Weve been playing with the Tonium Pacemaker pretty much non-stop since we got it, and while were not terrible DJs, we thought wed bring in some big guns for a demo -- so we asked our buddy Carlos from Chicagos CAPCOM crew to come in and spin a few tracks. Check out the video and our in-depth impressions after the break!
Some quick impressions:
- Its hard to deny the sheer charm of the Pacemaker. Everything about it, from the packaging to the accessory cables to the interface, feels thought-out and friendly.
- First-time DJs will certainly be able to figure things out, but youll be well-served by knowing the basics of DJing before you go in -- the Pacemaker is essentially a portable simulation of two decks and a mixer. If you dont know how to use those, itll take you a while to get things sorted.
- On the same note, experienced DJs shouldnt expect to just pick up and go -- theres a bit of a learning curve, and although the fundamental tools are all there, youve got to learn how the Pacemaker thinks about tracks and beatmatching before you can get into a groove. Its more like a CDJ than like vinyl, but its still quirky enough to require some practice.
- It doesnt scratch, and were not really even sure how youd pull it off using the touch fader -- its not like you can click it really fast or anything.
- Itll auto-beatmatch for you, but it doesnt lock in, and it drifts almost instantly. In fact, it drifts a lot, even when playing straight house or techno -- you have to baby the tempo adjustment just as much as vinyl.
- Mixing rap and hip-hop is a unique challenge, since the beatmatch controls seem to get confused by anything other than a steady four-four beat. It can be done, but the Pacemaker seems best suited to house, trance, and techno.
- File management is pretty much on the user -- you can use filters and set up crates, but if youve got a lot of files youll eventually find yourself scrolling endlessly through the list.
- Speaking of file management, thats pretty much all we used the included software for -- it does have some mixing features, but they didnt seem deep enough to devote a ton of time to learning.
- Ultimately, weve had a great time playing with the Pacemaker, but were just not sure what wed use it for. Sure, it cuts down on having to lug two decks and a mixer around, but you still need a PA for the full experience, and we wouldnt really want to play a show with it. On the other hand, you can set it to just mix in headphones, and if youre looking to work on your set or just practice mixing on the road it could be really useful.
