I have a 2020 M1 Air and it can literally do it all. Haven't had any issues with it. I can have blender and other powerful softwares active at the same time and it will not have any issues. M1 can definitely handle a DJ software if you're looking to save money.
Great video and information Pri. I am one of those old guys still using Serato DJ Pro with my 2012 MBP with OSX Capitan lol. I am thinking that its time for an upgradeat this point but I do love having the extra space on a SSD. I currently upgraded my RAM to 16GB and a 1 TB SSD and i basically use it to DJ not much else. The only reason im thinking of upgrading is because i cant upgrade my OSX thus I cant update my Serato either. It has been working flawlessly whenever im at a gig so it makes it somewhat hard to justify the cost of a newer one but im defintely gratfeul for this video and your input. Rock on brother!
Excellent video man! The community really needed a DJ-first perspective on Macbooks. We always saw stress tests and reviews - but those were usually in the perspective of content creators/video editors etc. Thank you!
Hi I wanted to know if this Apple 13.3" MacBook Pro M1 Chip with Retina Display (Late 2020, Space Gray) 16GB Ram 1TB SSD Would handle the new version Serato Dj Pro 3.0.10 with stems?
Yooooo!!!!! Just now seeing this, because I'm now starting to have lag issues with stems. This is Roy at Stokyo. Thanks for this video. Greatly appreciated 🙏🏾
Good review. I like the following 1) I like your reasoning for the cheaper option, drink spills! 2) Appreciate you breaking down when to purchase a laptop due to incompatibility with macOS right now. One area you might want to consider a larger hard drive is for those who use videos to DJ. Video take up much more space than mp3.
I ran a test with Macpaw using Rekordbox, Serato, and Algoriddim DJ to see how much ram each platform used on my MacBook Air M2. The most efficient using the least ram was Algoriddim DJ but not by much. On average each platform used around 3.60gb ram while no other apps running on the Mac. This was just basic DJing without using Stems. With Stems I would say at this point that 8gb should be enough ram with the M1/M2 Macbook series. Running Stems might use a little more ram but I cannot see it using more than 2 maybe 3gb extra but I couldn’t test using Stems at the time so I don’t know for sure.
This just confirms that 1 hour I spent in the Apple Store trying to understand whether to get a M1 or M2. Switching to the ARM architecture is the piece that was throwing me off seeing that I am on an Intel MBP. Looking at the new specs of the Apple Silicone laptops just was not Apples to Apples any longer.
As of today, Pioneer DJ announced macOS Ventura 13 compatibility for several products. List of supported items and listed in the page. Please note that all though hardware driver is updated, you may still need to wait for A compatible Serato software version to be released. Check your product below. www.pioneerdj.com/en/landing/support-for-macos-ventura/
Hey. Just wanted to thank you for your time and sharing your knowledge. I’m not a tech expert, so I really need things explained to me at a beginner level… I’m getting older, and it just seems every time I turn around I’m 10 years behind in technology. There are too many ways to get confused and spend too much money unnecessarily… This video is GREATLY appreciated! Thank you!
This is. good overall primer for DJ software. But as an owner of an M1 MacBook Pro, I will say that sometimes it's more than money that should make a dimfrencce, especially if you are making money as a DJ, and you could also write off your laptop if you are doing so. For instance, are you plannignto do much more than DJing on the laptop? Can you see yourself future-proofing and holding onto your laptop for a long time, and maybe as long as that 2012 model? Do you really wanna deal with dongles and external drives? I dealt with them, and I knew that when I upgraded, I'd definitely pay for the convenience of that extra storage, the extra internal memory, those ports. I realize that not everyone is gonna be able to afford that out of the gate, but again if you are planning to make money off of DJing, the short-term pain of paying a few hundred dollars extra might well be worth the convenience in the long run. And if you are worried about spills on that laptop, that's why you should also make sure you have insurance to cover that. Just my own perspective, as a DJ. Again, good overview and thank you!
Just responding to the point that “spending a little extra matters when you’re making money” from the computer. The other thing to consider is how easy you can replace the machine if and when an issue happens.
@@priyonjoni True that. Not gonna lie, the Air is so robust for DJ software now, as opposed to what it used to be, that if one wants to upgrade later, it is a cheap option, in as much as budget controllers can do a pro job until one's ready to step up. Good perspective to bear in mind from ya.
Great vid PJ! I'm waiting on the M2 Macbook Pro to switch from my intel i9 Macbook Pro. I've heard great things about the M1 and was expecting apple to release an update this fall but unfortunately won't happen until next year. That's ok, because by then, Serato and Dj hardware manufacturers will have Ventura figured out. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for this. i am considering either a MBA 15" or a MBP 14". I am ok w 2 usb-c ports and if need more can add an adapter. I use internal disc space so no external. Any thoughts on resolution comparison and not having a fan on the MBA.
I’m going stand-alone with the rx3 pioneer , so all I really need is my tunes on a usb stick and rekordbox… Which Mac would be suitable for me as I dont want to spend a lot……..thanks ✌️
Great help.. I almost bought a 16" with the works.. I don't need all of that.. I just need to function without issues. Might humble myself and sell my 2012 retina and get a 14" M2 19 GPU / 16 GB RAM and 1TB storage.. yeah that will do it.
I feel that if your planing on djing for the next 5 to 10 years there is nothing wrong with overkill. Mac book pro's really last Im still using my 2011 that I upgraded to a 2tb ssd and 16 gigs of ram I have a huge music library that I like having on my comp so I don't having to worry about a external drive. Planing on copping a 14in m2 next year any enjoying it for the next decade. Also apple lets to purchase apple care as a subscription now witch is great.
Minimum requirements for DJ software has barely changed in the last 5 years, not to mention that MacBooks are lasting longer and longer. My 2017 MacBook Air is still running Serato strong at gigs with Ventua. And it's almost 6 years old.
I was thinking about buying a MacBook Pro 14”2 Pro 16GB 512 GB . Here the Operating System Mac OS Procesor & Memory M1 Pro Chip 8 core . CPU with 6 performance core and 2 efficiency core 14 core GPU 14 . 16 Neural Engine 200GB ‘s memory bandwidth 16- core memory. Storage & Opitcal Drive 512 GB Solid State Drive . No optical drive included. I’m a dj I use virtual dj . Work this be efficient enough?
