CD Players
The features you need to look for in a DJ level CD player include:
o Instant start
o Fast cueing
o Pitch control/Pitch bend
o Easy to read display

Features that are nice to have:
o Pitch lock

The choices you have are:
1. Denon
2. Pioneer
3. Gemini

Some basic common tidbits of information:
1. The smallest unit of sound on a CD is a frame. One frame is equal to 1/75 sec.
2. Instant start means a start time in the hundredths of a second. Claims of instant start "In under 1 second!" are bogus.
3. No CD player (yet) can scratch or backspin.
4. This FAQ doesn't consider a CD player to be a DJ CD player unless it has pitch control. Although there are many DJs who use traditional CD players for their work, that sort of list would be better suited for Consumer Reports to tackle.

Suggestions for CD-Player Care:
Although these were pulled from a Denon specific document, most of the suggestions are applicable to all CD players.

o General Care
o Rack mount the unit -- this will result in much less physical abuse on the unit In the case of the Pioneer unit, keep it in a coffin.
o Keep it clean -- Dust and the sensitive electronics inside the unit don't get along.
o Usage Tips
o Use sticky on one side clean lamination sheets to protect the display from scratches.
o Support the back of your rack mounted unit with a sturdy brace made of metal or wood. This will help reduce skipping caused by vibration.
o Use three units of rack space instead of two and fill the gaps with foam pillow. This reduces
vibration even more.
o Make sure your CDs are clean if you find cue times getting excessive.
o Operational Tips and Difficulties
o Try turning the unit off and then back on. Most problems fix themselves this way.
o Don't bend your controller cables (if you have any) tightly. This causes errors when the units
communicate with each other.

DENON
Denon's good reputation in the pro-audio market reaches well into the DJ market as well. All of their products are solid performers and are often the standard by which other units are compared.

On the lowest end if the DN-1000F. This is a single unit CD player with instant start, +/- 8% pitch, pitch bend (+/- 12%), and frame cueing. It's a solid performer and is extremely easy to carry around. There are two special plugs in the back to connect it with another DN-1000F and to connect it with an RC-35 adapter (see below). The open/close button on the tray is protected which means the unit will not eject a playing CD. This kindly keeps clueless people around you from stopping a playing song. The CD must be either cued or paused to be ejected. Last but not least is the self locking transport. The laser pickup automatically locks in place when the power is shut off.

Right next to the DN-1000F is the DN-2000F. This unit is no longer manufactured but there are still quite a few out there. The DN-2000F is essentially two DN-1000F's packaged in one convenient box. Both CD players are in one box which only has a power switch and eject buttons on it. The controls for it are all on the RC-35 which comes as part of the package.

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