Behringer Teases a $300–400 Open-Hardware Standalone DJ System
Four channels, a fold-flat touchscreen and “no proprietary lock-in”. Prototype photos show the name ANIMA, but there’s no release date yet.
Behringer has teased a standalone DJ system with a target price of $300 to $400. The company posted prototype photos on Facebook on October 28.
“The DJ industry is about to change forever,” the post reads. “Our vision? To make powerful DJ technology accessible to everyone and unleash the creativity of millions.”
Behringer calls it open hardware with “no proprietary lock-in.” The idea is that users will be able to write and publish their own software for it. The company sums it up as “We build the hardware. You create the magic.” Behringer hasn’t said which operating system or DJ software will ship with it. It also hasn’t confirmed whether schematics and firmware will be published, as it has said it will do for its Kick groovebox.
The photos show the name ANIMA on the unit. A Klark Teknik badge is on the rear panel, and the post was tagged #klarkteknik. Klark Teknik is a sister brand under Behringer’s parent company, Music Tribe. Which brand the final product will carry hasn’t been confirmed.
The prototype has four channels with long pitch faders, eight pads per deck, and a central touchscreen that folds flat. The jog wheel wells are still empty. The rear panel shows a hard disk bay, USB, Ethernet, XLR and line outputs, and two mic inputs.
Behringer hasn’t announced a release date or a final spec sheet. DJ TechTools points out that the company’s 2020 “Jam” mockup never shipped. For now this is a statement of intent, but at that price, a four-channel standalone would cut well below current standalone systems.
Open hardware and InternetDJ Decks
Behringer is betting on DJ hardware that isn’t tied to one company’s software, and InternetDJ Decks works the same way. Decks runs in your browser and connects to the MIDI DJ controller you already own. Plug it in, open Decks > Deck Control, and train each control by moving a fader, knob, pad or jog wheel and assigning it to a function on the decks. Your controller then drives the decks: play and cue, tempo, Sync, loops, hot cues, EQs, filters and the crossfader.
Any crate on InternetDJ can be loaded as a set. Every track you play counts as a play for the artist and earns them IDJC.
If ANIMA ships with standard MIDI output, it should be trainable in Decks like any other controller.
Plug in your controller and try it at Decks > Deck Control.