Best Starter DJ Mixer for Beginners With Turntables or CDJs
For turntables or CDJs plus a laptop, the Pioneer DJ DJM-250MK2 is the best starter DJ mixer, with phono, line and USB on both channels.
- ✓ 8 Beat FX and 4 Sound Color FX on the panel
- ✓ A switch sets the EQ knobs as isolators or a regular EQ
- ✓ Serato DJ Pro with a DVS license included
- ✓ Innofader crossfader with reverse and slope switches
- ✓ Two phono inputs that switch to line, plus two more line inputs
- ✓ Replaceable crossfader with reverse and slope controls
- ✓ Bluetooth input you can route to both channels
- ✓ Replaceable 45 mm crossfader in an all-metal case
- ✓ Phono inputs on all three channels
- ✓ Dual BPM counter and a booth output with its own level
- ✓ Four channels with gain, 3-band EQ and metering on each
- ✓ USB for playing and recording, class compliant
With no decks the box sits silent, and the wrong pick can leave your laptop with no way in because the mixer has no USB port.
Get it right and whatever you own runs through a separate mixer, the same two-part layout Pioneer DJ says you’ll see in most DJ booths.
The first thing to check is your inputs: a phono pair for each turntable, a line pair for each player, and a USB sound card if software is part of the plan.
The picks below are sorted by what each one connects, followed by who should buy a controller instead and how to wire up your first mixer from the makers’ manuals.
What Is the Best Starter DJ Mixer for Beginners?
Those inputs are what put one mixer ahead for most beginners. The Pioneer DJ DJM-250MK2 is the best starter DJ mixer if you own turntables or CDJs and a laptop, because each of its two channels takes a phono and a line source and its built-in sound card connects to your computer over one USB cable (Pioneer DJ).
If no laptop is involved, the Numark M2 does the same two-channel job with switchable phono inputs and no USB at all (Numark).
| Pick | Channels | Inputs | USB to a computer | First mixer for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pioneer DJ DJM-250MK2 | 2 | Phono and line on each channel, aux, mic | Yes, and it unlocks rekordbox | Turntables or CDJs plus rekordbox |
| Pioneer DJ DJM-450 | 2 | Phono and line on each channel, aux, mic | Yes, and it unlocks rekordbox | The same setup with built-in Beat FX |
| Numark Scratch | 2 | Line/phono switch on each deck, mic | Yes, with Serato DJ Pro included | Scratching with Serato DVS |
| Numark M2 | 2 | Phono/line switch and a line pair on each channel, mic | No | Turntables or CD players, no laptop |
| Reloop RMX-10 BT | 2 | Phono and line on each channel, Bluetooth, mic | No | Playing from a phone as well as decks |
| Behringer DX626 | 3 | Phono or line on each channel, XLR mic | No | Three decks and BPM counters |
| Numark M6 USB | 4 | Phono, line and mic inputs | Yes, into channel 3 | Room for four sources |
Every pick met Burton Acoustix’s rating, review and stock checks on 1 November 2026. The descriptions come from the makers’ manuals and spec pages.
When you’re ready to look past starter gear, our guide to the best DJ mixer for each setup adds four-channel Pioneer DJ club mixers and the Rane Seventy battle mixer.
Which First DJ Mixer Fits What You Own?
That last column is the short version, and the notes below add what each maker documents. Match it to your gear: rekordbox on a laptop points to a Pioneer DJ mixer, Serato to the Numark Scratch, no laptop to the Numark M2 or Reloop RMX-10 BT, and more than two sources to the Behringer DX626 or Numark M6 USB.
Pioneer DJ DJM-250MK2
For turntables or CDJs plus a laptop running rekordbox, the Pioneer DJ DJM-250MK2 is the pick.
Pioneer DJ DJM-250MK2
Each channel has separate phono and line inputs and a selector with a USB position, so a turntable and a CDJ can stay wired to the same channel while software waits one switch away (DJM-250MK2 quick start guide).
Pioneer DJ says the built-in sound card lets you perform with CDJs through rekordbox, or pair turntables with its control vinyl to scratch and mix digital files from your computer. The USB link carries sound both ways, so you can also record your mixes to the computer’s drive.
The product page says connecting the mixer unlocks rekordbox’s performance features, and the quick start lists a license key card for rekordbox dj and rekordbox dvs in the box, which it warns can’t be provided again. The mixer also supports DVS control of TRAKTOR PRO 3 if you’d rather use Native Instruments’ software.
