Casio XW-DJ1 + XW-PD1: Millennium Falcon DJ Controllers

January is here – which means companies are slowly rolling out their initial new products debuting at the currently underway Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, or the upcoming NAMM show in Anaheim later this month.

The winner of “first new DJ product of 2015” appears to be – surprisingly – Casio. The company had released a co-branded Spin controller with Vestax last year, and now is launching two wild-design controllers for DJs and producers that happen to both look like everyone’s favorite Kessel Run dominating starship.

XW-DJ1: Portable Platter for Algoriddim djay2

The DJ-oriented controller packs a 7-inch platter (designed to emulate the feeling of a turntable), filter controls, and dual crossfaders. The controls appear to be vertically mirrored – all of the cue points and loop controls are rotated 180 degrees on the far side of the controller – meaning that it can be turned in either orientation. This will likely be a big win for left-handed users!

The DJ1 can be used out of the box with Algoriddim’s djay2 app for iOS, with direct integration “for cue points, tempo sync, effects, looping and more providing users a tactile experience for mixing and performing music.”

This Corellian Corvette controller is also battery-powered, with a built-in speaker for using it on the go. We’re not exactly sure what type of input/output is possible, but we’re betting on a USB port (with included USB to Lightning cable), and a headphone jack based on the control layout.

The controller will be available in stores this month for MSRP of $299.

XW-PD1 Groove Center

The second product is less of a controller, instead it’s a standalone production box “equipped with the sound engine from Casio’s widely-popular XW series of synthesizers, which features preset patterns produced by professional beat makers that cover dance music genres like Trap and EDM. The XW-PD1 design includes 16 velocity-sensitive pads and 4 knobs for fast real-time music production.” 

The outer ring of sixteen buttons acts as a pattern selector, letting you record and play back phrases and rhythms. The PD1 also has built in DSP effects – roll, filter, bit crush, vinyl break, and pitch shift. Additionally it “is equipped with a synthesizer engine and a variety of effects, it can manipulate various sounds. Pad tap sequences can be recorded in real-time [and] sampled sounds from the mic or music player can easily be played on the pads.”

Interestingly enough the AW-PD1 can be used alongside the DJ1, with the audio output of the DJ controller connected to the input of the PD1 for tandem use and live remix performances.

The XW-PD1 will be available starting March 2015 for an MSRP of $399  – or you might be able to win one in the next card game you play with Lando Calrissian.

2015casiocesconsumer electronic showmillennium falconnammxw-dj1XW-PD1
Comments (29)
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  • UGH

    I don’t know how you can look at either of these products and not see the Vestax here. Clearly they’ve been working with Casio on more than a pair of headphones and entry level controller. No real Vestax lover on earth will overlook the visual cues here. The labels under the pads alone are damning enough (vci-380 label style). Even the font choices, colors and model # schemas reek of it.

    Now my question is, why don’t these bear the Vestax badge like the XW-J1 does? Was this a design Vestax decided against partnering with Casio on, and instead decided to liquidate to Casio exclusively? Or will we see these as part of the Vestax 2015 lineup urban legend, and thus the name was shopped out of the pics to keep it under wraps? Whichever it is, make no mistake about it; Those are Vestax bred devices.

  • Reverend Entity

    How long before we get footage of Billy Dee Williams messing with one of these?

  • Jonny

    I better buy..something, but not this ‘controller’

  • Joe

    better intergrate that sh*** in watch lol

  • synapticflow

    Wow. Casio should have just updated and relaunched the Rapman!

    But the geek in me does appreciate the utterly silly Millennium Falcon look.

  • DjFocus Meraz

    These are excellent…The Scratch Arts keep moving forward… Here is a picture of one of my Practice Pads Prototypes that Pre-dates the QFO…The fader placement solved the problem of Left vs Right Hand Scratchers…It’s all a matter of resources and if things have evolved to a point where Artists have a need or even want these things…The Future is looking bright… https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/p370x247/10929200_739223112820388_8146297793766723904_n.jpg?oh=dfc3ea665eb70984b8ba6c5b71e02d51&oe=55219B8A

    • steve brown

      / the man, the one and only DJ Focus / a scratch gear legend of the highest order. Wow, that is still an impressive design. I see where they got the idea for the Vtt 101 from.

