The best gifts for djs

Best Gifts for DJs in 2024

ByMike Drop

What are the top gifts for a DJ?

It can be quite a head scratcher finding gifts for DJs when shopping online. They’ve already spent hundreds or even thousands on their decks and mixer and those huge over-ear headphones. They have the largest music collections of anyone you know and play music by artists you’ve never heard of. What could you possible gift them that would be of any use to them!?

To help answer this question we’ve put together a list highlighting some of the most desired and wished-for items. All of which are likely to bring ear-to-ear grins to any DJs face.

There’s gift ideas here for all budgets (but we’ve left out things that would require a second mortgage) and for all kinds of DJ. So whether they’re into house, techno, hip hop or post-modern jazz you can be sure of making them happy.

Cool DJ gift ideas
Are you ready?

Budget: over £100

MWM Phase (from €299)

MWM are a small French company that design “disruptive music apps and groundbreaking audio hardware products.” and Phase is their latest bit of kit.

MWM Phase Essential DJ control
MWM Phase Essential

This next step in the evolution of DJ technology essentially usurps a turntable’s tonearm to allow control of DJ software without needing a needle (or a record!). Place a remote on to any spinning surface for a perfect, lag-free DVS mixing experience that’s compatible with all the most popular DJ software, including Serato, Traktor, Rekordbox and Virtual DJ.

The technology is still very new and it’s fair to say that there have been a few teething problems since its release. But with several firmware updates already available, and bigger manufacturers looking to licence the technology, it seems that MWM are set to see this become a long-term product.

Pioneer DDJ-XP2 (£299 r.r.p)

Pioneer are one of the largest companies in the DJing world. Their media players and mixers are used by a huge majority of professional artists and desired by almost every newbie and bedroom DJ

Pioneer DDJ XP2
Pioneer DDJ XP2

This beautiful box of colours is an add-on controller for both Serato DJ Pro and Pioneer’s own Rekordbox DJ software, two of the most popular professional DJ programs currently available. It allows access to more functionality than almost any other add-on controller because of it’s 2 x 16 grid of performance pads. These pads feel great for cue-juggling and finger drumming and are durable enough for many years of button-bashing fun.

Simply, this controller lets DJs do more at once. The ability to use two ‘pad modes’ at once opens up options like live remixing, tone play and extended transitions. Transport controls. cue points, effects and samplers are all available without having to continually bounce between different devices or modes. This is a real step up for the performing DJ and certainly one of the best gifts for DJs available right now.

Numark PT01 Scratch (£130 r.r.p)

Numark have been in the DJ game for decades. Their entry-and-mid level products are used by millions across the globe. Their ‘DJ in a box’ concept of yesteryear was how many DJs first discovered the joys of mixing records, and was one of the most popular gifts for DJs at the time.

Numark PT01 Scratch turntable
Numark PT01 Scratch

The PT01 Scratch is a portable turntable (that can run on batteries). It was the first commercially available record player that specifically targeted the emerging ‘Portablism’ scene, where DJs mix and scratch out in the open rather than being restricted to dark rooms and dingy nightclubs.

Its defining feature is the ‘Scratch Switch’ which acts like a DJs crossfader for cutting the sound in and out. This makes it a great tool for scratching.

The PT01 doesn’t stop there. It can also be used for archiving vinyl to digital formats with its USB connection and included software. Also, it is fairly easy to modify with better faders, tonearms and extra functions. There is a burgeoning market for these add-ons.

While the overall build quality is a little flimsy these things seem to take a beating rather well, and can be seen being used in all sorts of exotic locations across Instagram and Youtube.

Roland GO LIVECAST (£219 r.r.p.)

The last few years have been rough for DJs. Restrictions on public gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic has left many without their main source of income. In response many DJs have turned to live streaming their performances on the internet as a way to stay connected with fans.

Roland GO LIVECAST
Roland GO LIVECAST

Roland’s GO LIVECAST helps DJs to present a professional stream when using their smartphone to broadcast online and aims to be a simple and affordable way to bring superior production values to webcasts. The small device lets you mix sound, display titles, play media and trigger sound effects without needing a computer or costly AV equipment.

Using just the GO LIVECAST and it’s companion app on your phone you can quickly and easily capture the sound from your DJ equipment, as well as a microphone (built-in, or your own) and the video from your camera to create engaging live streams that rival even the most advanced creators on social media.

Budget: under £100

Customised Equipment Skins (£various)

Some DJs like to show off, and there’s nothing that grabs attention quite like customised DJ gear.

Pioneer DDJ 1000 with custom red skin
Pioneer DDJ 1000 with custom red skin

There are a handful of companies that produce skins (large stickers).that fit perfectly over specific pieces of DJ equipment and can completely change their appearance. From simple colour overlays to shiny metallics and even the possibility to design your own and upload it.

