Pioneer may be best known for its vehicle electronics, however the company has also worked to establish its presence as a high-end brand in the DJ and music-production markets. The S-DJ05 speakers epitomize the expansion, placing the Pioneer brand on a pair of active reference monitors. In our full review, we try out the new speakers and attempt to determine if the offering is worth its hefty price tag.
Little Worlds Studio has launched a new iPad DJ app, DJ World Studio, with a low-latency, vinyl- and CD-styled interface that supports multi-touch input. The app features both pitch-bend wheels and vinyl scratch turntables, with side-by-side audio waveform displays for easier cuing and mixing. It can import MP3s from any source and remix songs live.
Fidelity Media has done some "fine tuning" on its MegaSeg DJing software, creating two editions and also tweaking some features and adding some presets, with the hope of making the product more affordable to those on a budget or just starting out, while making the program more powerful to experienced DJs and even professional TV and radio broadcasters.
Fidelity Media's popular DJing software MegaSeg has been updated to v5.5.3, introducing more than 30 stability and performance enhancements throughout the application, also fixing a rare issue with the category browser. The update is free for existing v5.x users. To celebrate Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the software is on sale for 20 percent off it's regular price until November 30th.
Mac-only pro audio/video DJ and broadcast automation software MegaSeg has been updated to version 5.5, introducing a new Wave Viewer, redesigned decks and trackpad beat syncing and scrubbing compatible with MacBook trackpads as well as Apple's Magic Trackpad and Magic Mouse. MegaSeg developer Fidelity Media says over 100 refinements are included in the update, which is free for MegaSeg v5 users.
Ableton, a German company best known for its Ableton Live music-creation software, and New Zealand-based Serato, makers of Scratch Live, have collaborated on a hybrid product, for DJs and producers alike, called "The Bridge."
Numark has previewed its new iPad game, Scratch: The Ultimate DJ. The game combines free-form DJ tricks and rhythm gameplay, using songs from numerous hip-hop artists. Numark is using technology from partners Alesis, Akai and ION. It allows players to remix songs using their own beats and effects, along with an external scratch deck.
MacNN's review of djay3.1, a comparatively inexpensive Mac-only DJ software title, found it simple enough to work with iTunes yet complex enough to compete with more expensive DJ software. It accesses a user's iTunes library and can play, program and manipulate the tracks. Using a dual-turntable interface, it allows cross fading, equalizing and gains on each deck. MacNN found the new interface easier to navigate, with an uncluttered and intuitive layout.
DJMixersoft has released an update to DJ Mixer Professional. The software provides tools for mixing music or video, along with a variety of effects and filters for altering media. Version 2.0 brings new tools for mixing video and audio together, while BPM detection enhancements are claimed to help synchronize tracks. Support has also been added for either automatically or manually mixing tracks.
DJMixersoft has introduced DJ Mixer Professional 2.0, the latest version of its DJ mixing software. The app enables users to automatically or manually mix different songs, with tools for beat-matching, synchronizing, and pitch scaling. Version 2.0 adds support for Mac OS X Snow Leopard, while allowing users to mix video clips. The video feature provides pitch, break, and scratch functionality.
Native Instruments on Tuesday introduced the Traktor Kontrol X1, a new controller for DJ software. The device is based on the Traktor DJ platform and designed to be used with timecode-controlled configurations including hardware mixers and turntables or CD decks. Two X1 units can also be combined for setups with four turntables.
Native Instruments on Wednesday released the Audio 2 DJ, the company's smallest USB audio interface geared for DJs. The device is designed for use with Traktor or other performance software. Two 1/4-inch outputs can be used to route stereo signals to an external mixer, or as a master output and headphone monitor when using a software mixer.
Fidelity Media says it has added over 40 improvements to its MegaSeg v4.5 DJ mixer and radio automation system, including Leopard compatibility. Version 4.5 also adds drag-and-drop support for iTunes, improved compatibility with multiple audio sources, MIDI control functions and presets and support for the Apple Remote. MegaSeg is a professional DJ application, supporting regular or beat-mixed segues between songs or music videos, sound effects via hot keys, scheduled playlists and other automated features.
Ableton has released Live 7 LE, its affordable professional-grade music-making solution. Built on the Live platform, the single-screen music production and performance solution offers most of its Ableton Live 7's new features for recording, songwriting, remixing and DJing. It includes studio-quality recording up to 32-bit/192 kHz; 64 audio tracks and unlimited MIDI tracks per project, MIDI sequencing for software instruments; and more than 20 built-in audio effects, including a host of creative delays, filters, distortions, studio compressors and EQs. The software also offers two software instruments-Simpler for creative sample-based synthesis, and Impulse for dynamic, sampled drums as well as support for VST and AU effects/instruments (along with automatic plug-in delay compensation).
Hercules has released the Mobile DJ MP3, a device it calls the world's "first wireless digital mixing mini-controller." Intended for novice DJs, the Mobile lets people pick tracks while away from their computer, and has controls for pitch, crossfading, effects, loops and over 25 other options. There are two jogwheels for scrolling and scratching, which are matched by two independent volume sliders. Should a DJ fail to pick tracks in time, the Mobile can be set to automatically pick a follow-up of its own.
Native Instruments today unveiled Traktor Scratch 1.2, a free software update to its professional digital DJ system, adding a number of features, as well as improved performance. Traktor Scratch uses digital turntables and CD-based DJ systems to alter digital music tracks. The new version also features tighter integration with iTunes, and enhanced time code tracking. New users can purchase Traktor Scratch for $700.
Mixing music as a disc jockey can be an cluttered proposition, requiring turntables, a mixer, expensive needles, among other pieces of equipment. A decent collection of vinyl can also prove to be unwieldy for some who don't have vintage record or specialty shops nearby. Algoriddim's Djay 2.0 provides users with most of the resources they will need for doing gigs and live parties. By using an iTunes library to provide mixing material, users require little more than the app, a Mac some headphones and speakers, maybe a USB audio interface if they want to do some of Djay's more advanced features.
