M-Audio Xponent integrated Midi controller and USB sound card.

Words: David Eserin

2007 is going to be the year of the PC DJ controller and M-audio have released their first integrated unit. It supplies audio and Midi control for almost any software.

It is of course, designed for use with their Torq DJ software which comes with the package and auto configures – making it a complete digital DJ system. Just add a Mac or PC.

Users can take advantage of the comprehensive Xponent interface with leading software such as Ableton Live and ReWire software. It's also geared up to act as a controller for your DAW (Digital audio Workstation).

Xponent combines the features of a standard two-channel DJ mixer with the controls of a pair of DJ CD players, letting you cue, mix and scratch digital files without touching the host computer.

The hardware is also capable of mixing external gear, such as decks and CD players. And there's a dedicated headphone output for cuing.

Torq locates and catalogues tunes (including iTunes library) into a quickly searchable database on the computer's hard drive.

CONTROL

For DJ CD player-style control, the unit includes two touch-sensitive scratch wheels for scratching, speeding up and slowing down the playback of digital files.

For in-depth control over Torq, Xponent adds 64 assignable back-lit buttons (including Play, Cue, Seek, Loop, Key and Sync controls), two volume sliders, eight assignable knobs for effect control and two 100mm pitch sliders.

A really cool feature is the built-in touchpad, which works as an assignable X/Y controller or mouse trackpad, so you never have to take your hands off the unit in the middle of a performance.

It should be easy to get up and running with Xponent because all of the hardware controls are located where you'd expect them to be.

Click here to check out the M-Audio website.

M-Audio Xponent & Torq DJ Software
Price: $749 (c. £379)
Released: TBA
Contact: m-audio.com / +44 (0) 1923 204 010

Xponent Specs.

Full-size, professional-grade controllers.
All hardware controls are pre-mapped to corresponding software functions in Torq.

Four-output USB audio interface:

RCA outputs for independent control of the house system and booth monitors.
¼" TRS headphone output with cue and volume controls.
16-bit/48kHz max sample rate.
ASIO and Core Audio compatible.

Advanced MIDI control surface:

Mixer controls:

2 vertical volume controls.
Two three-band EQ control knobs with kill buttons.
Two gain-control knobs with mute buttons.
horizontal crossfader control with transform buttons.
Two LED volume meters.

Player controls:

Two touch-sensitive scratch wheels.
Two 100mm pitch adjust controls.
Built-in touchpad/assignable X/Y control surface for mouse or effect control.
Eight assignable knobs for effect control.
64 assignable backlit buttons, including Play, Cue, Seek, Loop, Key and Sync controls.
Two LED progress meters.
Compatible with any software that supports MIDI learn.

Torq

Cue, beat-match and mix digital audio files (including MP3, AIFF, WAV, WMA, Apple Lossless and AAC).
Works instantly and seamlessly with Xponent or other SynchroScience DJ hardware.
Organizes digital audio files (including iTunes library) into an easily searchable database.
Automatic beat-matching.
Integrated real-time time-stretching/compression
Two virtual decks for loading and playing files
Two-channel mixer with three-band EQ, level control, headphone cueing and crossfader.
Supports optional third-party VST effects.
Snapshot function for instant recall of mixer and effects settings.
16-cell, tempo-synced sampler.
Performance recorder.
Instant looping.
Vinyl, CDJ and hybrid emulation control modes.
Controllable via Xponent, mouse, keyboard or other MIDI controller.
Functions as a ReWire slave.
Mac and PC compatible.

Compatability:

ASIO.
Core Audio.

Minimum System Requirement (PC)

Windows XP SP2.
Pentium IV 1.4 GHz.
512MB RAM.
One available USB port.

Minimum System Requirements (Mac)

Mac G4 1.5GHz.
1GB RAM.
One available USB port.

NOTE:

Minimum System Requirements reflect the ability to run Torq using a basic feature set. Some advanced or intensive operations and features may be limited by these hardware configurations and may require a faster computer.