The release of macOS Catalina has… been… (rubs chin) problematic. I pause and grope for a diplomatic way to describe what in reality is an epic clusterfuck the likes of which has never been seen before in the history of digital DJing. You thought the USB changes in Yosemite were bad — stick your head between your legs and prepare to kiss some of your DJ gear goodbye, for Serato is releasing Serato DJ Pro 2.3 and Serato DJ Pro Lite v1.3 today, that do work in Catalina with the new Music app.
Sadly, the list of compatible hardware just got quite serious butchered. But before you kick off with pitchforks and burning torches in Serato’s general direction, it’s not their fault.
To start, here’s the PR about the new updated software:
Serato support for macOS Catalina – here’s what you need to know.
Serato DJ Pro and Lite
Released today, DJ Pro 2.3 and DJ Lite 1.3 are both supported in macOS Catalina. Apple’s new ‘Music’ app is also supported which means it will be a seamless transition for DJs. Libraries are loaded automatically with no need for manual exporting.
However, there is a collection of DJ hardware from some of our partners that do not currently work with macOS Catalina. This is out of Serato’s control and all DJs should check the support status of their hardware in the link below before updating.
PLEASE CHECK: Serato DJ Pro & macOS 10.15 compatibility & hardware information It’s also important to know that new Apple laptops cannot be downgraded from Catalina. Beyond the support of Catalina, today’s release brings forth these additional updates:
- Rane TWELVE and other motorized platter improvements for DJ Pro
Major improvements to the scratching technology for the Rane TWELVE and other devices with motorized platters.
- HID platter improvements for DJ Pro
HID platter audio playback improvements for hardware used with Windows 7.
Serato Studio
Serato is pleased to announce that Studio 1.3.1 is fully supported in Catalina.
Serato Sample and Pitch ’n Time Pro and LE
These products are not yet supported but are actively being worked on. An update will be released as soon as this development is complete.
Serato Support
Having issues? Please contact the Serato Support team here: support.serato.com
And here’s the good and really bad news part. It’s worth taking a look at the whole list and taking it as a generic warning, rather than just being specific to Serato:
macOS Catalina Compatibility as of 18/10/19
Please refer to https://support.serato.com/hc/en-us/articles/360001112015 from the 22nd of October at 9am NZT.
Supported hardware
The following hardware is supported with macOS 10.15 Catalina. Please ensure you are using the most up-to-date version of Serato DJ software to use this hardware
Supported Akai Pro hardware
- Akai Pro AMX
Supported Denon DJ hardware
- Denon DJ DS-1
- Denon DJ MC4000
- Denon DJ MC7000
- Denon DJ MCX8000
Supported Gemini hardware
- Gemini Slate 4
Supported Hercules hardware
- Hercules DJControl Jogvision
Supported Korg hardware
- Korg KAOSS DJ
Supported Mixars hardware
- Mixars DUO
Supported Numark hardware
- Numark Mixtrack Pro 3
- Numark Mixtrack Platinum
- Numark N4
- Numark NS7III
- Numark NVII
Supported Pioneer DJ hardware
- Pioneer DJ DDJ-1000SRT
- Pioneer DJ DDJ-SB2
- Pioneer DJ DDJ-SB3
- Pioneer DJ DDJ-SP1
- Pioneer DJ DDJ-SR
- Pioneer DJ DDJ-SR2
- Pioneer DJ DDJ-SX
- Pioneer DJ DDJ-SX2
- Pioneer DJ DDJ-SX3
- Pioneer DJ DDJ-SZ
- Pioneer DJ DDJ-SZ2
- Pioneer DJ DDJ-WeGO3
- Pioneer DJ DJM-900NXS2
- Pioneer DJ DJM-S9
Supported Rane hardware
- Rane Seventy-Two (control panel incompatible)
- Rane SL2 (preference pane incompatible)
- Rane SL3 (preference pane incompatible)
- Rane SL4 (preference pane incompatible)
Supported Reloop hardware
- Reloop Beatmix 4
- Reloop Mixon 4
Supported Vestax hardware
Please take note while this hardware does work with Serato DJ Pro on macOS Catalina, the following hardware is discontinued. More information regarding Vestax hardware is available here: https://support.serato.com/hc/en-us/articles/203593924
- Vestax VCI-380
- Vestax VCI-400
- Vestax Typhoon
Unsupported hardware
Unfortunately the following hardware is currently unsupported with macOS 10.15 Catalina.
Please note, testing is still in progress for the hardware listed, we will update this article once our testing is complete. We suggest checking back on this article periodically.
If you have one of these pieces of hardware, we recommend that you do not upgrade to macOS Catalina. You can continue using Serato DJ Pro/Lite and your hardware on a supported version of macOS – please see the Serato DJ Pro or Serato DJ Lite system requirements for further information.
