Showing posts with label mp3 player. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mp3 player. Show all posts

Pioneer CDJ-400 Cd/Media Player Review

Pioneer CDJ-400 Cd/Media Player
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I love the cdj400, as a dj for 20 years i recommend it too any one pro or new jack !!

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Numark HDCD1 Dual CD With 40GB Hard Drive Review

Numark HDCD1 Dual CD With 40GB Hard Drive
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My unit actually comes with an 80GB hard drive, I am not sure why it is sometimes advertised as 40GB. If you dont want to read a lengthy review, scroll to the bottom for a summary.
Features:
The built in gracenote database is great in theory, however at least in my unit only the first disk placed in the machine will be recognised. After the first disk I need to reboot it in order for it to successfully identify the disk. This is supplemented by using the management software to update the track information (just make sure you don't compress before updating, or the CDDB database will fail to identify the tracks). This is of course less than ideal when using the machine live, since you have to take the unit out of commission in order to update the tracks, and you will need Internet access. Yet another issue with the gracenote feature, newer track information uses a numerical genre format, which the HDCD1 does not recognise. So updated tracks cannot be sorted by genre. A firmware update which recognises the new genre format would be very welcome. The built in mp3 compression feature is a plus, however it is extremely slow. To compress to 320kbps mp3, 25 albums, it took over 24 hours. This was assuming the unit did not freeze after about 65% of the compression was complete. I contacted support about this, and the guy provided me with a firmware update (which for some reason is not publicly available). Ever since the update, I have not had a freezing problem. The transfering of files to and from my computer is pretty slow even more USB 1.0. The HDCD1's multitasking abilities leave something to be desired. While compressing, you cannot play stored content, or copy cd's. You also may not copy two cd's at the same time, despite having two CD drives. The software isnt very intuitive but it works for the most part, that is when its not crashing my computer. Every once in awhile, my perfectly functional windows xp machine will blue screen because of some USB related issue (this usually occurs when updating songs, or deleting tracks). The only reason I give the unit 4 points in this category is because it is able to perform the most necessary of DJ tasks. And some of the other issues can most likely be solved by software, dsp, cddb, and firmware updates.
Quality:
Within a week the first CD drive on my unit started failing. I can no longer use it without constant skipping. This is unacceptable for a unit of its calibre, for this I remove 2 points. The software and firmware is pretty buggy, however I assume eventually numark will release updates which will address these issues. For this reason, I deduct only 1 more point.
Value:
For the money, I think the unit should be faster, and devoid of serious bugs. It takes a considerable amount of time for the unit to boot up and perform compression. Connecting it via USB takes it out of commission, as does performing compression. I give it five points because the dials and displays are good quality.
Desirability:
Forgetting everything I know about this unit, it looks really cool, and the expressed features are very desirable. For this reason I rate it highly in this category.
Sound:
I am rating the sound a 10 because I assume the DSP is of excellent quality, and I can hear no defects using my JBL LSR4300 monitors.
Ease of Use:
This unit is pretty easy to use, however I take a few points from this category because the limitation and bugs in the device reduce its ease of use. The unit has the potential to be so much better, if the firmware and software where up to par and the bugs where worked out.
Support:
There seems to be only email support. It took them about a week to respond, and they did not answer all of my concerns. I sent a few other emails in reference to more severe issues, and I have not gotten a response to those. I am still trying to track down some kind of phone number to call, but so far it seems to only be email based. For such an expensive line of professional products, this is unacceptable.
Overall:
Im summary, it looks cool, it sounds good, but it crashes my computer, doesnt recognise its own genre tag information, freezes unless you have updated firmware which is not published on the numark website, gracenote data wont recognise more than one disk without rebooting the unit, compression takes days, transfering files takes hours, and its only multi-tasking ability is playing two cds at the same time (assuming your CD drive doesnt fail like mine did). Oh ya, and support is lax.

