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Gemini are clearly trying to raise their game, back to a time where everyone wanted their gear and weren't ashamed of owning it. Oh how times have changed, and Gemini these days doesn't command the respect it once did. So they're raising the bar with a handful of new digital products - CDJ-700 (a tabletop), CDMP-2700 (a rackmount) and CDMP-7000 (a 2 channel workstation.
Here's the press release first:
GEMINI RELEASES FLAGSHIP NEW FAMILY OF MEDIA PLAYERS
January 13, 2011, Edison, NJ – GEMINI DJ, a division of GCI TECHNOLOGIES and the birthplace of the original tabletop DJ CD player, unveils its breakthrough new family of media players at NAMM 2011.
Today’s DJs need the ultimate in flexibility. Gemini’s new family of media players allows DJs the ability to play the most common audio formats across several platforms. Combining the ability to access, search and perform their music in several formats (WAV, AIFF, MP3, or AAC) from a CD, USB memory device, or SD (SDHC) card with powerful playback controls, Gemini’s new line of media players gives DJs more control and options than ever before.
The CDJ-700 is a tabletop media player with advanced controls such as loop adjust and slip mode. The CDMP-7000 is an all-in-one media workstation with the traditional two-decks-and-a-mixer layout DJs are used to, along with two large, touch-sensitive platters with LCD displays, and controls for cueing, looping, and scratching your music. The CDMP-2700 is a 2U dual rackmount media player that combines the features of the family in a compact mobile design.
“Looking at the modern DJ workflow we rethought what a media player should be,” said David Cabasso, Vice President of Product Development at GCI Technologies. “Our newest family of media players gives DJs more control and options than they’ve ever had before.”
The new line of media players have tons of input/output options including digital outs with 24-bit/192 kHz A/D converters. High-end components include slot-in CD-ROMs that allow the quickest transition between discs, and a powerful DSP-effects engine with six mind-blowing effects. The new line of media players can be used as a MIDI controller with any DJ software.
The CDJ-700 tabletop media player, CDMP-7000 media workstation, and CDMP-2700 dual rackmount media player pricing is TBD and will be available through musical instrument, electronics, and DJ retailers in the first half of 2011.
I'm sure these products are great for their intended market. But pre-empting what I know people will write in the comments - I'm finding it really hard to look past the CDJ-700 and it's blatant mimicking of existing products. Everything about it screams Pioneer copy - hell it's even called a CDJ, and for me is a little too close to the CDJ-900 and 2000 for comfort (and I'm being generous there).
So I've wrestled with my conscience while writing this piece, but then it hit me - this type of thing goes on all the time - even back to turntables. Ever used Soundlab belt drives? Technics copies, but nobody really cared. All people were bothered about is looking like they have the proper gear, and there's no doubt that the CDJ-700 certainly looks that part. And for the target market, the primary matter is cost, and Gemini certainly hits the wallet friend sector square on.
So while I wish Gemini would adopt some original thinking when it comes to product design at times, most people are guilty of owning a lookalike product. Is that an iPhone in your pocket, or an Android iPhone wannabe?
I'm intrigued to get this CDJ-700 into the hands of our resident Pioneer guy to see what he thinks.