NOTE: If you purchase a new Mac computer that comes pre-installed with macOS Catalina, you will not be able to downgrade to an older macOS.
Unsupported Allen & Heath hardware
- Allen & Heath Xone:43C
- Allen & Heath Xone:DB2
- Allen & Heath Xone:DB4
Unsupported Denon DJ hardware
Please read Denon DJ’s compatibility information here for further details:
https://www.denondj.com/kb/macos-10-15-catalina-support-for-denon-dj/
- Denon DJ MC2000
- Denon DJ MC6000 mkII
- Denon DJ X1800 Prime
Unsupported Gemini hardware
- Gemini Slate
Unsupported Hercules hardware
- Hercules DJControl Starlight
Unsupported Mixars hardware
- Mixars PRIMO
- Mixars QUATTRO
Unsupported Novation hardware
Please read Novation’s compatibility information here for further details: https://support.novationmusic.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360009538680–Novation-product-co mpatibility-with-macOS-Catalina-10-15-
- Novation Twitch
Unsupported Numark hardware
Please read Numark’s compatibility information here for further details:
https://www.numark.com/kb/article/2485
- Numark DJ2GO2
- Numark MixDeck
- Numark MixDeck Express
- Numark MixDeck Quad
- Numark Mixtrack Edge
- Numark Mixtrack Pro
- Numark Mixtrack Pro II
- Numark Mixtrack Quad
- Numark NS6II
- Numark NS6
- Numark NS7
- Numark NS7II
- Numark NV
- Numark Party Mix
- Numark Party Mix Pro
- Numark Scratch
- Numark V7
Unsupported Pioneer DJ hardware
Please read Pioneer DJ’s compatibility information here for further details:
https://www.pioneerdj.com/en-gb/news/2019/macos-catalina-1015-compatibility/
- Pioneer DJ DDJ-ERGO
- Pioneer DJ DDJ-S1
- Pioneer DJ DDJ-SB
- Pioneer DJ DDJ-WeGO
- Pioneer DJ DJM-S3
- Pioneer DJ DJM-850
- Pioneer DJ DJM-900NXS
- Pioneer DJ DJM-900SRT
Unsupported Rane hardware
Please read Rane’s compatibility information here for further details:
https://dj.rane.com/support/knowledge-base/macos-10.15-catalina-support-for-rane-dj
- Rane MP2015
- Rane Sixty-One
- Rane Sixty-Two
- Rane Sixty-Four
- Rane Sixty-Eight
- Rane TTM57mkII
Unsupported Reloop hardware
- Reloop Beatmix 2
- Reloop Elite
- Reloop RMX-90 DVS
- Reloop TM4
Unsupported Roland hardware
Please read Roland’s compatibility information here for further details:
https://www.roland.com/global/support/support_news/19091015r/
- Roland DJ-202
- Roland DJ-505
- Roland DJ-707M
- Roland DJ-808
Unsupported Vestax hardware
- Vestax VCI-100MKII
- Vestax VCI-300
WHAT. A. MESS.
And this is just in the DJ world. Imagine what it’s like in the wider tech industry that depends on USB communication. It would be fair to that say that Tim Cook won’t be strutting around the stage at the next keynote bragging about adoption rates unless things radically improve. Hell, even my previously brave inner lemming is rocking in the corner at the thought of borking my whole digital DJing existence updating to Catalina.
Obviously I’m curious, and installed it onto an external drive. And just like other OS updates, it simply doesn’t match up to the thrilled and excited hyperbole exhibited at keynotes. There’s nothing I can immediately see that would benefit any DJ installing Catalina. Quite the contrary in fact.
I HAVE QUESTIONS
My biggest worry is that a number of manufacturers may take this Apple induced purge as a watershed moment to stop supporting some units at all. Obviously you can wave goodbye to any incompatible units from Vestax, and as the owner and lover of a Rane Sixty Four, I hope I don’t become the custodian of a useless Catalina shaped brick*. And some of those older Numark and Pioneer units are looking doubtful in my book.
* Actually, I use it with vinyl only. So it’s good for ever. But that’s not the point.
When you look at the spread of impacted gear, it’s understandable that discontinued gear from long departed companies would not be supported. But you’ve got elderly gear that works fine up against new gear that doesn’t.
So to my questions, that are open to anyone in the industry who may be able to shed light:
- How did this happen?
- Does Apple offer any upfront notice about major changes?
- Has this all come as something of a shock in the Catalina beta?
- Why does some gear work and not others?
- Why is this great cleansing only happening now?
- WHY IS EVERYTHING BROKEN?
Whatever the reasons, a good number of the units in this list need sorting. Without the MP2015 and Sixty Four, Rane has no four channel mixers to sell. In fact, mixers generally fair quite badly in Catalina’s hands.
Brace yourselves — firmware updates are coming. Well they better bloody well had be.