      • deejae snafu

        the focus fader changed the game, true story.

  • lokey

    im amazed its taken this long for a crossfader equiped single platter controller to make it to market. interesting indeed!

    • Sleepydog

      Agreed fully!
      They also solve the issue of left/right hand. Battery power is also win!!!

  • space monkey

    Reading some of these comments reminds me why I stopped frequenting “controllerism ” sites a while ago.

  • Don Stone

    If there are dedicated buttons for lazer, lighsaber swoosh, r2-d2 chirp and chewbacca roar I’m sold

  • Phatscout

    Reminds me of that weird DJ controller Wacom made that looked like the Starship Enterprise…..

    inb4 DJTT argues about Star Trek vs Star Wars

  • noxxi

    its cool, and nice to see something different, but i reckon we will see these on ebay for like £50 after a year or 2. i predict it will await a similar fate to the numark orbit

  • mikefunk

    It’s a joke… Right?

    • GerpMcDerp

      The platter isn’t even motorized. So that 7 inch platter is a friggin’ waste. NS7 and V7 had a 45 / 7 inch, but hell, at least it was motorized. ~~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oOh0g-fOoU

  • Ibrahim Sha'ath

    Gentlemen, please. The Corellian Corvette was a different ship entirely (the first ship you see in A New Hope is a Corvette, I think). The Falcon was a Corellian Freighter. James Lavelle would be disappointed in you.

    • Jedi Pat

      The first ship in ANH was not even Correllian, it was an Alderaanian ship owned by Bail Organa then passed to his daughter Leia.

      • Ibrahim Sha'ath

        That may have been its ownership, but it was of Corellian manufacture.
        I’m glad this is all relevant to DJTT.

        • synapticflow

          It’s very relevant. Geeks rule! You probably wouldn’t have this website without them.

          • dur

            this thread sums up DJTT…..

        • Caris

          Thanks for setting the record straight Ibrahim, the Tantive IV was a Corellian Corvette, the Falcon is a Corellian Freighter. Apparently the DJTT crew needs to familiarize themselves with Wookiepedia 😉

          Tantive IV
          Manufacturer: Corellian Engineering Corporation[1]
          Model: CR90 corvette
          Class: Corvette

          Millennium Falcon
          Manufacturer: Corellian Engineering Corporation[1]
          Product line: YT series[2]
          Model: Modified YT-1300f light freighter[2]
          Class: Light freighter[2]

  • Sleepydog

    ..and i who just ordered an idj II from numark for scratching on djay2..hmm
    Hadn’t things gone bad for vestax im sure they would have released something with that 7″ platter too?!

    • lokey

      it would be great to see numark ressurect the v7 platter in this standalone format…

  • David Schroeter

    $399 for the groovebox? In the same universe as the Electribe 2 for the same price? That’s a tough sell.

    • Sleepydog

      That must be a big ouch for them. I wonder what calibre the engine is. Anyone own one of those casio keyboards? 😀 No? lol
      Though it has sampling directly to pads. That can actually be pretty cool if you buy them both. Play some cool track with a nice beat streamed from spotify on the platter, find the right place .. sample to the “groovebox” and then make a beat to play while you scratch. All without a power cable in sight 😀
      I dug a little on casio’s site and it seems you can control their keyboards by using the very capable ios app called midi designer. If you can do that with this unit as well i think it’s going to open some eyes..

  • Joseph Paterson

    dafuq?

  • adam

    yessssss star wars AND DJing/ Production?! is there any way this can get better?

    • synapticflow

      A dj controller with a button that erases the Star Wars prequels from existance.