I recently purchased a MacBook Air to use with Serato and Rekordbox. What type of Memory Card do you recommend? I’m thinking of getting a 512 GB SanDisk Extreme Pro.
Hi, anyone knows if ddj200 works with MacBook Pro 2010 with high Sierra? Just trying things then will upgrade with cdjs but not sure if this setup will work.
Hello Sir I hope you are well! I have an M1 MacBook Air and I use Djay AI as my software. My mixer is Mixtrack Platinum. I have an issue and wanted to know if you could help me with settings because I have a problem with music playing out on speakers. Please help if you could advise me on the best settings for Djay AI on Mixtrack Platinum
I haven’t used it outside yet, but I’ve never had issues with it overheating. I’ve even noticed it doesn’t really get that warm. It’s perfect for my studio setup bc you don’t hear the fan in recordings.
I had the same concern when buying my M1 Macbook Air. Surprisingly it runs cooler under heavy load while multi tasking than any of my other Macbooks. (late i5 2013, i5 2017, and i5 2019}
I've been DJing with it for over a year and not one issue with heat ever. The heat it generates is so much lower than intel chips it still blows my mind that its even possible
I'm not sure, but to be able to run Traktor 4 decks, of which, on deck is used as rmx deck i think you need an M1 with 16gb. Especially when I'm using 3 to 4 external controllers. Can anyone confirm this, or give some thoughts? Much appreciated 💗
So I just purchased a new MacBook Pro 13 2022 and because of the 2 ports I purchased a hub for it it lags. I’ve been told that i need direct connection.
It maybe the case you either need a better quality hub or cables. Here is a link to the one I use for gigs, as well as a longer cable for the hub: Hub: amzn.to/3Y3Aafw Cable: amzn.to/3IAu5BM I also avoid using power pass-through on the hub since that gets hot. If you have an M1 MacBook Air, I plug the power cable direct.
Thank you for responding! I will purchase what you recommend and hopefully it works because I would like to keep my pro but if I’m still having an issue the MacBook Air 512 looks promising.
May I ask which SD card you are using to run your Serato Library on? I used a Sandisk Ultra A1 Class 10 mircoSD Card with a Nifty Drive adapter in the past on my MacBook Air 13" Early 2015, i5, 8G RAM. Wasn' t satisfied with the performance, seemed very slow... So, how smooth does your SD card run with your current MacBook? Thx 🙏
Joni I have a question maybe you can answer I purchased a MacBook Pro 14 inch SD card slot I would like to know which SD cards you recommend to buy also have the rev seven
Hello Pri Yon Joni, i did not get your message...is m1 MacBook good for stems music ? Or can we use dj and music production software with 8gb ram and 256gb space?
Pri yon Joni Excellent video as always from you. I am purchasing a MacBook. If I go for a 2 TB drive the price goes way up. It always seems when all the music is on the laptop it works best. I know a lot of people think 2 Terabytes is overkill - but I need the space for a huge variety of genres...without having to stream. Plus music portability. I've tried other DJ softwares. I've had a hard time getting an external drive to work smoothly. I get so frustrated with duplicates Dropbox on off pause etc lol. My windows external drive was NTFS, exfat never did work for me. If I use Serato what external drive is most recommended - for the easiest most stable way to get the FAT32 file format and so forth? With my Xdj Rx3 & Rekord box, I had to download a format tool to make my windows external drives Fat32. I always hear MacBook is plug and play? Thanks
For my external, I switch between an SD card and a Samsung T5 SSD. I actually recently purchased a 2TB SSD to use for pre-rendering stems. With that said, I actually don’t use exFAT or FAT32; rather I use HFS+ aka macOS journaled. I have found this file format to be most stable for two reasons: 1. Least likely to get corrupted if accidentally unplugged. 2. Fastest recovery after being unplugged. (FAT formats can take 5-15 minutes before you can use it, which is unacceptable at a gig). HFS+ is instant. I also have a utility so my Windows PCs can read HFS+. You’re right, 2TB internal is not overkill for a library. I was not referring to the capacity, but more referring to the power of beefing up the CPU, GPU and RAM. But with that said, it only takes less $200 for 2TB external while it can be way more to upgrade the internal. At the end of the day, these are the options. The choice lies in what works best for you.
I want to buy a MacBook for Djing. One of my last Gigs was in a very small Location. There where so many people, so ist was very hot in there. I was thinking about to get a MacBook Pro because of the fan. So the MacBook could cool down if it needs to. Or should i go for the MacBook Air instead because the fan could suck in too much dust in the long run? Is the A MacBook Air M2 powerful enough for 12 Hour Gigs in such Locations?
It’s up to you. The fanless MacBook Air stays much cooler than the fanned Intel MacBooks of yesteryear. The ARM based M1 or M2 chips are like your smartphone. Your smartphone doesn’t have a fan.
How does the processor temperature behave with rekordbox on an M1 or M2? I have a 2012 MACBOOK pro and the fans go to the maximum every time i use rekordbox.
Hey I want to buy a new Laptop I have a HP laptop and it's not capable of keeping up with Serato Program. So what Mac Book can I get that will work with Serato and Record Box and Serato Stem 3.0 I'm not trying to spend no more than $2500.
Thanks for the video! Hey Bro , quick question. So I’m on a budget right now. If I was to purchase a 2012 MAC Book Pro will I be able to use Rekordbox Software on it today and for the upcoming new year 2024 ? I don’t want to by a refurbished laptop that I can’t use with certain DJ Software.
No it will not work on an 11 year old MacBook. Save your money and get an M1. The MacBook Air you see me use on videos can go down as low as $800 brand new.
This is just a bit odd, Traktor Stems, the real original stems, ran stems on my crappy windows 2014 windows machine with no problems. So what is the issue with Serato? Traktors stems were top line stuff well before Serato with very clean production and just did not use much ram or cpu….
