controller | Digital DJ Tips

October 22nd, 2012 News & Opinion

Stanton Adds Hot Cues & Other Improvements To SCS.4DJ

by Phil Morse

The Stanton SCS.4DJ gets a further boost with another round of improvements to its built-in DJ software.

Owners of the bold, laptop-free Stanton SCS.4DJ controller will be pleased to hear that the company has announced a firmware upgrade that fixes some issues with the unit and delivers a number of long-requested features.

BPM improvements, hot cues, loop memory and better scratch logic are just some of the fixes and tweaks that the new v3 of the operating system that powers the SCS.4DJ – called SC-IX – contains.

10 Comments »

October 15th, 2012 Reviews

Review & Video: Magma Control Stand

by Phil Morse

Designed for larger-sized DJ controllers plus a laptop of any size, the Magma Control Stand is a good solution for semi-permanent installation.

DJ laptop stands are pretty much the same, aren’t they? A platform for your laptop or controller, and maybe a little shelf for an audio interface, if you’ve bought a posh one. The differences are really down to quality. Right?

Well, not always. One stand that bucks the trend is the Magma Control Stand. This clever stand is designed from the ground up to hold both a DJ controller (and a big one, at that) and a laptop, while playing nicely with any existing gear either in your home studio or at the club. We put one through its paces…

26 Comments »

October 3rd, 2012 News & Opinion

Pioneer DDJ-SX Launched: First Controller For New Serato DJ Software

by Phil Morse

The Pioneer DDJ-SX is a heavyweight contender, with a full standalone mixer, four channels of Serato control and just about every performance feature ever invented crammed into its brushed aluminium control plate.

Update: We’ve now published a full Pioneer DDJ-SX review. A new DJ controller – the Pioneer DDJ-SX – will be the first to come bundled with Serato DJ, Serato’s latest software. Today’s announcement of both controller and software gives a launch date of November 1. Scroll on for video, pricing, photo gallery and more.

With velocity-sensitive performance pads, a four-channel standalone hardware mixer and a slip mode borrowed from Pioneer’s CDJs, the controller is a high-end model, in Vestax VCI-400 territory, with visual elements and build quality also reminiscent of the Numark NS6.

82 Comments »

September 23rd, 2012 Training

Over To You: Can I Add A Controller To Traktor Just For Effects?

by Phil Morse

Adding an Allen & Heath K2 to your set-up would give you extra controls. Pic: Traktor Bible

Digital DJ Tips reader Perry writes: “I use Traktor Pro 2 to DJ with, alongside my Kontrol S2 controller and laptop, and while DJing I find it hard to easily vary the effects I can use. If I’m honest, the S2 just doesn’t give me enough options for controlling effects within Traktor.

“So I am writing to you today to asking if there are any external controller units that integrate with Traktor and allow for you to have more control over what you are doing?”

31 Comments »

August 16th, 2010 Equipment

Denon DN-MC6000 DJ Mixer & Midi Controller Announced

by Phil Morse

The new Denon DN-MC6000 crams a lot in to a small space.

Looks like the new Traktor Kontrol S4 hasn’t got everything its way: Announced today at the 2010 DJ Expo in Atlantic City, the Denon DN-MC6000 (US$949 / £615 / €709) is an exciting 4-deck DJ mixer and Midi controller with all the high-end features you could possibly imagine integrated into its sleek tabletop steel chassis.

It certainly looks the part, being of predictably high construction quality and really cramming a lot into its 19″ rack-mountable frame.

48 Comments »