Its lower half is laid out for scratching, with Magvel faders and 3-band isolators that cut a frequency range out completely when you turn the knob all the way left. Effects stop at one Sound Color FX filter per channel in Pioneer DJ’s lists, which the DJM-450 below goes past.
Headphones plug into a 1/4-inch or a 3.5 mm jack, and Pioneer DJ says you can attach two pairs when you’re playing back-to-back. Expect no booth output: its rear panel has XLR and RCA master outputs only.
Pioneer DJ DJM-450
For the same setup with effects on the mixer itself, the Pioneer DJ DJM-450 is the pick.
Pioneer DJ DJM-450
Pioneer DJ’s quick start calls it a home mixer for DJs, and it shares the DJM-250MK2’s 230 by 319.5 millimeter footprint at 3.2 kilograms (DJM-450 quick start guide). The inputs match too: phono and line on each channel, a USB position on the selector, plus a microphone input and an aux.
The difference is on the panel, where 8 Beat FX (Delay, Echo, Spiral, Reverb, Trans, Flanger, Pitch and Roll) run in sync with the BPM and 4 Sound Color FX (Dub Echo, Sweep, Noise and Filter) work with a parameter knob (Pioneer DJ). A switch also lets the EQ knobs act as isolators that drop a band out completely, or as a regular EQ.
Its Send/Return lets you run effects from mobile apps alongside the built-in ones by connecting a smartphone or tablet through USB.
Scratching digital files from turntables works through rekordbox’s DVS control, as on the DJM-250MK2, with Pioneer DJ’s control vinyl available separately.
Numark Scratch
For scratching on turntables with Serato, the Numark Scratch is the pick.
Numark Scratch
Numark says it comes with Serato DJ Pro and unlocks Serato DVS, so a turntable or CD player on its inputs can control the playhead in the software (Numark Scratch user guide). The catch is that you’ll have to buy Serato NoiseMap control records or CDs yourself.
Its Innofader crossfader has two switches above it: one reverses the channels, and the other changes the slope from a soft curve for mixing to a hard cut (Numark). Four performance pads on each deck cover cues, rolls and samples, and a filter knob on each channel sweeps between low-pass and high-pass.
Six software-based effects (Echo, Delay, Flanger, Reverb, Version Echo and Phaser) fire from two toggle paddles, with a dry/wet knob setting how much you hear. Plain mixing doesn’t depend on the laptop, since Numark’s guide says the line/phono inputs let you mix external devices without a computer.
On the back you get XLR and RCA master outputs, an RCA booth output and a combo mic input, and it takes both 1/4-inch and 1/8-inch headphones. Serato-focused scratch DJs who’d rather skip turntables can compare controllers by which Serato tier each one unlocks.
Numark M2
For turntables or CD players with no laptop in the picture, the Numark M2 is the pick.
Numark M2
Each of its two channels has an RCA pair that switches between phono and line, plus a second line pair, and a selector on the panel picks which one plays (Numark M2 quick start guide). Numark’s input list has no USB, and its guide names audio interfaces among the devices for the line inputs, so a computer would need one of those to reach it.
Numark lists three-band EQ and gain on every channel and no effects, which keeps the panel down to the controls you use in a basic mix. A cue slider blends channel 1 and channel 2 in your headphones, much as the crossfader does for the room.
That crossfader is user-replaceable if it wears out, with a button that reverses its channels and a slope switch for smooth fades or sharp cuts. Outputs are RCA only, one master and one record, and the headphone jack is 1/4-inch.
The box holds the power adapter and paperwork, and Numark’s guide says anything else is sold separately.
Reloop RMX-10 BT
For playing from a phone as well as decks, the Reloop RMX-10 BT is the pick.
Reloop RMX-10 BT
Reloop builds Bluetooth in and lets you route it to both channels, so each channel’s switch picks between phono, CD and Bluetooth (Reloop). The manual says the Bluetooth button blinks until a device connects and stays lit after that (RMX-10 BT instruction manual).
Leave it unconnected for more than 30 minutes and Bluetooth turns itself off, and holding the button for about 2 seconds brings it back. That’s the first thing to check if your phone can’t find it.
At 180 by 260 millimeters and 1.72 kilograms, it’s the smallest and lightest mixer with a listed weight here, which makes it the most portable pick. Its 45 mm crossfader is user-replaceable, and each channel has gain and a 3-band EQ at 100 Hz, 1 kHz and 10 kHz.