With a little bit of effort (ie finding out what equipment they own) you could gift something totally unique. As an added bonus the skin is easily removable and will not mark or damage the equipment. As far as gifts for DJs go, these are one of the most unique choices.

Teenage Engineering PO-33 K.O! (£99 r.r.p)

Not built for DJs specifically but guaranteed to bring joy to anyone who enjoys creating music on the move, the PO-33 K.O! from Teenage Engineering fits perfectly in to this DJ gift guide.

Teenage Engineering Pocket Operator KO-33
Pocket Operator KO-33

The Pocket Operator series of micro, battery-operated music gadgets are so much fun. Each device is a fully functioning musical instrument, like you might see in a professional music studio, but are barely the size of a mobile phone and only a fraction of the price.

This device, the PO-33 K.O! is a Sampler with 40 seconds of recording time. It includes a built in microphone and mini-jack plug to record your samples in, and a small speaker to play them back through.

Using the in-built sequencer you can layer up to 8 melodic and 8 drum sounds to create full songs. Then choose from 16 effects to spice it.

2 x AAA batteries will see this bare-bones box last for up to a month, and almost two years in stand-by mode. You can also buy a case for it if the circuit board look isn’t for you.  

Oyaide Neo d+ Cable Box Set (£60 r.r.p)

If there’s one thing that every DJ seems to need, it’s new cables. These things take a beating and most start to fail sooner rather than later. Enter Oyaide and their Neo brand.

Neo-d Box Set - one of the best gifts for djs
Neo-d Box Set

These cables have been getting a lot of love from the biggest DJ blogs over the past couple of years and it’s easy to see why. Their eye catching colour scheme is just the beginning, as these were designed with high-end audio systems in mind and ensure a strong connection between units. The flat cable prevents signal loss from cable bend, and protects the signal from external/internal noise and electro-magnetic waves.

The box set includes two sets of stereo RCA (phono) cables and a USB (class B) cable, which are pretty much the essentials for a modern DJ set-up, as well as a nifty carry pouch to keep them safe in transit.

Budget: under £50

DJ Clothing (£various)

Every DJ wants to look good when they perform, and most just aren’t happy with the popular brand-name stuff from the local sports store. So what do you do?

DJ T Shirt "I love you but I've chosen DJing"
DJ T Shirts

Luckily DJs are a creative bunch and there’s a growing trend for personalised clothing designs that reflect their passion for music. Some are creating their own designs and printing one-off items, while others are sharing their designs for the world to wear via print-on-demand services like djtshirts.co.uk

With such a range of designs to pick from it can be handy to know a little about their tastes in advance, but most designs are available on multiple products and in various colours making them perfect gifts for DJs.

Decksavers (from £20)

Decksavers are literally life savers for DJ equipment. They cover and protect your gear from spills, dust and knocks that could otherwise destroy their most delicate parts.

Decksavers are a great dj gift idea
Decksavers equipment protectors

This range of protective plastic covers grows at an astounding rate so you can be sure that, as long as it’s valuable enough to need protecting, there’s probably a Decksaver for it. Even some of the most obscure DJ mixers and controllers get shown some love.

Made from tough polycarbonate these are virtually unbreakable. There’s even videos of people jumping on and driving over them to prove their strength (though we wouldn’t recommend trying this at home!).

Custom Caps (from $1.99ea)

Another really cool way to customise your DJ gear is by replacing the stock knob and fader caps with upgraded versions.

Custom caps for dj equipment
Custom caps for dj equipment

We’ve never met a DJ who didn’t like the look and feel of these upgraded caps. They add a beautiful flash of colour to the sea of black that persists in most DJ equipment design, and some give you the option to choose between a soft and hard rubber finish (soft is good for mixing, hard is better for scratching).

While some of these items are of a standard size across most popular DJ equipment, it’s best to know the make and model of the item you’re looking to upgrade. Not only will this knowledge ensure the correct fitting, but you can also buy a ‘full set’ tailored to the unit specifically which removes the headache of working out which caps to buy and how many. It’s also worth noting that most of these ship from overseas so postage costs and import taxes can increase the price and delivery time slightly.

Stickers (from £2.79ea)

Stickers are great for customising DJ gear and bring a dose of personalisation to almost any surface. They’re cheap too, making them awesome as small, unique gifts for DJs.

DJ stickers by djtshirts.co.uk
DJ stickers by djtshirts.co.uk

Stickers can be bought all over the internet, and so tracking down something specific for DJs could take a little extra time. Luckily there’s a DJTshirts collection of glossy and matt adhesive vinyl stickers that have been created especially for DJs and musicians to make that search a whole lot easier.

The Best Gifts for DJs

That completes our guide to the best gifts for DJs. We hope it gave you some inspiration and ideas on what to buy for the DJ in your life.

As new and exciting products get released we’ll keep this list updated, so keep checking back whenever you need more gift ideas that won’t break the bank.

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