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Numark iDJ2 iPod Mixer with Scratch Control Review

Numark iDJ2 iPod Mixer with Scratch Control
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The Numark iDJ2. The setup everyone has been waiting for. What do I think? It's a mixed bag really but let's start at the good stuff.
The unit is very clearly laid out and easy to use, especially for the beginner. The screen is absolutely amazing and Numark's "Crate" idea is absolutely brilliant. Profile views of the songs are also really cool if you choose to be that hi-tech with it. All the info you need is right on the screen such as BPM, pitch, and time. The unit itself looks great, especially in the dark with all the lights. XLR outputs are great too.
Now for the bad. The interface is slow, especially with both songs playing. The countdown timer is even very rough. Pitch adjusts are delayed a little bit as well, since in essence, the unit is nothing more than a computer and the unit itself is just a midi controller for that computer inside the unit. The BPM was often wrong and although you can override it with TAP, the BPM still seems to drift everywhere. The unit feels cheap since most of it is plastic and it's very light. Numark's Librarian takes a while to sort your songs too but once you're done with the initial scan, it gets easy.
As far as digital setups go, this is the most impressive but it comes with it's quirks so be prepared. In the end, I got rid of mine because I felt like I was using a toy, the exact opposite of what Numark was trying to do.
I would recommend this unit to beginners but advanced DJs should look elsewhere.

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iDJ2 is the first mixing station that enables you to play two tracks simultaneously from the same iPod. iDJ2 is a powerful DJ performance device with a dual-deck layout, a professional Numark DJ mixer, Numark's exclusive Crate music-management system on a color LCD and a dock for iPod. You can perform with nothing more than iDJ2 and an iPod!

Performance Controls You can scratch and locate specific points within the track using iDJ2's large wheels. Create and integrate seamless loops in seconds. iDJ2 has Fader Start, which enables iDJ2 to automatically start playback when you move the crossfader. Numark's advanced Keylock feature enables you to shift the track's tempo while maintaining pitch. And exclusive Beatkeeper technology empowers you to beat-match visually, by simply lining up the lights so you spend less time working in headphones.
Complete DJ Mixer With USB Connections iDJ2 has a performance-ready, two-channel mixer. Each channel has three-band EQs, gain control, pitch and line faders, level metering, loop controls, a tap tempo button, and standard transport and cue controls. A rugged, smooth crossfader with adjustable slope completes iDJ2's mixer so you can mix between sources.
In addition to its iPod dock, iDJ2 has two sets of analog phono/line-switchable inputs with grounds so you can connect CD players, turntables, drum machines, and other analog music sources. It also has two USB ports for connecting digital devices and mixing them in.
iDJ2 has a complete cueing section with both 1/8-inch and 1/4-inch stereo jacks, independent cue level, tone, and cue-assign controls. iDJ2 also has a full-featured output section with balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA Master outputs and RCA Record outputs for recording your performance.
Crate System Numark's Crate system is an electronic approach to managing setlists and the music library designed around the way you work with your vinyl or CDs. You can prepare setlists ahead of time, build them as your performance unfolds, or combine the two approaches. You just select a track in your library and load it into the virtual crate for either Deck A or Deck B. Quickly text-search with iDJ2's click knob using artist, track or album name. For even faster track access, you can plug in an optional USB keyboard.
The Crate system is easy to view in any lighting conditions thanks to its color LCD screen. The screen also enables you to use Track Profile view for easy visual detection of energy changes in tracks. You'll be able to locate cue points without headphones!
Media and Device Capability You can perform with digital music files stored on iPods, USB hard drives and thumb drives thanks to iDJ2's dock and two USB inputs. You can even play two tracks from the same iPod at the same time.
You can work with a wide range of file types including stereo and mono MP3s, WAVs, AACs, and more. You can mix in AAC podcasts and even connect and play from discs in external USB CD and DVD drives. iDJ2 even supports music on data DVDs and multi-session CDs. You can rip audio-CD tracks to a writable wav library, edit the text tags on tracks and albums ripped from CD and copy tracks from one drive to another. The possibilities are virtually limitless!
iDJ2 is the powerful, professional solution for performing with the music on your iPod.
Key iDJ2 Features
Complete performance system for iPod
Two-channel DJ mixer with analog and USB I/O
Exclusive Crate music-management system
Color LCD for brilliant views of Crate and Profile View
Integrated dock for iPod
Scratch and locate using large wheels
Create and integrate seamless loops on each deck
Fader Start enables iDJ2 to automatically start playback when you move the crossfader
Keylock enables you to shift tempo while maintaining pitch
Beatkeeper technology empowers you to beat-match visually
Connect CD players, turntables, drum machines, iPods, USB hard drives, and thumb drives
Mix and scratch stereo and mono MP3s, WAVs, AACs, and more
Balanced XLR Master, unbalanced RCA Master, and RCA Record outputs
Cueing section with 1/8-inch and 1/4-inch stereo jacks, cue level, tone, and cue-assign controls

What's in the Box iDJ2 main unit, Power supply, Software CD, Quick start guide

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Wireless Dj Mixing Controller Review

