As a DJ, your USB is probably the single most important item you’ll carry around. It’s your entire library of tracks that make you a special, unique DJ – all captured in one single small space.
While countless USB options are available, it’s really worth investing in a high-quality, professional-grade drive that’s going. Cheap or novelty USB drives may be painfully slow or unreliable, putting you at risk of them failing right in the middle of your set. So, while your fun Lego USB may look cool peeking out of a CDJ, it’s probably not the best bet in the long run.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a DJ USB Drive
- Storage capacity: Some older gear that only supports FAT32 file systems may only work with USBs of 64GB or less. For most DJs, that will be plenty of space to store all their tracks and especially if you’re using MP3 files, there will be room for thousands. However, modern DJ gear can handle larger drives formatted in exFAT, allowing DJs to store extensive libraries on 128GB, 256GB, or even 512GB USBs. You can get one of these if you’ve got a massive collection of tunes, although it’s likely overkill otherwise.
- Transfer speed: The transfer speed of a USB stick is measured in MB per second and tells you how quickly you can transfer data on or off it. This is important for loading tracks onto your CDJs or DJ software without having to wait too long. It’s also a big factor when preparing and exporting your library as slower USBs can take ages to transfer your tracks from your computer.
- Durability: The life of a DJ’s USB drive isn’t always an easy one. They get chucked in bags, dropped on the floor or have drinks spilt over them. So you need something that’s going to be able to survive these tests and still come out ready to play all your tunes. Investing in a well-built, rugged USB is often a good idea, especially if you’re gigging frequently.
- Brand reliability: Trusted manufacturers like SanDisk, Kingston, and Corsair offer proven performance and durability. Investing in a reliable brand reduces the risk of data loss, hardware failure, and compatibility issues, ensuring your USB can withstand the demands of live performances and frequent travel.
- Connections: USB sticks typically just have the classic USB A connection which is the same port you’ll find on CDJs and other standard pro DJ gear. However, many laptops especially things like the newer MacBooks are getting rid of these chunky old USB A ports and instead just have the newer, slimmer USB C ports. Some USB sticks offer both USB A and USB C connections, allowing you to plug into your laptop and CDJs without needing any adapters.
Top Recommended USB Drives for DJs
Best Overall USB for DJs – SanDisk Extreme PRO 128GB – From £50.99
Our number one all round pick that we’d be happy to recommend to any DJ is the SanDisk Extreme Pro. At 128GB, there’s more than enough room for all but the biggest of collections, and with 420MB/s transfer speeds, you won’t have to worry about slow load times. They’re also known for their reliability and offer encryption and data recovery tools.
Best USB for Large Libraries – Kingston DataTraveler Max 256GB – From £27.60
If you’ve got an immense library of tracks and you need to bring them all to every gig, you need a USB to keep up. The Kingston DataTraveler Max comes in a range of data sizes, including a whopping 512GB, which is probably more than you’ll need, and brings data transfer speeds of up to 1,000 MB/s.
Best Budget USB for DJs – SanDisk Ultra Luxe 32GB – From £9.99
DJs on a budget will appreciate the SanDisk Ultra Luxe 32GB. The base level of 32GB will be perfectly fine for most DJ libraries and, although the 15MB/s transfer speeds are a little on the slower side, this is a great pick for beginners looking for an affordable option.
Most Rugged USB for DJs – Corsair Flash Survivor Stealth 32GB – From £24.99
If you need a USB stick that can survive anything, the Corsair Flash Survivor Stealth is perfect. Thanks to its ‘military-style’ aluminium casing, it offers shock and water resistance which should make it suitable for any DJ booth. With transfer speeds of 200MB/s, its also fast enough for smooth DJ use.
Best Compact USB for DJs – SanDisk Ultra Fit 128GB – £12.25
The SanDisk Ultra Fit 128GB is about as small as USB sticks get, and it only just pokes out of the port on your laptop or CDJ. If you’re after a super sleek option that still offers 130MB/s transfers, good space and smooth operation at a very reasonable price, look no further.
How many USBs does a DJ need?
Generally, we’d advise bringing at least two USBs to a gig. That’s in case the DJ link on your CDJs doesn’t work, you lose one, or it gets corrupted. You can never be too safe when it comes to this sort of thing, and it always pays to be a bit overprepared rather than take any risks.
You’ll also need to make sure your DJ library is backed up somewhere separate from the USBs that you take to gigs. This could be on your computer hard drive, but we’d also recommend getting a separate external hard drive to back everything up regularly, as well as possible cloud backups. That way, you’re prepared for the worst-case scenario of losing your computer as well.
How to manage your DJ USB
As you start to build up more of a library of tunes on your USB, it can get harder to keep on top of things. Pretty quickly you can get overwhelmed by random files and folders, making it harder to find the tunes you want when you’re mixing. And that’s before you start worrying about all the different file types and exporting everything in just the right way.
If you want the best ways to manage your music like a pro, check out our complete music management course. You’ll learn how to organise everything on your USB and find a system that works for you so you don’t have to waste time finding the perfect tune.
Want a sneak peek? Check out some free lessons to get a taste of things.
4 hours 42 lessons Beginner
Music Management For DJs
I need a USB that I can attach a ring and key fob to. This way I can label each USB key with comments and date created. I simply don’t want a bag full of unknown USB keys.