The manual lists no crossfader curve or reverse control and no USB, so recording goes through the RCA record output. Turntables ground to its GND screws, and headphones and a microphone each use a 6.3 mm jack.
Behringer DX626
For a third source on the desk, the Behringer DX626 is the pick.
Behringer DX626
Phono or line inputs reach all three channels, though channel 1 shares its strip with the XLR microphone through a MIC or LINE-PHONO switch (DX626 quick start guide). The catch for scratching is that the crossfader moves only between channels 2 and 3.
Two BPM displays show the tempo of those same two channels, which gives a beginner a number to check while learning smooth transitions (Behringer). Each channel’s 3-band kill EQ cuts down to -32 dB and boosts up to +12 dB, and the TALK button lowers the other channels by 16 dB so your voice comes through.
A BOOTH output with its own level feeds monitor speakers, and a TAPE output records your set at a fixed level, so you set the input level on the recorder. Behringer’s lists show no USB and no effects.
Behringer asks for headphones of at least 32 ohms, so check that spec if yours came with a phone.
Numark M6 USB
For four sources, or a desk you expect to grow, the Numark M6 USB is the pick.
Numark M6 USB
Numark pitches it as the step up to a four-channel mixer, with gain, three-band EQ and LED metering on every channel and phono, line and mic inputs (Numark). Any channel can go to either side of the crossfader, which also has a slope control and can be replaced if it wears out.
Its USB connection is class compliant, which Numark says makes it immediately compatible with Mac, iOS and Windows. The quick start says that link sends your record mix to the computer and brings computer audio into channel 3 (M6 USB quick start guide), where the DJM-250MK2 has a USB position on both channels.
A dedicated XLR mic channel, a second mic input on channel 4 and XLR and RCA master outputs suit small events, and RCA booth and record outputs sit beside them. It’s the largest pick here at 12.625 by 14.25 inches and 9.6 pounds.
Who Actually Needs a Standalone DJ Mixer?
Every mixer above shares one catch: it plays nothing by itself. You need a standalone DJ mixer if you own or plan to buy turntables, CDJs or other media players, because Pioneer DJ’s total beginner’s guide to DJ gear lists both of those routes as decks plus a mixer.
That guide describes four ways into DJing, and only two of them involve buying a separate mixer.
Vinyl DJs and Turntablists
Pioneer DJ’s guide says mixing with vinyl takes two turntables and a mixer, and warns of a steeper learning curve with analog mixing. A mixer’s phono inputs are what bring those turntables up to a usable level, which the inputs section below covers.
CDJ Users
Pioneer DJ calls CDJ setups, at least two players and a mixer, the club standard, and says they can play music without a laptop. If playing your favorite club is the goal, it says CDJs might be the right choice.
Who Should Get a Controller Instead
If you don’t own turntables or CDJs and want to start with just a laptop, you need a DJ controller, not a standalone mixer. Pioneer DJ says controllers put two deck sections and a mixer in one unit and suit people just starting out, though they don’t play music from USB drives, CDs or SD cards.
All-in-one DJ systems go a step further: they’re single units too, but they can run on their own from a USB drive, with your laptop left at home. If rekordbox is the DJ software you want to learn, the Rekordbox ecosystem stretches across controllers as well as the Pioneer DJ mixers above.
| What’s on your desk | What to buy first |
|---|---|
| Just a laptop | A DJ controller |
| Nothing, and you don’t want a laptop | An all-in-one DJ system |
| Turntables | A mixer with phono inputs |
| CDJs or other media players | A mixer with line inputs |
| Turntables and a laptop | A mixer with phono inputs and USB |
That table covers the usual starting points. Still torn? Burton Acoustix’s controller-or-mixer guide sorts the choice by the gear you already own, from a laptop alone to a pair of turntables.
How Many Channels Does a First DJ Mixer Need?
That table assumes a mixer suits you, so the next job is counting. Two channels are enough for a first setup of two turntables or two players, since Pioneer DJ’s guide describes decks as two or more connected to a mixer, and its mixer range page ties extra channels to extra hardware.
Count every source you’d want playing at once, on paper, before you look at any mixer. A sampler, a drum machine or a third deck each takes a channel, and the Behringer DX626 gives you three while the Numark M6 USB gives you four.
