At DNA discos we request that all of our new recruits acquire a digital sound system. I personally favour the Numark idj2 as my current system as it allows me to store all of my songs at the beginning of the party ready for use.  The keyboard search is invaluable as I can find a song in about three seconds and have it ready to play in about another two.  This, as I’m sure you can imagine, is a necessity when hosting a party as I have enough to concentrate on without searching for a track amongst a mountain of CD’s.  I can’t imagine a bigger misuse of my time.

Why then, I ask myself, do people still want to hang onto their CDJ’s, or worse still, CD players?

Just as music technology moved on from the cassette to the CD in the 90’s, we are now in the process of our own digital switchover from CD to MP3.  Gone are the days when I have to traipse down to Woolworths and buy the latest new releases at £3.99 a pop.  Now I just download the required track from my itunes for 79p and the job’s done.

I have had conversations with other DJs who are reluctant to make the change as they say that they cope fine with their CD’s.  They seem to be lost in a land of nostalgia.  Either that or they go by the mantra ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’

I have no qualms with anyone who still uses CD’s but all of our new DNA DJs who have had experience using both say that they would never choose CD’s over MP3’s.  In my opinion, MP3 based players make for a much smoother run party and less stress for the DJ. 

Trust me people, in five years time your CD player will be filed under antique along with the radio cassette and analogue TV.