Traktor does not do stems the way all other software does. For traktor, you actually have to start with studio stems that are already separated, or separate them yourself using stem separation software. Traktor requires you start with 4 separate stereo tracks In Virtual DJ, Algoriddim djay Pro AI, Serato DJ Pro, Serato DJ Lite, rekordbo, and PCDJ you can start with a regular music file, and the DJ software itself will split the tracks into stems. That process requires AI and can be CPU intensive, depending on the quality of stem separation. As of right now, Traktor does not do this. Traktor requires stems to be already separated when bringing them into software, while other DJ software can render stem separation within the DJ software. That is the difference.
For the new macbook m2 air, is it more important to get more hard drive space or memory? I don't really have a large library of music so trying to figure out what's more important.
Great vid! Thank you for all the content. Just wanted to know how your m1 Macbook Air (or anyone else who has one here) is doing lately. I am using serato on a Macbook Air M1 on a DDJ Rev 7 controller. I updated to the latest version of serato. Even before the update, I noticed my echo effect freezing during mixes, especially when I mixed with the smoothing button option. But after the latest update, I had a horrible experience at my gig, besides the freezing echo effect where I had to stop mixing and turn off my system, my music started clipping, and one side of my jog wheels the bpm was doubled. I am sure I did not touch any settings by accident. I am wondering if this is a issue with my macbook air m1/rev 7/serato update. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. Hopefully before my next gig lol.
what about driver support? Will controllers like the DDJ 1000 continue to have support with Apple Silicon in the future, or will they be forced to become legacy devices?
They are available. Pioneer DJ driver support is know to continue for years. The CDJ-2000 was support for 10 straight years before being dropped when Big Sur came out.
Amazing video!!! Thanks a lot Do you have any video where can I find more info about “database/library/.XMLs / and how to transfers My hot cues and metadata “ That’s will be really helpful. Thank you
In Serato, a lot of the meta data is store in the Serato library folder. If you use an external, it’s the folder created that shows on the top of your directly. Whenever I copy new music to my backup drive, I also copy the serato folder. And it mirrors my original drive.
I think as a DJ you need a model with a MagSafe charging port. Having to use a USB to charge not only takes up one of the USB ports, but it can also be pretty dangerous when gigging. You would hate to have someone in a crowded booth trip on that cable and knock your computer right off the stand. A MagSafe cable would safely disconnect with no harm done, since it’s connected via magnet and all. Just a little something to keep in mind.
Depending on your budget, any Mac with Apple Silicon will work. Basically, anything that is an M1, M2, or the upcoming M3. Any of them will work great. Please keep in mind, the current macOS is currently not compatible with current DJ software and drivers, but will be soon. Feel free to shoot me any further questions on my IG instagram.com/priyonjoni
I see.. Thank you for the answer. And a few days ago, I went to Apple store and the staff said, can't download Rekordbox on Macbook air 15. So now I am thinking about M1 pro 14 or 16.
The Apple Store staff is not exactly experienced with rekordbox or any DJ software. Always ask only the folks with the results you're looking for. What's actually going on is that Apple released macOS Sonoma which all their computers are running. Currently, rekordbox is under review if it works on Sonoma. So any laptop from the Apple Store may or may not work with rekordbox. This issue temporary, and for some folks, has not resulted in any issues. This is a yearly issue with all DJ software. So if you buy a computer now (from the Apple Store) it will run on the latest macOS. rekordbox will announce once all is clear. rekordbox.com/en/2023/08/macos-sonoma-compatibility/
PRODUCT LINKS: Macbook Air M1 amzn.to/3V9XAiM MacBook Air M2 amzn.to/3ALCkHV MacBook Pro M2 amzn.to/3ALRI6W MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro amzn.to/3EDi64c MacBook Pro 16" M1 Pro amzn.to/3ihg9TL DockCase Visual USB C Hub (7 in 1) amzn.to/3EEewXB Anker USB-C to USB-C Cable, 643 Cable 100W 3ft amzn.to/3tZrgTV
Anyone feel the need to have higher refresh rate like 120Hz to reduce eye fatigue? Or is a basic 60Hz rate ok as the Serato waveforms travel across the screen for hours?
Few DJ gear with displays are even 60hz. Many are 30hz with some as low as 20hz. 60hz is plenty for waveforms. If you are getting eye fatigue looking at waveforms with 60hz, perhaps I suggest not staring at the screen the whole time while DJing.
With this anker cable you cant get 3.0 usb transfer speed only 2.0. The cable is 100w but is not 10gbps. I have the same cable and 9 in 1 dock case hub .
I have a 2012 MacBook Pro running Catalina but I’m looking to upgrade so I can start using Serato for a controller that works with it. At the time I have the Mixstream Pro which I can use with VDJ, but the mbp gets kinda warm. Let’s see if Santa has me on the hood list this year. Thank you Pri!!!!!
Great video I’m leaning towards having a very large digital music library, since you can’t take everything with you would it be best to get a medium priced Mac for portability and get a juiced up desktop OR just fork up the $$$ for the 14 or 16 MBpro. I’m venturing out into the mobile dj world and I want to make the best investment for my business and my library. Thanks for all your hard work I really appreciate it…
Pri Yon Joni love your videos! I bought the M1 Macbook Air last month after watching your video of your purchase. Today rekordbox announced compatibility with MacOS Ventura and I would like to know if you recommend updating. ¡Greetings from Argentina!
Because an external SSD has two points of potential failure. The port on the SSD and the port on the USB. When you have to use a dongle hub, those points of failure are doubled. With an SD card, you reduce two points of failure to one connection. And an SD card reader is more secure and unlikely to get pulled out. There is no performance advantage or disadvantage when playing music. It’s just a smaller, compact, and more secure storage device.
i have an old eight core Intel Macbook pro .Its about three or four years old and so far as long as i keep it in good order ,meaning clean fans etc i seem to able to do all the things i want to including live stems while mixing video.I have not done live stems while broadcasting yet and i do have the help of a newer smaller Mac to handle OBS but its amazing what i can do when everything is clean and working.I am not sure if i will get the m2 or wait for the m3 because at some point i would like to be able to do all of the above using one computer.Ideally that would be a Mac but i will keep an eye on the gaming computers as well.
