Xylio has updated FutureDecks Pro, DJ mixing software for Windows and Mac, to version 1.5.

Changes in FutureDecks Pro v1.5 include:

• New skin (widescreen).
• Video preview screen (for both DirectX and OpenGL mode).
• New CUE points logic (for the small cue points buttons).
• Special AutoMix playlist.
• Allow Auto-Mix on all lists (use current list when Auto-Mixing instead of special list).
• Inserting/selecting multiple songs (works with Drag&Drop, Remove, Physical Remove, Analyze).
• Searching works also with comment and album and preserves last cursor position (when leaving search mode).
• Shuffle function.
• Move song to top/bottom of list (Ctrl + PgUp/Down).
• Current time on the standard skins.
• Complete rewrite of several parts of the software to allow further improvements and better stability.
• Numerous small improvements.
• Performance optimizations.
• Lots of stability improvements.
• Error on mouse leaving button still pressed (the button remained on).
• Video quality fixed (both OpenGL and DirectX).

FutureDecks Pro is available for Mac & PC, and retails for $99 USD / 79 EUR / 59 GBP.

Check out this insanity!

The 5 Gum Augmented Reality Music Mixer uses augmented reality – the idea of combining real world and computer-generated 3D graphics in real-time – to create a virtual DJ mixer that you control with controller “glyphs”.

The glyphs are used as the input device and allow users to:

• Change the volumes of each track by moving the glyph relative to the central reference glyph.
• Modify the tracks themselves by rotating the glyphs on their axis. This will add distortion, bit crusher and echo effects.
• Remove the audio track from the mix by covering or removing the glyphs.

The project is part of Wrigley’s 5 Gum “Stimulates Your Senses”promotion.

The technology

The Wrigley 5 Gum project utilises Releas3D, which combines:

• Flash
• Papervision 3D
• 2D video technology and workflow
• Augmented Reality technology
• An Entity/Resource Management system
• Video Capture and Encoding system

Features

• 15 music tracks to create your own mix
• 3 animated flavour orbs
• Control volume and add effects: distortion, bit crusher, echo
• Record, add to gallery and share your mix
• Vote for your favourite mixes
• No software downloads
• No security warnings
• No browser restrictions
• No platform restrictions

NAMM 2009 Pioneer MEP-7000, DJM-3000 Demo

via agiprodj:

National Pioneer Demonstrator DJ Jay shows us the Pioneer MEP-7000 Media Controller and the DJM-3000 mixer.

An overview of the Gemini CDMP-5000:

Player Section

• Audio CD, CD-R & MP3 compatible -
• Plays MP3 files from USB storage device* -
• BPM Read Out -
• Anti-shock using RAM buffer memory 
• 2 Selectable Jog modes Pitch Bend/Search 
• Multifunction scroll knob for MP3 folder navigation 
• Instant-start & cue with preview 
• Single & continuous play modes 
• One Seamless loop per side with reloop 
• Pitch bend via jog wheel or buttons 
• Three mode time selection 
• Frame accurate search 
• Bright VFD display 
• Variable pitch control with three settings +/- 8,16 & 24% 
• Fully programmable with repeat function 
• (FAT 32 formatted storage devices only)

Mixer Section

• 3 band EQ with gain control 
• 1/4″ headphone output 
• XLR and 1/4″ mic input 
• Auxiliary inputs for phono or line devices

Unit Dimensions: 19 x 10.2 x 4.3 (482 x 260 x 110 mm)
Weight: 12.1 lbs. (5.5 kg)
Shipping: 15.6 lbs. (7.1 kg)

This is Numark’s overview of their presence at the 2009 Winter NAMM Show.

NAMM 2009 Pioneer DJM-800, DVJ-1000

via agiprodj:

National Pioneer Demonstrator DJ Jay runs us through some of the features of the Pioneer DJM-800 and the DVJ-1000.

Andy Rigby-Jones from Allen & Heath does a quick walkthrough of their new Xone:22 dj mixer.

via Scratchworx

2009 WInter NAMM Show: Allen & Heath has unveiled the Xone:22, a 2 channel analog DJ mixer – a mixer which A&H says offers pro-quality sound and features, but at an entry-level price.

“We’ve raised the bar on entry level mixer design with the Xone:22. It’s the first mixer at this price point to have a full cut isolator/EQ, accurate metering, quality faders and pro standard audio headroom. Incorporating a “lite” version of our now legendary Xone filter system is the icing on the cake,” explains Xone designer, Andy Rigby-Jones.

