Latest headlines from Skratchworx

1. Technically the missing link – Pioneer’s DJM-2000 – As I coincidentally put together the official CDJ-900 review, news hits the twitterwaves of the next generation of Pioneer’s mixer arsenal – the DJM-2000. As ever, it’s an impressive beast, but until Pioner UK and/or Europe answer their emails, I won’t be posting too much detail. But you can read the translated Pioneer Japan pages here and here.UPDATE: Now with added video.UPDATE 2: US press release added.UPDATE 3: UK/European press release added.

   
   
   

   

   

2. REVIEW: Akai APC40 Ableton Live Controller – Button bashin’ and clip launchin’ is the new DJin’ – or at least if you follow these pages that’s the way it seems. To some, it’s all rather alien and not what DJing is about, but for others its the next logical creative progression. So when Akai got cosy with Ableton and came up with the everso Live friendly APC40, the aforementioned DJs rejoiced as they now had something that could integrate into their existing setups. Andrew Unsworth applied his Live experience to the APC40 and transcribed his findings.

   
   
   

   

   

3. Nextlevelness is real! – Being the erudite and loquacious Englishman that I am, I find myself prone to bouts of verbal gymnastics – often taking you dear reader on a voyage around the more interesting parts of my mother tongue, as well as bending and positively smashing the accepted rules of grammar to smithereens. But one such voyage gave birth to a recurring meme across my many scribblings in these pages, and that particular offspring is “nextlevelness”. And after a period of daily whois haunting, I have made www.nextlevelness.com my very own. But now I have it, what in God’s name should I do with it?

   
   
   

   

   

4. RIP CDJ-1000 – While the death of one iconic piece of Technics shaped DJ technology may seem lingering, another has most definitely been decided. The announcement of Pioneer’s original CDJ-1000 was one of those you-remember-where-you-were moments which redefined the DJ game completely. But with the new species, in the shape of the CDJ-2000 and 900 having dawned, the CDJ-1000 now finds itself being shipped off to the technology retirement home. Yes gear geeks – the CDJ-1000 is now officially discontinued… well definitely in the UK anyway.

   
   
   

   

   

5. UPDATE: djay 3.1 – Algoriddim aren’t resting on their laurels at all. After taking the Mac world by storm with v3 of djay, and hooking up with Vestax to make Spin – the (for now anyway) Mac only djay specific controller – djay has been updated. Clearly taking my review seriously, djay has undergone a bugfixing fest as well as honing some of the key features to perfection.

   
   
   

   

   

6. REVIEW: Akai MPK25 MIDI keyboard – The term “DJ equipment” has an increasingly vague definition these days. There was a time when turntables and a mixer were the only lumps of technology that properly sat in this group. But now almost anything can be dragged kicking and screaming into this category – including keyboards. So it makes sense to have a peek at Akai’s entry level MPK25. Resident pad basher Chris Cartledge takes a look and shares his feelings.

   
   
   

   

   

7. Livid build the Builder – It’s always a pain when a manufacturer makes something that is almost great, but doesn’t quite hit your desired nail quite on the head. But with MIDI controllers, anyone skilled with a soldering iron and a little knowledge has been able to knock up some sort of personalised device. But Livid have now taken this to the next level with their Builder kit. Now, your dream controller is just a few components and board snaps away with Livid’s Builder kit.

   
   
   

   

   

8. REVIEW: Tonium Pacemaker – Looks like I need to dust off the to-do list and get on top of the workload again, as reviews seem to be slipping through the cracks in my bulging in-tray. One such review is Tonium’s Pacemaker. While I was contacted to break the mini marvel to the world, actually getting hold of one proved harder than tracking down Jimmy Hoffa and Lord Lucan. But get one we did, and Andrew Unsworth dusted off the skratchworx microscope and got all up close and personal with the Pacemaker.

   
   
   

   

   

9. Keeping the shiny… shiny – decksavers for new CDJs – Having shelled out significant amounts of green on Pioneer’s new über decks, it makes a great deal of sense to treat them with a degree of tender loving care. You could hire an armed guard to keep people away, store them in a carefully controlled air conditioned environment… or get some Decksavers instead.

   
   
   

   

   

10. REVIEW: Vestax VFX-1 ITCH fx controller – When I started writing this VFX-1 piece, the phrase “Hobson’s Choice” was firmly stuck in my head. Being a happy juggler of English verbiage, I decided to look up exactly what it was that I was trying to convey, and indeed found myself on the rocky rollercoaster of old English sayings. Bear with me for a review follows.