Category: Archived

• RICHIE HAWTIN and ANDY RIGBY-JONES unveil debut PLAYdifferently instrument
• Named MODEL 1, the key features and specifications of the innovative mixer are revealed today
• PLAYdifferently MODEL 1 will be unveiled with an exclusive Boiler Room live stream
  from Arena Club in Berlin on Tuesday 3 May from 8PM – 1AM CET.

RICHIE HAWTIN and ANDY RIGBY-JONES unveil PLAYdifferently MODEL 1, the brand’s debut product, which offers a new level of uncompromising quality and intuitive functionality combined with hand-crafted British design.
Over the past two years, Hawtin and highly-regarded British product developer Andy Rigby-Jones have combined their joint expertise and unique vision to DEVELOP new innovative instruments for the DJ and electronic music market. Their first announcement is the MODEL 1 mixer, which offers uncompromising quality, sonic performance and intuitive functionality.

The Mixer offers 6 full featured stereo channels, 2 stereo Send & Return channels, 2 Mix outputs, and Master & Booth EQ.

Features include a per channel Hybrid Filter EQ & Input overdrive control, Master Resonant Filter (with both HPF and LPF controls), a Dual headphone Cue system, Tascam DB25 connector system, Dual Mixer linking capability and a Dual external PSU option.

Introduced at NAMM, the world’s largest trade show specializing in music equipment and technology, assessed at leading worldwide events including ENTER.Ibiza, SXSW and Glastonbury Festival, and test-driven by a series of world-leading artists at revered clubs including Output (NYC), Fabric (London) and Watergate (Berlin), the mixer is now ready for launch, together with manufacturing & distribution partners Audiotonix and Allen & Heath.

“MODEL 1 is the product of a unique collaboration between artist and designer, a close creative and technical association that turned a functioning machine into a sonic tour de force!” – Andy Rigby-Jones
The first ambassadors for MODEL 1 are today revealed as Chris Liebing, Dubfire, Loco Dice and Richie Hawtin.

“From unparalleled craftsmanship and revolutionary design, to incomparable features and sound quality, MODEL 1 is a game-change moment in the DJ mixer arena.” – Dubfire

“MODEL 1 sounds round, phat, and has the sound signature that I’ve been looking for. I call it The Beast.” – Loco Dice

“Finally the DJ world has a mixer that really brings people together. This is a whole new ballgame because you actually “play differently” when performing back2back sets.” – Chris Liebing

PLAYdifferently’s new mixer will be unveiled with an exclusive Boiler Room live stream from Arena Club in Berlin on Tuesday 3 May from 8PM – 1AM CET. Tune in to Boilerroom.tv/live to watch performances from Chambray, Chris Liebing, Dubfire, Ellen Allien, Fabio Florido, Joseph Capriati, Hito, La Fleur, Richie Hawtin, Whyt Noyz + Special Guests. All artists involved in the Boiler Room will perform with the mixer and guests at the event are invited to bring USB sticks and vinyl for hands on testing at the onsite Mixer Demo Stations.

Richie Hawtin states: “Its time to accept that DJing has come a long long way over the past 25 years and introduce a Mixer that lives up to the expectations of the modern electronic music performer. A mixer more akin to an instrument with intuitive controls, uncompromising quality and features that can unlock a new wave of creativity.”

PLAYdifferently MODEL 1 will be available from 30th June 2016, directly from PLAYdifferently, with a limited amount numbered individually, and retailing at £2,500.

PLAYdifferently MODEL 1
MIX

• 6 stereo channels
• 2 stereo sends
• 2 stereo returns
  3 high performance phono preamps
• Studio grade faders

MANIPULATE

• Precision Sculpting EQ
• Contouring low & high pass filters
• Analog overdrive

COLLABORATE

• DualCue
• Mixer Link

ENGINEER

• Balanced Mix Bus
• Master high & low pass resonant filters
• Three-band master EQ
• Two-band Booth EQ

BUILD

• 100% analogue
• ZERO Crossing Circuitry
• Quality Components
• External Power supply
• BUILT IN THE UK
• CONNECTIVITY
• D-Subs In
• D-Subs Out
• Front mounted record Out

Featured artists include Chris Liebing, Dubfire, Francois K, Joris Voorn, Maceo Plex, the Martinez Brothers and more.

A SERIES of world-leading artists and DJs have confirmed to be a part of the first international tour for PLAYdifferently – a series of events to showcase the final prototypes of the brand’s new mixer.

The DJs and artists who will join Richie Hawtin and perform on the mixer include Carlo Ruetz, Chris Liebing, Cinthie, Diego Krause, DJ Tennis, Dubfire, Ean Golden, Fabio Florido, Francois K, Hito, Joris Voorn, Joseph Capriati, Loco Dice, Maceo Plex, Matrixxman, Matt Karmil, Mike Servito, Nastia, Paco Osuna, Roi Perez, The Martinez Brothers, tINI and Whyt Noyz.

The Prototypes Tour will start in Los Angeles at Sound on Monday March 14 and go on to visit iconic club venues around the world including Fabric (London), Robert Johnson (Frankfurt), Watergate (Berlin), Tenax (Florence) and Output (New York). The tour will stop at leading music conventions  including Musikmesse (Germany), SXSW and Winter Music Conference / Ultra Music Week in North America. The tour also includes an in-store performance at the Walrus record store / cafe in central Paris, plus a special talk at SXSW with Resident Advisor where Hawtin will reveal more about the new mixer in public. The tour will also host stages at two global festivals: Movement in Detroit and Awakenings in Amsterdam.

