#gemini controller

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Gemini GMX Pro All in One DJ Controller

It is no secret that Gemini is usually late to the game.  Numark used to take the spot of being the manufacturer that produced affordable but repetitious gear, but Numark has since upped their image – creating newer and innovative products that have yet to be copied.  This trickle up effect does have its positive side though.  Because the costs of production have not gotten any higher (thanks to better materials and technology), Gemini actually has the ability to make affordable gear that also works quite well.  The idea of standalone digital decks has already been explored by many, mainly Pioneer with their CDJ line and Denon with their spinning platter decks – but Gemini now has their offering to show off at NAMM. It’s called the GMX, and it is touted to be all that you require in one piece of hardware.  While aesthetics aren’t as appeasing as something like the DDJ-SX, you can be assure that it won’t cost you in the realm of other high priced pretty controllers.  Performance is also an issue that has yet to be explored, but Gemini also has a lot to lose by making a poor quality piece of hardware.  This might be a good option for those who want to ditch the computer altogether. http://djworx.com/namm-2013-exclusive-gemini-gmx-pro-all-in-one-dj-controller/  

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NAMM 2013: Gemini GMX Pro Video Talkthrough

Gemini has been busy producing some impressive gear, but is even more impressive is their marketing strategy.  Instead of trying to be top dog and create expensive gear that causes anger and jealousy, they’ve become the new Numark – and have filled the spot that Behringer has yet to fill.  That is, they understand that new technology is costly, but they are also aware that it can be made at a fraction of the price that it is usually sold for.  Even their turntables are a worth replacement for popular Vestax and Stanton offerings.  By creating derivative of popular products, they offer a stepping stone for those who want a decent setup but cannot afford the big bucks. [embed width="656"]http://youtu.be/pYlMhUhI1DQ[/embed] The Gemini GMX pro safely falls into the category of beginner setup.  Unlike the Pioneer DDJ-SX, it doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles, and its layout is rather ugly when you compare it to other “prettier” models.  But this doesn’t mean it lacks substance.  Like other models that Numark is offering, it uses the same cue point buttons on the unit itself, and we aren’t sure about its mapping capabilities yet.  Regardless, you can expect the price to be well below a comparable VCI or NS7 unit. http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2013/01/namm-2013-gemini-gmx-pro-video-talkthrough/

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Gemini FirstMix Pro

Of all of the companies who are out there creating new and innovative DJ MIDI controller – Gemini is probably in last place considering all things.  It’s not to say that their products aren’t worth buying or taking a look at, it’s just that the controller market is heavily saturated to the point where innovation is left only for the guys who are already successful.  The ones who want to break into the field of controllers have to go with a recognized design and hope that they can pull the same thing off at a lower price.  Numark probably holds the record for having different levels of pricing for various MIDI controllers out there.  But Gemini is close behind. With all of the commotion caused by ReLoop and their new controller, it’s a wonder that Gemini has even entered the game at all – but they have.  It started with the Gemini First Mix controller which many have never heard of.  It is as basic as it gets as far as a mixer is concerned and the jog wheels are far from sophisticated.  They’ve recently revamped the controller in the new “Pro” edition which looks much more apt and current in terms of looks. http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2013/03/gemini-firstmix-pro-review-video-crossdj-le-2/

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Gemini Rethinks Its GMX DJ Controller, Adds CD Version

If Numark is the Honda of the DJ world, then Pioneer is most certainly the BMW of the DJ world.  This also means that other competitors such as Gemini have to find their own place in the market – perhaps they can be the Hyundai of the DJ world.  That’s not to say that Gemini doesn’t produce good products, as their quality has only gone up.  But it is to say that their designs aren’t the most innovative or original.  One quality that I like about them is that they do hear what people are saying about their products, and they take this into consideration.  Gemini released their GMX DJ controller at last year’s NAMM, and it was greeted with a wealth of positive comments as well as negative feedback. In that short time, they have taken it back to the laboratory to make some changes – and this time the changes are big.  They have kept the original design of adding eight pads on each side of the controller, but they have also added a slot for CD; yes, CD’s.  This will be a big hit for the small cache of DJs who are struggling to let go of one of their favorite formats. http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2013/04/gemini-gmx-drive-dj-controller/

