Guides / Choosing a Mac audio recorder
What do DJs use to record their sets?
Updated 2026-09-03.
DJs record sets in one of three ways: the recorder built into their DJ software (rekordbox, Serato DJ Pro, Traktor), a handheld recorder on the mixer's REC OUT, or an audio interface into a Mac recorder. Serato saves 24-bit by default and splits a 24-bit file at 1 h 50 min; AirCheck ($39) has no length limit and no 2 GB split, picks the exact interface channel pair, and restarts a stalled input into the same file.
Do rekordbox, Serato and Traktor record sets themselves?
Yes, all three, and for most DJs that is the answer.
- rekordbox: AlphaTheta's help center says to click the REC icon at the top left of the rekordbox screen to display the recording panel, then click REC in the panel to start and stop. It works when the computer is connected to the mixer or controller.
- Serato DJ Pro: click REC to open the Recording Panel in the top left. The input drop-down set to MIX records the master output post faders and EQ, pre master gain. Recordings are 24-bit by default and land in ~/Music/_Serato_/Recording. Serato documents two limits: recorded files are automatically split when the recording exceeds 3 hours at 16-bit or 1 hour 50 minutes at 24-bit, and WAV/AIFF files are limited to 2 GB.
- Traktor: set Mixing Mode to Internal under Output Routing, set the Mix Recorder source to Internal, open the Audio Recorder panel in the Global Section (where the second FX panel sits) and hit Record. Files go to ~/Music/Traktor/Recordings. Native Instruments notes the Mix Recorder is not available in LE versions.
The catch is that each recorder hears only what its own software mixes. A hardware mixer's channels that bypass the software, a second laptop, or an external sampler are not in the file. Per-app details: Serato, rekordbox, Traktor.
When do DJs record outside the DJ software?
When the set does not pass through the software, or when they do not trust one laptop with both playing and recording. AlphaTheta lists three ways to record a performance on its DJM mixers: connect a recording device to the REC OUT terminal, use the DJM-REC iOS app, or use rekordbox's recording feature on a connected computer.
The recording device in that first option is usually a handheld recorder. A Zoom H4essential, for example, records WAV at 44.1, 48 or 96 kHz in 32-bit float through two XLR/TRS combo inputs, so a hot mixer output cannot clip it. It needs no laptop, which is why club and festival recordings are often made this way.
The third route is an audio interface into a Mac: the mixer's REC or booth output into two line inputs, then any Mac recorder that can select that input. This is what you do when the set is on a controller whose USB return is unreliable, when you want a separate 24-bit file from the software's own recording, or when you record a Serato set longer than the 1 h 50 min split. The interface page covers gain staging and cabling.
What does the author of this site use?
A Pioneer DDJ-SZ into a Focusrite Scarlett 8i6, recorded by AirCheck on a Mac. The controller's master output feeds line inputs 3-4 of the 8i6, and AirCheck's channel-pair picker selects Ch 3-4 instead of the interface's first pair. The take is 24-bit at the interface rate and exported to WAV 24-bit when it stops.
Why not the controller's USB return? On macOS 26 Tahoe the DDJ-SZ's USB audio return stopped delivering audio on this Mac, so the analog detour through the interface is the working path. That is a first-party observation about one controller on one macOS version, not a general claim about Pioneer hardware; Serato's own recorder on the same controller is documented separately on the DDJ page.
Numbers from this setup: the longest continuous take in the library is 7,550 seconds (2 h 5 min) at 24-bit 48 kHz, a 2.07 GB file. AirCheck has no split point and no 2 GB limit; disk space is the ceiling. If the interface stalls, a watchdog restarts capture into the same file after 5 seconds of silence. Bit depth and rate match what Serato defaults to, so the two routes produce comparable files.
How big is a two-hour DJ set recording?
Measured on 45 real recordings on the author's Mac, per minute of stereo audio:
- 24-bit 48 kHz WAV or AIFF: 16.5 MB, so a 120-minute set is about 1.98 GB.
- 24-bit 44.1 kHz: 15.1 MB, about 1.81 GB for two hours.
- 16-bit 48 kHz WAV: 11.0 MB, about 1.32 GB.
- MP3 320 kbps: 2.4 MB, about 0.29 GB.
Two consequences for DJs. First, a two-hour 24-bit set crosses Serato's 2 GB WAV/AIFF limit at 48 kHz, which is why Serato splits files; plan for that or record 16-bit inside Serato. Second, MP3 320 is small enough to upload straight to a mix platform, but you lose the ability to re-master, so record PCM and convert after. The size table has hours-per-GB figures for planning a laptop's free space.
