Auroroa: the open source DJ mixer

Sick of paying top dollar for your mixers? Yeah, so are we. But we're not so sure about building our own from scratch, even if you can get the full source code and build schematics to whip up your own Auroroa open source mixer. (They'll sell you posers one pre-built, too, if you want to front it.) Matching, scratching, and tasteful song selection? You're on your own there, pally boy.

[Via hack a day]

[neofolklore @ Jul 9th 2008 7:09AM]

NOT SURE... IF WANT.......

[Steve Jones @ Jul 9th 2008 1:29PM]

Me neither. I've only recently bought my DJM900 so to think about spending any more money makes me cry!

[Jacko @ Jul 9th 2008 7:12AM]

Second!!! YEAH SCORE! not sure if want either

[Shadowise @ Jul 9th 2008 7:16AM]

Nice piece of equipment. Makes me wish I was a DJ.

[Scott @ Jul 9th 2008 10:06AM]

Dj who can only play on a laptop are a joke....

[Tonicboy @ Jul 9th 2008 10:28AM]

@Scott

The only idiots who say stuff like that are posers who think they are too cool for school. If Armin van Buuren played a set on vinyl, and then played the same set by laptop, I guarantee you would never know the difference.

[neofolklore @ Jul 9th 2008 11:35AM]

lol, Armin van Buuren called CD DJs posers, then next year he was using it and called records "outdated technology". If Armin van Buuren switched to a laptop, everybody would still suck his dick and take it in the ass simultaneously. no homo, its trance music.

[dan2600 @ Jul 9th 2008 12:05PM]

not this flame war agian:

ok as a DJ who has used all 3 styles here is my break down

Vinyl:Most costly, but, Hands down best sound quality AT FIRST, however, no matter how much you protect them, treat them, gruvglide them, vinyls wear out, and depending on how much you use them they care ware out quickly.

CDJs: Easy to use, easy to precount beats, decent sound quality (Unless you are just burning MP3s to CDrs). The draw back is you can't scratch, and I don't care what you say, the CDjs that do scratch emulation don't feel the same. Great for house/trance/ect where mixing is important.

Laptop Vinyl: Nice control, feels like real vinyl, cheap (music wise). The problem is mp3s are a LOW SOUND QUALITY, even at 320K. The problem is that the vast majority of people don't realize or appreciate hi-fi sound (especially since most club sound systems are bass heavy, so you don't notice the high cut that MP3s do anyway). As long as music is properly mastered for digital use, it works.

Laptop Midi Controller: It's its own thing, if you are playing track to track to track, you are nothing more then a jukebox. I guess you get props for your music selection, but you auto-beatmatch using midi controller DJs out there owe the crowd somthing, ive seen all sorts of ways to liven it up, some successful, some not.

I personally use laptop vinyl now for my electro and hiphop sets, just because the price is right. Clubs don't want to pay like the used to (unless your some big name guy). I don't DJ to make a living, so whatever, its jjust for fun. However if vinyls were cheaper, i would prefer to use them, its just more natural, and more fun.

[dan2600 @ Jul 9th 2008 12:06PM]

not this flame war agian:

ok as a DJ who has used all 3 styles here is my break down

Vinyl:Most costly, but, Hands down best sound quality AT FIRST, however, no matter how much you protect them, treat them, gruvglide them, vinyls wear out, and depending on how much you use them they care ware out quickly.

CDJs: Easy to use, easy to precount beats, decent sound quality (Unless you are just burning MP3s to CDrs). The draw back is you can't scratch, and I don't care what you say, the CDjs that do scratch emulation don't feel the same. Great for house/trance/ect where mixing is important.

Laptop Vinyl: Nice control, feels like real vinyl, cheap (music wise). The problem is mp3s are a LOW SOUND QUALITY, even at 320K. The problem is that the vast majority of people don't realize or appreciate hi-fi sound (especially since most club sound systems are bass heavy, so you don't notice the high cut that MP3s do anyway). As long as music is properly mastered for digital use, it works.

