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The tables have turned — rekordbox DVS out now

Mark Settle·
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We first saw it at NAMM 2016, and now it’s here. Rekordbox DVS is available today to download, and while you can trial rekordbox DJ, you’ll have to buy the rekordbox DVS part, or sign up for the rekordbox subscription for a month to try it out.

The full words:

Even more ways to play: rekordbox 4.1 unlocks rekordbox dvs for low latency scratching with excellent sound quality

22nd March 2016: Introducing rekordbox™ 4.1, which unlocks new features of rekordbox dj performance software, including rekordbox dvs, to give you even greater flexibility and control.

Launched in October 2015, rekordbox dj is a Plus Pack that expands the potential of rekordbox, letting you play with CDJs, XDJs or controllers, all from the same rekordbox library. This latest update, rekordbox 4.1, features MIDI Learn functionality, and buying the rekordbox dvs Plus Pack means you can get low latency scratch control using the Control Vinyl (sold separately).

rekordbox dvs and the Control Vinyl work hand-in-hand to give you a smooth, low latency scratching experience with excellent sound quality. The software uses the same audio processing engine as our pro-DJ set-up to deliver a high quality sound, while the lightweight Control Vinyl is highly responsive. And you can use rekordbox dvs with all our DVS compatible mixers and controllers, so it will slot straight into your existing set-up.

Find out more or watch our rekordbox dj introduction video.

Download information

Visit rekordbox.com to download rekordbox 4.1 for free. Then you can:

  1. Buy rekordbox dj for €139, including VAT, and add rekordbox dvs for €109, including VAT. Or subscribe to rekordbox dj for €10.90 per month, including VAT, and get rekordbox dvs as part of your subscription plan.
  2. Buy the Control Vinyl (RB-VS1-K) for €15.99, including VAT.

The DDJ-RZ controller now comes bundled with rekordbox dj and rekordbox dvs. If you bought a DDJ-RZ without a rekordbox dvs licence key, you can get one free of charge here.

NEW FEATURES OF REKORDBOX DVS IN DETAIL

  1. Low latency DVS control of rekordbox dj with excellent sound qualityBuy rekordbox dvs and give highly responsive scratch performances with music in your rekordbox library. We’ve used the same audio signal processing that you’ll find in our pro- DJ mixers and players to ensure the highest sound quality. And we’ve finely tuned the software so it instantly reads the Control Vinyl’s time code to deliver low latency response you can count on.
  2. Absolute and Relative Modes:
    • Absolute Mode: replicate the experience of scratching with traditional vinyl.
    • Relative Mode: access digital features such as Hot Cues and Sync, and scratch freely – regardless of where the needle is on the Control Vinyl.Plus you can use rekordbox MIDI Learn to assign features to your controller for even more flexibility, while keyboard shortcuts give you quick access to Hot Cues and other tricks straight from your laptop.
  3. Auto configuration makes set-up quick and easySimply connect compatible equipment and press the button. Or you can tweak your settings in the Preferences screen. So you’re ready to play in seconds.

REKORDBOX SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

Compatible OS
(Windows)

Windows® 10 / Windows 8.1/ Windows 8.1 Pro (the latest service pack)
Windows 7 Home Premium / Professional / Ultimate (the latest service pack)
Intel® Processer Dual Core 2.0 GHz or higher 4GB or more of RAM

Compatible OS (Mac)

Mac OS X 10.11, 10.10, 10.9, 10.8 (updated to the latest version)
Intel® Processer Dual Core 2.0 GHz or higher 4GB or more of RAM

Hard Drive

250MB or more of free space (not including space for storing music files, etc.)

Sound

Audio output to speakers, headphones, etc. (internal or external audio device)

USB port

A USB 2.0 port is used to connect a controller or a mixer, and export track files to a USB storage device such as a flash drive and a hard disk drive

Playable music file

ALAC, FLAC, WAV, AIFF MP3, AAC

Internet connection

An internet connection is needed to create a rekordbox user account and to download and activate the software

Display resolution

1280 × 768 or greater

DVS IS HERE. BUT SOMETHING IS MISSING

To be clear — there’s a limited list of mixers that this can be used on:

  • DJM-900NXS2
  • DJM-900NXS
  • DJM-900SRT
  • DJM-850
  • DJM-750
  • DJM-T1

There is one glaring omission from this list, and that’s the new DJM-S9. Of all the mixers in Pioneer DJ’s hardware menu, this should be the one that it works with. I think it’s an easy answer, and that’s down to a probable clause they have with Serato that will be along the lines of “you can’t officially support anything else with the S9”. I am however now certain that we’re going to pretty quickly see a DJM-R9, a rekordbox version of the same mixer appear.

But wait — the 900SRT is in the list, as if the venerable DJM-T1. The difference here is that both of those are discontinued, thus Serato or NI will no longer be making money from them anymore.

THE FINE PRINT

It’s always worth digging into supplementary documentation when the answers aren’t written down in PR. The setup guide throws up the missing details:

Control Vinyl (Control signal WAV file for CDJ/XDJ) Pioneer DJ Control Vinyl dedicated for rekordbox dvs:

RB-VS1-K
Please note: This is the only vinyl to control DVS feature in rekordbox dj.

Other control vinyls cannot be used.

So that’s confirmed — you cannot use any other control vinyl with rekordbox DVS.

Also, because most DJMs (the exceptions being the discontinued 900SRT and the new 900NXS2) only have two phone channels, DVS vinyl use will be limited to two turntables only. Well officially anyway, unless you want to convert a phono signal to line level (some turntables have a switch) to reach those other two channels. In this day and age though four vinyl decks is niche. It looks like you’ll still be able to hook up a pair of media players alongside vinyl decks and run the DVS signal from a CD or memory card.

SUMMING UP

For now, the DVS ability is limited to four channel mixers plus one old two channel mixer. And you’ll need to own rekordbox DJ (€139) and add rekordbox DVS (€109), or subscribe to the app for €10.90 per month which includes DVS. And to top it all off, you’ll need rekordbox control vinyl (RB-VS1-K) for €15.99 a pair. I note the K reference at the end of name, which screams that other colours are coming in due course.