Hey so since the macbook air lets say the M2 doesn't have an internal fan, anybody ever had any issues djing outside in the heat of summer with the sun ?
I just bought a MacBook Air M2 w/base storage and ram 7 days ago and thankfully it came out of the box with Monterey with the option to upgrade to Ventura. No telling how long that will last but for now, it does NOT come out of the box with Ventura
Got it! Yeah the big box stores aren't updated as immediately as direct from Apple. But if that said, probably a great idea to not get it from Apple. However, that rules out Apple Certified Refurbished.
My 2014 MBP works well, but when it came to stems I had to upgrade. I went with a Huawei matebook pro X. It works great, I really don't care about brand. As long as it does the Job I want. I'm still running my old MBP with an older serato with an SL box.
Hello, which Matebook pro X did you get? i have the 2020 version and it cannot process stems real time in high quality . So i am thinking to get a Macbook pro M1 pro unless you have figured out some settings that i can change to help the Huawei create stems in real time
I have an M1 Pro MacBook Pro and a external hard drive to Dj and I have found serato to be quite glitchy and jumpy when loading tracks and stuff, the audio is fine but it makes the software hard to use, I have a feeling the problem lies with the hard drive lol
Get an iPad and make the switch to Algoriddim Djay! Have been using it since 2013ish. Now it does DVS so I have my turntables with DVS and a controller for the easy gigs. I will never go back to a Laptop.
Thank you so much for all the info! This video is really useful! I have a question regarding running music videos on another program called mixemergency and running serato dj pro at the same time while playing in the nightclubs. Which model still would work best? The 16gb or the 32gb? Thank you!
Im still on my MBP late 2013 and Im starting to have audio drops and glitches running Serato, I always had some trouble with serato so a new Macbook Air will be better than my old MBP but atm i think I prefer invest in a controller with built in software like an RX3 as dont like much to Dj with a laptop and I can still use my old mac just to manage the music, I will keep going till it dies lol
After upgrading to the FLX10 specifecly for stems sepratation function Rekordbox updated their minimum requiremtns to 16 GB of RAM even for Macs, so we need now a upgrade the laptop as well lol
The problem is my Rekordbox crashed on me twice while on gigs for unknown fatal error while I was using 8Gb of ram on Dell xps laptop, I opened ticket with Rekordbox to analyze the dump file for this crash and let me know the root cause, but all what they did is to tell me that my laptop doesn’t meet the minimum requirements so any unexpected error may occur and thus I have to turn off stems function or upgrade to 16gb. Also, at the time they introduced the stems function their requirement was still 8Gb then they have updated that recently to 16Gb. After I watched your video that any Mac model should work I sent also enquiry to ask if this 16Gb requirement also apply for Macs whether M1, M2 or intel and they confirmed the same.
RAM on Windows is not the same as RAM on a Mac. Both operating systems have differences in how they use RAM. Which is why sometimes, a Mac may be listed to require less RAM than a PC for the same software program. If you feel you need 16GB, then go for it. But just letting you know, I use real time stem rendering on a MacBook Air M1 with 8GB on every video I used stems in so far. Never had a crash, including during gigs.
Now what about using Serato on a Steam Deck? ruclips.net/video/BLW-NdjoqhQ/видео.html
For those who this applies to, Serato and rekordbox are now support macOS Ventura!
Can Macbook Air work perfectly fine with Serato DJ Pro for 4 hours set under a hot weather?
I have a 2020 M1 Air and it can literally do it all. Haven't had any issues with it. I can have blender and other powerful softwares active at the same time and it will not have any issues. M1 can definitely handle a DJ software if you're looking to save money.
I take it no problems with thermal throttling?
But working on the outdoor gigs are hot, Is it not gonna make the Macbook air throttling the Serato DJ Pro?
Thanks! I’ve learned so much from your video! Please keep
them coming !
Thank you so much! Will do!
Great video and information Pri. I am one of those old guys still using Serato DJ Pro with my 2012 MBP with OSX Capitan lol. I am thinking that its time for an upgradeat this point but I do love having the extra space on a SSD. I currently upgraded my RAM to 16GB and a 1 TB SSD and i basically use it to DJ not much else. The only reason im thinking of upgrading is because i cant upgrade my OSX thus I cant update my Serato either. It has been working flawlessly whenever im at a gig so it makes it somewhat hard to justify the cost of a newer one but im defintely gratfeul for this video and your input. Rock on brother!
Excellent video man! The community really needed a DJ-first perspective on Macbooks.
We always saw stress tests and reviews - but those were usually in the perspective of content creators/video editors etc.
Thank you!
Hi I wanted to know if this Apple 13.3" MacBook Pro M1 Chip with Retina Display (Late 2020, Space Gray)
16GB Ram
1TB SSD Would handle the new version Serato Dj Pro 3.0.10 with stems?
I’m gonna say this , I’m not even halfway through your video and I’ve already learned so much about MacBooks ! Thanks 🙏🏽 for this video !
Yooooo!!!!! Just now seeing this, because I'm now starting to have lag issues with stems.
This is Roy at Stokyo. Thanks for this video. Greatly appreciated 🙏🏾
Good review. I like the following 1) I like your reasoning for the cheaper option, drink spills! 2) Appreciate you breaking down when to purchase a laptop due to incompatibility with macOS right now.
One area you might want to consider a larger hard drive is for those who use videos to DJ. Video take up much more space than mp3.
I ran a test with Macpaw using Rekordbox, Serato, and Algoriddim DJ to see how much ram each platform used on my MacBook Air M2. The most efficient using the least ram was Algoriddim DJ but not by much. On average each platform used around 3.60gb ram while no other apps running on the Mac. This was just basic DJing without using Stems. With Stems I would say at this point that 8gb should be enough ram with the M1/M2 Macbook series. Running Stems might use a little more ram but I cannot see it using more than 2 maybe 3gb extra but I couldn’t test using Stems at the time so I don’t know for sure.