Wireless Dj Mixing Controller
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Out of the box the unit seemed like a really great idea for the cost. Unfortunately, its got issues. I am running a well-oiled Vista machine, and although the latest software indicates Vista support the application random crashes when little else is going on. Not a great start. The flexible USB extention that allows the receiver to be placed optimally for reception was defective. The jog-wheels are all-but-useless for any assigned funtionality. Far too sensitive for scrolling through directories and tracks. Not precise enough for pitch correction. Way too sloppy for any scratching.
Based on what I can tell on the website, I have little hope of getting useful support. I hope Hercules proves me wrong. For $82 bucks I can live with the poor jog control and the defective dongle thing. But 5 crashes in 3 hours makes for a frustrating mess of musicus interruptus.

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Rio Chiba 256 MB MP3 Player Review

Rio Chiba 256 MB MP3 Player
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There are several reasons for my selection of this RIO as my player of choice and I will explain as best I can. So read this review in its entirety.Before ever owning the RIO Chiba 256M, the first MP3 player I had ever tried was indeed a RIO (the RIO 800 128M model before the new line of RIO MP3 players were recently put out on the market).The look and size was as instrumental in my choosing of any MP3 player back then (as it is now). I was frustrated with bulky discman CD players for years....because the bottom line is you CANNOT wear them without skipping at some point (no matter how long the anti-skip protection is) or major player instability while attached to your body. These were MAJOR issues for me. So it was no mystery that I sincerely enjoyed the RIO 128M model especially because of its SIZE and the wonderfully convenient BELT CLIP!! It turned out however that after using this 128 M RIO player for about a month I had found myself longing for more songs thereby larger internal memory.It was then that I visited the RIO website and discovered the new line of MP3 players with the RIO Chiba 256 soon to come out. I concluded 256M would be enough internal memory for me so while waiting for the RIO Chiba 256 to become available, I tried and subsequently returned MP3 players from IRiver, Samsung, RCA, and Creative Labs.All had plenty of "bells and whistles" for features but none had the shear small size advantage AND compactness (belt clip convenience) of the RIO 128M model I used to own. The general EASE OF USE(ridiculously easy), battery-life saving feature (all RIO players shut off within 5 minutes of inactivity by default), great sound quality via the more advanced graphic equalizer, as well as a very attractive blue-backlit LCD screen were other secondary but still significant advantages the RIO model had, those other players did not! When the RIO Chiba 256 finally did come out I purchased one without a second thought.
And now I'd like to add something!All these reviews of "cheap this, cheap that" are frankly nausseating if not comical!!People, you do not purchase this or any MP3 player to lose sleep over "what material its made out of" or "what would happen if i dropped it compared to another model".Yes, this player is not made of some space age plastic or material but no MP3 player is.The reality is this player has SOLID construction. It is sold at 199.99 on the RIO website and not counting participating department store discounts(about 20 or 30 bucks) such as Circuit City, for a $200 dollar value you can rest assured you are getting something of good foundational quality)!AND it designed to be used and carried around LATCHED in the provided beltclip compartment.Once its secure in the beltclip compartment and latched on to you via your belt, there are no issues with battery compartment looseness and very little chance of the user dropping the player.Wow, imagine that...a beltclip,what a concept!!Yes indeed everyone is still clumsy at somepoint.Regardless I have dropped my model at least ten times since I purchased it, it remains in one piece AND the sound quality remains exceptionally!C'mon people, have a little practicality in your reviews!!!
Ease of use is OK, however the included RIO MP3 transfer("ripping")software has ONE flaw, it doesn't recognize every MP3 or WMA music file you have.The solution to this problem is very simple.Uninstall the RIO software if you have already loaded it, then download and use Windows Media Player 9.0 for your Chiba's transfering needs.Windows Media Player 9.0 recognizes and plays EVERY music file,including all the ones the Real Player can.I find it to be of higher quality and more reliable than Real Player(in regards to suddenly shutting/closing down due to bugs in Windows XP).
The best headphones for this player ARE NOT the included Senheisser earbuds, but rather Sony, the SON MDRW08L model to be exact.I would highly recommend you invest the $10 bucks these sell for. You will find out within 15 minutes of use why these are 5000 times more comfortable than the included "ear soreing" Senheissers not to mention complement your Chiba's graphic equalizer settings with ridiculously crystal clear sound(due to Neodynium magnets for sounddrivers in each earpiece).
I have been using the Chiba for about 5 months now, I believe for beginners or advanced MP3 player enthusiasts alike RIO makes the best overall MP3 player on the market!!

