Slimline, portable and affordable, the new iON iDJ2Go offers users of iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone DJ software a physical surface to mix from.
In 5 Reasons Why iOS Is Great News For DJing, we discussed how DJ apps on Apple devices let potential digital DJs who own an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad dip their toes into the world of DJing at next to no cost.
But after the inital buzz of mixing tracks on your mobile device fades, you soon realise that a flat touchscreen perhaps isn’t best suited to those functions DJs do most, such as use of jogwheels, rotary controllers and buttons. This is where ION’s new iDJ2Go, which we review today, comes in.
This isn’t the first iOS controller out there; last year Numark released the iDJ Live controller, for instance. But the iDJ2Go from ION (actually owned by the same parent company as Numark) is an even more pared-back product, with fewer controls in a smaller, more slimline unit.
We actually first covered the iDJ2Go in 4 Clever Gadgets For iOS DJs, but last week we managed to get our hands on a preview unit. So, how useful is it and is it worth adding one to your iOS set-up?
First impressions & setting up
I was pleasantly surprised by the iDJ2Go considering its compact build. The pitch sliders had a reassuring central notch on the zero position while the buttons (some of them backlit) and rotary controls all felt of a better quality than I was expecting.
The controller has its own free software. It's OK, although you would be better off spending US$0.99 on djay for iPhone and iPod Touch.
The picture on the box (and the website) shows the unit in use with djay for iPad. This is certainly the most effective set-up, however it’s worth mentioning that the iDJ2Go will work with a number of iOS devices (iPod Touch 3rd and 4th gen, iPhone 3Gs, 4S and 4 as well as all iPad versions). Don’t forget that the djay app comes in both iPad and iPhone/iPod Touch versions with similar functionality offered in both.
The controller also has its own free app (also called iDJ2Go, based on Deej from Inqbarna). The free app is OK, although you would be better off spending US$0.99 on djay for iPhone and iPod Touch for a better experience, particularly if you’re on a smaller device. For the purpose of this review I’ll be referring to the controller in use with the djay app.
I connected the iDJ2Go to my iPod Touch and fired up the djay app. Immediately the USB device was recognised and the ION logo drifted into the centre of the screen. The controller is intuitive enough to use without referring to the brief manual included in the box.
The controller is intuitive enough to use without referring to the brief manual included in the box…
It comes boxed with an audio splitter cable which plugs into the headphone socket of your iOS device, meaning that you can cue in your headphones one deck independently to the master output however both audio signals will be in mono. Of course, if you like to play things a little more daring you could ditch the split audio and rely on the sync button and adjustments using the stereo master output instead.
In use
The controller provides each deck with a pitch slider, two pitch bend buttons, a jog wheel, a volume rotary control and four buttons (cue, sync, headphone PFL and play/pause). Because the pitch sliders are only a couple of inches long, fine adjustments are difficult, which is an obvious limitation of such a slimline controller.
Another criticism that the volume controls all look identical; there is lettering on the unit to indicate what each does, but I know from experience that lettering on hardware is the first thing to wear over time. The danger here is that you could end up killing the master volume by mistake instead of the volume on deck A.
All deck controls were as responsive as I wished for; I didn’t notice any latency between the controller and the iOS device…
All deck controls were as responsive as I wished for; I didn’t notice any latency between the controller and the iOS device, so getting a track to start or stop on time was perfect and adjusting the tracks for beatmatching was simple.
My advice would be to use the pitch slider for large adjustment of pitch, the pitch bend buttons for noticable movements during the mix and the jog wheel as a finer, more subtle nudge.
A helpful feature on the sync, cue, PFL and play/pause buttons is that they’re all backlit, with sync and play/pause in green, and PFL and cue in red. (Actually, I think they’re all supposed to be backlit; on the unit I had only the play/pause and sync buttons were.)
A neat touch is as a track reachs 30 seconds to its end time, the play/pause button starts flashing, providing a nice visual signal in case you’ve forgotten about it!
The backlit buttons are suprisingly good, especially as the play/pause button flashes when you're nearing the end of a track as a visual aid.
Something which confused me at first was that my tracks were getting more out of sync when I moved the pitch slider away to slow down or towards to speed up. I soon remembered that the djay app has the pitch controls around the other way, so to remedy this you need to open up the settings in djay and set “Invert Pitch” to “On”.
This will ensure that pitch control changes made on the iDJ2Go controller now correspond to djay. It’s a personal preference I suppose, but I like my hardware labels to match what the software is trying to achieve – perhaps explaining why I can’t get my head around hamster switches on mixers!
If you’re thinking of scratching with this unit, forget it. The jog wheels are exactly that, simply for nudging the track during playback and not for any inspired turntablist tricks. Anyway, who wants to try and scratch with a 2″ jog wheel?!