Laptop Midi Controller: It's its own thing, if you are playing track to track to track, you are nothing more then a jukebox. I guess you get props for your music selection, but you auto-beatmatch using midi controller DJs out there owe the crowd somthing, ive seen all sorts of ways to liven it up, some successful, some not.

I personally use laptop vinyl now for my electro and hiphop sets, just because the price is right. Clubs don't want to pay like the used to (unless your some big name guy). I don't DJ to make a living, so whatever, its jjust for fun. However if vinyls were cheaper, i would prefer to use them, its just more natural, and more fun.

[dan2600 @ Jul 9th 2008 12:05PM]

not this flame war agian:

ok as a DJ who has used all 3 styles here is my break down

Vinyl:Most costly, but, Hands down best sound quality AT FIRST, however, no matter how much you protect them, treat them, gruvglide them, vinyls wear out, and depending on how much you use them they care ware out quickly.

CDJs: Easy to use, easy to precount beats, decent sound quality (Unless you are just burning MP3s to CDrs). The draw back is you can't scratch, and I don't care what you say, the CDjs that do scratch emulation don't feel the same. Great for house/trance/ect where mixing is important.

Laptop Vinyl: Nice control, feels like real vinyl, cheap (music wise). The problem is mp3s are a LOW SOUND QUALITY, even at 320K. The problem is that the vast majority of people don't realize or appreciate hi-fi sound (especially since most club sound systems are bass heavy, so you don't notice the high cut that MP3s do anyway). As long as music is properly mastered for digital use, it works.

Laptop Midi Controller: It's its own thing, if you are playing track to track to track, you are nothing more then a jukebox. I guess you get props for your music selection, but you auto-beatmatch using midi controller DJs out there owe the crowd somthing, ive seen all sorts of ways to liven it up, some successful, some not.

I personally use laptop vinyl now for my electro and hiphop sets, just because the price is right. Clubs don't want to pay like the used to (unless your some big name guy). I don't DJ to make a living, so whatever, its jjust for fun. However if vinyls were cheaper, i would prefer to use them, its just more natural, and more fun.

[Minilap @ Jul 9th 2008 2:01PM]

All you DJs need to fuck off, producing is where its at. Beside you think you are special because you can beatmatch? Why do you think people like to use auto beatmatch? Because beatmatch is fucking easy, I learned in less than 3 hours, i know for some of you takes 3-4 months. So one would rather to do auto beat match and instead spend that time to do something else, make the set shine. Instead of bitching on the internet about laptop DJs why don't you train that ears of yours so you can at least mix in keys when the sets needs it.

[John Z @ Jul 9th 2008 7:31AM]

I like. Considering I've been thinking about dropping $300 on a semi-amateur setup, this seems like it might be an interesting project to try out.

[johnzilla @ Jul 9th 2008 10:15AM]

I think you mean "semi-pro". Dropping $300 to be less than an amateur would be kinda silly.

[foaf @ Jul 9th 2008 8:04AM]

Thanks for absolutely zero information

[Chas G @ Jul 9th 2008 8:32AM]

Isn't it Aurora, and not Auroroa?

[Brett @ Jul 9th 2008 9:02AM]

Well, that's sure what the item in the photo has etched on it.

[RoryTheRuffian @ Jul 9th 2008 8:39AM]

Yay!! i'll get this and have it sewed into my jumper and make myself a Mobile DJ! Or maybe it would make a cool midi-controller hat! All i need now is a set of speakers that i can use as earings and a little laptop like that Asus Eeeeeeee yoke. Brilliant, I have a goal in life! Who will come to my gigs?? (If not, i can come to you)

[Sam @ Jul 9th 2008 10:28AM]

wat

[dan2600 @ Jul 9th 2008 9:05AM]

huh?!

Go buy a arduino board and some knobs and you get the same thing, all this is does is send midi signals to max/msp(a very overpriced program) which can be done with any DYI programing chip (like a BASICstamp or as I mentioned arduino board)

I've done DJing with Max/MSP and PD before, and sure its yay DYI DJ interface, but in all honesty, it is slow, clunky and unreliable (and with these damn lepord updates that keep killing quicktime max/msp is quickly becoming un-usable). Max/MSP is ok for prototyping but as a usable programing enviroment it doesn't do to well and there is much better precompiled software out there (just don't say that to any of the MAX fanboys)

Midi knob controllers are always over priced, but you can get a cheap one for like 100 bucks, and save the headache, use it with Torq or Traktor and you have yourself a nice non-hardware-locked setup.

