May the beats be with you: Casio unveils Millenium Falcon-shaped DJ equipment

Japanese electronics giant Casio is riding the global EDM wave with yesterday’s unveiling of two DJ products: the XW-DJ1 DJ Controller and the XW-PD1 Groove Center. Perhaps best known for its keyboards, synthesizers, and G-Shock watches, the announcement marks Casio’s first foray into the world of bonafide DJ equipment – a field arguably dominated by fellow Japanese firms Pioneer and Technics.

“Although both products are targeting beginners, we think professional DJs will also find them interesting enough to use,” Miho Nishizawa, a Casio spokesperson, tells Tech in Asia. “We observed what the pros are using and found out they don’t necessarily use expensive, professional products only. Rather, DJs are more open to adopting different types of equipment – such as old Casio or Yamaha synthesizers – to spice up their sound.”

Someone in Casio’s design department must have been watching a lot of Star Wars when they sat down to create the newly-established Trackformer line, because both products look like little plastic Millenium Falcons.

The all-black XW-DJ1 DJ features a seven-inch jog wheel that allows the user to perform digital scratching. Touching the upper half of the jog wheel accesses the first input track, while touching the bottom of the wheel manipulates the second track – allowing two songs to be mixed simultaneously with a single scratch disc. It also has a cross fader for controlling the volume of two channels, a loop button for looping samples, and filter controls for manipulating tones. There are additional controls for automatic and manual syncing of tracks.

“What differentiates the XW-DJ1 from competitors’ products with comparable price points is the large seven-inch scratch disc, as many competing products feature smaller, CD-size discs,” Nishizawa says. “Playability is so good that even full-fledged turntablists will appreciate the size and texture of the disc, which emulates the touch and feel of a vinyl record.”

While the XW-DJ1 is probably more suited to remixes and old school hip-hop, the bright red XW-PD1 is going after the electronic dance music market. It features 16 velocity sensitive pads, four knobs, and an array of sequence step keys for producing original beats on the fly. It has 200 built-in effects and 100 solo synthesizer tones as well as a sampling feature for adding original sounds and vocals.

Both devices can be used in tandem for maximum creative potential. The XW-DJ1 supports a variety of DJ apps, including the popular djay2, that allow users to craft beats with their own music on the go. It also plays nice with djay for Mac and Deckadance for Windows. The XW-PD1 is designed to connect to mobile devices, computers, and anything with an audio line-in jack to sample sounds.

Speaking of on the go, both the XW-DJ1 and XW-PD1 can draw juice from either the included AC adapter or six AA batteries. There’s even an internal speaker for livening up a small house party (but you’ll need standalone speakers with an RCA jack for anything bigger).

“DJs cannot really leave the booth, they’re physically bound to one location,” adds Nishizawa. “With these news products, DJs are liberated from the DJ booth at the back of the stage. Now, they can play anywhere they like, even in the spotlight at the front of the stage.”