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Gemini G2V and the reimagined GMX

Gemini has an interesting spot in the DJ community as well as the DJ market.  For years, like Vestax, they were literally one of the few options any DJ could turn to.  Quality was always a concern with their parts, but there was a smaller pool to choose from and thus less of a quality comparison to go around.  Gemini was the first to have a dedicated DJ mixer that was meant to use in the middle of two turntables, which was rare since most DJ mixers were never meant for that purpose at all.  Today, Gemini exists and holds a different spot in the market place.  Much like Numark, they have expanded outwards rather than upwards and continue to make a wide range of products that range from speakers to MIDI controllers. One thing I can say about Gemini is that they will take a device back to the drawing board if they have to.  Their GMX controller was released early this year, but after some hard criticisms by the DJ community, it was taken back to the drawing board and reworked to become a much more suitable product for the community at large.  Hats off to them from paying notice to the rest of us. http://djworx.com/musikmesse-2013-gemini-g2v-and-the-reimagined-gmx/

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Gadget Lab Notes: USB DJ Controller Offers High-End Features For Cheap

It is very nostalgic to take a look at the past and realize how much DJing has evolved.  It has changed in almost every aspect, from the culture, to the business, and of course the technology that drives it.  Gear companies have always been on the lookout for the next big thing, and few were as smart as Rane to invite two Serato developers to create a mixer together.  But even before the advent of a true DVS program, there were just as many flawed attempts at changing the way DJing was looked at. Gemini, who has actually been around since the beginning of the DJ culture, has had many good and bad items sent to market.  Their early mixers were considered the best a person could get, and by today’s standards would never be taken seriously at all.  Their first attempts at a controller back in 2011 were also quite laughable.  Gemini, and smaller companies, did not look at the controller as a serious product, but rather a toy; and because of this the research and development side was never as explored as it should have been.  Still, if it wasn’t for these baby steps and disasters, digital DJing would not be what it is today. http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/03/notes-usb-dj-controller/

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Gemini G4V DJ Controller

The pinnacle of where controller decks are currently at his hard to pinpoint with only one controller.  There are awards for each category out there, and no single company can rightfully take the awards for every category.  In terms of sheer beauty and power, I think the DDJ-SX is still one of the top dogs out there.  It is concise, packed full of controls, and offers one of the best “feels” of any controller existing in the same category.  There are other contenders out there but they all fall short in at least a few categories.  For starters, making a controller with sixteen MIDI pads is nice – but they are only as nice as the pads.  If these pads are not sensitive as well as durable, then they might as well not be there (because they will take abuse). Gemini has been hot on the tail of Pioneer over the last summer, and they have taken their new G4V controller back to the cutting block more than once to get the formula just the way they want it.  The latest revision of this controller features stunningly wide jog wheels – long pitch control over each deck, and a mixer with four channel controls for those who use Traktor. http://djworx.com/released-gemini-g4v-dj-controller/

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Gemini G2V DJ Controller

If I had the difficult task of having to choose the right MIDI controller or digital deck for my performances, where would I actually start?  It seems to me that I would have to browse my local music shops and actually take a look at each of the pieces being considered.  While they may look alike on the surface (2-decks, pads, and a 2-channel mixer), and of us who have owned one knows that the way they actually feel in use is quite different.  Not every pad out there has the same precision when pressed, nor do they feel as good when pressed. Some platters out there might look the part, but they also perform horribly when actually used.  It would seem that none of what is out there can be compared to something that looks the same while costing more; usually you get what you pay for.  When Gemini sets out to make controllers that mock what Numark or Pioneer has done, it leaves you wondering.  Are these truly to the point where we can safely buy the cheaper version of a controller, or would it be best to just save our money and go for the more expensive option? http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2014/01/gemini-g2v-review-video/