PLAYdifferently was announced at NAMM in Anaheim last January and it sees RICHIE HAWTIN and highly-regarded British product-developer ANDY RIGBY-JONES in partnership with ALLEN & HEATH and the AUDIOTONIX group. After two decades working at A&H and being an integral part of their world-renowned Xone DJ division, Rigby-Jones left the company in 2014 and partnered with Richie Hawtin to combine their expertise and unique vision to create new innovative instruments for the electronic music market.

Over the past two years, the pair have been developing and testing their first prototype of the mixer that they feel is missing from the professional segment of the market. Assessed at various leading worldwide events including ENTER.Ibiza, Glastonbury Festival and the BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix, the first prototype has already seen a number of iterations and is nearing completion.

Dates for the Prototypes Tour are as follows:

• Mon Mar 14 – Sound, Los Angeles
• Tue Mar 15 – Resident Advisor at Kingdom, SXSW, Austin
• Wed Mar 16 – Panther Room, Output, New York
• Thu Mar 17 – Basement, Edition, Miami
• Fri Mar 18 – Spybar, Chicago
• Wed Mar 23 – Walrus, in-store performance, Paris
• Thu Mar 24 – Labyrinth, Frankfurt
• Fri Mar 25 – Tenax, Florence
• Sat Mar 26 – Fabric, London
• Sun Mar 27 – Watergate, Berlin
• Thu Apr 07 – Robert Johnson, Frankfurt
• Sat-Mon 28-30 May – Movement, Detroit
• Sun Jun 28 – Awakenings, Amsterdam

Full line-ups are as follows:

Mon Mar 14 – Sound, Los Angeles

• Richie Hawtin
• Ean Golden

Tue Mar 15 – Resident Advisor at Kingdom, SXSW, Austin

• Richie Hawtin
• Matrixxman

Plus Resident Advisor talk: Technology – Past, Present & Future

Wed Mar 16 – Panther Room, Output, New York

• Richie Hawtin
• Francois K
• Mike Servito

Thu Mar 17 – Basement, Edition, Miami

• Richie Hawtin
• Very Special Guests

Fri Mar 18 – Spybar, Chicago

• Richie Hawtin
• DJ Tennis

Wed Mar 23 – Walrus, Paris

• Richie Hawtin – in-store performance

Thu Mar 24 – Labyrinth, Hasselt

• Richie Hawtin
• Chris Liebing
• Fabio Florido
• Carlo Ruetz

Fri Mar 25 – Tenax, Florence

• Richie Hawtin
• DJ Tennis
• Fabio Florido

Sat Mar 26 – Fabric, London

• Richie Hawtin
• Nastia
• Hito
• Roi Perez

Sun Mar 27 – Watergate, Berlin

• Richie Hawtin
• Paco Osuna
• Diego Krause b2b Cinthie
• Fabio Florido
• Hito
• Whyt Noyz
• Carlo Ruetz
• Matt Karmil

Thu 07 April – Robert Johnson, Frankfurt

• Richie Hawtin
• Dubfire
• Joseph Capriati
• Hito

Sat-Mon 28-30 May – Movement, Detroit

• Richie Hawtin
• Joseph Capriati
• tINI
• Hito

Sun 26 June – Awakenings, Amsterdam

• Richie Hawtin
• Maceo Plex
• The Martinez Brothers
• Chris Liebing
• Fabio Florido
• Hito

AFTER 25 years of working at Allen & Heath and being an integral part of their world-renowned Xone DJ division, Andy Rigby-Jones left the company in 2014 and partnered with Richie Hawtin to combine their expertise and unique vision to create new innovative instruments for the DJ and electronic music market.

Over the past two years, the pair have been developing and testing their first prototype of an instrument that they feel is missing from the professional segment of the market. Assessed at various leading worldwide events including ENTER.Ibiza, Glastonbury Festival and the BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix in Los Angeles last month, the first prototype has already seen a number of iterations and is nearing completion.

Last week at NAMM (Anaheim, California), the world’s largest trade show specializing in music equipment and technology, the pair revealed their “PLAYdifferently” brand, a partnership with the Audiotonix group, known for their strength in audio engineering, manufacturing and international distribution with brands including Allen & Heath and DiGiCo.

Andy Rigby-Jones states: “ The last two years have been a whirlwind of activity working with Richie on this exciting new project, but we both realised that to get our creation out to a wider audience we should partner with a major manufacturer, and who better than my old employer Allen & Heath! A&H are now part of the Audiotonix group and as such provide unrivalled manufacturing, marketing and technical expertise in the UK.”

PLAYdifferently will shortly launch its first product promising a new level of uncompromising quality and intuitive functionality combined with hand-crafted British design. Richie Hawtin states: “Our aim is to create instruments which DJs and electronic musicians can PLAY; magnifying the creative impulse that drives our most inspired performances. This company is not about one performance style – or my style – this is for all artists who strive to unlock and expand their own innate talent.”

Audiotonix and Allen & Heath bring unrivalled expertise in design, manufacturing and distribution, with Hawtin and Rigby-Jones committed to fulfilling the creative needs of the most discerning performing artists. This unique partnership opens up the professional market by co-operating with a series of world-leading artists in order to develop products that fill the needs of those performing around the globe.

Glenn Rogers MD of Allen & Heath commented: “ Richie and Andy have both played key roles in making Xone the successful DJ brand it is today, so we’re excited to join forces with them again on this different direction of play.”

Richie Hawtin & Andy Rigby-Jones announced today at NAMM a collaborative partnership with Allen & Heath and parent company Audiotonix. Richie described the long-standing relationship between the parties, with a new goal of creating an instrument to take the artistry of DJ-ing and performance to the next level. “The ethos of Play Differently is to create products that will magnify the individuality and expand the creativity of today’s generation of electronic music artists, producers and DJs . We hope to encourage and inspire creatives to PLAY Differently.”