Description:

At the heart of the feature set is a lite version of the renowned analogue Voltage Control Filter (VCF) system offering Low-Pass and High-Pass filters, frequency sweep and ‘mild to wild’ resonance control. There is also a soft switched effects loop to bring in external effects, which are routed back in through the filter system.

The new mixer has 2 stereo channels with dual phono/line inputs, and phonos can be configured to line if no RIAA sources are in use. There is a 3-band total kill EQ, crossfader curve control switch, and the maximum output level is a generous +25dBu.

The main mix output and mic input are on professional standard balanced XLR’s, and there is a dedicated record output. The Xone:22 is equipped with comprehensive monitoring facilities, including a booth output with its own volume control, a cue mix control, and ‘cue-to-master’ switch to preview the master output. There are also 10-segment LED meters with selectable bar or dot mode display for each channel.

The Xone:22 is finished with UV sensitive ink screen for improved low light legibility.

Available from March 2009, SRP for the Xone:22 is £266 (+VAT).

2009 NAMM Show preview: Numark is now shipping the HDMIX uber-DJ mixer. 

HDMIX isn’t just a DJ mixer, though: it’s also a CD player with standard controls, an iPod and USB-device mixing station, and a computer that plays MP3 and other digital files from its removable, upgradeable hard drive.

HDMIX has been designed for mobile DJs and club owners who need a complete, portable system. HDMIX features an internal hard drive and an internal CD/DVD drive that plays CD, MP3-CDs and MP3-DVDs, and allows field-ripping music from a disc into the hard drive.

HDMIX is now available, with a list price of $1,299.00.

This is Numark’s video intro to the Numark M Series Tabletop Scratch Mixers.

Numark has introduced the PRO SMX, the most powerful DJ battle mixer it has made to date.

Designed to the exact specifications of the DMC champion French DJ team, Birdy Nam Nam, PRO SMX features a 100% analog audio path, Pro X Fade crossfaders, three inputs per channel and a 3-band EQ.

Numark’s PRO SMX is available now from DJ and Pro Audio retailers at an MSRP of $799.

Description:

The physical height of PRO SMX is optimized for use next to professional turntables, such as the Numark TTX.

A PRO X FADE crossfader, considered by many to be the world’s finest DJ crossfader, employs conductive-polymer technology for long life and low wear. The VCA fader offers adjustable cut-in points, adjustable resistance and reverse, enabling DJs to customize the feel and function of the PRO X FADE in PRO SMX.

Gold-plated rear-panel connectors ensure solid cable connections, and XLR master outputs deliver extra-clean, balanced signal. An entirely analog signal running through high-end componentry results in outstandingly high audio quality.

Three inputs per channel, including balanced 1/4-inch inputs, permit connection of drum machines, samplers and other musical instruments with reliable signal transmission. An auxiliary Session input with volume control allows mixers to be daisy-chained for a collaborative scratch session.

A three-band EQ section is available on each channel, and is switchable between 12 dB for traditional EQing or +12/-INF dB for use as frequency kills. A newly developed effects loop enables use of any external effects unit. Its intelligent circuitry senses the presence of signal and routes audio appropriately to eliminate sonic degradation resulting from phase cancellation.

“No one knows more about the right mixer for their style of music than the DJ”, stated Scott Garside, Behringer Corporate Communications Manager. “Any company eager to listen to their users is going to learn not only what is right about their mixers, but also where they have missed the mark. Our greatest hope is that DJs who use any brand of mixer will see this as an opportunity to get a design really right. In any case, the DJ wins.”

A completed survey is also an entry to win one of five Behringer DDM4000 digital DJ mixers. Winners will be announced on January 1st, 2009.

Numark is now shipping the MixMeister Control DJ system, designed to let you focus less on the computer screen and more on your performance.

Numark partnered with the MixMeister to create a hardware control surface specifically designed for interaction with and control of MixMeister software. 

MixMeister Control contains 94 pre-mapped hardware controls laid out in identical fashion to the software it controls. No configuration or setup is needed, and the single-cable USB connection carries both control data and power from DJs’ Mac or PCs to MixMeister Control.

The software enables DJs to mix complete sets from full-length songs, integrate and edit loops, mix, and produce performance mixes with full Digital Audio Workstation functionality.

