well.... if you go into some clubs you can take your mixer and set up on there systems so the 56/SL1 might be the best. But with the 57.. its makes setup/ breakdown a little easier plus you can control SSL from the mixer... so it realy depends of your needs. For the money sounds like the 56/SSL is the way to go.

How useful are the 57 controls for the SSL? It seems pretty easy to just reach over to my computer and use the keys.

i bet you would be surprised. go demo one...or even rent it for a gig! then you know exactly what you going for before you make the full investment!

it helps a lot. i usually don't touch my keyboard at all unless i need to search for a song. only problem is when you play at a club that has it's own mixer and won't let you install yours. I've run into a couple places like that.

57... call AGI Pro DJ for a cheaper price. They're the best!

I meant CANT take your mixer

1. the price points clearly at a seperate solution
2. as disturbed says..e.g. I went to Berlin to DJ for a adidas BMX-Contest,they sponsored everything,hotel,clothes etc.and as we arrived at the spot there was only this huge techno-mixer..the audio dude said we should have told him before..but for him it wasn't a problem to hookup a seperate serato..can't even imagine what would have happened if I had the New 57SL..
3.If either the Rane or the SSL is damaged you always have to send in the whole 57SL..
4.(I'm not really sure about it though)..doesn't the 57SL has different measurements? I thought i heard it's a littlebit larger..

Go for a seperate Solution as long as the 57SL isn't much cheaper than the 56+SSL

Likwid, that 57 price that you have is way inflated. You can get a much better price.

I would get a 57, but by that same token, I already have an SL1, and bring it with me just in case the venue is set up in such a way that I cannot hook up my own mixer.

Having used a SL1 unit for over 2 years before getting a 57, yes using the keyboard is second nature and I have no complaints. The advantage of a SL1 unit - ANY MIXER hooks up easily. Having a 57 is limiting (club not interested in letting you patch in) or cumbersome (EXTREMELY LARGE/EXPENSIVE SL1, the setup of a 57 to act as a SL1 is here on the board). But the 57 is a way suped up 56 with effects and kills and direct access to SSL.

57SL

You will love how quickly you can use the controls w/o touching the laptop, plus the effects. I love it.

Word, word, thanks for the advice.

The crowd seems to be split as I thought would be the case.

If I could grab the 57, plus a separate SSL unit, that would be dope, but I'm not world famous like some of yall.

Me neither.

I really wish that Rane would give some kind of a discount on an extrta SL1 unit for registered 57 owners.

Would be cool since you normally need both when you play in clubs.

They'd probably be worried about people getting the discounted unit and selling it at close to regular price.

One thing about AGI, though, is that their response time is pretty bad. Emails sometimes take days and days to be responded to, and I dont recall them ever picking up the phone from all the times I called. I realize their keeping overhead down by minimizing staff partly leads to their low prices, but its not that hard to get someone who can answer the phone when customers have questions or need quotes.

bad customer service will always loose my business. What if when you recieved the product, but had problems later then you'll end up with even worst service!

I never had a problem with AGI, but then again I've never emailed them either. I usually just give them a call. I have a 75% success rate to get somebody on the phone on the first try, but if not, I do get through later that day. Most of the time they are on the phone with other DJ's trying to place orders.