April 22nd, 2011
Equipment
The compact and well-built Reloop Mixage IE - note the big buttons, which can be used as hot cues as well as for transport.
As exclusively revealed on Digital DJ Tips last year, Reloop has two new controllers to add to its range, the Mixage Interface Edition and the Mixage Controller Edition. These basic controllers fit in at the bottom of Reloop’s range, and so are pitched against similar controllers such as the Vestax Typhoon and Numark Mixtrack / Numark Mixtrack Pro.
However, Reloop hopes that the Mixage controllers will find their own ground in this crowded niche, due to the inclusion of some features usually seen on more expensive controllers.
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April 19th, 2011
Equipment
The Traktor Kontrol S4: The first controller built just for Traktor. It's not cheap, but is it better than the rest?
The Traktor Kontrol S4 is the most popular DJ controller with Digital DJ Tips readers as voted for in your 2011 Reader’s Survey, but until now we’ve not carried a full review of the unit.
However, the initial months since its launch have given us the chance to really get to grips with it, and with the recent arrival of the Traktor Pro 2 software, we felt it was high time publish a full assessment. So here it is: the full Digital DJ Tips Traktor Kontrol S4 review.
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April 12th, 2011
Equipment
The Stanton SCS.4 DJ controller: Can be used as a normal Midi controller, or without the laptop at all, thanks to its built-in DJ software.
One of the most exciting products we saw at the Musikmesse show in Frankfurt last week came from Stanton, in the form of the SCS.4 DJ all-in-one digital controller.
All of the company’s digital gear – from the SCS.1 full-sized motorised digital set-up, to the SCS.3 touch control miniature DJ separates, has shown originality and vision, and that’s also the case with the SCS.4 DJ, as will become apparent when we take a closer look…
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April 11th, 2011
Equipment
The U-Mix Control Pro is a well-made, compact and fun-to-use controller. So is it worth your serious consideration?
French company MixVibes is one of the smaller digital DJ companies, but is well-respected in Europe and especially in its native France. The company has MixVibes Cross DJ as its flagship software product, and now it has a controller to go with it – the U-Mix Control Pro. (Incidentally, there’s iPad remote control software on the way too – we’ll review that too when we get our hands on it…)
When you buy the controller, you also get the full version of the software – no “light” edition, and so no need to then go and invest in a full-priced version or an expensive upgrade to unlock important features, as happens with some DJ controllers. Let’s look at the package as a whole…
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April 9th, 2011
Equipment
Shure SM58 - the industry standard vocal microphone for generations.
Reader Gerry Brown writes: “Hi Digital DJ Tips. I’ve just got a quick question I’d like to ask you about dynamic microphones for DJ applications as I’m looking to buy one… will any in the US$50 to US$100 price range suit the purpose?
“I was going to pick up an AKG 4000s, but I couldn’t really find any DJ recommendations. I just want to incorporate some of my own vocals in to a DJ set…”
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April 8th, 2011
Equipment
The Pioneer DJM-T1 two-channel Traktor Scratch mixer is given its first public outing at the Musikmesse show.
Frankfurt’s Musikmesse / Pro Sound & Light show is the biggest music fair in the world. In among the bassoons and concert PA systems, just about every DJ equipment manufacturer and software house has their latest wares on show. We spent three days there to check out all that’s new and good.
We’ve already covered Serato ITCH 2.0, the Novation Twitch controller and the DJ-Tech 4Mix prototype, but here’s our round-up of the rest of the products that caught our eye this week.
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April 6th, 2011
Equipment
The DJTech 4Mix packs many of the functions of much more expensive controllers into a consumer-focused device.
No everyone can afford to buy an S4 or a Xone:DX; many bedroom or beginner DJs want to play with all the functionality of a four-deck controller with lots of modern features without frankly spending a fortune on it – especially as it’s hard to justify big DJ spending if you’re not actually making any back from playing out.
Enter DJ-Tech 4Mix, a new DJ unashamedly budget controller being previewed here at Musikmesse as a prototype. With the same kind of build quality of most consumer gear nowadays – that is to say, perfectly fine for DJing on at home and the odd party – this unit packs in a lot of the functions of more expensive controllers at an expected street price of around €300.
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April 5th, 2011
Equipment
Gesture DJing, with the Novation Twitch DJ interface.
Serato ITCH just got itself a new controller. Novation’s Twitch is potentially a controllerist’s dream, ditching the jogwheels for a set of futuristic performance modes, chunky trigger pads and multi-gesture touchstrips. And what’s more, it can fit easily in a laptop bag.
We’ve got all the specs with a feature-by-feature breakdown, early analysis, pricing, availability, two official product videos and our video from the floor of Musikmesse…
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22 Comments »
April 2nd, 2011
Equipment
The complete Traktor range, updated for the next generation of Traktor DJs. Have you managed to get what you wanted yet? And if so, what's your first impression of your new purchase?
Well, the load on Native Instruments’ servers was apparently so huge on launch day last Wednesday that they temporarily went down. However, they handled it in the most part, and now, all over the world, thousands of DJs have their shiny new Traktor 2 products – and especially for controller DJs, Traktor Pro 2.
Many will be Kontrol S4 owners who now finally have the hardware/software combination that Native Instruments always intended for them. Others will be DJs using any of the other popular controllers that run best with Traktor.
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April 1st, 2011
Equipment
Technics DT1210: Exactly the same form factor as the Technics 1210, but with futuristic blue neon like the Vestax VCI-100 Mk 2. Is this the end of controllerism?