Thanks PJ. You help me as well. I got a refurbished M1 MacBook Air 16ram and 1Tb storage
This just confirms that 1 hour I spent in the Apple Store trying to understand whether to get a M1 or M2. Switching to the ARM architecture is the piece that was throwing me off seeing that I am on an Intel MBP. Looking at the new specs of the Apple Silicone laptops just was not Apples to Apples any longer.
This is a brilliant video. I'd call it , " which macbook to buy for DJ Dummies" .
Thanks a ton for this one amigo. Cheers .
I would love to know more about SD drive and djing. I’ve been ssd internal for years.
Can your MacBook handle the Stems in Serato Dj 3.0?
As of today, Pioneer DJ announced macOS Ventura 13 compatibility for several products. List of supported items and listed in the page. Please note that all though hardware driver is updated, you may still need to wait for A compatible Serato software version to be released. Check your product below.
www.pioneerdj.com/en/landing/support-for-macos-ventura/
Hey. Just wanted to thank you for your time and sharing your knowledge. I’m not a tech expert, so I really need things explained to me at a beginner level… I’m getting older, and it just seems every time I turn around I’m 10 years behind in technology. There are too many ways to get confused and spend too much money unnecessarily… This video is GREATLY appreciated!
Thank you!
Glad to help!
This is. good overall primer for DJ software. But as an owner of an M1 MacBook Pro, I will say that sometimes it's more than money that should make a dimfrencce, especially if you are making money as a DJ, and you could also write off your laptop if you are doing so. For instance, are you plannignto do much more than DJing on the laptop? Can you see yourself future-proofing and holding onto your laptop for a long time, and maybe as long as that 2012 model? Do you really wanna deal with dongles and external drives? I dealt with them, and I knew that when I upgraded, I'd definitely pay for the convenience of that extra storage, the extra internal memory, those ports. I realize that not everyone is gonna be able to afford that out of the gate, but again if you are planning to make money off of DJing, the short-term pain of paying a few hundred dollars extra might well be worth the convenience in the long run. And if you are worried about spills on that laptop, that's why you should also make sure you have insurance to cover that. Just my own perspective, as a DJ. Again, good overview and thank you!
Just responding to the point that “spending a little extra matters when you’re making money” from the computer. The other thing to consider is how easy you can replace the machine if and when an issue happens.
@@priyonjoni True that. Not gonna lie, the Air is so robust for DJ software now, as opposed to what it used to be, that if one wants to upgrade later, it is a cheap option, in as much as budget controllers can do a pro job until one's ready to step up. Good perspective to bear in mind from ya.
@@priyonjoni can u get the Air M2 in 1TB?
Great vid PJ! I'm waiting on the M2 Macbook Pro to switch from my intel i9 Macbook Pro. I've heard great things about the M1 and was expecting apple to release an update this fall but unfortunately won't happen until next year. That's ok, because by then, Serato and Dj hardware manufacturers will have Ventura figured out. Keep up the good work!
Macbook pro m1 8 go ram 512go ssd will turn well serato dj pro with stems ?
Thanks for this. i am considering either a MBA 15" or a MBP 14". I am ok w 2 usb-c ports and if need more can add an adapter. I use internal disc space so no external. Any thoughts on resolution comparison and not having a fan on the MBA.
I’m going stand-alone with the rx3 pioneer , so all I really need is my tunes on a usb stick and rekordbox…
Which Mac would be suitable for me as I dont want to spend a lot……..thanks ✌️
Great help.. I almost bought a 16" with the works.. I don't need all of that.. I just need to function without issues. Might humble myself and
sell my 2012 retina and get a 14" M2 19 GPU / 16 GB RAM and 1TB storage.. yeah that will do it.
I feel that if your planing on djing for the next 5 to 10 years there is nothing wrong with overkill. Mac book pro's really last Im still using my 2011 that I upgraded to a 2tb ssd and 16 gigs of ram I have a huge music library that I like having on my comp so I don't having to worry about a external drive. Planing on copping a 14in m2 next year any enjoying it for the next decade. Also apple lets to purchase apple care as a subscription now witch is great.
Minimum requirements for DJ software has barely changed in the last 5 years, not to mention that MacBooks are lasting longer and longer. My 2017 MacBook Air is still running Serato strong at gigs with Ventua. And it's almost 6 years old.
Good to see another 2011er still running strong. What OS are you running?
Hey what brand sd card that is you have? Can you post amazon link
I was thinking about buying a MacBook Pro 14”2 Pro 16GB 512 GB . Here the Operating System Mac OS Procesor & Memory M1 Pro Chip 8 core . CPU with 6 performance core and 2 efficiency core 14 core GPU 14 . 16 Neural Engine 200GB ‘s memory bandwidth 16- core memory. Storage & Opitcal Drive 512 GB Solid State Drive . No optical drive included. I’m a dj I use virtual dj . Work this be efficient enough?
Great video!! very informative for the dj community.
I have a MacBook 2012 sierra want to get the rev5
Hello, what's the reference of your USB Hub?
Thank you
I recently purchased a MacBook Air to use with Serato and Rekordbox. What type of Memory Card do you recommend? I’m thinking of getting a 512 GB SanDisk Extreme Pro.
hi, so todays macbook cant reverse from ventura to big sur? thx
Hi, anyone knows if ddj200 works with MacBook Pro 2010 with high Sierra? Just trying things then will upgrade with cdjs but not sure if this setup will work.
The DDJ-200 runs on rekordbox 6, which will not work on a 13 year old MacBook Pro.
Hello Sir
I hope you are well! I have an M1 MacBook Air and I use Djay AI as my software. My mixer is Mixtrack Platinum.
I have an issue and wanted to know if you could help me with settings because I have a problem with music playing out on speakers.
Please help if you could advise me on the best settings for Djay AI on Mixtrack Platinum
Great video. Any problems with the M1 Air overheating? I usually rock for 5 - 7 hours sets
I haven’t used it outside yet, but I’ve never had issues with it overheating. I’ve even noticed it doesn’t really get that warm. It’s perfect for my studio setup bc you don’t hear the fan in recordings.
