It has been a while since the last update, so here is everything at once. The short version: things are moving, and the mixer sounds great. So far, everyone who has played on it has walked away smiling.
Two built, three on the way
Our first pre-series is five mixers. Two of them are already finished and working, and the other three are on the bench now. The first two have already been out in the real world and played by different DJs.
Barcelona
On 17 September we took the mixer to Barcelona, to the M.I.G. concept store, for the presentation of the Copenhagen clothing brand mfpen. The place was packed, and TENSA played the whole night: first Pau Cristòful, then Sigurd Bank, the founder of mfpen, behind the decks. We also met record shops and people from the local scene, and M.I.G. pre-ordered a mixer. We are going back at the end of October.
Where the first five are going
These five units are not for sale. They will go to reviewers, magazines, DJs and venues, so that more people can hear TENSA for themselves. If you write about music or audio gear, run a magazine or a channel and would like to test the mixer, get in touch.
Better faders for the production batch
Last time we said we were not happy with the faders. The 20 production units will get 60 mm Alps faders instead of the American ones we used in the pre-series. Those were the weakest part of the mixer. The Alps faders are rated for 30,000 cycles instead of 15,000, and they feel noticeably more solid.
Wood, aluminium and steel
The new units are being built with the side panels from the configurator: wenge, caoba and olive. There is also a new option: panels machined from aluminium and anodized gloss black, for those who want something other than wood. The enclosure of the production units will be steel instead of aluminium. Our prototype had a steel case, and it simply felt better in the hands: heavier and more solid, like a real instrument should.
Build yours on the site
You can now put your mixer together right on the home page: choose the side panels and the knobs, see how it looks and what it costs, and send a request. The first batch is 20 units, and pre-orders are open.
What's next
We keep improving the site, bringing the mixer to more places and talking to record shops and stores about carrying it. More soon.