DEAR APPLE
As a decades deep Apple fan, I find myself becoming increasingly dissatisfied. I know I can do everything I need to do on Windows machines, and for a fraction of the price. But I simply don’t like Windows — I never have, and I’ve used it from Windows 3 up to the present date right alongside every iteration of Apple’s assorted OSes too. It’s not through want of trying.
This Catalina debacle is pushing me (and others certainly in photography and video) into considering PCs for my business. My 2010 iMac won’t update to Catalina anyway, and my 2014 MacBook Pro is incompatible to technology like Sidecar. It’s a matter of time before it’s on Apple’s mounting scrap heap too. It’s sad, because both are still viable machines otherwise. It’s not speed that’s making them obsolete, it’s Apple.
THE BOTTOM LINE
So Mac users, while it’s absolutely fine to be mad at software companies for not addressing the whole iTunes/Music transition that they could have done many MANY years ago, don’t give them a hard time for hardware incompatibilities, as it would appear that Apple is playing a large part in this.
Bottom line — if your Mac is mission critical, give Catalina a wide berth until you start reading otherwise. I’m sure my PR inbox and your social channels will be flooded accordingly.
A PARTING THOUGHT
while the digital age can bring immense benefits in so many areas, it’s clear that it can also come crashing down with a single update. Right now, it all feels like a fragile house of cards. Sometimes though, you do have to demolish to rebuild something better. But “demolish” implies control, rather than a lorry smashing into your house.
There is a simple solution to avoiding all this mess : stick to your current setup if it works.
Serato does everything I need, just like my 2012 Macbook Air and the 2010 Mac Pro desktop.
I’m a few OS’es behind, but I can edit multicam 4K video and play DJ & VJ-sets so why would I ever want to upgrade?
Nowadays, you can still buy “new” hardware that integrates Chipsets and other electronics modules that are not compatible with 64bits programming/drivers/workaround, some of them are still sold with USB1.1 technology…
That was the case, for exemple, of the first Traktor S2 and S4 MK1 models : New Windows and Apple systems where not supporting well a *Chipset Model Name* I’ll not reveal here. (USB3 transitions).
Native Instruments made MKII models for that reason, and tried to develop drivers as stable they could do…
But some companies, that using this Kind of Outdated Chipset, are continuing to build products with it and developing -just for the product launch- drivers, and they KNOW before they sell it that it will not be compatible with the new generation of computers and OS without a lot of development.
Why? Because OLD Chipsets are cheaper than new ones…
And for being in that conception world, don’t Blame Apple, because it will be also a Windows Problem in few years.
Companies are aware of this Apple transitions since more than 3 years now, so If you want to blame someone, it’s your Gear manufacturer.
So if I bought a brand new mac today, I’d have a choice of 37 controllers, and of that 37 several are discontinued stock.
We need a digital right to repair.
If makers want to end supporting gear they made, fine it happens, but they should be legally required to open source the drivers and firmware.
They can cry “IP” all they like, I bought the controller because it was supported, and if it’s no longer supported I should own the the device right down to the firmware.
They will argue that nobody is forcing you to upgrade. If you do, you know the consequences. And they have a point there.
They actually dont because Mac and or Serato will force your hand. If my
laptop dies I have to buy a new one. If I do that I need to also budget
for another mixer because like the article says you can not down grade
the OS.
Like others have mentioned, it’s the 32bits compatibility that was dropped that is the issue.
I’ve mentioned this from my soapbox at Reddit ever since this became apparent.
https://www.reddit.com/r/DJs/comments/dexbwq/itunes_catalina_the_reason_why_you_really_want_to/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x
Apple has dropped certain technologies in the past. Even if those technologies were proprietary Apple. I’m old enough to remember the drop off LocalTalk connectors (a networking connector and the default way to connect a printer to a Mac pre USB). Rendering most laser-printers unusable and this was during a time those beasts costed real money (US$ 5000,-) and the Mac was used most in publishing environments. Or it could be fixed with an expensive Ethertalk-LocalTalk router.
Or even things like Apple Display Connectors (Apple’s proprietary way to connect a LED screen) which forced an extra investment for those with original branded Apple displays to do an additional investment of EU 200,- to connect their screen to newer Macs.
The drop of 32bits compatibility is most likely in anticipation of the abandoning of Intel CPUs for the ARM variety. Bringing MacOS and iOS more in line with each other. While Apple is usually pretty good at these kind of transitions (I’ve been with the move from Motorola 68K to IBM CISC to Intel) there are hurdles to be expected.
In the mean time I stick to my mantra:
If your mission critical applications don’t force you, and the introduced features of the New OS are small: don’t update. And yes buyers of new Mac’s will most likely have a problem because downgrading a MacOS is not always easy or even possible.