I had the same concern when buying my M1 Macbook Air. Surprisingly it runs cooler under heavy load while multi tasking than any of my other Macbooks. (late i5 2013, i5 2017, and i5 2019}
I have the M2 MacBook Air I’ve played for a couple hours it barely gets warm
@@djtommybarelli Hi, indoor or outdoor?
I've been DJing with it for over a year and not one issue with heat ever. The heat it generates is so much lower than intel chips it still blows my mind that its even possible
Thank you , this is the ultimate guide
just what i needed to watch before over spending on a new MacBook pro for djing
Any updates on whether the software has caught up with the current Macbooks?
I'm not sure, but to be able to run Traktor 4 decks, of which, on deck is used as rmx deck i think you need an M1 with 16gb. Especially when I'm using 3 to 4 external controllers. Can anyone confirm this, or give some thoughts?
Much appreciated 💗
So I just purchased a new MacBook Pro 13 2022 and because of the 2 ports I purchased a hub for it it lags. I’ve been told that i need direct connection.
It maybe the case you either need a better quality hub or cables. Here is a link to the one I use for gigs, as well as a longer cable for the hub:
Hub: amzn.to/3Y3Aafw
Cable: amzn.to/3IAu5BM
I also avoid using power pass-through on the hub since that gets hot. If you have an M1 MacBook Air, I plug the power cable direct.
Thank you for responding! I will purchase what you recommend and hopefully it works because I would like to keep my pro but if I’m still having an issue the MacBook Air 512 looks promising.
I came up on a M2 air 512gb for $1,299 brand new at Costco. On sale now!
I have a 2015 15.6 in 16gb ram 1tb ssd , is this ok to run stems without any problems.?
Nope.
Thanks for making this 😃🔥
Can you hook up external hard drive? Too MacBook Pro M-1 ?
May I ask which SD card you are using to run your Serato Library on? I used a Sandisk Ultra A1 Class 10 mircoSD Card with a Nifty Drive adapter in the past on my MacBook Air 13" Early 2015, i5, 8G RAM. Wasn' t satisfied with the performance, seemed very slow... So, how smooth does your SD card run with your current MacBook? Thx 🙏
I like Samsung and San Disk brands that are U3 rated.
@@priyonjoni Allright, thx! What about this specific model: SanDisk Extreme A2 U3 V30 190 MB/s microSD microSDXC 512GB ? THX
Joni I have a question maybe you can answer I purchased a MacBook Pro 14 inch SD card slot I would like to know which SD cards you recommend to buy also have the rev seven
I use Samsung cards
I’m planning to buy an MacBook Pro m1 16 macOS Monterrey. It’s that a good choice or there is something better?
Thank you! Great review.
What’s the recommended amount of RAM to obtain a MacBook Pro or air for stems? I’m looking to purchase Serato studio for mashups.
It’s listed on Serato’s website.
Hello Pri Yon Joni, i did not get your message...is m1 MacBook good for stems music ? Or can we use dj and music production software with 8gb ram and 256gb space?
Pri yon Joni
Excellent video as always from you. I am purchasing a MacBook. If I go for a 2 TB drive the price goes way up. It always seems when all the music is on the laptop it works best.
I know a lot of people think 2 Terabytes is overkill - but I need the space for a huge variety of genres...without having to stream. Plus music portability.
I've tried other DJ softwares. I've had a hard time getting an external drive to work smoothly. I get so frustrated with duplicates Dropbox on off pause etc lol. My windows external drive was NTFS, exfat never did work for me. If I use Serato what external drive is most recommended - for the easiest most stable way to get the FAT32 file format and so forth? With my Xdj Rx3 & Rekord box, I had to download a format tool to make my windows external drives Fat32. I always hear MacBook is plug and play?
Thanks
For my external, I switch between an SD card and a Samsung T5 SSD. I actually recently purchased a 2TB SSD to use for pre-rendering stems. With that said, I actually don’t use exFAT or FAT32; rather I use HFS+ aka macOS journaled. I have found this file format to be most stable for two reasons:
1. Least likely to get corrupted if accidentally unplugged.
2. Fastest recovery after being unplugged. (FAT formats can take 5-15 minutes before you can use it, which is unacceptable at a gig). HFS+ is instant.
I also have a utility so my Windows PCs can read HFS+.
You’re right, 2TB internal is not overkill for a library. I was not referring to the capacity, but more referring to the power of beefing up the CPU, GPU and RAM. But with that said, it only takes less $200 for 2TB external while it can be way more to upgrade the internal.
At the end of the day, these are the options. The choice lies in what works best for you.
Just bought a new MacBook pro M1 MAX and it's been the best investment I could have done for my DJ setup.
It's right here amzn.to/3FDKswY Make sure your model matches for fitment.
I want to buy a MacBook for Djing. One of my last Gigs was in a very small Location. There where so many people, so ist was very hot in there. I was thinking about to get a MacBook Pro because of the fan. So the MacBook could cool down if it needs to. Or should i go for the MacBook Air instead because the fan could suck in too much dust in the long run?
Is the A MacBook Air M2 powerful enough for 12 Hour Gigs in such Locations?
It’s up to you. The fanless MacBook Air stays much cooler than the fanned Intel MacBooks of yesteryear. The ARM based M1 or M2 chips are like your smartphone. Your smartphone doesn’t have a fan.
@@priyonjoni Many thanks. We are talking about the M2. The M2 is more than enough? I don't have to buy a M2 Pro or Max?
How does the processor temperature behave with rekordbox on an M1 or M2? I have a 2012 MACBOOK pro and the fans go to the maximum every time i use rekordbox.
The new MacBook Airs don’t have fans.
Hey I want to buy a new Laptop I have a HP laptop and it's not capable of keeping up with Serato Program. So what Mac Book can I get that will work with Serato and Record Box and Serato Stem 3.0 I'm not trying to spend no more than $2500.
It’s covered in the video.
For reverting. You have to change the model locks on the OS disk. 🤷🏾♂️
Thanks for the video! Hey Bro , quick question. So I’m on a budget right now. If I was to purchase a 2012 MAC Book Pro will I be able to use Rekordbox Software on it today and for the upcoming new year 2024 ? I don’t want to by a refurbished laptop that I can’t use with certain DJ Software.
