I’m the DJ – Numark’s iDJ Mixer

The iPod now has a nightlife. 

Numark announced the first mixing console made for the iPod, the Numark iDJ Mixer in July 2005. The piece began shipping December 2005, just in time for the Dj on your holiday shopping list. While the concept is remarkable and takes the iPod into a whole new realm, the piece is not necessarily so revolutionary in the DJ World.

The iDJ is a basic mixer that will allow you to do the standard cross fade, 3 channel EQ, and gain control for each of the two channels, from 2 connected iPods (not included). For the supreme club DJ doing tricks, blending songs with pitch control and scratching the old vinyl, this just ain’t gonna wow ya. Essentially, iDJ is made for the novice DJ, or as an add-on accessory for the pro, but certainly not the main attraction. 

Show up for the show without breaking your back or the bank
If you have ever had the misfortune of being a DJ’s right-hand pal, you know the back-breaking work of lugging milk crate after milk crate up into the DJ booth.  And, anyone who has looked into getting started in DJing can tell you, it can be expensive. The archaic vinyl is now heavy with nostalgia for the good analog crack, giving retail the opportunity to ask big bucks for a piece of wax. Not to mention a mixer, turntables and on and on.

Well, the iDJ, retailing at about $250 (iPods sold separately) and weighing only 4lbs solves the heavy price tag and heavy lifting dilemma of a new DJ. If you need some tunes for the company office party, a house party or want to start messing around and playing your tunes for some friends, this is a good answer.

A good starting base
The iDJ may have its mixing limitations, but it is a good base to build from. The options to add on CD Players, turntables or a laptop (Mac or PC) can have you using multiple sources to bring all your music together in ways other iPod players just don’t do. Like any DJ mixer, there are no speakers built into the iDJ, rather connectivity available to external sound systems, be they home theatre sound or a thumping club system. 

Compatibility
The iDJ works with any iPod with a bottom connector, including the iPod mini, 20GB, 30GB, 40GB, 60GB and Photo. A special adapter is included with the mixer to ensure a proper fit. In addition, an S-Video output is available for use in conjunction with iPod video should you wish to give your music a visual accompaniment.  Playlists created on your iPod are also accessible via the iDJ (just in case you need a potty break while entertaining the troops).

In addition, you can load your iPod up with tunes and keep the batteries charged up using the mixer as a base.

The Final Word
The feel and flow of the system is clean, solid and smooth to the touch as any Numark product is. This company is known for hi-end DJ equipment that doesn’t quit, and the iDJ appears to be no exception. Its limitations are really it’s only drawback to keep it from being the next big thing with the DJ Bigwigs. But, as the company is quick to point out, the inability to control pitch or tempo (controls DJ manipulate to match beats and seamless blend or mix unlike songs) from music pulled from the iPod is due to restrictions within the iPod, not with the Numark product. Essentially, they just weren’t built for that. But, nevertheless, this is a cool new toy, a welcome addition to the family of iPod offspring. Perhaps some songs no longer found on wax or inaccessible to the rural DJ with only a Walmart to shop at will find their way to the dancefloor via the iDJ system. Besides, many would argue the equipment does not make the DJ. If you’re good, you’re good.  This is just one more way to make you even better.

Digg This Story