A French company called Stembox claims its new DJ product can turn any DJ controller into something similar to the classic standalone experience. It is selling its own DJ software, a 15.6in touchscreen to run it on, and soon a version with the whole system built into the screen so the laptop can stay at home entirely. Prices start at €129.
It appears to built around the Rekordbox USB workflow. You prepare your music in Rekordbox, export it to a stick, and Stembox reads that stick directly – playlists, beatgrids, hot cues and keys – with any Midi controller plugged in doing the driving. Audio comes out of your controller as usual. Anything that can export a Rekordbox-format stick should work if I understand this correctly, which is worth noting given AlphaTheta’s OneLibrary is heading in that direction too.
There are three ways in: Stembox Software at €129 is a one-off lifetime licence for Windows and macOS, on up to two computers, displayed on whatever screen you already own. Stembox Display at €229 adds a 15.6in Full HD IPS touchscreen over USB-C, with your computer still doing the work. Stembox Pro+ at €389 puts a board inside the screen so no computer is needed at all, and is listed as coming soon.
So what do you actually get?
This is a full mixing app rather than a second screen for Rekordbox. Two or four decks, three-band EQ, sync, quantize, master tempo, key sync, eight pads across eight modes (hot cues, beat jump, auto loops, a 16-slot sampler, key shift, momentary effects), seven tempo-synced effects plus six on the channel knob, and mix recording – plus, crucually, stems. The browser has a Matching view that shows only tracks that work with what’s playing, key sorting in harmonic order, and two waveform layouts including a side-by-side club-style view.
Sign up to our newsletter
Free every Tuesday Your weekly digest of the latest training, gear reviews, industry news, and exclusive tips and tricks to help you stay ahead in your DJing.
We collect, use and protect your data in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
The stems run on the pads of any controller, per deck, with an FX Part Select function that sends an effect to one element and leaves the rest alone. Separation happens inside Stembox on your own machine, but before the set rather than during it, and the company says to allow a few minutes per track (this is similar to early Engine Dj standalone stems). There’s also a four-sound step sequencer called Drum Station and a Loop Saver that fires a loop at the end of a track if you haven’t mixed out in time. Missing: mic and aux inputs, timecode vinyl, booth output, broadcasting and Auto DJ.
There’s a browser-based controller compatibility checker on their website, which is the first place to go given the whole thing rests on your gear being recognised. A five-day trial is advertised across the site, but the trial page says it isn’t currently being offered.
First Thoughts
I’m in two minds. Part of me sees another layer of complication, because who wants to run two DJ apps? You’re prepping in one and playing in another, and that’s before you think about what happens when something goes wrong mid-set. But there’s a real idea in here, it appears to be well funded, and it’s presented properly. €389 for a Tekordbox-stick workflow with a screen and no laptop is a price nothing else gets close to. I’d also say this looks primed for either legal action or AlphaTheta simply buying the company, and I wouldn’t want to bet on which! Which is a long way of saying I can’t call it from a website.
I’ve reached out to Stembox and I’m looking forward to getting my hands on one, because I think playing with it is the only way I’ll truly be able to work out whether it holds up. Meanwhile you can find out more here.
Phil Morse
