Ok, so you are a club DJ trying to figure out what tunes you can play for your upcoming gig. In most cases, you would have to rely on your LPs and turntable to help you get the job done. But if inspiration hits you in unexpected places, you need a gadget that can help you visualise and mix your ideas. This is where the Pacemaker steps in.
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The Pacemaker sports an elliptical shape, is big and wide, and does not have as much flair compared to other music players in the market. But what it lacks in style, it compensates for its features. Up front, users can find a circular TFT display, rewind, forward, channel 1, channel 2, play/pause, and cue set/launch at cue point buttons, a crossfade slider, and a touch sensitive pad used for browsing through menus. The top of the unit hosts the power, USB port, and ‘kill all’ button, while the power port, line out, and earphone jacks are found at the bottom. Finally, a ‘P-switch’ is located on the left spine and is used for extended functions.
The manufacturer, Tonium, has also included a power cord, audio cable, adapter, quick user’s guide, USB cable, and strap on the package, with the components individually boxed and labelled for better presentation.
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Mixing aficionados can immediately use the Pacemaker Editor to do their mixing, with the Editor offering functions like X-Fade, EQ, Filter, FX, Loop, and Reverse. Saved mixes can then be published on the Pacemaker site for the community to listen to, or be transferred to the device using the drag and drop function.
Pacemaker can play two tracks at once, with various functions like crossfader, headphones monitoring, search and set cue point, adjust BPM and beat match, adjust EQ and gain (treble, mid), adjust effects and filters (like reverb, roll, echo, hi-cut/lo-cut), set loop, and adjust and split loop available with a touch of the main pad.
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It may take a couple of hours to get used to the various functions, although experienced DJs may get the hang of it faster than any other consumer. The Pacemaker has a charging time of 120 minutes and promises up to 18 hours of playback time or up to 5 hours of mixing.
The Tonium Pacemaker is clearly not a product designed for the average consumer; it caters more to music professionals who want to work on their dance tracks while on the road, and play it in the local club afterwards. But if you want to be daring and want a unit that allows you to test the audio mixing waters, then pick up this nifty unit. The Pacemaker is available now with an RRP of $1099.
See page over for product specifications and final rating.
Tonium Pacemaker Specifications:
In the box:
– Pacemaker device
– Power adapter and cord
– Strap
– USB cable
– Audio cable
– Quick guide
System requirements:
Mac:
– Mac with built-in USB 2.0 port
– Mac OSX v10.4.4 or later (Intel)
– Pacemaker Editor for Mac
PC:
– PC with built-in USB 2.0 port
– Windows XP Home or Professional or Windows Vista
– Pacemaker Editor for Windows
Supported audio formats:
MP3 (up to 320 kbps), M4A (AAC-LC), AIFF, FLAC, WAV, Ogg Vorbis, SND
Storage capacity: 120GB
Battery life:
Charging time: 120 minutes
Playback time: Up to 18 hours
Mixing time: Up to 5 hours
Tonium Pacemaker | $1099 | 
| www.pacemaker.net
For: Large storage capacity; Mixing on the go; Simultaneous tracks playing; Good battery life
Against: Size; Users may feel overwhelmed at first; Caters more to DJs; Price
Conclusion: Mix your music up with Tonium’s Pacemaker.