A second input pair isn’t a second channel, and that’s the trap on two-channel mixers. The DJM-250MK2 and Numark M2 can keep a turntable and a player plugged into channel 1, but the selector plays one of them at a time.
Think of it like a TV with two HDMI ports: both stay plugged in, but the screen shows one. To see what the rest of each channel strip does once it’s wired, what each knob on a DJ mixer does walks through the controls.
Which Inputs Do Turntables and Media Players Need?
Those channels only help if the jacks behind them match your gear. Turntables need phono inputs and media players need line inputs, because Numark’s M2 guide says phono-level turntables need the extra amplification its Phono setting supplies, while a CD player or sampler belongs on Aux Line.
Pioneer DJ’s DJM-250MK2 guide is firmer: its PHONO inputs take phono-level (MM cartridge) devices, with a warning not to feed them line-level signals, and its LINE inputs are for DJ players.
One exception catches people out: distorted sound, or a meter that won’t move, on a PHONO input can mean the turntable has a built-in phono equalizer. Pioneer DJ’s fix is to move that turntable to LINE, or to set the turntable’s own PHONO/LINE switch to PHONO.
Turntables also bring a ground wire, and every pick above has a terminal for it. Numark’s guide says a low hum or buzz could mean your turntables aren’t grounded, adding that some have the ground built into the RCA connection.
So if a new setup hums, check that wire before you blame the mixer.
Do You Need a USB Sound Card on a Starter Mixer?
Phono and line inputs cover hardware, and USB is the way in for anything on a laptop. You need a USB sound card on a starter mixer only if software is part of your setup, because it carries audio from your computer to the channels and your mix back for recording.
The two Pioneer DJ mixers put a USB position on each channel’s selector, the Numark Scratch has a PC setting on each deck, and the Numark M6 USB brings computer audio into channel 3. The Numark M2, Reloop RMX-10 BT and Behringer DX626 list no USB and send recordings out through an RCA record or tape output instead.
That USB link is also what makes DVS possible, short for digital vinyl system. You play a control record on a real turntable, and the software moves your digital file with it, scratches included.
Software decides the rest, because the Pioneer DJ mixers point to rekordbox or TRAKTOR and the Numark Scratch to Serato DJ Pro. Pioneer DJ’s quick start adds two rules for the cable: connect the mixer straight to the computer, since USB hubs can’t be used, and use a cable that conforms to USB 2.0.
Which Crossfader Controls Help While You’re Learning?
Whatever feeds the channels, the crossfader is how you move between them. A curve or slope control helps most, because Numark’s M2 guide shows one switch turning the same fader from a smooth fade for mixing into a sharp cut for scratching.
| Mixer | Crossfader, as the maker names it | Curve or slope | Reverse | User-replaceable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pioneer DJ DJM-250MK2 | Magvel | THRU and two curves | Yes | Not stated |
| Pioneer DJ DJM-450 | Magvel | THRU and two curves | Yes | Not stated |
| Numark Scratch | Innofader | Slope switch | Yes | Not stated |
| Numark M2 | Not named | Slope switch | Yes | Yes |
| Reloop RMX-10 BT | 45 mm | None listed | None listed | Yes |
| Behringer DX626 | VCA-controlled | None listed | None listed | Not stated |
| Numark M6 USB | Not named | Slope switch | Assign channels to either side | Yes |
One switch in that table catches beginners out on the Pioneer DJ mixers. Pioneer DJ’s troubleshooting table says the crossfader doesn’t work when CROSS F.CURVE is set to THRU, so check it first if the fader seems dead.
Reverse swaps which deck sits on which side, as Numark’s Scratch guide describes it. For wear, Pioneer DJ says Magvel’s contact-free magnetic system is designed to endure millions of movements, and Behringer rates its Ultraglide faders at up to 500,000 cycles.
Do Beginners Need Effects on a DJ Mixer?
That table covers how you blend, and effects are the optional layer on top. Beginners don’t need effects to mix two tracks, because Pioneer DJ’s basic steps for getting sound out run from the input selector and TRIM to the channel fader, crossfader and MASTER LEVEL without touching one.
If you do want them on the mixer itself, the DJM-450 has the most, with its Beat FX and Sound Color FX. The Numark Scratch’s six effects are software-based, and the DJM-250MK2 lists one Sound Color FX filter per channel.
