Yes, I am an openlabs fanboy, straight up to the core. They are the one company that made me actually consider software music production, now I am in my migration over to software. Of course I’m taking my mpc 4000 with me, but hey…I can’t front on the power of software.
With companies like Native Instruments putting out high quality software and sounds, one can have a huge workshop to create music in.
Enter the dbeat!
For a long time I’ve been watching Open Labs, and for a long time I’ve watched them continue to improve. When they released the gen 5 miko lxd I was hooked, it looked like it was finally time for me to start saving up for one.
Then I found out about the dbeat. It’s around the same size as my mpc, very portable, and has some high tech specs.
Comes with 4gb of ram, 320gb hard drive, built in audio i/0 with the presonus firebox, and it has the touch screen.
Not to mention the “bump mp” pad controller that open labs has come up with.
For a while, it was said the price was right at 4k, but the good peeps at openlabs love to listen to their customers. I remember a chat a few of us had with Vic Wong, the owner/president or whatever you call him, about the price.
The target market they are going for, may already have ableton live, or whatever sequencer they like…so they may not want to pay for that again. Especially targeting djs that are doing live shows and such.
Anyway, bottom line, the new prices are 2999 and 3799 for the dbeat pro. The only difference is the included software.
The pro version comes with a full copy of Ableton Live, plus some other goodies like Sylenth, digital sound factory emu sound banks, and custom sounds from Denaun Porter, or “Mr. Porter” .
Either way, it’s all good!
These prices are very close to high end keyboard workstations or even a macbook pro. Yet, this is a dedicated virtual environment.
Which means you can constantly update your sounds.
Run any xp compatible software you wish.
For me, it’s a nice little package and I am now torn between this and the Miko. I have a midi controller, so I can just hook that up to this.
Bottom line is, they changed the game again, and this small package looks like it packs tons of power.
These are dual core instead of the quad core on the miko/nekos but it’s all good.
If you’re a hardware dude like me looking to get into software, forget the laptop and go with a dbeat.
If you’re already rocking a laptop but want something more stable or hands on, check it out.
Man, they should hire me as a salesman or something huh? lol
see ya
This piece of hardware looks like the real deal. I know what I’m saving up for this summer!
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saintjoe Reply:
June 10th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Yeah man, this joint is ohh so sexy dude lol. I gotta have it in my life, perfect software host.
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Yo i stumbled across you on youtube today and thought id check the sight out…pretty good stuff man how longs it been up…posts and reviews etc seem to be going up not long after each other and that so ill defo be checking back regulary…the thing im getting to is…the play piano by ear site up to the right…is it as easy as the guy made out on the little introduction…i dunno if you have practiced all his advice but i will be reading through it all…basically without getting side tracked…do ya think its possible like hes saying though…to hear something on the radio and be able to play it in minutes
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saintjoe Reply:
September 10th, 2009 at 11:30 am
Welcome to the site bro! I’m glad you like it. As far as the piano course, I def think it’s possible if you follow him. After you have a good understanding of the notes on the keyboard, you’ll know the tones etc and be able to improvise. I can’t promise anything cuz it’s not my course…but he and his company have been around for a very long time.
As far as the content here, yeah man, I try to keep it going and much as possible. Sometimes I get backed up and I’m waiting for my new camera to come in tomorrow, but I keep it updated pretty regular, and not just filling it with a bunch of product press releases either, I take the time to actually write articles, reviews, or make videos.
I’m glad you like it man and I look forward to seeing you around the site!
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yeah man ill be around…i bet stuff gets ya backed up…but seem to be doing a good job man and ill be looking forward to the updates…will you be reviewing the record daw?…im kind of split down the middle about it…likeyou said no vst’s etc so thats kinda making em think it will be similar to reason just with recording capabilities…im just about to get my self cubase 5 next week..and it has a feature called beat agent i think? its a vst for chopping up samples…and set out with the 16 pads on screen…as far as im aware you can do what you were saying ya didnt like about guru…set ya region markers etc and audition them there as ya make em…as far as im aware anyway i could be wrong but seems to be the case lol…im looking forward to it anyways lol…also getting myself a a saffire pro liquid 56 soundcard and a new pair of headphones…university loans are coming in so im treating myself…hope to get myself an mpc sometime within the next two years but ill just keep doing stuff with my daw and controllers lol
pzzz
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saintjoe Reply:
September 10th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Cool man, yeah I heard about that in Cubase…but I role with Ableton Live man, it chops up nice and I love it lol. I’ll keep the updates, not sure if I will do one on record, I messed with the beta and I liked it for recording, it was pretty simple and straightforward, it also sounded pretty good.
I feel ya on the loans man, must be nice! lol.
look forward to networking with ya man!
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i just wanted to add i also bumped into on utube and join today and this place is great i will def tell my music buddies about it. thanks for all your hard work in advance
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saintjoe Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 9:31 am
Welcome to the site yo! Glad to have ya and thanks for the encouragement. Just want to provide a place for US…the music fanatics, that gets to the point and gives the info we want.
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i met victor wrong at nam this year.
what a coke head.
the sound slate is just a playback rig at 4 times the price.
as far as the rest of their rigs what a joke.
they are only 32 bit with No ph help from their office.
victor met my band and gave us passes for his grammy party.
told us about all his rock n roll bands. all we saw where more coke heads and drunks.and victor bullsh@#$%t.
cant wait until he comes to paris.
we love american/hongkong coke heads.
We did meet a guy name nic way cool dude from their la office
the only honest guy their.
he told us to not waste our $$$ on the openlabs rigs and sent us to yamaha Thanks nic you saved us big.
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saintjoe Reply:
March 12th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
lol…I know they setup the soundslate as a playback rig too, but that wasn’t it’s first purpose.
I wish they had 64 bit machines, that’s the reason I can’t see investing in one, 32 bit is on the way out and that’s just too much when I can build my own 64 bit rig for way less.
I’ve actually heard good things about their support but can’t speak on it personally, as you can see, this article was posted a while ago, I’ve since moved on from the dbeat lol.
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