The Future of Algoriddim dJay

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46

I respectfully disagree @Wirelessdj.

I think we should not forget Algoriddim (just like any other company) does not have infinite ressources.
So, we cannot just say “we want everything”, and “everything is priority one”.

Scrolling thru many posts, I see consistency in some drawbacks with DJay :

  • Many “supported” controllers, but less than a handful are really integrated A-to-Z, maybe only two or three max (Reloop Buddy, Mixtour, and perhaps DDJ-FLX2 (not sure)). No “Full Size” controller.
  • So, what’s the point of having a huge list of “half integrated” controllers, when you will end-up disappointing customers.
  • For really stronger Djay adoption, we need full integration, and reliability.
  • And because we cannot have it all, this means reducing the controller list, while going A-to-Z with a shorter list.
  • I reckon I am kind of in disagreement with what I currently perceive as being the business model of Djay : Focusing on “occasional hobby customers”, who are not willing to invest much in their first gear (entry level controllers). Because a significant part of these customers are also those who will want everything in a free version. And another part will upgrade gear sooner or later, then feeling lack of integration with Djay, and possibly switching to other software. None of these paths are good / sustainable for Djay.
  • Last thing : Every amateur DJ, even very low level will look at YT videos from Djs playing on higher gear. So ultimately, everybody wants to do that. And if Djay doesn’t follow the curve (accompanying its customer on higher gear), it will loose them (attrition). Not good.

Fwiw, my own experience is the following : I started with a Reloop Buddy and a DJay subscription. Then I had issues with the sound quality of the Buddy. I upgraded to DDJ-REV5. But now I am disappointed with the integration with Djay. The problem is that I have now invested $1000 in gear. And changing gear wouldn’t change anything, because other controllers have the same half backed integration issues with Djay. So, I am questioning whether I should switch to another software. And the main thing refraining me from doing this is the Apple Music integration, currently.

I humbly think my own experience is probably similar to many other customers. And this is not good for Djay. We need full integration with some controllers (even at the cost of a reduced set of controllers), and reliability.

We cannot have it all. Asking for everything, without concessions, won’t help Algoriddim to sort priorities, imho.

47

The truth might be : the hw vendors might not be interested to have additional compatible software.
Or to get the better support they might say “pay extra annual fee and then you have licenced support to open all features of the hw. We are happy to help you with annaual 1 000 000 $”.

Or for example iPad (iOS) need class compliant device, if hw vendors feels that “no we are not intersted as there is already full support for macOS”, then there’s not much anyone can do to solve the integration.

1 Like
48

What’s the integration problem with the REV5?
I thought people were pretty happy with the REV5/DJayPro combo.
Like this guy:

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What are disappointed in with the Rev5?

50

Hello everyone, sorry for the delay.
As I said above, my disappointment with the DDJ-REV5 / DJAY integration comes because I upgraded from the Reloop Buddy. You see both controllers in the picture below

IMG_8698
IMG_86981920×1440 206 KB

So, I expected a pretty decent step up in enjoyment.
However the Djay integration is clearly lower with DDJ-REV5 compared to the Buddy.
Particularly since the Pad Mode buttons of DDJ-REV5 are not summoning the corresponding Pad Mode screens in Djay (Hot Cue, Loops,…).

This integration between Pad Modes only exists (currently) with the Reloop Buddy and Mixtour Pro.
There is currently no way to Map this in Djay. Meaning, on whatever other controller (including DDJ-REV5), you must touch the tablet to change this. Which is totally uncool. For this reason, I am actually not using my DDJ-REV5, hoping for Algoriddim to fix this.
But @Slak_Jaw has been asking for this for two years, and it is still not there.

And other point is one of the two specific key features of DDJ-REV5 “Piano Play” is not being mapped, contrary to what I heard from some users here before buying.
But this is something I can understand and accept. It is more of a specific feature. I don’t care too much. But I still wish I knew before buying.

Pad Modes shifting is something else. This MUST work.

There should not even be voting about this.
For me, Algoriddim cannot say “100% Compatible” when this basic and essential Pad Mode integration is not done at all. Djay has not even opened the mapping for this. We are stuck (for now). Nothing we can map about pad modes.

Coming back to the main subject (“Future of Algoriddim djay”), one of the key points is really to complete the integration with controllers, even at the cost of reducing the list.

Reloop Buddy and Mixtour are the two only ones truly fully integrated (as per @Slak_Jaw , thank you to him for being honest about this. It doesn’t solve the problem, but honesty is appreciated) .
For every other hardware, what Algoriddim does is a pre-mapping, like we could do ourselves.
But honestly, this is not what I call integration. This should be called “80% pre-mapped for your convenience”. And this leads to the point of reliability. When choosing from the “list of compatible hardware”, things should be said more clearly. It is even more important than screen integration.
I would much more prefer Algoriddim to complete the list of mappable functions (and jog-screen integration), rather that extend an infinite list of half backed pre-mappings.

Then… it gets worse :

  • The Buddy is not qualitative enough. The sound card isn’t good, and I am not talking about audiophile stuff, I am talking about very audible background (and yes I have good cables and power supply). Plus the new iPads are too powerful for the Reloop, it makes the volume of the Reloop unstable and continuously wobbling. So, let’s face it : the Buddy is clearly outdated. Reloop should at least issue a MKII.
  • The Mixtour has a very specific lay-out (no jog-wheels). Clearly not for everyone.

So, at the end of the day, what do we have as really 100% integrated hardware : Absolutely nothing !

This is not sustainable for Algoriddim. This can’t work, imho.

2 Likes
51

If you agree about that integration between controllers and djay pad modes matters, please help the already long list of people requesting this for several years already by voting on this topic below :

52

I understand the issue of non-class compliant devices - and ofc there is nothing Djay can do about this.

But about the other point (talks between Algoriddim and controller manufacturer), I respectfully disagree with you. Accepting that this does not need to improve won’t help Algoriddim long term. User complacency ( = “It’s okay, it is what it is”) kills businesses.

I also have a bit of an issue with Algoriddim saying the problem is Pioneer/Alpha Theta not opening their gear. Indeed, starting from a given hardware price, Recordbox and Serato are free (with DDJ-REV5 for example). So… there is not much software money to expect here for this manufacturer. They can only benefit from an additional software company (Algoriddim) bringing their own client to their gear. Therefore, to be honest, I find this whole explanation lacking substance a bit.

There is a real issue with Agoriddim’s go-to-market (imho) :

  • Probably the best software (except maybe for library management),
  • But fully integrated with almost nothing (focusing on entry level market).

This two points are, imho, what is preventing Djay from really breaking out the next penetration level.

This is not sustainable as there is no point at having

  • The best stems, best beat detection, best iPad/Tablet lay-out… (all things that appeal to Djs/hobbyists who want high quality). Plus iPad integration instead of controller internal processing hardware seems the obvious way to go. Indeed, how could any controller manufacturer compete with the computing power of iPads/Tablets. So this is all very good.
  • But at the same only be compatible with low gear, and lose clients on their controller upgrading path. What is the point of investing so much in top notch software stuff, if it is not usable with decent gear. The balance is not right. Having new customers at the low end but at the same time suffering attrition on the higher end is not a good plan. First rule in business is to keep your customers.

Algoriddim should either do :

  • just-ok-software for just-ok-gear,
  • or invest in making its high-quality software compatible with higher gear.

But the current positioning cannot work long term, imho.

2 Likes
53

You’re absolutely spot on @N_C

Have you ever seen a question, request, or bug report about the Looper or Video Transitions here?

I haven’t. Could that be because they work flawlessly—or because they’re rarely used?