DJs, VJs, and laptop musicians, Allen & Heath has your ultimate hardware, coming later this year:
The Xone:3D integrates a full DJ mixer, a MIDI/USB control surface complete with scratch surface, and multichannel audio interface
into a single box. Allen & Heath says it "allows the user to
manipulate and manage any source – such as mp3, CD, video and vinyl –
from a central interface." I say it allows you to stop having to schlepp a bunch of different gear to gigs! (read more)
"Any source" is well and good, but in Frankfurt the Xone:3D was rigged with a laptop running Ableton Live,
down to a green cardboard-cutout template with Live logos attached to
the top of the interface — and that's music to my ears. As a control
surface, the Xone:3D has quite a compliment of faders, knobs, and
buttons, but it's a serious mixer, too: 14 in, 10 out, 11 simultaneous stereo channels for mixing. That must be why DJ Ritchie Hawtin was spotted giving it a good twiddle; as a reader observed Hawtin has long used a customized A&H controller in his work.
No pricing, but A&H promises the end of the year. Santa? (Thanks to a couple of readers for the tip.)