“MixMeister Control transforms DJs,” said Mark Frederick, VP Sales and Marketing. “Rather than spending their time focused on getting the beat-matching and song transitions right, MixMeister Control empowers DJs to produce their performances in real time. The result is great performances by great performers who feed off the energy they get from their audience.”

Numark has introduced HDMIX, a DJ mixer that also offers:

• a CD player with standard controls;
• an iPod and USB-device mixing station;
• a computer that plays MP3 and other digital files from its removable, upgradeable hard drive.

HDMIX features an internal hard drive and an internal CD/DVD drive that plays CD, MP3-CDs and MP3-DVDs, and allows field-ripping music from a disc into the hard drive.

Features:

• Professional DJ mixer with CD and expandable playback options
• CD player plays CDs, MP3-CDs, and MP3-DVDs
• 80GB hard drive is replaceable and upgradable up to 1TB
• High-definition color LCD screen
• Three input channels, each with with EQ and gain
• Two USB ports for connecting iPods, thumb drives, and hard drives
• Two mic, three line, and two phono inputs
• XLR master and RCA zone outputs;1/8″ and 1/4″ Headphone outputs
• Scratch with MP3, WAV, and AAC (unprotected) files
• Massively-wide pitch control -100% – +25%
• Key Lock lets you independently shift tempo and pitch
• Jog wheels for seamless looping, pitch control, and scratching
• Text search, letter-pick scrolling, and on-board playlist creation
• Track search by artist, album, song, genre, and BPM
• Create custom playlists while performing
• Keyboard included for fast searching
• Beatkeeper™ technology for auto-syncing loops and samples; TAP override
• Transfer tracks between HDMIX and your Mac or PC via USB

It looks like the uber-sexy Aurora 224,  an open source USB powered multichannel DJ mixer, is DOA. 

According to a post by Mike Garbus in the Aurora forum:

We’ve got some unfortunate news. Due to a lack of interest we won’t be able to sell aurora units at this time. We needed to get at least 50 people signed up to get the group order through, and we did not even get 20 orders. We can’t currently cover the cost of the remaining thirty odd kits, so we’ll have to postpone the order indefinitely. If the situation changes you’ll be the first to know.

The site will stay up, and we will be posting more files in a few days for those of you who are interested in building your own.

sincerely,

the aurora team.

Hopefully they’ll reconsider this. It seems like they just announced this and are shutting it down without giving the project a chance to take off.

The Aurora 224 – a USB powered multichannel DJ mixer designed by Matt Aldrich, Mike Garbus and Maro Sciacchitano – is now available for purchase as a kit.

The device features two linear channel faders, a single a/b crossfader and eight backlit buttons. Twenty four backlit knobs allow you to control effects. It’s open source – so you can hack it as you will.

Aurora, unlike most MIDI controllers, offers some awesome controllable ambient lighting effects.

Here’s another gear porn shot of the Aurora:

Here’s a video of the Aurora in action:

Peter Kirn has a nice hands-on look at this over at Create Digital Music.

Auroramixer

Aurora is an awesome open source usb powered multichannel mixer in a typical DJ form factor. Aurora is designed to easily integrate with your favorite midi compatible software.

The device features two linear channel faders, a single a/b crossfader and eight backlit buttons.T wenty four backlit knobs allow you to control effects.

Aurora, unlike most midi controllers, also looks pretty awesome, with controllable ambient lighting.

Here’s a video of the Aurora mixer in use:

Details, including source code, Gerber files, manuals and more, are available at the Aurora site.

via Hackaday

2008 NAMM Summer Show: Numark announcee three new series of DJ mixers: the C-series of rack-mount club mixers, the M-series of tabletop DJ mixers, and the X-series of 100% digital tabletop DJ mixers.

The C-series of 19-inch rack-mount mixers features multi-channel input sections with phono, line, and microphone inputs, multiple outputs, and sizing to fit standard 19-inch equipment racks. Models include C1, C2, C3, C3FX and C3USB, providing clubs a wide variety of feature sets from which to select their mixer.

The M-series of tabletop mixers includes compact and full-sized 10-inch tabletop DJ scratch mixers. Multiple channels including phono, line and microphone inputs and a range of options for EQ, frequency kills, and transform buttons are available. Models include M1, M1USB, M2, M3 and M4.

X-series DJ scratch mixers build on the M-series, incorporating a 100% digital signal path and signal processing technology from Alesis to provide low noise, low harmonic distortion, and the utmost fidelity. Models include X1USB, X6 and X9, each with a full compliment of DJ-friendly features and capabilities.

