See the DJM-800 first @ Future Future 10/2/2006 @ HQ - The Late Bar Sheffield See Paper Samurai put Pioneer’s new 4 Channel 96kHz/24bit DJM-800 Digital Mixer through it paces at or next event. It Blends MIDI Compatibility with Innovative ‘Sound Colour’ Effects 19 January 2006: Pioneer Europe today unveils its new professional-grade mixer the DJM-800. Pure fidelity is delivered by the hi-end 96kHz/24 bit A/D converter that’s complemented by 61 assignable MIDI control channels and a landmark innovation, ‘Harmonic Mixing’ capability – that detects a track’s key and automatically aligns it to the closest true key, removing inaccuracies created when adjusting the pitch. With digital connectivity, a large bright dot matrix display and a wide a range of high quality effects, the DJM-800 enables DJs to perfect pristine mixing. Dedicated to finding new ways to improve the techniques available to DJs to create sensational sets: Pioneer achieved this with CD mixing and the genre-defining A/V deck, the DVJ-X1. And they have achieved it again with the DJM-800. It offers superlative digital performance, huge MIDI versatility and a new approach to harmonic mixing that replicates the way that DJs intuitively mix music. The innovation, combined with the unit’s sonic purity and a range of supporting features will advance mixing techniques – it’s the type of breakthrough that clubs, professional DJs and the emerging generation of artists expect from Pioneer,’ comments Jason Pook, product planning manager, Pioneer Europe. Sonic purity is a given from Pioneer and the DJM-800 inherits the high fidelity technology of its big brother the DJM-1000. The analogue signal from the player is immediately digitised (through the shortest possible route) by a pro A/D converter at 96kHz/24bit, reaching the ultra-powerful (32bit) Digital Signal Processor without deterioration of quality. Digital inputs and outputs support transparent signal processing between Pioneer’s CDJ and DVJ series of digital decks delivering immaculate audio quality. With input frequencies of 44.1/48/96kHz and selectable output frequencies of between 48/96kHz it’s a perfect mixer not only for the club professional but also recording studios where high fidelity sound is required. Another key feature is the fully assignable MIDI function. This means that MIDI signals can be sent from almost all knobs and switches on the surface of the DJM-800 (a total of 61 assignable controls) to external midi equipment. With this level of MIDI flexibility, the DJM-800 can be used as a versatile interface to control any MIDI controllable lighting, software such as Ableton Live 5 and MIDI enabled video mixers. To extend the intuitive operation of the unit, optional rotary volume knobs are available to replace the main volume switches – a feature that supports more subtle and precise mixing. Extensive dialogue with some of the world’s top DJs and sound engineers provided the catalyst to create new, intuitive techniques to effect the perfect mix, resulting in ‘sound colour effects’ - a whole new style of DJ mixing. In music terms, if the DJ adjusts a track in the key of C by +3%, it slips out of the C band to between C and D. This makes it impossible to perform a perfect harmonic mix, unless harmonic tuning is applied. Harmonic tuning takes whatever key the source audio is in and adjusts the pitch until the key reaches a standard note. World class DJs currently spend thousands of hours learning the keys of their music and re-mastering their library to be in ‘perfect pitch’ - this innovation makes it that little bit easier to deliver smooth mixes time and again. The unit also offers ‘filter’, ‘sweep’ and ‘crush’ effects through a highpass/lowpass filter, notch filter and bit crusher effect for all line channels. In keeping with Pioneer’s relentless drive for innovation it has complemented its familiar effects with some new techniques for a package that includes: Echo, Delay, Reverse Delay, Pan, Transform, Filter, Flanger, Phaser, Reverb, Robot, Chorus, Roll and Reverse Roll. The effects automatically detect the BPM of the music and sync to the beats. In conjunction with the additional Digital Beat Effects, 50 combinations of effects are possible. Like the DJM-1000, the DJM-800 also has the same high rigid chassis for minimizing unnecessary vibration that could adversely affect sound quality. It is based on the same layout and footprint as the DJM-600, providing the natural and familiar feel known to DJs across the world. It also incorporates a dual-shield structure for eliminating entry of digital noise and a high performance power supply. Additional features The DJM-800 has a massive range of features. Some of the additional highlights include: Cross fader assign: to assign each channel’s input to the cross fader Fader curve adjust: to change the cross fader/channel fader curve Fader start: connect a Pioneer CDJ player with a control cable and playback can be started by simply sliding the cross fader or channel fader 3-Band Equalizer: a built-in equalizer on each channel enables level control within a –26dB to +6dB range for high, mid & low bands, respectively Talk over: automatically attenuates the volume by -20db so an MC can talk over the track Mic signal cut: Eliminates the microphone sound output to the booth monitor to prevent feedback Peak level meter: Check the peak level of the input audio for each channel as well as the master Master output rotary knob Master output attenuation switch Twin mic level adjustment Optional rotary faders available (DJC-800RV) The DJM-800 will be available from April ’06.
i wonder how many turn up for paper samurai and how many turn up to here the mixer in action ? looks a canny mixer anyhoo
its not as if theyre aiming this at the teenage market mate? stuff for this price is sold for its functionality (is that a word?) and features if you want 'cool' looking mixer buy a kam or a numark
i have a DJM dad, if you look at the allen & heath they change their design slightly so i was just expecting pioneer to try something a bit differant, function is the most important thing i'll agree.
I like the midi thing - would be perfect for ableton. Although a grand is X:ONE 92 pricing ..... not good.
it depends, some people seem to be using it alongside cdj's aswell now which sounds interesting, i'm not a fan of people using it solely instead of mixing though.
standing in front of a laptop and midi controller doesnt seem as fun - i enjoy just being on the decks in general not just playing the music just seems like its cheating bollocks if you just drag your track into the sequencer and cue it accordingly all beatmatched ready - i know this will attract lots of "if the technologies there, use it" comments but i remember back in the 80s when dj'ing was a skill
