The first thing that I would recommend to anyone who wants to start DJing and is on a budget is not to splash out over £1000 on Technics or similar top end equipment. Look at it this way. You've never tried to DJ before so who says that your going to enjoy and stick with it - it's not an easy thing to learn. I know lots of people who've sold out after a short time - money down the pan. You also will want some records to play, and these days it's the vinyl that costs more than the equipment for only a handful of tunes, so if you are lucky enough to have a fair bit of money don't spend it all on the decks and mixer, buy some records to play. Just because Technics are the industry standard don't be fooled into thinking that you can't pull off exactly the same mix on a budget deck. It's not the equipment that makes you good, its the practice you put in.

Set yourself a budget

DJing is not a cheap hobby! In my opinion you need at least £400 in the bank to start of DJing. Anything under won't last long so don't rush into buying anything that you will regret. If you haven't got enough money but you are serious about DJing then a lot of places will do finance on DJ equipment over 12 months.

When starting out the best equipment deal that you could probably go for is an all in one DJ package. This way all the equipment you need is together - Decks, Mixer, Carts, Stylus, Headphones, Mats and Leads meaning you can just plug and play rather than ordering separate and waiting three weeks later for your mixer to arrive. You will also save a fair amount of cash this way and when you get more advanced you can upgrade your equipment in stages.

Deals

What I've done below is pick out a few packages that I've seen in the back of magazines such as DJ mag and websites such as www.htfr.com that might be worth a look at. Also I've put what not to go for.

Gemini XL100 Package - £200

Although the price of this package may look too good to resist, this is a DJ package to stay well away from. These are not DJ turntables and merely have the ability to play a record. These are also belt drive turntables. I explain the difference between belt and direct drive turntables in the equipment section. This package is basically cheap and nasty - stay well away.

The package consists of 2 Gemini XL100 turntables and a 2 channel mixer that has less features than a Lada Riva. This is the cheapest package available and comes with headphones, mats, carts, stylus and leads. Sorry Gemini.

Another piece of advice is always try and go for Direct Drive turntables. They are much more accurate and robust compared to belt driven decks. They are a bit more pricey but worth the money.

Numark 1520 Package - £350

This was one of the cheapest Direct Drive deals that I could find. Numark is a respectable name and make equipment from budget to top end levels. The package is a good start for anyone who hasn't quite got the £400 mark and should last a few years with any DJ.

The Numark package consists of 2 Numark 1520 Direct Drive turntables. Budget 2 Channel mixer - Ideal for learning the basics. Numark headphones, carts, stylus, mats and all leads included. I think the good thing about this package is that it is a great option for learning basic beatmatching skills, and you have the opportunity to upgrade the mixer at a later stage for more advanced mixing still having good quality direct drive turntables.

Gemini XL500 Package - £399

This is probably the best starter setup that I could find for any DJ who is interested in scratching. Gemini's XL500 decks are Direct Drive and of a good solid, robust build quality. These are one of the more popular budget direct drive turntables. A good choice for any DJ.

The pack consists of 2 XL500 Direct Drive decks, Stanton carts, stylus, Sennheisser headphones, slipmats and all leads. The Gemini Pmx 60 2 channel mixer features an adjustable curve crossfader for advanced scratching and a hamster switch for crossfader direction changing. An excellent buy that should keep you interested till you have enough money to upgrade.

Numark TT100 Package - £500

Not the cheapest of packages but here you are paying for quality in a budget system. This package should keep you going for a good while without having to upgrade. Although these decks look rather different, they are not to be mocked.

2 Numark Direct Drive turntables in a gloss black piano finish. DM1001x 2 channel mixer with eq controls and punch buttons. Includes Sennheisser phones, carts, stylus, mats and leads. The deck and mixer have more features than the others which will cater for more advanced mixing. This package is also recommended if upgrading from an old belt drive setup. A bit more costly but could be worth it in the long run.

I would just like to note that these prices are averaged from different deals that I have seen. You will find that prices may vary in different places and packages might not be absolutely identical. If packages come with different mixers, headphones, it is guaranteed that if the cost is similar then the equivalent piece of equipment will only be as good as what is shown above.

Other Packages to Look Out For - £400 mark

Citronic PD1 package - A very popular direct drive turntable.

KAM DDX680 - Direct Drive, silver finish, good quality.

Gemini SA-600 - The all new straight arm turntable, ideal for scratching.