The Numark M2, Numark M6 USB, Reloop RMX-10 BT and Behringer DX626 list no effects, though an EQ that cuts deep does some of the same work. The DX626’s kill EQ drops a band by 32 dB, and taking the bass out of one track while the next rolls in is Behringer’s own example.
What Outputs and Desk Space Should You Plan For?
Those effects shape the sound, but the outputs decide where it goes. Plan on using whichever master output your speakers accept, because Pioneer DJ warns that running its XLR output into an RCA input through a converter may lower the sound quality or add noise, and tells you to use its RCA output instead.
| Mixer | Outputs | Headphone jacks | Size (W x D x H) and weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pioneer DJ DJM-250MK2 | XLR and RCA master | 1/4-inch and 3.5 mm | 230 x 319.5 x 107.9 mm, 3.0 kg |
| Pioneer DJ DJM-450 | XLR and RCA master | 1/4-inch and 3.5 mm | 230 x 319.5 x 107.9 mm, 3.2 kg |
| Numark Scratch | XLR and RCA master, RCA booth | 1/4-inch and 1/8-inch | 9.61 x 12.05 x 3.32 in, weight not listed |
| Numark M2 | RCA master and record | 1/4-inch | 241 x 290 x 91 mm, 3.0 kg |
| Reloop RMX-10 BT | RCA master and record | 6.3 mm | 180 x 260 x 70 mm, 1.72 kg |
| Behringer DX626 | Master, booth and tape | Size not listed | 254 x 305 x 91 mm, 2.5 kg |
| Numark M6 USB | XLR and RCA master, RCA booth and record | 1/4-inch | 12.625 x 14.25 x 4 in, 9.6 lb |
A booth output runs a second set of monitor speakers on its own volume. The Numark Scratch, Behringer DX626 and Numark M6 USB have one, and the other picks don’t list it.
Measure your desk with the cables in mind, since these figures stop at the case. Pioneer DJ also asks for at least 5 cm of space behind its mixers and 3 cm at each side for ventilation.
What Else Do You Need Besides the Mixer?
That table stops at the mixer, and a first DJ setup needs more on the desk. Besides the mixer you need decks, monitor speakers and DJ headphones, which is the list Pioneer DJ gives for a beginner, with headphones there to cue the next track without playing it through the speakers.
Cables are the piece people forget, because the box lists stop short. The Numark M2’s list ends at a power adapter and paperwork and the Reloop RMX-10 BT’s at a power cord and instructions, while the Pioneer DJ mixers, Numark Scratch and Numark M6 USB add a USB cable and name no RCA cables.
A DJ starter kit or starter pack may not include a standalone mixer at all. Hercules’ DJLearning Kit MK II, for one, is listed as a DJ controller with speakers and headphones.
How Do You Set Up a Standalone DJ Mixer?
Once those pieces are on the desk, the manuals agree on the order. To set up a standalone DJ mixer, switch everything off, turn the faders and gain knobs to zero, wire the sources and outputs, and only then connect the power.
Numark’s M2 guide gives the zero rule, and Pioneer DJ’s quick start says to connect the power cord after everything else is wired.
Connect Your Audio Sources
Start with what makes the sound, one channel at a time:
- Plug each turntable into a phono input and set any phono/line switch to Phono.
- Plug CDJs and other players into line inputs and set the switch or selector to Line.
- Attach each turntable’s ground wire to the mixer’s ground terminal.
- If you’re using software, connect the computer straight to the mixer’s USB port.
Then set each channel’s input selector to match.
Connect Speakers and Headphones
Run the master output to powered speakers or an amplifier, using the RCA jacks if that’s what they accept. Plug headphones into the mixer, press the CUE button for the channel you want to hear, and set the headphone mixing and level knobs, or use the cue slider on the Numark M2.
Switch on in the order Numark gives: input sources first, then the mixer, then amplifiers or speakers. Reverse that order when you power down.
Set Gain Levels
Play a track on each channel, then follow Pioneer DJ’s order: input selector, TRIM, channel fader, crossfader, MASTER LEVEL. Its troubleshooting table says to adjust TRIM so the channel meter peaks at about 0 dB, and MASTER LEVEL so the master meter does the same.
A flashing CLIP light means you’ve gone too far: slow flashing warns that the sound will distort, and fast flashing means it already is. Reloop’s rule for the RMX-10 BT is simpler, keeping the master LEDs in the yellow range.
