It depends on what you use it for....

get the 57 if:

- you want a better quality mixer for both mixing and scratching
- the option of video control
- onboard digital effects
- the abiliy to contol serato from the mxier & not needing to touch the laptop... ever
- don't like playing with all the RCA cables in the back of the mixer everytime you setup
- have the option to hook up 4 tuntables or 4 CD players or any combination in between (however you can only mix between 2 of these sources at any one time)


get the SL-3 if:

- you're happy with your mixer and like the fexablity of plugging the SL-3 it into any club instalation and not having to lug an extra mixer along which you may not have room for in the booth.
- have no intent on doing video mixes
- don't use digital effects or prefer to use an external unit such as the Pioneer EFX-500.
- are happy to use the keyboard/mouse to navigate and control serato or prefer to do this from an external midi contorller such as the Akai MPD32
- are happy with the phono/line combination for each channel of the mixer or perfer to use a mixer with more than 2 channels (however you can only control serato over 2 channels).

I am wondering if the 57 converts your output to 24-bit audio like the sl3 does.... the specs state this for the 57, but not sure what they mean by it.

..........Mixer digital audio: 24-bit, 44.1 kHz, 102 dB dynamic range
..........USB digital audio: 16-bit, 44.1 kHz, 102 dB dynamic range

SL3 specs state...

..........24-bit 44.1 or 48 kHz converters.

You have to remember that CD quality is only 16-bit, 44.1 kHz. MP3s have a much lower quality than that (even @ 320kbps). As far as I see it, unless you're using Ogg or AAC lossless formats taken from DVD quality audio rather than MP3 you're not really going to notice much difference at all. I believe that it's catering for people which record audio onto the computer using the SP3 as the interfafe, in which case you should always record at a higher quality (24-bit / 48kHz or higher) for editing purposes before downampling to 16bit / 44.1khz again. It could also be Rane future-proofing themselves as there is some talk of increasing consumer CD quality to higher bith deph (24-bit) and sample rate (48kHz). You shouldn't get too hung up on the specs... especially when using such a lossy format as MP3.

get both if you can afford it...sL3 for clubs and ttm 57SL for mobile and some clubs!

from what i've been in i can't see the difference between sl3 and sl1 and or 57. sound at the club seems to be the same, people don't seem to hear the difference (hip hop, rap, rock), maybe more electric clubs could be i can't hear the difference.

Definitly!
If you mainly do plug and play in clubs, go with SL3.

It means... assuming your tracks were 24Bit...

... with a TTM57 they will be played back at 16Bit only...
...with a SL3 it will be 24Bit

However any audio processing *inside* the TTM57 will be done in at least 24Bit, and then will be output in 24Bit.

TTM57:
Computer -> USB (16Bit) -> Mixer -> Output (24Bit)

SL3:
Computer -> USB (24Bit) -> SL3 -> Output (24Bit)

The lowest Bitdepth will determine the output quality. Once the quality is gone - it's gone.

That statement may not be technically 100% accurate. But I think you get the idea ;)

That is dead on...

So if you're a DJ which does not mix MP3s with serato, rather mixes music that is in a format which is higher than even CD quality, then the SP3 is perfect fo you....

I wonder how many people that really caters for?

I Love my 57. The knobs are soo sweet. I do mainly video now.

Ive used: Behringer 700, Pioneer 500,600,800, Allen & Heath Xone 92, 464 ect.; a wide range of mixers in quality, and I definitely use my 57 if at all possible. Im usually a 4+ hrs DJ, so no plug & play.

SL, or SL3 is good if you know your mixer ok, and you gotta switch out.
...but if your runnin long hours, the 57 is good to you.