CD player

American Audio has introduced the Radius 1000, a DJ CD/MP3 player with MIDI capabilities for controlling professional music playback software.

The Radius 1000 lets you play digital tracks directly from your computer without using a mouse, giving you a real hardware feel.

In addition to functioning as an 8-channel MIDI controller for music playback software, the Radius 1000 also plays CD, CD-R and MP3 discs. There’s also a Dual Mode that allows you to play a CD or MP3 disc and control your computer software at the same time.

There’s a nice side benefit of this: In the event of a computer crash during a gig, you can switch over to playing discs on the Radius 1000. Read more…

2008 Summer NAMM Show: Numark intro’d the DDS80, aka “the world’s only future-proof CD player for the DJ.”

“The world’s only future-proof CD player for the DJ” features USB ports for connection of thumb and hard drives, iPods, MP3 players; and an included 80GB removable/upgradeable hard drive.

While Numark’s marketing catch-phrase may be a little over-the-top, the DDS80 looks like it offers state of the art digital DJ technology in a all-in-one package. 

DDS80 features:

• CD player with integrated hard drive
• Large backlit, full-color display
• Key lock for maintaining key (pitch) while shifting tempo
• Seamless looping, pitch control, and scratching capability via jog wheels
• Text search, letter-pick scrolling, and on-board playlist creation
• Three USB ports for connecting iPods, thumb drives, and hard drives
• Enables music to be played from two devices simultaneously, including two songs from the same iPod
• Users can scratch with MP3, WAV, and AAC (unprotected) files
• Pitch control from -100% … +25%
• Beatkeeper™ technology for seamless integration of samples and loops with tap override
• Searches via two large jog wheels and uses skip peak searching in profiles
• Two front-panel USB ports for easy expansion and connection
• 5RU total, or 3RU + 2RU, fits standard 19-inch equipment racks

More info is available at the Numark site. 

Numark has introduced a new turntable, the X2, that combines CD & vinyl functions into one hybrid unit.

The X2’s CD player offers full MP3 playback capability as well as the ability to scratch, loop, manipulate and pitch adjust both audio and MP3 data CDs. Since both the CD and turntable can be played simultaneously, this hybrid turntable is, according to Numark, “a bridge between the comfort and control of vinyl and the expansive capabilities of digital music output.”

The X2 Turntable retails for about $1,000. Read more…

Gemini has introduced a new Touch-Sensitive MP3/CD Player, the MPX-40.

Features:

• 3 Fly Cue Points
• 2 eight second Sampler Banks
• Seamless Loop capability
• Instant Reverse
• Variable pitch control range of +/- 4%, 8%, 16% even up to 100%

Fully audio CD, CD-R and CD-RW compatible with easy MP3 text and folder search ability, the MPX-40 also boasts 10-second Anti-Shock Protection, +10 track selection, large blue backlit LCD display, coaxial RCA digital output, a BPM counter and a Key Lock button that allows the tempo of the music to be adjusted without affecting the pitch.

MSRP of $499.95 (street price approximately $300.00)

Musikmesse: Stanton DJ introduced the new S.300 Tabletop CD Player w/ MP3 along with the complete DJ DIGIPAK.MP3 package that includes two S.300s, an SMX.211 mixer, a custom road case, and cabling.

The Stanton S.300 is a professional quality tabletop CD player with MP3 compatibility and anti-shock buffer memory.

Features:

• Single table top CD player with MP3 playback
• Anti-shock Buffer Memory
• 10 Key Quick Search
• Instant Start and Auto Cue
• Digital Output
• Fader Start
• Selectable Pitch Control [+/-8%,12%,16%]
• Pitch

The new DJ DIGIPAK.MP3 package is a complete and affordable solution for CD-based DJs that includes two Stanton S.300 CD players w/ MP3, a SMX.211 mixer, and custom road cases with all cabling. The SMX.211 includes a Crossfader Start, two line and two phono inputs, two-band EQ and Gain control per channel, cue section features, cue level and cue pan, mic input with two band EQ, user replaceable crossfader, and a compact size.