No it will not work on an 11 year old MacBook. Save your money and get an M1. The MacBook Air you see me use on videos can go down as low as $800 brand new.
@@priyonjoni Yes Sir , this is what I will do definitely 💯 # !
Always helpful brother. Thank you!
This is just a bit odd, Traktor Stems, the real original stems, ran stems on my crappy windows 2014 windows machine with no problems. So what is the issue with Serato? Traktors stems were top line stuff well before Serato with very clean production and just did not use much ram or cpu….
Traktor does not do stems the way all other software does. For traktor, you actually have to start with studio stems that are already separated, or separate them yourself using stem separation software. Traktor requires you start with 4 separate stereo tracks
In Virtual DJ, Algoriddim djay Pro AI, Serato DJ Pro, Serato DJ Lite, rekordbo, and PCDJ you can start with a regular music file, and the DJ software itself will split the tracks into stems. That process requires AI and can be CPU intensive, depending on the quality of stem separation. As of right now, Traktor does not do this. Traktor requires stems to be already separated when bringing them into software, while other DJ software can render stem separation within the DJ software. That is the difference.
@@priyonjoni I see, that explains it. Thanks.
For the new macbook m2 air, is it more important to get more hard drive space or memory? I don't really have a large library of music so trying to figure out what's more important.
Great vid! Thank you for all the content. Just wanted to know how your m1 Macbook Air (or anyone else who has one here) is doing lately. I am using serato on a Macbook Air M1 on a DDJ Rev 7 controller. I updated to the latest version of serato. Even before the update, I noticed my echo effect freezing during mixes, especially when I mixed with the smoothing button option. But after the latest update, I had a horrible experience at my gig, besides the freezing echo effect where I had to stop mixing and turn off my system, my music started clipping, and one side of my jog wheels the bpm was doubled. I am sure I did not touch any settings by accident. I am wondering if this is a issue with my macbook air m1/rev 7/serato update. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. Hopefully before my next gig lol.
Question, what hub are you using?
what about driver support? Will controllers like the DDJ 1000 continue to have support with Apple Silicon in the future, or will they be forced to become legacy devices?
They are available. Pioneer DJ driver support is know to continue for years. The CDJ-2000 was support for 10 straight years before being dropped when Big Sur came out.
Man THANK YOU i needed to see this
Amazing video!!! Thanks a lot
Do you have any video where can I find more info about “database/library/.XMLs / and how to transfers My hot cues and metadata “
That’s will be really helpful. Thank you
In Serato, a lot of the meta data is store in the Serato library folder. If you use an external, it’s the folder created that shows on the top of your directly.
Whenever I copy new music to my backup drive, I also copy the serato folder. And it mirrors my original drive.
I think as a DJ you need a model with a MagSafe charging port. Having to use a USB to charge not only takes up one of the USB ports, but it can also be pretty dangerous when gigging. You would hate to have someone in a crowded booth trip on that cable and knock your computer right off the stand. A MagSafe cable would safely disconnect with no harm done, since it’s connected via magnet and all. Just a little something to keep in mind.
Your USB cable to the controller or mixer isn’t MagSafe. What’s to say that doesn’t get disconnected if someone trips on your gear?
So, would someone can tell me what should I buy for DJ? I am Korean and my English is not so good😅😢
Depending on your budget, any Mac with Apple Silicon will work. Basically, anything that is an M1, M2, or the upcoming M3. Any of them will work great. Please keep in mind, the current macOS is currently not compatible with current DJ software and drivers, but will be soon. Feel free to shoot me any further questions on my IG instagram.com/priyonjoni
I see.. Thank you for the answer. And a few days ago, I went to Apple store and the staff said, can't download Rekordbox on Macbook air 15. So now I am thinking about M1 pro 14 or 16.
The Apple Store staff is not exactly experienced with rekordbox or any DJ software. Always ask only the folks with the results you're looking for. What's actually going on is that Apple released macOS Sonoma which all their computers are running. Currently, rekordbox is under review if it works on Sonoma. So any laptop from the Apple Store may or may not work with rekordbox. This issue temporary, and for some folks, has not resulted in any issues. This is a yearly issue with all DJ software. So if you buy a computer now (from the Apple Store) it will run on the latest macOS. rekordbox will announce once all is clear. rekordbox.com/en/2023/08/macos-sonoma-compatibility/
PRODUCT LINKS:
Macbook Air M1 amzn.to/3V9XAiM
MacBook Air M2 amzn.to/3ALCkHV
MacBook Pro M2 amzn.to/3ALRI6W
MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro amzn.to/3EDi64c
MacBook Pro 16" M1 Pro amzn.to/3ihg9TL
DockCase Visual USB C Hub (7 in 1) amzn.to/3EEewXB
Anker USB-C to USB-C Cable, 643 Cable 100W 3ft amzn.to/3tZrgTV
Anyone feel the need to have higher refresh rate like 120Hz to reduce eye fatigue? Or is a basic 60Hz rate ok as the Serato waveforms travel across the screen for hours?
Few DJ gear with displays are even 60hz. Many are 30hz with some as low as 20hz. 60hz is plenty for waveforms. If you are getting eye fatigue looking at waveforms with 60hz, perhaps I suggest not staring at the screen the whole time while DJing.
@@priyonjoni Good look! 🫡
With this anker cable you cant get 3.0 usb transfer speed only 2.0. The cable is 100w but is not 10gbps. I have the same cable and 9 in 1 dock case hub .
nice video .. pls where can I get your MacBook case?
It’s this one amzn.to/3VAHxdH
Hi, looking at buying a MacBook Pro M2 with 8gb ram. Do you think 8Gb ram is sufficient?
Depends what you’re doing with the laptop. Need more info.
I know you use. Serato but please talk about the 16gb ram needed for Rekordbox stems
Both work fine for me with 8GB on my M1
What kind is that white sd card that you are using?
