Okay, enough of using wooden blocks for music for a bit: let’s get back to the veritable DJ mixer. The Ecler NUO4 (that’s the letter “O”, 4, not “04”) DJ mixer claims to be the first DJ mixer to add full MIDI control. I’ve heard from the North American distributor for the NU04, Jon Ghoddoussi at Soundwerks, and he’s got some juicy details. Jon writes us:
The NUO4 is a standard 4-channel audio mixer. Each channel can operate in the usual PHONO/LINE modes and all channels are fully assignable to the cross-fader. Each channel also offers independant external effects loops, with PRE/POST settings.
Crossfaders and upfaders are ECLER PRO Faders, rated at 4 million operations. Each are reversable, as well as adjustable for curve. In addition, the cross-fader can be upgraded to ECLER’s award winning ETERNAL magnetic fader (same as the HAK 360), which makes it FULLY scratch-worthy.
(now for the good stuff) Channels 2 & 3 can be switched to MIDI mode. Once in this setting, controls such as GAIN, EQ and FADERS now send MIDI commands (which is especially useful for programs such as TRAKTOR).
The center “channel” is a reprogrammable MIDI controller. It features 4 knobs, each with push/turn functionality, 4 buttons, a TAP button, and a layout switch. The layout switch allows you to switch between 3 functions for each knob, effectively tripling the controls on this center channel. The MIDI section is also programmable via USB, to allow the user to program their own desired MIDI functions into the mixer. Users can also print out their own templates with an included software to match their customized MIDI setups.
dashjk erul#Hjhkf jkhdjhl jklhds, adsh;j ;li! SDhljdhj adsk;lj, btu hljf ;oiwe kjl; ? HLJKdsjkh hkjsd kjhf dsh k ,. . . whoops, sorry, there gang. My keyboard got a bit slippery with drool. It happens. Anyway, yes, this looks like the killer DJ mixer not only for DJs but laptop Live virtuosos and the like, too. And the MIDI integration sounds nice, indeed (though we are seeing some other mixers going that direction, so it may not be alone for long.) There’s still nothing at the Ecler DJ site about the NUO4, but I’ll update you the moment there is! Don’t have pricing yet, but the NUO3 runs about US$500, and the NUO5 $1500.