Gibson buys Deckadance for its Stanton brand

More industry moves — this time acquisition-happy Gibson has snapped up Deckadance from Image-Line, giving them software to support their hardware.

Deckadance sold to Gibson

Gibson’s purchase of the Stanton, Cerwin Vega, and KRK brands wasn’t too much of a surprise. But the lack of anything new from the Stanton side of things was a tad worrying. But Gibson has just announced that they’ve bought Deckadance from Image-Line, thus giving Stanton an established DJ software of its own to rebuild Stanton again.

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We would like to announce that Gibson have acquired Image-Line’s Deckadance DJ music application and rights.

Image-Line’s CFO Frank Van Biesen states, “Growing Deckadance any further required our expanding into hardware development, which would have diverted attention from our core business of developing FL Studio, our highly successful music production application and related software. With Gibson Brands building new products around Deckadance, not only will existing Deckadance customers receive ongoing support, but with Gibson’s proven hardware expertise Deckadance enthusiasts can look forward to a bright future.”

The core of Deckadance’s software team will remain intact to ensure consistency in future development, as well as make sure that future innovations are consistent with what users love about Deckadance. Because the sale was a friendly and strategic move for both companies, Image-Line and Gibson will collaborate closely to create the smoothest transition possible.

According to Gibson Brands CEO and Chairman Henry Juszkiewicz, “We have many exciting plans for Stanton, and projects that will rejuvenate the DJ scene in the years to come. Acquiring Deckadance is a huge step forward in that direction. We’re grateful to Image-Line for creating a strong foundation, and can’t wait to build additional innovations on that foundation.”

Message to our customers

As the sale was a friendly and strategic move for both companies, Image-Line and Gibson will collaborate closely to create the smoothest transition possible. You will receive instructions from us in the near future on how to migrate your Deckadance license and account to the Stanton side of the Gibson equation (under Stanton DJ). We will continue to host Deckadance 2.43 (and activation keys) on our servers for the foreseeable future, but do encourage you to download and save a copy for your use until Stanton comes on stream.

Please create a support ticket if you have further questions.

https://support.image-line.com/ticketing/

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Stanton Deckadance — it’s a thing now

I have to say that I’m really surprised by this move, but equally very happy. Stanton is a brand that many of us veteran DJs grew up with,  and the 500AL cart is a classic to us just as Technics is. Gibson has certainly made it easy for the DJ world to think that Stanton was the runt of the litter in the original group purchase, especially when promoting nothing new for a few years now.

But this purchase is an interesting move, and gives Stanton some sort of foothold in the DJ software market. They’ve had an interesting ride in this side of things, having first (and simplifying somewhat) brought DVS to market with Final Scratch, but then massively falling out with NI over Traktor. And the lack of Serato love is telling too, but that’s another story.

What happens from here is anyone’s guess. Trying to take on Serato and NI would be folly, so Stanton could be happy with a minority share of the DJ software market. Or as seems to be implied in the press release they’re looking to have their own software offer to go with hardware. And the overall tone is bullish, and is backed up by whispers of new hires too.

Whatever happens, I’m glad that Stanton is off life support. I cannot for the life of me think why they haven’t aggressively marketed their turntables, especially when they were considered to be the natural successor to Technics. But having their own software now brings an interesting twist to an ever-changing market. NAMM 2016 could be interesting.

Mark Settle
Mark Settle

The old Editor of DJWORX - you can now find Mark at WORXLAB

Articles: 1228

55 Comments

  1. Stanton wants to jump back in the ring huh? Oh okay, let’s see if they got their weight up.

    No matter what you think of them now their might have not been a Serato Scratch Live without NuMark. The TTX1 still is a very solid turntable. The SA-8 was and still is a beast. Their hi-end carts sound amazing if you are an audiophile you can appreciate such things as the D71ee. They had the first opticial fader with the Focus Fader. I wouldn’t count Stanton out right away. I still think an updated and less space age looking TTX would run circles around the PLX1000 which is pretty much junk inside.

    If Stanton is willing to introduce a solid DVS without trying to cut the corners and sacrifice stability over profit I’d give it a try. What to stop them from making a killer mixer and licensing it with NI, Serato as well as their own deckadance?

    Competition is good for consumers.

  2. Make some new str8-100s. I would love two new ones.
    And either make more t80 like original or doing something really intetesting and copy mine with a crossfader ( check the picture in “turtablist what more from technology post)

  3. This has the rumblings of another attempt at an all in one with deckadance built in. Take what they’ve learned from the SCS-4DJ and the Pioneer XDJ-RX and then bring it to market sub $1000. This could be a huge play for a mobile market. Or imagine a 4 ch mixer with an 8″ touchscreen running decadance DVS. No computer needed. Just plug your ST-150 turntables in and boom DVS. That is what this feels like to me.

    • This would be the only way this makes sense. The SCS4DJ has needed an update desperately for around 4 years or something, and with Deckadance built in it could become something awesome. This could be a great partnership, but I’m skeptical it’ll get pulled off.
      I am a cynic, though, so don’t take my word for it.

