REVIEWED
REVIEWED: Numark Mixstream PRO
The Mixstream Pro from Numark is an all-in-one controller aimed squarely at the next generation of DJs. With built-in Wi-Fi allowing direct access to streaming music, as well as Phillips Hue smart lighting control and onboard monitor speakers (a first for any controller), this lightweight, feature-stacked piece of hardware caught my interest as soon as I heard about it. So, I was very pleased indeed to review it for Pro Mobile!
If you’re a laptop and controller DJ like I am, it would be easy to walk by this new unit without giving it much of a look in. But that would be a real shame – because this is a complete one-stop solution that certainly warrants your attention. No matter how you use it – at home for fun, as a secondary controller or backup, or even for bigger events – the Mixstream Pro really packs a punch and I’m sure you’ll be as impressed as I was with Numark’s new product.
The feature that instantly stands out is the metal speaker grilles on the unit’s front, which adds to the overall style of the controller. Then there’s the 7” full-colour, multi-gesture HD touchscreen, which is clean and crisp and easy to read from any angle. Overall, the unit is well set-up with a familiar DJ layout including two decks with 6” scratch wheels, a mixer section with 3-band EQ, crossfader, filter and volume controls, and an FX section.
On the front of the case, you’ll find both ¼ inch and mini-jack inputs for headphones, and a ¼ inch input with dedicated volume control for microphones. On the rear, Numark have included XLR outputs as well as RCA, so it’s easy to step things up to full professional sound equipment when required. Additional connectivity comes in the form of two USB ports for your hard drives, as well as an SD input and a USB connection for a laptop.
When powering up the Mixstream Pro, there is a wait of just under 30 seconds, much like any laptop, and once up and running I was able to play music instantly. There are five included demo tracks, but I connected a couple of 2TB hard drives and was ready to play. I found the screen and menus to be clear, informative and simple to navigate. The touchscreen supports gesture control, making it easy to load tracks to the decks, but you can also use the buttons on the controller to load tracks and navigate menus. It’s definitely worth reading the manual to find the cool hidden features, such as holding down the shift button and clicking ‘view’, which allows you to change the wave forms from vertical to horizontal. You can also zoom in and out, just as you would on a trackpad or mobile phone.
One of the biggest features of the controller is its built-in Wi-Fi. Most of us already have thousands of records stored on hard drives, but for anyone starting out, streamed music is an easy and relatively cheap way to get going. The software can directly connect to songs and ready-built playlists from Tidal, Beatport Link, Beatsource Link and Soundcloud Go+ but you can also connect to your Dropbox service. Track selection is downloaded to the device and analysed by the software, immediately ready to play (as if you had the original file) and providing all the key track information you need.
Nestled behind the Mixstream Pro’s front grilles, four small speakers produce a sound that’s tight, crystal clear and incredibly loud. Designed primarily as monitors, these inbuilt speakers – a world first for controllers – are more than adequate for performing for small groups in your living room or at your next barbeque (summer always feels a long way off in the winter). The system would also be brilliant as an all-in-one unit for live streaming. Of course, if you connect to an external PA via either the XLR or RCA outputs and use the controller for a party, you now have a stereo monitor system.
Up top, the jog wheels offer a similar quality feel to other products in the Numark range. They’re touch sensitive and incorporate Smart Scratch, a feature that allows on-beat scratching and can be activated on the jog wheel; when you release your scratch movement, the track goes back to where you started. The scratch button also doubles up as a function button for changing the beat grids, although changes can also be made on the touchscreen.
The eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed that there are four performance pads as opposed to the usual eight. Don’t be fooled – these are just a primary layer. You can gain access to an additional four pads by pressing the main pad button. These serve as cue, saved loop, auto loop and roll functions. For example, if you want to add cue points to a track, you first select up to four points, but press the cue button again and it will start flashing to show that you’ve activated the secondary layer of pads. This applies to each of the four options, and the touchscreen displays four pads per deck at the bottom of the screen, for easy reference. What happens if you saved an incorrect cue point? Simply hold down the shift button and then hit the cue button you want to remove.
The controller’s FX section offers four effects (echo, flanger, delay and phaser) and two toggle switches, with all effects timed to match your track’s beat. Another very useful function is the ability to save your set through a USB connection or directly onto an SD card. Although, this function won’t work if you are playing any streamed tracks, to protect the original source files from piracy.
Finally, it’s also worth pointing out that the Mixstream Pro uses its built-in Wi-Fi to connect wirelessly to Philips Hue smart home lighting. Colour changes, auto-generated lightshows, and performance features such as strobing and colour overrides, can all be accessed using the onboard Engine DJ embedded software. For advanced lighting options and features, you can pre-analyse your music library with SoundSwitch desktop software, export it to a USB drive, SD card or Dropbox cloud, and have full control of your DMX lighting using the touchscreen. For all this to be included at such a low price point is certainly impressive.