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The sleek black Rio Chiba 256MB MP3 Player looks cool and sounds great through the included Sennheiser MX300 earbuds. With 256MB of memory you can enjoy more than 4 hours of MP3 (about 60 songs) or 8 hours of WMA (about 120 songs) music. Features: carrying case with belt clip; expandable memory up 512MB using SD or MMC cards (sold separately); FM tuner; USB cable; installation disk; quick start guide; connection to almost any computer; transfer of content between multiple PCs; 18-hourcontinuous playback and 5-band adjustable equalizer with presets. Songs purchased from Napster 2.0 are compatible with Rio portables. Please use the Rio Music Manager or the Windows Media Player 9 to transfer songs purchased from Napster 2.0 to your Rio. Napster 2.0 Client users can also use the free Napster Plug-In for the Windows Media Player 9 for an integrated experience. Available storage capacity may vary.

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Gemini XL 500 II - Turntable Review

Gemini XL 500 II - Turntable
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I disagree with the review of the XL 500II below. He's right they are not Technics, however for the price these decks are well worth it. They make the perfect started decks. They are direct drive so they have a decent amount of torque. The pitch control is excellent. Once you get your beats matched you could walk away make a phone call and then come back and the mix will still be right on. The tone arm can be a bit touchy when cueing, however as long as you have a decent set of stylus's {ortofon,higher end stanton or numark} you should have no problem. Now the decks faults. These decks are not for scratching or heavy duty turntablism. So if that is your thing then I'd invest in something a little more advanced. Also the decks have these pitch bend buttons. Which I found to be completely useless. So to recap. These turntables are excellent units to learn how to match beats. They are great for mixing house,trance,techno,breaks,dnb,and even hip hop as long as you don't plan to scratch like DJ Craze former DMC scratch champion. And once you build your skills, you can upgrade to something more advanced. Happy mixing.Gemini XL 500 II - Turntable

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Tonium P666 Pacemaker Pocket-Sized DJ System, 60 GB Review

Tonium P666 Pacemaker Pocket-Sized DJ System, 60 GB
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Just got my Pacemaker a few weeks ago and I'm really enjoying it! I had a couple of Numark (monster) TTX tables with a Stanton xfader when I was younger and the biggest pain was just getting the things around. Even with CDJs its pretty tough to move gear around. So the Pacemaker works out really well as far as portability goes!
Loading MP3s is not too hard, beware if you have a lot of older iTunes tracks, you'll have to *upgrade* them to the DRM-free format for $0.30/track to get them on to your Pacemaker, just something to consider. That can set you back hundreds if you have a good sized music collection tied up in iTunes.
You've really got to know your music because when you scroll through the tracks, you only get track titles and BPM displayed. Once you start playing the track, you get all the info. I havent played with the mix editor software too much but it installed easily seems easy enough, not as intuitive as iTunes but it shouldnt give you too many headaches if you're just trying to get music on the Pacemaker.
As far as "gigging" with it, if you're going to a party with a bunch of your friends and want to entertain, this is good but you're tethered to the thing all evening, you might be better off spending the $500 bones on some good music, making some really great playlists on your iPod and just letting it go to shuffle. Then you can hang with everyone at the party.
If you got really sharp with it (I am not...working on it though) its pretty reasonable to play 3-4 hours of play with lots of different music using pitch bend and effects to really get some unique flavor into what you're playing. After using it LOTS the past few weeks, I'm pretty confident it wont lock up on you in the middle of your set. It hasnt ever locked up on me and i've done some pretty impressive combinations of inputs that the folks at Tonium probably never counted on.
The auto beat matching is stupid easy, but if you sync a 85 BPM hip hop track with a 130 BPM dance track you'll get just what you ask for ;-) The pitch bend is a cool tool too but depending on the bit rate/compression of your MP3s (i guess those are fancy words for 'quality' of your MP3s) your music will sound really degraded as you slow it down.
So Im not going to pretend that it replaces the feel of vinyl or the slide of the fader but as far as just getting hours behind your music and getting to know it and thinking up good mixes, this is a great player.
Sorry for the random thoughts, I really love it though and its becoming my go to MP3 player just because of the ability to get into my music in ways that I only used to be able to with my old gear. $500 is something to think about but dont fret about the quality and finish of it, its just as sharp as anything Apple's put out (and i loves me some Apple stuff). Hope this is helpful!


