Hasta La Gadget!

Pioneer has enjoyed a fairly tight grip on the upper-end of the DJ market, but if you step out of the professional DJ booth, and into the bars and bedrooms, the competition starts to heat up. So when we heard about the XDJ-Aero and its curious new WiFi functionality, we were interested to see how this $1,399 controller would be received. That’s not to say the DJ mainstay doesn’t hold its ground in this busier market — it does — but as the far more frequent product release schedule will attest, the industry standard crown is still up for grabs. There’s the other issue of software to consider, also. Pioneer has remained fairly neutral so far, releasing controllers for the big two platforms already, with the paint barely dry on its latest addition.

The XDJ-Aero, however, hints at a new approach. One where you don’t need to choose your software gang colors to be involved. This isn’t the first bit of kit that lets you play direct from USB drives or skip the laptop, but it’s the first from Pioneer that clearly heads out in its own direction. Ditch the Traktor, wean yourself of Serato, even forget CDs and just get on with the mixing. That seems to be what the XDJ-Aero is about, but does it hold its own? We popped a few of our favorite ditties on to find out.

Continue reading Pioneer XDJ-Aero review: a DJ controller that loves music, hates physical formats

Filed under: Misc

Pioneer XDJ-Aero review: a DJ controller that loves music, hates physical formats originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Oct 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you’ve been enough of a Kid Koala fan to have heard his original Scratchcratchratchatch mixtape, you’ll remember a sample that mentioned building a “finger-powered record player.” Kid Koala, also known as Eric San, certainly remembers — buy the Limited Edition of his recently launched 12 Bit Blues album and you’ll get your own functional, build-it-yourself cardboard gramophone along with a playable disc. The only further requirements are a sewing pin and some hand power. It’s cheaper than tracking down the real thing, and a nod both to San’s turntablist style as well as the back-to-basics nature of the music. We call it clever and potentially inspiring; just remember that you’ll want some proper equipment before you DJ any house parties.

Continue reading Kid Koala bundles working cardboard gramophone with album, spurs on budding turntablists (video)

Filed under: Misc, Portable Audio/Video, Alt

Kid Koala bundles working cardboard gramophone with album, spurs on budding turntablists (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Sep 2012 16:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pioneer has a bunch of DJ controllers that it offers on the market today, and the one thing they tend to have in common is they are very expensive. If you ever thought it might be cool to learn how to be a professional DJ, but you didn’t want to spend thousands on your own DJ controller check out the new DDJ-WeGo. Pioneer says this is the least expensive DJ controller it’s ever offered.

The device will be available in September at an MSRP of $399 (USD). That price includes Virtual DJ Limited Edition software supporting Windows and Mac computers. The device doesn’t need an AC outlet to operate, getting its power from the USB port on your computer.

It comes in five different body colors including white, black, red, green, and violet. It has dual jog FX wheels, pulse control with lights for real-time feedback, and built-in audio ports. The device also has an integrated sound card for music storage and portability.

Load and start track A. Load, and start track B on the next down beat. Adjust pitch / speed of track B to keep in time with track A. Now you know the very basics of DJing, you might want some hardware to practice it on. Fortunately, for you beginners, Denon has just released the MC2000 DJ controller. An entry-level device that should get you (and your tracks) up to speed. Along with the plug and play USB device, you’ll get a copy of Serato’s DJ Intro mixing software (for which it was specifically designed) to get you started. If that’s not for you, or perhaps you’ve already earned your spinning stripes, and are looking for something compact, no problem — full MIDI output means this can work with other software options too. There’s a basic two-channel mixer snug between the pair o’wheels, and all the usual buttons for hot-cues and loops etc. As is fast becoming standard, the audio interface is built-in, making the hook-up at parties and gigs a much simpler — and less computer-bothering — affair. If has ticked your boxes, it’ll be available from October, commanding an estimated £269 / €325 / $299 out of your record budget when it does so. In the meantime you can cue-up the promo video after the break.

Continue reading Denon launches MC2000 DJ controller, invites prospective spinners to ‘own the party’ (video)

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Denon launches MC2000 DJ controller, invites prospective spinners to ‘own the party’ (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Aug 2012 18:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tired of the same-old DJ equipment or chiptune gear? Then may want to consider this new and unique piece of kit from Toronto-based Portmanteau Devices. Dubbed the Pianocade, it’s a synthesizer and MIDI controller that, as you can see, is disguised as an arcade authentic joystick (albeit one with quite a few extra buttons). Naturally, it’s also designed to be fully hackable and customizable (both the hardware and software are open source), and it even includes some strap mounts so you can wear it like a keytar. Sadly, the one thing it can’t be used for at the moment is an actual USB joystick, although Portmanteau hopes to add that feature before it ships, or roll out a firmware upgrade later failing that. Those interested can get their pre-orders in now for $250 or $325 Canadian for the one and two octave models, respectively, with shipments are expected to go out 8-12 weeks after the end of the pre-order period on September 14th. An electronics only package is also available for $100 if you’d prefer to build your own. Head on past the break to check it out in action.

Continue reading Pianocade synthesizer lets DJs practice their shoryuken skills

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Pianocade synthesizer lets DJs practice their shoryuken skills originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 23:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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