[RoryTheRuffian @ Jul 9th 2008 9:38AM]

I agree, I admire your knowlege. I got me an Ecler Nuo4, Mixer & Midi etc... That's the road I went down and it's a beautiful smooth road. :o)

[dan2600 @ Jul 9th 2008 9:14AM]

Might I add, hardware based mixers (aka minus laptop mixers) are always better anyway.

[frank @ Jul 9th 2008 9:11AM]

I think having control over the physical design of a mixer is more important than flexibility of mapping the inputs. Realistically, what are you going to change? Maybe the fader curvers, maybe you like the EQ knobs in reverse order... I dunno, if I were to embark on so ambitious a project, I think I'd go for ergonomics, which to me is more important. It looks bad as hell though.

[tblack @ Jul 9th 2008 10:28AM]

The word is "poseur" not "poser."

sigh

C'mon Engadget....you can do better with the spelling.

[fashionista @ Jul 9th 2008 10:44AM]

Nice try, poser.

[DJ Dave M @ Jul 9th 2008 11:26AM]

Gah! While I appreciate the effort, it looks like something that's too easy to break.

Serato + 1200's + Numark DXM-Pro makes me happy, and gets the job done on all my gigs.

[GordonFreemanQ @ Jul 9th 2008 12:26PM]

No professional is ever going to buy this. It's not even rack mountable!

And aside from the lights, it looks really lame.

THIS is a mixer.
http://www.mhlights.de/images/jpg/Neuheiten/januar-2006/DENON-DN-X500/DN-X500top.jpg

[Michael Scrip @ Jul 9th 2008 1:16PM]

You're right, that's a mixer... a club mixer.

THIS is a scratch mixer. It's narrower to fit between 2 turntables:
http://www.planetdj.com/i--DJM400

[Dan @ Jul 9th 2008 3:16PM]

Are we supposed to infer from the first line of this story that everyone at Engadget is an amateur DJ? Nice try, posers.

[ShadowKain @ Jul 9th 2008 3:50PM]

@Minilap

Wow you are an absent minded fool. Please die so we can read Engadget peacefully without idiots such as yourself.

On the open source gizmo? Pretty neat concept, but it may be awhile till something like this takes off.

[arcsine @ Jul 9th 2008 4:10PM]

Looks like it's not entirely complete, the fader grips are missing. I guess that's good if you want to customize them, but really you'd want to replace the whole fader.

[Matthew C @ Jul 10th 2008 10:38PM]

That's my lappie!

...although I've never used it for any DJ related purposes.

[Rick Mage @ Aug 13th 2008 9:01PM]

@ Tonic boy regarding Scott's "Djs who can only play on a laptop are a joke"....

If you didn't notice, he said "DJS WHO CAN ONLY play on a laptop are a joke." He didn't say all DJs who play on laptops are jokes, though I might think differently. I can tell you this. I have lost all respect for ANY DJ that have decided that it is not important to beat match anymore. I personally think they got sick and tired of not having flawless sets all the time. Or they have had a shitty set and didn't like it. Well, it happens to every DJ. Even Armin. It's called paying your dues.

As for DJs who don't know how to beat match, yes, they are jokes as DJs. Seriously... ANYONE can beat match using ableton. Have you seen how easy it is? Now, we have this. Jokes. How can ravers worship, or respect as a DJ, someone that is doing something that everyone else can simply do just by throwing some money around and are able to read the instructions on how to use it.

As for turntables, you can't say that...unless if your using those cd turntables that have the bpm button and also can make the mixes for you....As for vinyls and CD players that don't have bpms, it takes years to master the art of beat matching flawlessly on a regular basis. It takes a week using this or ableton. DJs are now being seen as jokes, today. They are not worth as much, today. Even the ones who know how to beat match. Why?? If someone see one DJ cheat, they see all DJs cheat. We used to be respected in the 90s.