IPOD DJ Mixer

[Mixmachine]

A while back I watched a clip/or TV show where some club had a contest with Djs mixing only using Ipods, but they where using a regular mixer to connect the Ipods, I guess someone was bound to produce the next step, The IPod/Docking DJ Mixer!!! :o:-P

http://geminidj.com/iseries_itrax_images.html



The IPod/Docking DJ Mixer

[Graham_Start]

It's nifty, but the lack of pitch-control makes it pretty useless for dance music.

That, and lossy digital formats at high volume are harsh on the ears. I've been to a couple of clubs that used MP3 playback, and... ouch.

[eddieo]

Originally Posted by Graham_Start

It's nifty, but the lack of pitch-control makes it pretty useless for dance music.

That, and lossy digital formats at high volume are harsh on the ears. I've been to a couple of clubs that used MP3 playback, and... ouch.

Please forgive the noob for resurrecting an old thread, but at least it shows I'm searchin'! I disagree with your first point, Graham; lack of pitch control makes it a challenge, but it's only useless to those who fear the challenge. My first DJ gig, in October (I believe) of 1976 (of that I'm sure) was on a pair of Russco Cue-Masters, like this:

with wooden (!) tonearms and no pitch. We had to choose records wisely, learn a finger-dragging technique or two, and, in some cases, cram pieces of matchbooks between the platter and base. When that's all you have, variable speed turntables seem like cheating. Of course, when the next club I worked at had Technics 5100's, I entered a whole new world, but I've heard more than a few dopes try to go from +8 on one record to -8 on another, seemlessly blending two songs that have no business being in the same set---a mistake they probably wouldn't have made had they honed their chops on stone-aged equipment like I did. (My 2 Russcos were separated by about 3 feet, the approximate width of the mixer, which would've been more at home in a college radio station. Somehow, we still took two copies of a record, say, Down To Love Town by The Originals, and extended the intro 8 or 16 beats at a time). Years later, the first of us that tried to add CDs to the repertoire predated the Pioneer and Denon pro units by a few years and again had to choose our songs wisely.
Your second point could be a good one, though. When I stopped spinning in clubs in 1995, I pretty much stopped going to them, so I don't think I've ever heard an mp3 blasted thru a club sound system, where it's inferiority would be a lot more obvious than, say, in my car.

[Mixmachine]

Originally Posted by eddieo

learn a finger-dragging technique or two,

Good to hear from an old school pro I've had dicussions here in the past with some of our posters that claimed that "beatmixing" was not possible in the 70's because of the fluctuations in tempo. I reply about using the Finger technique, but your "Finger dragging' sounds much more accurate and descriptive

check out this lively exchange, maybe add your take on the subject, not to much DJ mixing talk around here lately

Perfect Dj mixing