Recorded files are automatically split when the recording exceeds 3 hours (16-bit) or 1 hour 50 minutes (24-bit). Recordings are saved as 24-bit by default.
Serato Support, Recording Your Set with Serato DJ Pro
Ways DJs record a set, compared
| Method | Extra cost (USD) | Needs the laptop | Captures hardware-only channels | Bit depth | Length limit documented | Where the file lands |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rekordbox REC panel | 0 with rekordbox | yes | only via the connected mixer | not verified here | not verified here | set in rekordbox preferences |
| Serato DJ Pro REC panel | 0 with Serato | yes | only via MIX input | 24-bit default | split at 1 h 50 min (24-bit), 2 GB WAV/AIFF | ~/Music/_Serato_/Recording |
| Traktor Mix Recorder | 0 with Traktor Pro | yes | internal mix only | not verified here | not documented on the page fetched | ~/Music/Traktor/Recordings |
| Handheld recorder on REC OUT (Zoom H4essential) | price not shown on vendor page | no | yes | 32-bit float | card size | SD card |
| Interface into AirCheck | 39 plus the interface | yes | yes, from REC or booth out | 24-bit | none, disk only (2 h 5 min, 2.07 GB seen) | ~/Music/AirCheck |
| Interface into Audio Hijack | 69 plus the interface | yes | yes | vendor lists AIFF, WAV, ALAC, FLAC | not verified here | set in the app |
The H4essential page did not show a price on 3 Sept 2026, so none is quoted.
Where AirCheck fits
AirCheck is the right buy for the interface route: the mixer's REC or booth out into two line inputs, then pick that exact channel pair (Ch 3-4 of a Scarlett 8i6 in the author's case) and press one button. It captures 24-bit at the interface rate, has no split point and no 2 GB limit, restarts capture into the same file if the interface stalls for 5 seconds, and exports WAV 24-bit or MP3 320 kbps. No driver, universal for Apple silicon and Intel. Nothing to configure before the set. $39 once against $69 for Audio Hijack, which demands a session built from blocks first. macOS 14 or newer, 14-day refund.
When you do not need it: If your whole set runs inside rekordbox, Serato or Traktor and stays under Serato's 1 h 50 min 24-bit split, the built-in recorder costs nothing and hears exactly what you played. A handheld recorder covers the case with no laptop in the booth.
AirCheck records what your Mac plays, or any input, to one file. $39 once.
macOS 14 or newer. One-off payment. Fourteen-day refund, no questions asked.
Questions people ask
What is the best app to record DJ sets?
The one already in your DJ software: rekordbox, Serato DJ Pro and Traktor Pro all have a recorder. Reach for a Mac recorder such as AirCheck ($39) or Audio Hijack ($69) when hardware channels bypass the software, the set is longer than Serato's split, or you want an independent 24-bit file.
How do DJs record sets in clubs?
Usually from the mixer's REC OUT into a handheld recorder or the club's system. AlphaTheta lists REC OUT, the DJM-REC iOS app and rekordbox on a connected computer as the three options for its DJM mixers.
What format should a DJ set be recorded in?
24-bit PCM (WAV or AIFF) at the interface's rate, then convert a copy to MP3 320 kbps for upload. Serato defaults to 24-bit; a two-hour 24-bit 48 kHz file is about 1.98 GB.
Can I record a DJ set on a Mac without an interface?
If the controller has a USB audio return, the DJ software can record it. If the set plays through the Mac's own audio, a system-audio recorder captures it. Turntables and analog mixers need an interface or a handheld recorder.
Sources
- AlphaTheta Help Center: Can I record my performances? (REC OUT, DJM-REC, rekordbox REC panel)
- Serato Support: Recording your set with Serato DJ Pro (24-bit default, split at 1 h 50 min)
- Serato Support: Recording Audio (REC panel, MIX input)
- Serato Support: Rec Location (2 GB WAV/AIFF limit)
- Native Instruments: Recording in Internal Mixer Mode in TRAKTOR (Mix Recorder)
- Zoom: H4essential handheld recorder (32-bit float, 2 XLR/TRS inputs)
- AirCheck: product page, $39 one-off, macOS 14 or newer
- Rogue Amoeba: Audio Hijack license key, $69 USD (checked 3 Sept 2026)
- Rogue Amoeba: Audio Hijack product page (version 4.6.0, macOS 14.4 or newer)
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