Controllers carry the same knob under names such as TRIM, GAIN and Level, and Burton Acoustix’s guide to the trim knob compares the names five makers give it and how to set it.
Burton Acoustix’s DJ mixer walkthrough takes a two-channel mixer from the input switches to the master output, with one full blend of two tracks.
Can You Start on a Controller and Move to a Mixer Later?
That same wiring still works if a controller is the first thing on your desk. Yes, you can start on a controller and add a mixer later, because Reloop’s manual names controllers among the line sources for its line inputs, and how to hook a controller up to an external mixer covers the cables and levels.
Most controller owners should ask whether your controller needs a mixer at all first, since the controller already has one built in. The usual reason to add one is new hardware, the turntables or CDJs from earlier.
Pioneer DJ says a controller looks a lot like a professional CDJ setup, so the EQ, fader and cue habits you build on one aren’t wasted on a mixer.
Which Starter Mixers Didn’t Make This List?
Those controller questions aside, you’ll see mixers in other beginner roundups that aren’t above. Each one missed on stock, reviews or rating rather than on what it connects: Pioneer DJ’s DJM-S7 and Behringer’s NOX101 were out of stock at Amazon on 1 November 2026, and Pioneer DJ’s DJM-S5 and Reloop’s Elite were short of reviews.
Behringer’s VMX100USB fell short of the rating check. If a roundup sends you to the Allen & Heath Xone:23, its Xone range page lists the Xone:24 and Xone:24C, and both were short of reviews too.
The Bottom Line
All of that comes back to what you’re plugging in. For most first-time buyers with turntables or CDJs and a laptop, the Pioneer DJ DJM-250MK2 covers phono, line and USB on both channels.
Choose the DJM-450 for effects on the panel, the Numark Scratch for Serato DVS, the Numark M2 or Reloop RMX-10 BT if no computer’s involved, and the Behringer DX626 or Numark M6 USB for more than two sources.
No decks yet? Start with a controller, and come back here when the turntables arrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s a good DJ mixer to start with?
A good DJ mixer to start with is a two-channel model with phono and line inputs on each channel. The Pioneer DJ DJM-250MK2 is the pick if you also want USB for rekordbox, and the Numark M2 suits turntables or CD players with no computer. Both have a crossfader curve or slope control, which lets one fader handle smooth fades and sharp cuts. If you don’t own decks yet, start with a controller instead.
What is the best DJ mixing board for beginners?
“DJ mixing board” gets used for two different things, so check which one you’re shopping for. If you’ve got turntables or players, it means a standalone mixer like the picks above, and the DJM-250MK2 is where to start. If you want decks and a mixer in one unit that runs from a laptop, it means a controller, and our full DJ controller roundup sorts those by level and setup.
Do I need turntables to use a DJ mixer?
No, but you need something to plug in, because a mixer only blends the sources connected to it. CDJs, other media players and CD players go into its line inputs, a laptop can come in over USB on mixers that have it, and the Reloop RMX-10 BT also takes a phone over Bluetooth. Turntables are one option among these, and they’re the reason for phono inputs.
What is the difference between a DJ mixer and a DJ controller?
A DJ mixer blends sound from separate decks, while a DJ controller combines two deck sections and a mixer in one unit that controls software on a laptop or mobile device, as Pioneer DJ describes it. Neither plays music alone: the mixer needs turntables, players or a computer connected, and the controller needs the device running the software.
What is the best entry level DJ mixer?
Among these picks, the Numark M2 is the simplest entry level DJ mixer, with two channels, phono inputs, three-band EQ and no USB or effects in Numark’s lists. The Pioneer DJ DJM-250MK2 is the next step up if you want USB and rekordbox on the same two channels. Either one still needs decks to feed it.
Can you use a DJ mixer without a laptop?
Yes. A standalone mixer only needs sources and speakers, and Numark’s Scratch guide says its line/phono inputs let you mix external devices without a computer. What you give up is anything that lives in software, such as the Scratch’s six software-based effects, along with USB recording. On a mixer with no USB, such as the Numark M2, you’d record through its RCA record output instead.
What should a beginner DJ buy first?
Start by choosing your DJ decks, because that decides whether you need a mixer at all: Pioneer DJ’s guide lists controllers, all-in-one systems, CDJs and a mixer, or turntables and a mixer. DJ headphones and monitor speakers come after that. If you pick turntables or CDJs, a two-channel mixer from the picks above is the next buy.
