Cast your minds back a good 18 months, when the previously solid marriage of Mixars and Innofader came to an unceremonious end. Stocks of the original Serato DJ enabled DUO mixers were exhausted without a decent crossfader to fit inside the empty slot. But rather than sulk, they hit up spiffing crossfader makers of the Pro X Fade, and announced more choice for DJs in the shape of the new Galileo fader range.
And we’re now at the point where the new DUO MKII is just about ready hit the shelves all over again, complete with the Galileo Essential crossfader. Details follow:
Mixars and Pro-X fade are proud to present Galileo Essential, our new crossfader mounted in DUO mkII.
The key new feature is the new third generation XCP plastic conductive track technology.
The ‘essential’ fader offers amazing strength and durability with extra long life. The fader stem is thick and strong and is 8mm wide. The fader cap is sloped/triangular. The fader is also very easy to take apart to clean as you just pull the cover off.
The ‘essential’ extra long life conductive plastic tracks, (XCP) can be maintained with a specially formulated Pro X Fade ‘Ether’ lubricant which has been developed for the new tracks. Older versions of the PXF have a green PCB board and this new ‘essential’ has a black PCB board.
By improving the tracks using 3rd generation XCP tracks and together with the PXF ‘Ether’ lube, it means the fader will last longer between needing to be cleaned, in normal conditions. So now you can enjoy your fader for longer. The PXF ‘Ether’ has got lubricating and intense cleaning agents, which unlike the previous use of just Caig lube, doesn’t leave residual on the tracks, as when Caig was used on it’s own, when it dried, it left a layer which would attract the build up of dirt. With the new formula and track, Pro X Fade have significantly reduced this issue.
With the ‘essential’ fader, you also get the quality sound, firm control, smooth buttery feel and a warm, musical feel of a precisely configured fader which adds an almost harmonic tone to your scratching.
You can purchase the PXF ‘Ether’ directly from Pro X Fade here: (worldwide shipping)
http://proxfade.co.uk/shop/?product=pxf-ether-super-lubricant
Essentially…
The Mixars DUO MKII is unchanged apart from having the new Galileo Essential fader inside. Aside from the new fader, the good news is that the price is expected to be a little cheaper than before too. Check with your local purveyors of DJ goodies for confirmation
You’ll also need to update to the latest Serato DJ for it to work. Sorry — progress means moving forward, sometimes whether you like it or not.
ABOUT THE GALILEO ESSENTIAL
The first thing — as I understand it, the Galileo Essential is made for the DUO MK2. It’s not designed to be retrofitted to older DUOs, nor will it be available as a retail spare.
For those looking for a viable alternative to Innofaders inside your existing DUO (and other mixers for that matter), the Pro X Fade XCP is what you’re looking for — it’s the Essential with all the bells and whistles in place. Check the video about to see the handmade goodness in action.
Like the previous Pro X Fade, it’s a complete fader experience in a box. It aims to fit as broad a range of mixers as possible without resorting to putting all manner of connectors in the box. Naturally, this reduces the plug and play ability with every mixer in the market, but should work with a large percentage of the existing mixers that take a mini Innofader. If in doubt, check the Pro X Fade XCP product page where you can grab it for £90 with free UK shipping and £10 elsewhere.
A key update to the Pro X Fade family is the new Ether lubricant. One of the complaints about the old PXF was how it needed cleaning more regularly than most would like. But with the new XCP tracks comes a newly formulated lube, and every new PXF sold comes pre-lubed as well as having it supplied in the pack. If you’re someone who likes the ritual of cleaning your fader (my hand is in the air for that), then you can get fresh supplies directly from the Pro X Fade site for the paltry sum of £6.
Now I’m certain that the guys at Pro X Fade will be reading this and will doubtlessly leap on any questions in the comments. But if you want some more details on fitting and compatibility, send your queries to siya@proxfade.co.uk and he’ll happily set your mind at rest.
SUMMING UP
The new Mixars DUO MKII is apparently in some stores in the US already, and slowly making their way into shops elsewhere in the world. I believe the price is a little cheaper, but no matter what the new price is, it’s at least HALF the price of the DJM-S9, and will suit most user’s needs.
I hope to get the new model in for review. I didn’t finish reviewing the last one because of the fader kerfuffle, and ideally I’d like to fix that. And we’ll keep you updated on the rest of the Galileo fader project when we get more news.
GALLERY