If you’re thinking of scratching with this unit, forget it…
The centre of the controller features the crossfader which feels smooth enough; again it’s not suitable for scratch moves, but perfectly functional for mixing between the two decks.
Above this are the controls to browse and load the next track onto each deck. These controls mean that using a smaller screen device is less of a fiddle; in fact, you barely need to touch the screen at all when selecting a track – maybe only doing so to search for an item or sort by BPM.
Conclusion
The iDJ2Go is a neat addition to any iOS setup, even if the iOS device you’re using is as small as an iPhone. The unit is intuitive and simple to set up, with instant plug and play capabilities with the two mentioned DJ apps (with at least one more to follow suit). The lack of EQ control may gripe after a while, however for the price you can’t really complain.
The iDJ2Go would be perfect for those who want to get more serious than just running an app on their iOS device but perhaps aren’t ready for a fully mapped USB controller, especially if you’re on a budget.
If you’re going on holiday this year, you could cram an iDJ2Go in your hand luggage too holding impromptu beach, pool or hotel room parties!
It is also great for situations where you have limited space. For example last week I’ve been using the iDJ2Go on the train and while staying overnight at hotels. It’s small, lightweight and can easily fit into your luggage alongside your iOS device of choice. I’m now wondering if I could use it on long-distance flights along with my iOS device in flight mode!
The iDJ2Go needs no battery or wall socket making it truly portable. However, by using the 30-pin connector to transport the iDJ2Go Midi signal (and receive its power for the backlit buttons etc), you cannot charge the iOS device so best to make sure you have enough power before you start. Also, if iOS 6 brings dual stereo outputs, the controller will not be able to take advantage of this.
The biggest reason for buying, in my view? If you’re going on holiday this year with your iPhone/iPod Touch, you could cram an iDJ2Go in your hand luggage too holding impromptu beach, pool or hotel room parties!
• Note that because the unit has a 30-pin connector cable directly attached, it is only for use with iOS products; if you’re interested in the same controller but for your laptop, check out the near-identical Numark DJ2Go.
Summary
We like:
- Price
- Portability
- Ease of use
- Backlit buttons
We don’t like:
- Lack of EQ controls
- Only two apps currently supported
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Product details:
Size & weight: 13.5 x 5.1 x 2″ (342 x 79 x 50mm); 13oz (360g)
Price: US$76 / £49
Buy from: Amazon (US), Amazon (UK)
What do you think?
Do you think a slimline USB controller fits well with an iOS set-up? Are you considering buying a budget iOS USB controller? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Now go to:
Review: Beatsurfing Midi Controller Builder For iPad
Review: Free DJ Studio App For iPad
Review & Video: Deckadance Mobile For iPad
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Tags: ion, ios, ios dj, slimline dj controllers
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Simon from Numark and ION here
[ link ]Just to say support for more apps is on the way.
Hey Simon,
What about us Numark DJ2go owners? I bought the DJ2go before the ion came out to play around with while travelling and such, but it does not register in the djay app! I know that you guys are trying to push the ion but the DJ2go old users could use some love too. I saw a post where a guy used the midi map for dj2go from djay for mac on his jailbroken device, but I’d really prefer a legit/official version and not to jailbreak.
Currently the Numark DJ2go will work with DJ Dex ios app, but djay is head and shoulders above and my preferred app of choice for experimenting and impromptu sets.
RD
[ link ]Good question its something we are talking about with the developers now.
[ link ]Any news on the Numark DJ2GO for Djay?
[ link ]I know is not the right post here but, what about the serious controler from numark, idj pro? Maybe we must forget it…?
[ link ]On the contrary, it’s due soon.
[ link ]…and we’ve already had a sneaky peak! We’re looking to do a full review of the iDJ Pro a little before the launch date.
[ link ]How Soon are we talking here? I am in serious need of iDJ Pro goodness!
[ link ]According to the latest release of the djay for iPad app, the iDJ Pro is due in September this year.
[ link ]Great! but what about the IDJ live? will more apps be supported by that controller?
[ link ]The iDJ Live is a Midi controller. You can map any software to it you want.
[ link ]Have you got any iOS apps in mind that you would like to see mapped to the iDJ Live? Simon from Numark maybe taking notes, although ultimately it’s down to the app developers to contact manufacturers to organise compatibility.
[ link ]It would be great to have support for Deej and PCDJ app. Thanks.
[ link ]Red Bull BPM / DJPlayer !
[ link ]We are working with as many developers as possible currently Mixr, PCDJ and Sound Trends have released builds.
[ link ]More developers like Mixvibes on the way. We have an open policy of support for all of our hardware.
How much play time can you get out of a fully charged iPad2 running with the iDJ2GO during continuous use?
[ link ]Since iDJ2Go only has a few LED’s on it, I can’t imagine it would drain the battery life more than using the application on it’s own. I would say you should get very close to normal battery life, even with iDJ2Go attached.