* For those of you coming to this late, it was an April Fool post…
Well we didn’t see this one coming. Panasonic, the company behind the recently discontinued Technics SL1210, today announced that it is relaunching its emblematic turntable of the past 30 years… as a digital control surface for all major DJ software, including Traktor, Virtual DJ and Serato. The new DT1210 will look and feel exactly the same as the traditional SL1210, but will have a built-in 24-bit/96kHz sound card and will output either line or phono-level signals, allowing it to be used with all standard DJ mixers.
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42 Comments »
April 1st, 2011
Equipment
Want knobs? Want buttons? Want to DJ from the flight deck of the Starship Enterprise? Stanton's got you covered.
Stanton has recently relaunched its flagship SCS.1 DJ System, which first hit the shelves back in 2009.
An ambitious digital pro-DJ hardware platform, the full-sized SCS.1 System (comprising the SCS.1m Midi mixer/sound interface and the SCS.1d motorised turntable) couldn’t be more different from Stanton’s SCS.3 System in terms of size – while the SCS.3 is one of the smallest modular DJ systems out there, this is probably the biggest. We put it through its paces…
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March 27th, 2011
Equipment
Should James sell his controller and buy a DVS system in order to break into his local bar scene?
Reader James Perez in Dublin, California writes: “I have a question about my equipment. I’ve been spinning for about five years now, and I recently bought the Numark NS7. It’s great, but I’m now at the age of trying to break into the bar scene, and most DJs are telling me I won’t be able to use it and should try to get familiar with vinyl players.
“I’m now wondering if I should sell my NS7 and just invest in some Stantons or Technics, just to get familar with the equipment that’s at the bars.”
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41 Comments »
March 19th, 2011
Equipment
The UDG Traktor Kontrol S4 trolley bag fills a gap for a quality bag specifically designed for this relatively large controller.
UDG Gear has announced the imminent release of an official Traktor Kontrol S4 soft trolley bag. The durable nylon bag has inline wheels, and is designed for DJs who travel and especially for those who fly, containing room for a laptop (up to 17″), the Traktor Kontrol S4, and other hardware and accessories, and featuring a subtle Traktor logo across the front.
“Designed in close collaboration between the two companies, the NI Traktor Trolley bag has been tailored to meet the needs of the digital DJ – with specific attention given to users of NI‘s Traktor Kontrol S4,” says the company. The bag will be welcomed by Kontrol S4 DJs, who have received the company’s hard case for the DJ controller with mixed feelings, mainly due to its weight.
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March 18th, 2011
Equipment
The XD-40 headphones are branded to match Allen & Heath's range of DJ products.
With modern gear letting today’s DJs be considerably more mobile, DJ headphones like the Allen & Heath Xone XD-40 offer a more portable monitoring solution for the DJ on the move, being just that little bit smaller than full-sized DJ headphones (for instance, their bigger brother, the Xone XD-53 model).
Small enough to fold neatly away, but designed nonetheless to do the job in all types of venue, this style of pro DJ headphones thus has particular appeal for digital DJs. Let’s look at this model a little closer:
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March 5th, 2011
Equipment
The Pioneer CDJ-2000 - a great piece of kit if you want to use CDs, but overkill for controlling Serato Scratch Live.
Reader FireAs writes: “I am currently on a Mixtrack Pro with Virtual DJ 6 and I want to change my DJ gear. I was thinking about getting some CDJs and a “real” 2-channel mixer; it gives a more “real” feel for the music… well, for me personally. But I really love the VDJ / Traktor / Serato Scratch Live route and I prefer using MP3s in my computer over playing CDs.
Therefore I’m thinking about buying a couple of good CDJs and a good mixer with built-in software support, like the Rane TTM57. (Are there others you’ve heard about that you can recommend? Not too expensive though… 
) What are your thoughts about this? Any recommendations or tips?
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26 Comments »
February 28th, 2011
Equipment
The Pioneer DDJ-T1 is typical of the new wave of four-channel DJ controllers.
19 leading four-channel DJ Midi controllers reviewed and rated
DJs have always loved extra decks and channels. Back in the dark ages when every DJ box had Technics record decks and standard mixer, to find a DJ box with three or even four Technics in it was something special. Today, with all major DJ software now coming with four decks as a minimum, the controllers are catching up. So far 2011 has seen a rake of new four channel hardware hit the market, joining the small number of four-deck controllers that had already become available over the past year or so.
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72 Comments »
February 27th, 2011
Equipment
The Akai LPD8 is a good little laptop pad controller - but will it work with Traktor LE to trigger samples?
Digital DJ Tips reader The General writes: “I’m new to DJing. I got a Numark Stealth with Traktor LE. My question is: Can I hook up an Akai LPD8 or Akai MPD18 so I can trigger sound effects? I play reggae music and I need sound effects like the horn etc.
“Please can you tell me if it would work and what software I would need… I am willing to spend US$100 on anything that would work.”
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21 Comments »
February 23rd, 2011
Equipment
The Hercules DJ Console 4-Mx looks like it is meant to improve on the popular DJ Console RMX: We take a closer look to see how well Hercules has done.
Hercules has made a name for itself since the very beginning of controllerism releasing “cheap and cheerful” DJ controllers, of the type that prove concept but hardly encourage professionals to take the brand seriously.
However, their DJ Console RMX, released a few years ago now, was a different beast. Heavy and constructed from metal, it was a pretty indestructible controller – a real workhorse which while still not without its foibles, has stood the test of time and quietly become one of the most popular DJ controllers out there: A real success story. Now with the DJ Console 4-Mx, Hercules has taken stock of the changes in the marketplace, and released what is obviously meant to be a successor to the DJ Console RMX.
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47 Comments »
