20x

$99

Almost the same features, except they can only swivel 15 degrees.

DJ Mixers

Next, a DJ mixer can cost anywhere from $60 to $2000 and beyond. This is because there are multiple types of mixers available in the market. Basically, a mixer is used to fade between two channels and adjust between them.

Some affordable mixers, such as Numark M101USB offer the most basic features at a low price. On the other hand, more expensive equipment options such as Pioneer DJM2000 Nexus cost about $2000 but are worth every single penny.

Top Recommendations

 

Product Name

Price

Comments

High-end Option

Pioneer DJ DJ Mixer (DJM900NXS2)

$2000

4 channel mixer-high quality

Dupe

Behringer Pro Mixer DJX900USB Professional 5-Channel DJ Mixer

$250

Almost the same features as well as 5 channels.

DJ Turntables

DJ Turntables can be found in a variety of styles and sizes. Most cost between $60-$500, and the average price of turntables is about $300. Below is our top recommendation of a high-end turntable with a less costly dupe. We recommend you go for the direct-drive turntables rather than the belt-driven ones because you cannot scratch or pause the latter. Also, note that you will need at least 2 turntables, so it is going to be twice the price.

Top Recommendations

 

Product Name

Price

Comments

High-end Option

Pioneer DJ Direct Drive DJ Turntable – PLX-1000

$700

High Torque direct drive mixer. 

Dupe

Stanton T.92 MKII Turntable with 300 Cartridge

$300

Almost the same features.

DJ Lighting and Cables

Most DJ cables are not at all expensive. Cheap ones are quite sufficient for most jobs. Most pricing variations can be due to the quality or the length of the cords. These cables range from $5 to about $70, depending on the length.

When it comes to DJ Lighting, there is a wide variety of DJ lighting available on the market. These include Lightbars, Lasers, and stage lights. Most of these lie in the $50 – $200 range.

Vinyl vs Digital Setup- Which Costs More?

Another quite common debate is between the prices of the traditional Vinyl setup and the digital one. The real question is which one costs more and whether it is worth it. The Digital setup eliminates the need for a mixer and turntables with a single controller. Mixers cost about $300 on average, and turntables cost about $300 as well. On the other hand, a controller might cost about $300 on its own. Of course, the digital setup comes with added costs of software such as well as a laptop.

Below find a complete comparison of an average digital setup and a traditional setup:

Vinyl Setup

 

Controller Setup

 

DJ Turntables x 2

$300 x 2 = $600

DJ Controller

$300

DJ Cartridges x2

$120 x 2 = $240

Laptop

$700

DJ Mixer

$300

DJ Software

$300

DJ Headphones

$100

DJ Headphones

$100

RCA Cable

$8

 

 

Total

$1248

Total

$1400

If you do not have a laptop, a controller setup will end up costing you more initially. On the other hand, it can cost you much less in maintenance costs. Another factor is the vinyl vs digital media debate. A controller setup requires you to buy music from iTunes or other streaming sites. A whole album on iTunes might cost $10 maximum. Vinyl records tend to be much more expensive. A vinyl album can easily cost you $20-$50, depending on the quality of the record.

A controller setup might be more expensive initially, but it will help you save on costs in the long run.

Conclusion

DJ equipment can vary wildly in price. The main reason is the quality and the brand name. Higher quality products will obviously demand more. However, just because something is more expensive does not necessarily mean it will be of higher quality. In the end, it is up to you to determine whether you can find similar quality on the market. Hopefully, our list of products and their dupes might have given you an idea of how easy it is to find almost the same quality equipment at almost half the price. You can even find the same exact features! All it takes is a keen eye and expansive knowledge about standard equipment!

Written By:
Zach has a vast experience in digital audio and sound design. Being a studio owner for 13 years, he actively helps musicians and producers with technical issues around musical instruments and studio and audio equipment.

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