[ link ]With a well conditioned battery you can expect very close to the full 8 hours. Turn off wifi and bluetooth also unless needed.
[ link ]hi Phil,
[ link ]great review as always!
allow me to understand following:
since this controller will only send/receive(?) midi data, i can’t follow your statement: “Also, if iOS 6 brings dual
stereo outputs, the controller will not
be able to take advantage of this”..
isn’t it just a matter of the dj software routing master and cue to both outs separately..?
or will one of the outputs go through the connector instead of currently only a single signal = same through headphone and connector? in that case, let’s hope for some kind of adapter to take care of this..i.e. split charging/midi data and 2nd audio signal..
Hi King of Sneek (great name!), you’ve hit the nail on the head. The iDJ2Go controller has no audio output and uses the 30pin connector on the iOS device. If iOS6 brings dual stereo, one stereo signal could be passed through the headphone jack of the iOS device and the other via the 30pin connector. Indeed, if this were the case, we’d have to hope for a 30pin connector splitter…although there’s a slim chance that the Vestax V-MIDI could help.
[ link ]hi Hombre (great name as well!)
Thanks for the info.
Imagine the following set-up (if iOS6 will bring split signal):
ipad
ipad speaker dock
30 pin splitter for midi to ipad
idj2go
that would be a small but super set-up for home, with build in monitoring via speaker dock and headphones via audio out of ipad..
wohoo!
[ link ]Does it work with airplay? Would be perfect.
[ link ]More accurately the djay app is airplay compatible, and the controller works with it when airplay is engaged.
[ link ]There is a delay from the iPad to the Airplay speakers, and there is no split cue output when in Airplay mode.
Thank you for answer, hoped it actually could free up the cue output playing through airplay.
[ link ]Is it even possible to have a wireless solution with any I pod/pad mixer? Sorry if im asking here….
Will there be anything similar for the Droid?
[ link ]I would hope that as the DJ app options develop on Android, then usb midi controllers will gradually become available. They would need to use a standardised connection (micro usb?) to be truly useful on Android, given the number of different makes and model of device available.
[ link ]We would love to support android unfortunately there is no standard OS version or hardware to support. We are actively researching solutions but cant promise.
[ link ]Support for Airplay comes from the iOS device and the apps. We make sure our controllers make best use of the technology
[ link ]I was looking for a good Midi controller to use with my iPad. Since I am still on a learning stage I wasn’t happy to spend too much money on this controller, so the iDJ2Go suits like a glove for people on this particular scenario! Here in Brazil where Imported electronics tend to be more expensive, this is a great opportunity to get a good equipment with Numark/iON brand for a good price! Great review!!!
[ link ]My experience with my iDJ2GO was a bit “meh,” unfortunately. While it was fun to use and there seemed to be next to no latency, the cue gain (headphone volume) rotary control didn’t work, and only the play/pause buttons were backlit.
I wasn’t expecting *a lot* out of iDJ2GO, but I was hoping the few controls it had would work. Maybe I just received a faulty unit, but the problems didn’t inspire confidence. I returned it and got a refund.
[ link ]I was using iDJ2GO with the latest version of djay, by the way.
[ link ]How come only 2 of the buttons light up on my unit? Cue and headphone button should light in red shouldn’t they? But mine dont
[ link ]I was bought a dj2go as a birthday pressie, something to go in the gig bag as a ‘get out of jail free’ unit if, god forbid, something went wrong with my main controller – I never considered it as an iOS device controller. Question for users here: how are you connecting it to your device? The only port I see on it is a micro USB and I don’t know of any 30pin iOS to micro USB leads out there…
[ link ]Hi. I’m really a starter and would like to buy something to make a sound and have some fun on friend’s parties. Which one would be more useful for me: iDJ 2 Go from ÍON or iDJ Live from Numark??? Thanks! ;D
[ link ]Hi nicole if you want cheap and good buy the ion, if you want a little bit more handy things buy the idj live or the idj live II, but if you want a full midi controller (is not full et all) buy the vestax spin 2 is the most expensive but you can use it on your iphone, ipad or a mac and you can charge the battery of the ios devices at the same time, i think the vestax spin 2 is the winner by far but cost 350 dollars, kind of overpriced
[ link ]How do I get my headphones to work I can’t listen to one side while the other side is playing When I hit the headphone button to hear the music through my headphones from the other side while the other side is playing on the stereo it doesn’t work as mice device defective should I take it back and get another one The headphone buttons don’t seem to light up
[ link ]Slow down! You need an audio interface or a splitter cable for headphones monitoring with this device. Do you have one?
[ link ]Can you DJ from Spotify with this I DJ to go
[ link ]No, you can’t DJ from Spotify with anything right now.
[ link ]