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Live sound mixers

Modern DJs are able to mix and distort digital music with the use of live sound mixers.  Turntables are still a DJ standard, but they have one distinct limitation.  You can only put vinyl records on them.  In the era of digital music, this method isn’t going to suffice in the long run.  You have to throw a CD in there every so often to mix things up.  The advantage of mixing from a CD is the improvements in sound quality and timeliness of the music you’re playing.  A lot of current songs aren’t available in vinyl form.  Some acts from previous eras still release their music on vinyl, which is excellent news for DJs, but a majority of modern music is only available in digital formats.
Scratching on a turntable is the bread and butter of DJing.  You’re never going to see a DJ that’s going an entire show without scratching.  However, the crowd can only ensure so many oldies during the course of one night, especially if it’s a younger crowd.  The sound of scratched vinyls can be plugged into modern music very effectively though.  This is how a lot of current artists find samples from older music to include in their new releases.  The biggest thing a live sound mixer does is ensure the music you’re playing is at the proper level.  Playing music on the wrong levels can often have the opposite effect and turn the crowd against you.  This is why a lot of major acts have sound people in their entourage.