It seems that the concept of buying music gear that you make yourself is spreading as quickly as using AI to actually create music – anyone else see a strange irony there?
Korg, of course, is a big endorsee of the DIY process, ‘allowing you’ to build several products such as the Nu:Tekt NTS-1 Digital synth. What next? We go to the factory to pick up the parts? Submit our own circuit board designs for future revisions?
Anyway, we digress, because Audiotonix is the latest company to not bother building its own gear but, as it turns out, with very good intentions.
The company, which also services a number of other audio brands including Allen & Heath, Harrison and Sound Devices, has developed the new Steam powered DJ mixer kit as it sees a distinct lack of new engineering talent coming into the audio industry.
It’s our collective responsibility to help develop the next generation of engineers
Audiotonix sees its new DJ kit as a step to combat this shortage of expertise, as its CEO James Gordon explains.
“It’s our collective responsibility to help develop the next generation of engineers, starting whilst they are at school. To build more interest in engineering and help develop these core STEM skills, we have created a kit-based, USB-powered, 2-channel DJ audio mixer that students can build and assemble themselves or as a team”.
The idea is for the company to offer the mixer at a discount for youth groups and charities and then reinvest any cash made into more kits.
While that all sounds very worthy, we should mention the actual mixer. Its construction requires some soldering – unlike some other DIY gear – so there are detailed instructions, including videos, to help you put the three printed circuit boards together, each of which has holes that components need to be soldered into.
Audiotonix says of the process, “students will gain an understanding of how the different technical elements work together, and create a product they can use to develop their creative skills.”
The Steam DJ kit sells for £299.95 plus local tax, and you can register to participate in the scheme – where the discounts are presumably arranged – through the Audiotonix website.
"All schools, youth groups and charities can register their interest," says Audiotonix on potential applicants, "and we will be in contact in the coming weeks with how we can help."
