TECHNEWS words: MICK WILSON TECH TALK — OLIVIER GIACOMOTTO Definitive co-boss talks studio gear and producing for film. p.138 IN THE STUDIO We sit down with the legendary DJ Jazzy Jeff. p.141 MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE Two top tech giants have come together to create the formidable Radius 2 mixer… JAM HOT? asterSounds is one of comes with a CV to die for in terms of and home set-ups are all benefiting Getting to grips with Native those cool companies that mixer design. He was responsible for from the delights of high definition makes bespoke bits of engineering Richie Hawtin’s recently audio. DJs and music lovers are Instruments’ Maschine Jam. kit to aid in the practice launched PLAYdifferently MODEL 1 now looking at the equipment side p.140 M of listening to good music with the DJ production mixer, as well as being of things in order to complete the best gear possible. It goes to great head designer for Allen & Heath’s high definition audio signal chain. lengths to ensure that when it delivers Xone range of mixers for over fifteen Media players are now coming with a product, it will give the user the years — thought that would grab your technology that delivers the purest highest standard in audio quality. The attention! sound, with vinyl and analogue lovers company explores every avenue in The union (excuse the pun) of these still benefiting from the warmth order to achieve this goal. One such two companies is what some would that come with these standards. avenue of exploration is teaming up term a thing of beauty. The Radius However, some of the mixers on the with another company who share 2 is a rotary mixer with the prime market haven’t quite caught up with the same passion. Union Audio is a emphasis on quality of sound. this trend in quality audio delivery, HERE WE GO name that might not be familiar to With the advancement of audio and this is an area where we are now most, but the owner Andy Rigby Jones technology, clubs, venues, installs seeing a shift in the marketplace. Pioneer go small with the new WeGO4 controller. p.143 TECH PRODUCER Handy hints, top tech, ghost writing and more... p.146 134 djmag.com TECH NEWS SOUNDBYTES STUDIO ESSENTIALS Sandy Turnbull is a rare breed of artist who skilfully jumps from jacking to deep house, and from soulful to disco. His new record, the ‘Make Me Cry’ EP, is out now on Galleria Records. Here’s his most indispensable gear... CUTTING BACK THE WIRES AIAIAI is back with a new Rotary mixers are renowned great home listening audio addition to its popular for this type of sound, and splitter. The vinyl reproduction TMA-2 modular headphone it is with that mindset that was a beautiful, silky affair. system. The H05 is a new MasterSounds and Union Switching between our digital Bluetooth headband that Audio have developed the source (computer with no allows the TMAs to be used Radius 2, a compact two- sound card, streaming Spotify wirelessly. The H05 adds channel mixer that does away from the headphone socket) it wireless functionality to with inbuilt FX and trickery to has to be said that there was any configuration of AIAIAI concentrate on the delivery of a marked improvement with modular headphone system. clean, pure, dynamic sound. the sound coming through Anyone that owns a set of the mixer into the powered TMA-2s can upgrade at a Roland TR-8 The Radius 2 is made to order, monitors that we were using relatively lower cost than “This has been my favourite drum machine hand-built and tested by for this particular digital having to pay for a complete for a while. I like to use it live within my DJ Andy at the factory before comparison. new pair of phones. sets. Whilst it’s really hands-on and easy to being shipped to its new • aiaiai.dk get going, you can get really creative lucky owner. As Andy puts it, While the mixer delivers a outside the standard features. The original “The heart of the Radius 2 is great sound, it also looks 808 and 909 sounds are great, but I feel a carefully designed audio good, with its vintage style they have been rinsed over the years. I’ve signal path, marrying classic VU meters and retro-style been using the expansion with the 707 and analogue circuitry to the latest knobs. It comes in two colour 727 more recently.” high performance components ways, black or silver. We and design techniques, all of couldn’t decide which one Ableton Live which contribute to the superb we preferred, as they both “Although I originally learnt production transparency of the mixer”. look really cool. There are two using Logic, I tried Ableton for the ease of DJ Mag can attest to that. variations of the Radius 2: the warping, and since, my workflow has been We managed to get hands-on standard at £1200 and higher GOLDEN ARQ quicker, especially using the more recent with a preproduction model specced version at £1350, The ZOOM ARQ is an all-in- versions. I have it on my studio computer of the mixer, and can honestly which can be ordered via the one production and live and my laptop in case I want to make an say that the sound quality MasterSounds website. performance instrument edit before a gig. I’ll sometimes bounce the from it was truly exceptional. which includes an integrated stems and mix down the track on Logic or We hooked it up to a club drum machine, sequencer, Pro Tools.” standard CDJ2000 Nexus 2 synthesiser, looper and MIDI set-up and were amazed at the controller, with a built-in Soundtoys detail of sound. VERDICT accelerometer. With its “After trying a couple of the plug-ins, I Using it was a joy. Its basic wireless detachable Bluetooth invested in the full bundle. I’ve been two channels made for easy BUILD QUALITY 9.0 Ring Controller, users are impressed with every single one. The ones I mixing: operation of the mixer EASE OF USE 10 not restricted to being in use the most are EchoBoy, Decapitator and doesn’t take a science degree. FEATURES 9.0 one place and can freely Panman. I can only compare Soundtoys to The inclusion of high-pass VALUE FOR MONEY 8.0 move around during their other plug-ins as I’ve never owned the filters on the two channels SOUND QUALITY 9.0 performances. hardware, and I haven’t found anything helps to colour the sound • £474 zoom-uk.com that can rival them yet.” when in the mix, though the HYPE A truly great-sounding mixer that Native Instruments Maschine Radius 2 doesn’t have channel takes a different approach to specific EQ. It does come with what is currently out there. “I’m still using the first generation of a master channel EQ/Isolator, Maschine — it’s perfect for being creative as well as separate master GRIPE and hands-on. I was using it mainly as a step and booth outs and AUX They won’t give us one for free! sequencer with its extensive library, but in sends and returns, so that if the last 18 months I started looking at it desired, external effects can The perfect addition to any DJ’s DRUM BEATS more as a sampler. I’ll sometimes take it on be utilised. set-up, especially those with a Acidlab’s new drum machine the road and jam when jetlag has kicked in.” We also tried it out hooked up nose for quality. The Detroit is a recreation of to a turntable and external Roland’s legendary TR-909. Mackie HR824 digital audio device, the type It’s an analogue unit based on “I’ve been using these monitors since of set-up that is now often 9/10 the original’s circuitry, with production college. While I still use other seen in living rooms. With additional sound-parameters. monitors for reference purposes, I prefer this type of set-up we weren’t Acidlab is not new to Roland the Mackie 824s for the smooth and well- really looking at the DJing PRICE recreations, with the Miami balanced sound. I’ve not found anything side of things, but solely at £1200-1350 and the Bassline 3 making up with a better bass range that doesn’t have the relationship of the sound part of its product line-up. a sub, whilst still having a clear midrange between the two sources, as CONTACT • acidlab.de and bright top end.” the Radius 2 does make for a mastersounds.co.uk djmag.com 135 TECH NEWS APP REVIEW SOUNDBYTES APP: REMIXLIVE VERDICT DEVELOPER: MIXVIBES FORMAT: ANDROID PRICE: FREE 8/10 RemixLive for Android is a grid- based loop player that has been optimised for Android OS and feels as stable and useable as the iOS version. It’s quick and responsive, BLOCK PARTY bringing users all the features ROLI BLOCKS is a new that are available in the original modular music system iOS version to their fingertips. comprised of three core THERE IS NO DENYING it. DJ apps The app is really useful for ‘block units’. The Lightpad for the Android platform are few sketching out ideas or just simply Block features a tactile, and far between, especially when having a bit of fun with samples glowing surface that lets you consider what is on offer for and loops. Features include a full- musicians shape sounds ODDKIDOUT the iOS crew.