As you can imagine, my setup is probably more fluid than most. Gear comes, and gear goes. But it seems that one particular item has been with me for the longest time. It is my goto, my lifesaver, and the one piece of gear that always seems to be called upon in almost every emergency situation when someone comes into the Worxlab to perform. And I always talk to visitors to see if they have a similar experience to me. Most haven’t, so I’m sharing my weird attachment to see if anyone in the DJWORX community can relate.
I’m sure you’d like for this to be something exotic, but it’s rather more mundane than that. I bought this back in the early 80s, and it’s been with me ever since. It’s survived the advances and waves of music and DJ technology, and will most likely outlast my own usefulness in this constantly evolving world. It is the oldest piece of gear in my whole collection.
And it’s a boring old mini jack to RCA cable. Nothing special at all — mass produced, and available for pennies these days. But this particular cable has been with me for more than 30 years i.e. longer that some of you have been alive. Call me a sentimental old fop, but I actually care for this cable. It’s sorted me out at gigs, studio recording, video shoots, trade shows, and general hooking up of transient lumps of review gear too. It’s important to me. And it never gets loaned out to anyone. Ever. Don’t even ask.
BUT WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Do you have anything in your stash that has been around forever? Is it a large and key element of your setup or just ridiculously useful from time to time? Is there something that you just keep on using despite mockery from your peers? Is it a battered mess that’s held together with stickers and love? Or have you been through so much shit together that you simply can’t bear to part with it? Pictures would be especially useful, if only so that we can marvel at the sorry state of it, and also salute you for your utter loyalty to your stupid gear.
I have a cheap old USB hub that just keeps on ticking. I’ve had it for years. Most of the time I don’t even need to power it.
I’ve the same HD25 pair since my sound engineer studies. So they are more than 15 years now.
Will never change :)
I’ve had the same broomstick for decades. Changed the brush four times and the handle twice, but still going strong! :P
HD25s for me too. Have mine since ’98/’99. On third cable and countless earpads so not quite Trigger’s broom. I occasionally find myself eyeing new headphones but would actually feel guilty using another pair. Outstanding product.
One of my HD25 pads has only recently split, and I’ve had mine forever too. Must start using my V-Moda ‘phones……
Was going to say headphones in general, but yeah HD25 is my goto DJ thing that I always come back to…..
the speakers I use in my studio are acoustic research speakers purchased by my Dad a year or two after I was born so they are at least 35 years old. I took them when I started getting really into music and djing in the early 90’s and they have been my main set of reference/monitor speakers ever since, they are pretty standard run of mill speakers (for the late 70’s/early 80’s mind) but I know them so damn well and that’s the most important aspect for me.
I still use a Behringer Nano to control key on 4 decks in Traktor. I love that thing.
I order these cables and stereo-to-mini jack adapters in bulk from Monoprice, so that I can have a couple of each in my gig bag, hard case, car, purse… there’s a small kit of emergency cables and adapters I bring to gigs, but those two items are important enough that it’s worth having a backup or two anywhere I can.
I have about 3 pairs of N44-7 that are worn out. One time I got my new stylii mixed in and had to start looking for dust or wear on them to find the new ones. I also have a couple of headshells that are missing a channel. Could be contacts, could be wires, just too lazy to check.
A battered old SM58 from the ’90s, still going strong, and has saved me and my equipment from some drunken threatening punters in the past as well. Note, if you’re going to smack a violent punter round the head with a ’58, make sure it’s switched on at the time, you get a nice satisfying “clonk” through the PA as an added bonus. The cans started life as a nice set of Pioneers, but when the headband predictably broke, I robbed one of the earpieces and fitted it inside this telephone handset. This thing sounds great, and is indestructible – 15 years and still going strong.
The old faithfuls.
I have a pair of Stanton 680HPs sitting around with broken Stylii- I haven’t used them for years and probably wouldn’t (I use Shure whitelabels and have a backup set of 44-7s as well) but they permanently live in the cart holder on my turntables- even when I move the coffin I remove them and put them back after.
Senn HD25s are always a given, the only reason my current set is only about 8 years old is because my previous ones were stolen- they still look brand new too.
those 680HPs are one of the best looking carts ever made imo, im not sure if they are suitable for heavy scratch but i sure would like to have them for just playback vinyl and smooth mixing.
They are quite decent for scratching actually, but they do have quite a nice tone to them.
The shure whitelabel is still my favourite all round though (and much easier to find styli for than a 680HP- at least in Australia)
The last time I was using my 680s I was using one elliptical and one spherical stylus because that’s all I could get my hands on locally.
This…and no, you can’t borrow it.
That screws into the mini jack connector for extra points!
This is just the home office.
My power strip. Extra flexible, without grounding, i take it to every gig to avoid ground loops and slots shortage. Saved me a lot of trouble with buzz from laptops and ground loops.
A Korg Nano Kontrol that allows me to changes it’s MIDI messages and effectively become any controller….
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/234eb19bcdc0d4a738d48d638491a27366ddb30c5cb980f9a2e2056639915fba.jpg This. For making friends.