    • Funny, I was thinking that about 2 years ago,cracked that,Was going to tell GIZMO when I thought it was fruitless to come on the market with another Fader,but now the secret is out…

      .Made a homemade mixer with DVS and touchscreen built in computer,
      No external computer/laptop needed. True all in one

      Waited for the technology to get affordable and smaller now,been working out kinks for about a year,almost done, Yeah Gizmo this one is for sure

      If everything work$$$ out as planned it could be a real Game changer, thats all I will say,Beta testing soon and photos stay tuned

  4. I’m laughing for a big number of reasons. I love Deckadance, it is the little DVS that could. That said, this is the ultimate zombie deal turned voodoo resurrection. I just hope that it is made into something great. Stanton needs it, and Deckadance needs it.

          • Yeah. Torq 2 was actually going somewhere and showed potential.

            Maybe they should just offload it so someone who would show it some love. It’s as capable as any. Even if they open sourced it or gave it away.

            Anything but kill it. It seems such a waste.

            • It is a waste, but I wouldn’t write M-Audio off yet. With all that DJ hardware in the InMusic and Denon brands, it just screams a dedicated DJ software. And with Engine being pretty much dead, it’d be kind of a no brainer.

              • I did actually think one day Torq will rear it’s head again… I just can’t help think it would be a little too late. The big players are advancing fast and catch up to the bigger boys will be harder.

                Interesting if inMusic one day decided to include it as the software of choice for their products. I just hope it doesn’t take too long to realise they have a great software ready to go.

                Maybe if the hardware manufacturers are the software platform holders too? NI in house, inMusic in house, Stanton in house, Pioneer in house…
                Maybe Serato should have purchased Vestax?

                ReWire, VST FX, Quick Scratch, Midi mappable. It just needs a bit of love.

                Anyway… back to Deckadance.

                  • Agreed. I think inMusic need to be reminded what a hidden gem they have aquired there. I know Carl D @ Numark/Akai swings by to keep tabs on this site for valuable feedback and feel a little reminder they have a pretty capable software in their portfolio just ready to go as an option in the box is sorely needed.

                    The biggest Music Production & DJ company out there owns a great software solution but doesn’t realise it. It almost feels criminal to abandon something with such fun possibilities. A product that can tie their production and DJ divisions in a way NI (kinda) have recently.

                    It could be the way of linking an AMX/AFX, NV, Mixtrack or NS7 III to an APC 40 or LPD8 etc with Ableton using Rewire and adding VSTs to the mix, going one up over the competition. It won’t need any tweaking as it already does this. It’s fully featured and had the major overhaul taking it to V2.0 just before it was axed.

                    A nudge to Numark & Akai to look a little harder in their existing arsenal could be interesting.

                    Jared… It’s now in your capable hands :)

                    • I think they know what they have. Which makes it even more tragic.

                      I also think VSTs are over-rated and not what people actually want, due to general stability issues, but that’s a completely different conversation. :)

                • I really, really liked Torq back in the day, and it was a great low cost alternative to the Big Two. I was psyched for Torq 2.0. It’s a shame that it’s dead.

                  • Like Roxanne Shante said in Roxannes Revenge “Keep the best, fuck the rest” just try Djdecks.be I tried Torq all versions with the Connectiv box but got tired of the shit. So i switched

        • The greatest thing you can do to that Connectiv box is download djdecks.be and get some Serato vinyl. I have not tried virtualdj vinyl,but I heard it is solid.

          Seriously you will turn that antique into a beast.

          Latency is just like real vinyl,and NO STICKER DRIFT with juggling doubles.Free 30 min demo but seriously, buy the shite! the price is worth it,oh yeah video too

          Can compete with anything out there INCLUDING Virtualdj 8 (same programmer Adion) and when you pay you get 2 versions of the software , classic (version 99) and video djdecksDX

          You have several skins including Serato style, Traktor style and make your own,stop farting around and just take the DVS shit and try it!

          Sooner or later Gizmo WILL be reviewing Djdecks.be and and having a turntable DVS orgasm – mark my words.

          • Your persistence and loyalty is admirable, but djdecks is a long dead and discontinued product. See the screenshot. This, backed up with Adion telling me that a review is a waste of time means that nobody at DJWORX will be reviewing djdecks. But don’t let that stop anyone trying it out — you can still download a trial, even if you can’t actually buy it.

          • So it’s Virtual DJ 8?

            VDJ 7 + DJDecks V1.0 = VDJ 8

            I do have plenty of Serato NoiseMap vinyl around so may give VDJ a go and see how it goes. I don’t think I’ll change from my SL3 but would like to play just for the sake of it.

            Cheers for the tip!

  5. Actually, not what I said/meant at all. This is just something that, if you knew the looooong ago history, its a funny and nice surprise.

  6. Stanton has put out some quality items over the years, along with plenty of sub-par items.

    Here’s to hoping Gibson will do the right thing! I’d love to see some great new gear from Stanton

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