Meet the 37th TEC Award Finalists: DJ Production Technology (Hardware/Software)
The NAMM TEC Committee is honored to present the 37th Annual TEC Awards in June at The NAMM Show in Anaheim, California.
The TEC Awards “recognize the individuals, companies, and technical innovations behind the sound of recordings, live performances, film, television, video games, and multimedia.” With award categories spanning 21 Technical Achievement and six Creative Achievement categories, the TEC Awards is considered the highest honor dedicated to the pro audio and sound recording industry.
TEC Awards finalists are identified through a three-step process starting in March with a “Call for Entries.” After the entry period, a panel comprised of industry leaders and professionals nominated eligible products and project submissions that “represent superior accomplishment in their respective fields.” Beginning in November, pro audio, live event, and music industry professionals will vote for a finalist in each respective category, with one taking home the title of “Product of the Year.”
DJ Production Technology (Hardware/Software)
Products selected as finalists in this category include turntables, mixers, signal processing, controllers, software, and peripherals designed for DJ production and live performance.
Denon DJ – LC6000 PRIME Controller: Marketed as “the world’s most versatile DJ controller,” the LC6000 PRIME brings “professional club-style layout, design, and control to both standalone and laptop-based DJ workflows.” Features include a “rugged sub-chassis, grippy rubber buttons, and a premium brushed aluminum top panel that protects the unit in the toughest conditions.”
Pioneer DJ – CDJ-3000: Pioneer offers its customers the ability to “enhance your creative power with our evolved flagship multiplayer, the CDJ-3000. This robust unit is powered by a new MPU and packed with specially developed high-quality components and innovative features.” The MPU “drives the unit, delivering stable performance and enabling advanced new features, and creates a smoother overall DJ experience.”
Pioneer DJ – DJM-S11: This professional scratch style two-channel DJ mixer “enhances various elements from its predecessor, the DJM-S9, and offers a host of brand-new features to help you perform more freely with Serato DJ Pro or rekordbox.” The presence of a 4.3-inch customizable touch screen, expanded effects section, larger performance pads, enhanced Magvel Fader Pro, and crystal-clear sound quality provide a superior experience.
PreSonus – ATOM SQ: The ATOM SQ, built for the modern musician and producer, is “designed as a versatile and expressive MIDI pad controller for contemporary music production." Featuring a “unique design optimized for both classic TR-style, 16-step beat sequencing and drum-pattern editing in Studio One® or playing instruments and launching clips in Ableton® Live,” ATOM SQ is familiar to anyone who has experience with a controller keyboard. PreSonus reports that this will be the most expressive controller you will ever use.
Rane – SEVENTY-TWO MkII Mixer: This premium two-channel scratch mixer is manufactured from solid steel for non-stop, heavy-duty use. The SEVENTY-TWO MkII Mixer is for professional DJs with its “advanced performance control and creative output with unrivaled Serato DJ Pro integration.” Features include a 4.3” color touchscreen, three ultra-light MAG Four faders, and 16 Akai Professional MPC-style pads.
Roland – MV-1 Verselab Music Workstation: Roland presents VERSELAB to “help you capture, refine, and finish your ideas. The fluid, hands-on workflow simplifies music-making with modern vocal recording, pattern generations, thousands of ZEN-Core sounds, mastering effects, and more. The product also features unlimited plug-and-play integrations with Roland’s Zenbeats app to expand your production capabilities using your computer or mobile device.” Marketed for novices and experienced music-makers, VERSELAB allows its users to “move fluidly from ideas to beats, hooks, and your listeners’ ears with song templates, pattern generators, and a guided workflow that keeps you on track.”
For more information about the TEC Awards, including the entire list of finalists, please visit https://www.tecawards.org/.