Build your Pro Karaoke DJ System | Product Review | Numark KMX02 Karaoke Mix Station

I recently spent 4 and ½ years over in Iraq working as a Morale Welfare and Recreation Program at the Coordinator, Technician and Supervisor level. During that time I had the occasion about twice a week to put on and host Karaoke for our troops. While doing so I used several different combination's of equipment to accomplish this mission. I had a KMX01 that I used for over two years and really fell in love with the system. I did not have a single place to set up a ‘club’ rig so I had to be mobile as we would do shows at The Greenbeans Coffee House (think military equivalent of Starbucs), a couple times a month at the Dining Facility ( a Friday Steak Night Favorite). And on occasion to play CDs at Military Ceremonies (normally held outdoors).

This was a rugged unit that I also had the hard case for. The one thing the KMX01 did not have that would have been useful was the key control that was brought on line with the KMX02. It was a reliable performer for me in the dessert, it operated under conditions of dust, wind, hot and cold, that KJ’s and DJ’s in the states really can’t wrap their minds around unless you’ve been there. For dust control I would open the doors and shoot canned air into the opening after every show.

One of the other great features it has is the two Aux in that are switchable for either phono or line in devices. So should you transition from CD’s to MP3’s you can integrate it in to this mixer and keep the mix standard for your output.

The Echo and EQ effects for the Mic outputs is more than adequate for the tasks. Locating tracks are simple and with the search buttons as is the cueing. The switchable headphones output allows for exact cueing and the video output is tied in with the master fader.

I used the KMX with both wireless and wired mics with mic #1 being used for the KJ and two and three as performance mics, as echo is only available for mics two and three. Though you can EQ all three. The benefit of the echo or reverb is it adds some ‘space’ to the singers voice and separates them a bit from the music, which is after all the point isn’t it? Well managed it makes the singer feel like a superstar and their posse hears them better.

The key control is especially useful as you can modify the background music to match the singers key in half step increments. I like to sing and I make great use of key control as I’m an alto bass so I have to key down Garth Brooks and most country singers to sound as good as I can. I can however, do Johnny Cash and Roger Miller straight up.

One additional feature that is important for overseas use is the unit could handle input power from 110~240 volts. That is a big plus in Iraq and most of the rest of the world.

All in all a great system for the fundamentals of mixing Karaoke and straight forward DJing.

I should note here that these are solely my opinions and I am not a paid spokesman for Numark, Amazon or Zzounds, nor have I received any financial considerations for this review.