The all-new mixer models, C1, C2, C3, C3FX, C3USB, M1, M1USB, M2, M3, M4, X1USB, X6 and X9 will all be on-shelf at retailers within Q3-2008.

Allen & Heath has unveiled a sweet new DJ mixer/controller – the new Xone:4D performance DJ controller.

Evolved from the revolutionary Xone:3D, the Xone:4D has an updated feature set, combining a professional analog DJ mixer with 105 MIDI controls, and a new 96 kHz/24bit 20-channel USB 2.0 soundcard.

Features:

The mixer section is based on the Xone:92 and features 4 triple-input stereo channels (soundcard, phono and line), 3 band total kill EQ, 2 stereo effects sends, 2 analogue VCF filters with LFO, VCA crossfader and dual-rail channel faders, DJ mic and cue monitoring system.

For the assignable LFO, a new editable step-filter function has been developed, designed for creative combinations of the tempo-detecting BPM counter and tap tempo. Each MIDI fader becomes a filter cut-off frequency, enabling users to “draw” their own tempo-locked LFO waveform.

There is also a new 16-bit tempo detecting circuit, which constantly monitors the BPM and outputs a MIDI clock to help synchronize MIDI-controlled music replay software with external source program material.

The stereo FX sends can be used with external equipment such as effects units and samplers and now both FX sends can be routed to the USB audio system and sent to the PC. The FX2 hardware output can be switched to act as a Main Mix record output.

There are two dedicated MIDI control strips comprising 8 60mm faders, 16 centre-detented rotary controls, 10 rotary encoders with push switches, 32 switches (8 illuminated), and 2 improved high quality custom jog wheels with 4 navigation switches. The Xone:4D’s MIDI sections now have a ’shift’ function giving two layers of MIDI controls, allowing 227 mappable MIDI messages from the 105 MIDI controls on the front panel, and a fader pickup algorithm allows seamless movement between the layers.

In addition, several mixer functions generate and respond to MIDI, and the BPM counter provides MIDI start/stop and clock. The Xone:4D provides full control of external MIDI devices including the most sophisticated DJ performance computer environments. Overlays are available to identify the control function for popular software applications.

A 20-channel USB2.0 soundcard is built into the mixer, featuring 4 analog stereo inputs and outputs, transmitting audio at up to 96kHz with 24 bit resolution. It uses USB to interface the mixer audio and MIDI to a PC where the sound may be manipulated in real time using any music software application. The soundcard also produces SPDIF, COAX and optical digital inputs and outputs.

A low latency ASIO driver is provided for audio streaming between the 4D and PC. Each mixer channel has its own soundcard input routing switches allowing for complete flexibility on what gets sent to or from the PC.

Mackie has launched a new type of mixer designed for musicians, DJs and producers – the U.Series Production Mixer.

“The keyboardist, DJ and producer of today are forced to use over-complicated mixers designed for their dad’s era, or compromise with low-quality features and severely limited connectivity options,” said John Boudreau, Mackie brand group vice president. “U.Series mixers bridge that gap — making them ideal for vinyl, modular analog synths and anything in between. These are the simplest, most intuitive mixers on the market today.”

Here are the details:

Each model features a micro-master section with otherwise full-size qualities such as a prominent master volume knob and high resolution metering. Mic or stereo line channel strips with 3-band active EQ, a built-in DI box and RIAA phono preamps allow you to plug-in, and turn up for live sound and recording via integrated stereo Firewire I/O.

“Loop-thru” routing enables you to mix and record analog and DAW playback with a couple of simple moves. Each offers a stereo aux send, headphone out with pre-main level control and self-monoing outputs.

The U.420 4-channel stereo line mixer offers 3-band “full-kill” active EQ on each channel, a built-in DI box and a Mackie designed RIAA phono preamp.

The U.420d offers 2 Mackie mic channels with 30mm faders, and features 3-band active EQ with mid-sweep, while 2 high-headroom stereo line input channels include 2 Mackie designed RIAA phono preamps, 3-band active EQ, a full headphone cue system and a 30mm crossfader.

The U.Series mixers will be available in the U.S. and Canada in April 2008 and internationally in May 2008. The U.420 will be €249 and have a U.S. MSRP of $249.99 . The U.420d will be €299 and have a U.S. MSRP of $319.99.