I have a 2012 MacBook Pro running Catalina but I’m looking to upgrade so I can start using Serato for a controller that works with it. At the time I have the Mixstream Pro which I can use with VDJ, but the mbp gets kinda warm. Let’s see if Santa has me on the hood list this year. Thank you Pri!!!!!
Do you think the Air M1 8Gb runs good stems on rekordbox/serato? I think they say min 16Gb ram. Great vídeo thanks!
Wow, that's a fancy USB-C hub!
Great video I’m leaning towards having a very large digital music library, since you can’t take everything with you would it be best to get a medium priced Mac for portability and get a juiced up desktop OR just fork up the $$$ for the 14 or 16 MBpro. I’m venturing out into the mobile dj world and I want to make the best investment for my business and my library. Thanks for all your hard work I really appreciate it…
Pri Yon Joni love your videos! I bought the M1 Macbook Air last month after watching your video of your purchase. Today rekordbox announced compatibility with MacOS Ventura and I would like to know if you recommend updating. ¡Greetings from Argentina!
Ignore my comment on other video. Why do you use a SD card instead of an external SSD?
Because an external SSD has two points of potential failure. The port on the SSD and the port on the USB. When you have to use a dongle hub, those points of failure are doubled. With an SD card, you reduce two points of failure to one connection. And an SD card reader is more secure and unlikely to get pulled out.
There is no performance advantage or disadvantage when playing music. It’s just a smaller, compact, and more secure storage device.
nice video, I'm a window user, but the info was spot on.
Thank you for the top review! A usb hub you suggest? Thank you heaps!
i have an old eight core Intel Macbook pro .Its about three or four years old and so far as long as i keep it in good order ,meaning clean fans etc i seem to able to do all the things i want to including live stems while mixing video.I have not done live stems while broadcasting yet and i do have the help of a newer smaller Mac to handle OBS but its amazing what i can do when everything is clean and working.I am not sure if i will get the m2 or wait for the m3 because at some point i would like to be able to do all of the above using one computer.Ideally that would be a Mac but i will keep an eye on the gaming computers as well.
Hey so since the macbook air lets say the M2 doesn't have an internal fan, anybody ever had any issues djing outside in the heat of summer with the sun ?
will OS Ventura run with traktor
Great vid! What sd cars are you using ?
I just bought a MacBook Air M2 w/base storage and ram 7 days ago and thankfully it came out of the box with Monterey with the option to upgrade to Ventura. No telling how long that will last but for now, it does NOT come out of the box with Ventura
Did it come from the Apple Store?
@@priyonjoni good question, no it came from Best Buy at a Black Friday discount for $1050 instead of the retail $1200
Got it! Yeah the big box stores aren't updated as immediately as direct from Apple. But if that said, probably a great idea to not get it from Apple. However, that rules out Apple Certified Refurbished.
@@RomanAround_3201 how is it running Serato DJ PRO ?
My 2014 MBP works well, but when it came to stems I had to upgrade. I went with a Huawei matebook pro X. It works great, I really don't care about brand. As long as it does the Job I want. I'm still running my old MBP with an older serato with an SL box.
Hello, which Matebook pro X did you get? i have the 2020 version and it cannot process stems real time in high quality . So i am thinking to get a Macbook pro M1 pro unless you have figured out some settings that i can change to help the Huawei create stems in real time
Ventura13.0.1 (22A400) and I have not one problem. I'm on a MacBook Air 2020 and it's 8/7 8gig 256 and I'm a video dj.
Great vid man
I have an M1 Pro MacBook Pro and a external hard drive to Dj and I have found serato to be quite glitchy and jumpy when loading tracks and stuff, the audio is fine but it makes the software hard to use, I have a feeling the problem lies with the hard drive lol
What OS are you on?
@@priyonjoni Monterey, I’ll be honest I didn’t know there was an update available until now
Are u using a ssd hard drive I had the same problem got a faster hard drive (ssd) and worked a lot better
Get an iPad and make the switch to Algoriddim Djay! Have been using it since 2013ish. Now it does DVS so I have my turntables with DVS and a controller for the easy gigs. I will never go back to a Laptop.
Needed this! THANK YOU!
no prob!
Thank you so much for all the info! This video is really useful! I have a question regarding running music videos on another program called mixemergency and running serato dj pro at the same time while playing in the nightclubs. Which model still would work best? The 16gb or the 32gb? Thank you!
M1 is plenty powerful and its the better buy IMO
Hey PJ! Where do I get that shirt my guy? Super dope
link for that Mac case my fellow DJ
Im still on my MBP late 2013 and Im starting to have audio drops and glitches running Serato, I always had some trouble with serato so a new Macbook Air will be better than my old MBP but atm i think I prefer invest in a controller with built in software like an RX3 as dont like much to Dj with a laptop and I can still use my old mac just to manage the music, I will keep going till it dies lol
value macbook pro m1 or macbook pro m2?
M2 replaced the M1 which is more power per dollar.
After upgrading to the FLX10 specifecly for stems sepratation function Rekordbox updated their minimum requiremtns to 16 GB of RAM even for Macs, so we need now a upgrade the laptop as well lol
I use an 8GB Air M1 with no issues
The problem is my Rekordbox crashed on me twice while on gigs for unknown fatal error while I was using 8Gb of ram on Dell xps laptop, I opened ticket with Rekordbox to analyze the dump file for this crash and let me know the root cause, but all what they did is to tell me that my laptop doesn’t meet the minimum requirements so any unexpected error may occur and thus I have to turn off stems function or upgrade to 16gb. Also, at the time they introduced the stems function their requirement was still 8Gb then they have updated that recently to 16Gb. After I watched your video that any Mac model should work I sent also enquiry to ask if this 16Gb requirement also apply for Macs whether M1, M2 or intel and they confirmed the same.
RAM on Windows is not the same as RAM on a Mac. Both operating systems have differences in how they use RAM. Which is why sometimes, a Mac may be listed to require less RAM than a PC for the same software program. If you feel you need 16GB, then go for it. But just letting you know, I use real time stem rendering on a MacBook Air M1 with 8GB on every video I used stems in so far. Never had a crash, including during gigs.
@@priyonjoni thank you! That is helpful