Music Thing: Numark's all-USB DJ console
By Tom Whitwell 
posted July 21st 2006 4:31PM
posted July 21st 2006 4:31PM
Each week Tom Whitwell of Music Thing highlights the best of the new music gear that's coming out, as well as noteworthy vintage equipment:
Not so long ago, DJing was simple. You turned up with a box of 12-inch vinyl records. The club / bar / shed / bedroom you were playing would have a pair of Technics SL1200 (or 1210 - the same but black) turntables. The DJ before you would explain how the switches worked on the mixer, you'd try to work out how to get sound in your headphones, and you were in business. Now things are different. Numark's D² Director has one USB port on the front, and two on the back. It can play tracks from a flash drive, an iPod or a portable hard drive.The huge LCD display shows waveforms and playlists, so you can assign tracks to either channel with the assisted beat-matching that's now common. If you can bear the shame, it's even possible to plug a USB keyboard into the thing, so you can search for songs by name. Essentially, it's a more professional version of Numark's IDJ2 iPod mixing console, with the Fisher-Price styling toned down and no iPod dock. Also, unlike the IDJ2, you'll need an external DJ mixer to crossfade between the two outputs. The suggested retail price is $799, which is considerably less than you'll get for a used pair of Technics decks on eBay. Numark has also released a load of other high-high-high end digital DJ gear at Summer NAMM, including the iCDX, a $999 CD player/pod dock, while the HD Mix is a all-in-one mixer, CD player, 80GB hard drive, USB host and effects box for a slightly eye-watering $1,699.
any chance to find videos of this thing in action?
seems to be exactly the type of upgrade ive been waiting to do to my setup.
So I guess it changes the old DJing phrase from 'two turntables and a microphone' to '13 USB docks, 4 sequencers, 5 mixers and a unidirectional Shure microphone'.
Personally, I'd rather beatbox everything.
Nothing can beat 2 Technic 1200's....
Seems alright. I'll stick to Serato and Ableton.
Yep. Serato still dominates. Its the only way to go.
Serato has a new competitor in town scheduled for release next month called Torq/Conectiv by M-audio. It includes Ableton integration via Rewire. Even syncs with it automatically. Played on it at Summer NAMM and it looks like my Serato is scheduled for ebay.
Demo Movie:
http://www.sonicstate.com/news/shownews.cfm?newsid=3257
Some things are better left alone. Now any kid can be a DJ without hitting the history books or DITC..and I've seen my fair share of crap DJs with CDJs who think they know everything.
Technology is great, and Lord knows I get sick of carrying milk crates, but DJing is NOT just plugging a USB cord in and hitting a couple of buttons...
1200s for life...
Doc:
It looks very impressive and gives an ability to be more free into doing multiple things at the same time. What I like the most about it is that you dont have to carry two laptops and that the amp is decent for its size compared to Final Scratch 2. Looks like it is very stable unit.
1210's for life. the only difference is the black and they have no click at 0 :)