Flipping through a recent mailout from Guitar Center, I noticed an interesting new offering from Ortofon — the “Digitrack Cartridge.” This cartridge is supposedly designed specifically for digital DJs using timecoded vinyl systems like Serato or Final Scratch. It boasts “low wear, high output, and the best mix and scratch ability.” Wondering if it was all hype, I spent a few minutes searching for reviews or feedback about these cartridges. While I did find one fairly decent mini-review, I would love to hear more from readers who own these and use them with their digital DJ setup. Is it worth the money? Are these really any better for digital DJing than other Ortofon or Shure cartridges? Would love to hear your feedback.
10 Comments
When I bought Serato a few months ago, it recommended I get the m44-7, so that’s what i ended up buying. I also notice that lots of scratch masters use them, so as a result i’ve stuck with them. I’m no scratch master, but I’m definitely practicing on my skills and i’m happy with my needles.
I don’t really buy the whole story about the new Ortofon needles, just my gut feeling.
I’ve seen people recommend the Shure M44-7′s for use with Serato because of their high/loud volume output. Have only using Stanton and Ortofon with my Serato, though, so I can’t comment on how well they work. The funny thing is that back in the day (about 17 years ago or so) the M447 needles from Shure were basically your bottom on the barel budget needles. I think you even used to be able to buy them from Radio Shack for cheap. Then the whole turntablist crowd got turned on to them and the price proceeded to grow to massively overinflated levels. SAD! Back when I did use M447 needles I found that they tore my records to shreds… the problem being you had to put a lot of tonearm weight on them to get them to track well for backcueing.
Anyways, I’ve been happy in general with Ortofon needles. There is still the contact issue with the tonearm of the 1200 … I don’t know if they will ever solve that. Some people seem to have the problem, others have never seen it. I have older 1200s but have had the tonearms replaced through various repairs throughout the years… so I don’t really ever have the problem at home. It has shown up out at gigs, though, where the turntables seem to be in various degrees of repair.
My advice for any digital DJ using Serato — get a contact cleaner pen and bring an “oh shit” CD you can slap on in the worst case scenario.
-M
-M
SERATO sucks. If you play live final scratch2+ is the bomb. Tone arm weight ratio is critical. 1.5 grams Battle Proven, it’s puurrfection even for the Roughest back cueing Tablists out there. Been using Orofon Night Club Needles from eversince 96′. Steping up in the game With DIGITRACK needles for the best analog lp to digital vitual lp.DUDE don’t get a DELL, or Apple unless you only plan on spining in you bedroom.Get an Alienware notebook with an AMD 64bit , 2GHZ, 400Ghdd, XP PRO. store Thousands of LP’s and tracks you produce.
Final Scratch 2 sucks cause it’s dead. On Serato I use Ortofon Qberts: higher output and stick to the vinly very well. I play EDM so I didn’t care for scratching specs of the Qberts, just high output.
Was wondering if the ortofone digitrack could play direct lp’s (analog mode) without the final scratch or serato’s… CONFUSED!!!
BUo — yes, absolutely.
I bought the headshell mounted versions so i can adjust the needles properly for tracking on my 1200′s. i noticed right away the feel on the tables for tracking and cueing seemed lighter and more maneuverable, I also noticed a little crisper and louder bass and my highs didn’t get that tingy sound i’ve gotten from some cartridges. I use Platinum Notes though so my MP3′s are processed for Scratch Live, which may be different than Final Scratch.
@ BUo & Matt Hite-
you can play any type of record with the digitrack, the output and tracking is tailored for the timecoded vinyl you receive with mp3 turntable systems. w/ serato all you have to do is flip the output switch from line to phono and you can slap down regular vinyl and play it on the tables w/ the system hooked up. you don’t need to disconnect the system, i think that’s what you’re talking about. If you don’t plan on using Serato or Final Scratch, don’t buy these, get a needle built for real vinyl because they’ll get torn up fairly easily.
The ortofons SOUND GREAT thru Serato SL3
Compared to my Shure White Laels. and M447s
BUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
The needles gets dirt in the whole , nho matter how clean i keep my record, and its gets dirty SO fast and is impossible to
thoroughly clean, hence whats the poinmt of a GREAT\but DIRTY stylus?
Everytime I clean them with the brush its useless, when i use my fingers to pluck out the dirt 8 out of 10 times I yank the needles right out.
Awesome sounds, but shitty to keep buying EXPENSIVE stylusss.
you guys are idiots, when using a digital vinyl system, the needle has NO bearing on sound quality. It only has a High mV output on the digitracks. thats the only difference. same tracking and performance as any other ortofon needle.
Point well taken! No insults needed, though.
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