If it wasn’t for my app development endeavors I would still be on El Capitan.
all it was so easy with 2 turntables and records..
sure, needles..weights..no cue points..no tech loops..
anyway, giving a bit of care, playing is ever possible..
I don’t play vinyl in DJ sets very often nowadays as clients don’t seem to care where the tunes come from, did one recently and it all went perfectly until after the first 2 hours when I got feedback issues in a low ceiling venue as I ramped up the volume through the night. Managed to transition to digital without any downtime and the dancefloor kept rocking without anyone noticing. Made me appreciate the many options we have at our disposal right now.
The really sad thing is, Windows is also turning away from creative pros. In Windows 10, the OS sees my Wacom tablet, and decides I’m using a touchscreen on a mobile device. To use things like Photoshop and ZBrush, I have to disable the new touch sub-system entirely, and instead rely on the legacy, depreciated APIs. It seems like the OS makers are generally turning away from creatives who use computers to make stuff, in favor of the bigger, more passive “tap” market on mobile. Sort of like how, oh, I don’t know, certain DJ companies, are focusing on mobile. ;-)
Manufacturers don’t want to support older hardware at all, look at the DB4 – they get 3rd party company to develop the drivers for it. The old Denon PRE-INMUSIC team would support the new 64bit technology but all of that will not be touched with the new Denon team. since they want to sell you their new and improved versions. This was announced last year so it’s not like manufacturers weren’t aware of it coming – they just don’t care. It’s a great way to sell you a new controller. I can see that they can’t support stuff forever but if you have a good in house dev team it shouldn’t be a problem. And then there is the , well if you don’t need to upgrade, then don’t bother and keep what you have If you depend on this for your livelihood then you should hold off at least a year anyway to make sure all the bugs are worked out.
At least these Denon devices are USB class-compliant and you don’t need additional drivers for audio or MIDI. Only firmware updates are impossible, but as you mentioned no new versions are expected.
I don’t understand why devices like the MC6000MK2 are generally listed as unsupported here in contrast to the linked Denondj page (** = only editor/utility/firmware). They work flawlessly on any OS, any CPU architecture (32/64-bit), and you can use them with any free software you like.
The time has come for the DJ industri to make standalone equipment. No more laptops- just a mixer with a small display that shows waveforms and your music library. Complimented by a library management program for your computer.
They already do with most big name manufacturers offering exactly what you suggest.
Apple is dropping support for all 32 bit software in macOS 10.15, including drivers. So all hardware that requires a driver that hasn’t been built as a 64 bit binary is affected. This problem only exists on proprietary drivers. With free software, anyone could simply recompile the code as a 64 bit binary. There might be some small changes to the code necessary to make it work, but probably not much if anything would need to be changed. Or manufacturers could follow USB class standards and so they don’t even have to write their own drivers.
Buy, use, and support both hardware and software that adheres to open standards and is interoperable! This might not always be the easiest way, but freedom comes at a cost and requires commitment. Otherwise you just need to accept the situation, because your complaints will remain unheard.
As far as I understand the matter, that isn’t true. Class-compliant devices still require a driver, but the driver is given to the OS manufacturer to integrate.
They only require a driver for Windows if they want the device to be usable with ASIO. Otherwise Linux, macOS, and iOS can handle USB audio class compliant hardware without the manufacturer having to provide a driver.
Agreed, I personally place more blame on the manufactures for not using class compliant devices then I do on Apple for updating there OS when there had been plenty of warning about the change
Artistic professionals aren’t the most profitable segment for Apple… trash bin mac pro and later revision or iMac pro/mac mini pro (prices) are pointing the path… “you are a true professional (make money from your gear) you should afford the right tools, if not you just take a nice iPad or shitty windows machine” is the message from them.
So this is another nail in the coffin but keep calm, embedding platforms are emerging so just keep working with your actual tools and wait until something fits your target emerges. Apple has lost its mind way ago…
I learned my lesson with Sierra + Denon’s Dnx 1600
If you’re a macbook user, find a distrobution of macos that works with your stuff and keep that distro FOREVER.
Now I see that the replacement for my old mixer (the x1800) AND the unit that I replaced my old mixer with (DB4) aren’t supported in the latest macos version. The platform doesn’t “just work” anymore.
Windows is the better platform for musicians at this point.
The Apple making all the djs go back to vinyl…
So Mark, the Rane TTM57mkII I got from you is now a useless Catalina shaped brick?!! I want my money back! Blah ha ha ha
Damn, what a shit show by Apple! The good news is that my AMX and VCI-380 are supported and that I use the
Rane TTM57mkII between two Technic TTs.
But I am spared because I don’t plan on upgrading to Catalina.
This does not concern Windows user right? Serato 2.3 will work with mentioned hardware on windows PC?
The issue has nothing to do with Serato. It’s an Apple thing. You’re fine.