The Numark Mixstream Pro is not just for brand new DJs. This is a highly versatile and feature-rich controller that can be used in many situations: practising your DJ tricks and transitions, entertaining friends, livestreaming. It also makes a great backup system or a lightweight alternative to your big bulky main controller for those smaller gigs where quick setup is needed. And the Mixstream Pro really comes into its own when you have access to a Wi-Fi signal and streaming service.
If you’re a laptop and controller DJ like I am, it would be easy to walk by this new unit without giving it much of a look in. But that would be a real shame – because this is a complete one-stop solution that certainly warrants your attention. No matter how you use it – at home for fun, as a secondary controller or backup, or even for bigger events – the Mixstream Pro really packs a punch and I’m sure you’ll be as impressed as I was with Numark’s new product.
The feature that instantly stands out is the metal speaker grilles on the unit’s front, which adds to the overall style of the controller. Then there’s the 7” full-colour, multi-gesture HD touchscreen, which is clean and crisp and easy to read from any angle. Overall, the unit is well set-up with a familiar DJ layout including two decks with 6” scratch wheels, a mixer section with 3-band EQ, crossfader, filter and volume controls, and an FX section.
On the front of the case, you’ll find both ¼ inch and mini-jack inputs for headphones, and a ¼ inch input with dedicated volume control for microphones. On the rear, Numark have included XLR outputs as well as RCA, so it’s easy to step things up to full professional sound equipment when required. Additional connectivity comes in the form of two USB ports for your hard drives, as well as an SD input and a USB connection for a laptop.
When powering up the Mixstream Pro, there is a wait of just under 30 seconds, much like any laptop, and once up and running I was able to play music instantly. There are five included demo tracks, but I connected a couple of 2TB hard drives and was ready to play. I found the screen and menus to be clear, informative and simple to navigate. The touchscreen supports gesture control, making it easy to load tracks to the decks, but you can also use the buttons on the controller to load tracks and navigate menus. It’s definitely worth reading the manual to find the cool hidden features, such as holding down the shift button and clicking ‘view’, which allows you to change the wave forms from vertical to horizontal. You can also zoom in and out, just as you would on a trackpad or mobile phone.
One of the biggest features of the controller is its built-in Wi-Fi. Most of us already have thousands of records stored on hard drives, but for anyone starting out, streamed music is an easy and relatively cheap way to get going. The software can directly connect to songs and ready-built playlists from Tidal, Beatport Link, Beatsource Link and Soundcloud Go+ but you can also connect to your Dropbox service. Track selection is downloaded to the device and analysed by the software, immediately ready to play (as if you had the original file) and providing all the key track information you need.
Nestled behind the Mixstream Pro’s front grilles, four small speakers produce a sound that’s tight, crystal clear and incredibly loud. Designed primarily as monitors, these inbuilt speakers – a world first for controllers – are more than adequate for performing for small groups in your living room or at your next barbeque (summer always feels a long way off in the winter). The system would also be brilliant as an all-in-one unit for live streaming. Of course, if you connect to an external PA via either the XLR or RCA outputs and use the controller for a party, you now have a stereo monitor system.
Up top, the jog wheels offer a similar quality feel to other products in the Numark range. They’re touch sensitive and incorporate Smart Scratch, a feature that allows on-beat scratching and can be activated on the jog wheel; when you release your scratch movement, the track goes back to where you started. The scratch button also doubles up as a function button for changing the beat grids, although changes can also be made on the touchscreen.
The eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed that there are four performance pads as opposed to the usual eight. Don’t be fooled – these are just a primary layer. You can gain access to an additional four pads by pressing the main pad button. These serve as cue, saved loop, auto loop and roll functions. For example, if you want to add cue points to a track, you first select up to four points, but press the cue button again and it will start flashing to show that you’ve activated the secondary layer of pads. This applies to each of the four options, and the touchscreen displays four pads per deck at the bottom of the screen, for easy reference. What happens if you saved an incorrect cue point? Simply hold down the shift button and then hit the cue button you want to remove.
The controller’s FX section offers four effects (echo, flanger, delay and phaser) and two toggle switches, with all effects timed to match your track’s beat. Another very useful function is the ability to save your set through a USB connection or directly onto an SD card. Although, this function won’t work if you are playing any streamed tracks, to protect the original source files from piracy.
Finally, it’s also worth pointing out that the Mixstream Pro uses its built-in Wi-Fi to connect wirelessly to Philips Hue smart home lighting. Colour changes, auto-generated lightshows, and performance features such as strobing and colour overrides, can all be accessed using the onboard Engine DJ embedded software. For advanced lighting options and features, you can pre-analyse your music library with SoundSwitch desktop software, export it to a USB drive, SD card or Dropbox cloud, and have full control of your DMX lighting using the touchscreen. For all this to be included at such a low price point is certainly impressive.
The Numark Mixstream Pro is not just for brand new DJs. This is a highly versatile and feature-rich controller that can be used in many situations: practising your DJ tricks and transitions, entertaining friends, livestreaming. It also makes a great backup system or a lightweight alternative to your big bulky main controller for those smaller gigs where quick setup is needed. And the Mixstream Pro really comes into its own when you have access to a Wi-Fi signal and streaming service.
