words: LUKE PEPPER TECH Numark Orbit Controller
BLAST OFF INTO ORBIT
Numark’s newest offering, the Orbit bucks the trend when it comes to innovative DJ controllers. But will it rocket into the stratosphere, or fall back down to earth?
N
umark is a brand name that has been around since the dawn of DJing as we know it, gaining
an enviable reputation for making DJ mixers before branching out into the huge range of products that now bears its name. Their reputation for kit that gets the job done has been solid but they haven’t quite grabbed the heady attention of companies such as Pioneer in the pro arena by perhaps going a little too far with their cost-cutting measures when designing their budget ranges. But the one thing that could never be said about Numark is that they are afraid to take a risk. Products like Numark’s DJ2GO have proven that Numark are not snobbish and happy to design controllers for those with a tight budget, as well as taking risks by releasing products that are a marked departure from the norm and will likely cater to niche markets. The tide has been turning in favour of Numark as far as the company’s reputation
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for reliable good products and build quality is concerned. The latest product to hit the shelves from Numark is the Orbit MIDI controller, and it is one of the most interesting and intriguing pieces of musical equipment to be released in a long time. The curiosity aspect of the Orbit is further piqued by Numark’s claims of the Orbit being wearable tech for the DJ booth, but more on that later. What Numark have actually produced with the Orbit is a very clever and feature- packed wireless MIDI controller that is very easily mistaken for a highly advanced Playstation controller or even possibly a hand-held video games console. While the Orbit undoubtedly resembles a piece of gaming equipment, this actually lends a kitsch cuteness to the character of this controller, and once the Orbit is liberated from its packaging and into a pair of hands where it belongs, the rather excellent design and top-notch build quality are immediately evident.
Things get even better once the Orbit is powered on and the control surface lights up with ultra bright RGB backlit pad-style buttons and an LED halo ring around the huge jog- wheel-style knob at the centre of the unit, displaying an uber-cool start-up sequence without a connected cable in sight.
SERIOUS
The Orbit has some serious technology packed into its small and very lightweight plastic body. Not only is this controller wireless, it also has a built-in USB rechargeable battery and X and Y accelerometers to sense when the unit is being tilted, providing MIDI control based on these movements. Despite the fact that the Orbit is battery-powered, Numark have managed to equip this controller with some seriously bright LEDs which backlight every pad-style button on the control surface and are perfectly visible even in bright daylight. When it comes to the case,
VERDICT BUILD QUALITY
EASE OF USE FEATURES
8.0 8.0 9.0
VALUE FOR MONEY 9.0 SOUND QUALITY
controller that is wireless and USB rechargeable.
N/A
HYPE A feature-packed compact MIDI
GRIPE While the Orbit can be used as
a wearable MIDI controller, it is probably best not to do so.
A truly innovative MIDI controller like nothing else on the market that is crammed full of technological treats and has been crafted beautifully.
8.5/10
priCE $149
CONTACT
numark.com
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