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Pacemaker is a revolutionizing music player and mixer with all the features you need to DJ anywhere%2C anytime%2E Instead of simply listening to your music%2C you can now completely interact with it and the possibilities are only limited by your own imagination%2E This multiple award%2Dwinning device holds all the functionality of a professional set%2Dup and is designed to deliver in every aspect of DJing%2E Everything you ever wanted to do with your music is now totally up for grabs%2E

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CDMP-2600 CD Player Review

CDMP-2600 CD Player
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The Gemini CDMP 2600 has a lot of features but unfortunately they do not make up for its shortcomings. First thing I noticed how long it takes to "read" discs. You need at least 30 seconds if you don't want dead air. No on the fly changes. But the absolute worse is it freezes up frequently. You can't even go to the other CD drive, you have to shut it down and restart it. Not a good situation for working DJ's. I will probably have to eat the $350 I paid. I'll go with Numark or American DJ.
If you do buy the Gemini get the extended warranty, you'll need it.

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Zoom H2 Handy Portable Stereo Recorder Review

Zoom H2 Handy Portable Stereo Recorder
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A year ago, I wrote a lengthy comparison of the Edirol R-09 WAVE/MP3 Recorder, Black and the Zoom H4 Handy Recorder + 2GB Accessory Kit (pre-accessory kit). I wanted a high quality, easy to use recorder, so even though the H4 had all of the features of the Edirol and sold for considerably less, I kept the Edirol because it was so much easier to use.
Zoom has responded with the H2, a scaled down version of the H4 with all of the features of the R-09 and all of the controls right where you need them. The H2 even has additional features over the R-09, but they don't get in the way. For example, there's a choice of a 90 degree recording pattern, a 120 degree recording pattern, and even a surround sound option. Samsontech has some nice video demonstrations on its website.
One big complaint I've had with the Edirol is the cost of its add-on stand. Unlike the Edirol, the H2 comes with a simple stand. In addition, the H2 has a threaded hole so that it can be mounted on a standard digital camera tripod! On a separate note, it's much easier to replace batteries with the H2 than the Edirol.
Recently, I got together with friends and recorded the same live acoustic music on both the Edirol R-09 and the Zoom H2. I used Adobe Audition only to normalize both tracks (that is, equalize their loudness). The first time we played them back, I thought I detected a VERY slight preference for the Edirol, with the overall opinion of the group split between the two units. The second time we played them back, my preference was for the H2, with overall opinion continuing to be split. We all agreed that the differences were so small as to be negligible if there were any at all. The sound files can be found at [...] for those who'd like to hear for themselves. We were sitting in a circle with the recorders located next to each other on a mantle above and outside the group.
I do prefer the Edirol's control buttons to the H2's membrane and I'm not about to sell the Edirol, perhaps because I am more familiar with the Edirol and don't want to give it up just yet. Also, the Edirol R-09 is the darling of the moment. However, if I owned neither, I couldn't justify the huge bump in price of the Edirol over the H2 and would opt for the H2. When I went to a music party last weekend and knew I'd need only one recorder, I grabbed the H2.

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The Zoom H2 is a must-have for anybody doing podcasting to almost any type of mobile recording situation. An affordable 2-track recorder using a 4-mic capsule configuration and digital signal processing, the H2 allows a variety of polar patterns and even supports 5.1 surround sound. Record at 96kHz, 48kHz, 44.1kHz or MP3. Archive files to your computer using the USB port. Use as a USB mic to record your guitar or vocals directly to computer. A Time stamp feature facilitates production. The H2 has an approximate 4-hour running time on 2 AA alkaline batteries. It includes earbuds, stereo adapter cable, mic clip adapter, tripod stand, USB cable, AC adapter and a 512MB SD card. Now the Zoom H2 can accept up to a 16 GB SD cards with the latest firmware installed. Have an older version? Update easily and for free at Zoom's website, www.zoom.co.jp. Click here for listing of compatible SD cards! Who Needs the H2 Handy Recorder from Zoom? Everyone who craves brilliant stereo recordings. It's a simple idea: provide brilliant stereo recording in an easy-to-use, ultra-portable device. Now everyone can record pristine audio in an infinite variety of applications. From seminars and conferences, to electronic news gathering (ENG) and podcasting, to musical performances, songwriting sessions and rehearsals, the H2 provides amazing recording quality. And no matter what kind of music you perform or the instrument you play, the H2 can effortlessly record it in high-quality stereo. Zoom H2 Features W-XY mic patterns with 4 mic capsules and signal processing allows Front 90° cardioid, Rear 120° cardioid and 360° polar patterns Finally record 360° sound as 2ch data or 4ch data simultaneously Built-in USB 2.

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