Dark fader TT

Available NOW

New (April, 2023): Serato mapping available

The idea behind Dark Fader TT

Long story short: We love our Dark Fader and the amazing tactile feeling of an original Technics SL1200 pitch fader. But user who played on TT in past missed something: supporting the complete turn table beat matching workflow. They wished nudging via turns, holding & releasing music via platter fingertip, searching/scratching to cue position. They asked us to place the powerful metal jogwheel from Dark Wheel controller into Dark Fader.

That’s the idea: Keeping the Dark Fader further and welcome a Dark Fader with Jogwheel in our family. Dark Fader TT is targeting DJ’s who search a MIDI class compliant and mobile TT workflow solution.

Technical concept: we integrated the HiRes metal jogwheel from Dark Wheel and made it TOUCH sensitive. The new VINYL mode allows holding and releasing music by fingertip (in addition to nudging in CDJ mode). And we used the moment to complete their idea with additional features:

Dark Fader TT is a full 4 deck controller (4 color LED’s, 4 MIDI channel). And MIDI user might love our new BANK button: offering additional layer for user mappings. The jogwheel simulates standard encoder MIDI messages in additional layer, so can perfectly used e.g. for scrolling in Track browser. Last not least we added more powerful preferences in Power-On Setup for user specific configurations.

Project status (July 2022): Hardware & firmware is Ready to Go, first devices will be send to our beta user in August. We plan to complete all documentation (Datasheets, Power-On Customizing Guide, Printed Manuals) until eof. September 2022.

Update Oct. 1, 2022: We are Ready to Go : ). Beta testing is finished, documentation completed (printed manuals, pdf’s links below), default mappings are published – we are ready to build DFTT on users request.

Let us know what you think about our NEW Dark Fader TT.

Videos (Preview)

Video Trailer I – Design & Concept
(Fader and MIDI layer)

Video Trailer II – Jogwheel is Ready
(Live demo, mapped in DJ Player Pro)

Dark FAder TT in a nutshell

Dark Fader TT supports all features of Dark Fader (downward compatibles to all messages and customizing capabilities). The additional Jogwheel and controls offers new features and capabilities:

General Enhancements in TT version:

4 DECKS: Dark Fader TT extends the 2 decks in Dark Fader to 4 (4 MIDI channels). Top DECK button fully user customizable, 9 modes available: A, B, C, D, AB, AC, BD, CD, ABCD, no longer different mappings needed. Deck Indicator LED’s in RGB (different colors for all 4 decks), spending 2 LED’s (L/R) for best usability: A/C (left) and B/D (right)
4 LAYER per DECK: Dark Fader supports 2 layer (via SHIFT button), Dark Fader TT offers an addition BANK button (right below Jogwheel) to extend to a full 4 layer controller (BANK1: Normal / SHIFT, BANK2: Normal / SHIFT)
CHASSIS: 3 color variations planned: STANDARD (brushed black anodized Alu with Silver stainless buttons), TRANSPARENT ACRYL version and NEW: DARK BLACK with black steel knobs and new Technics SL1210 mk7 fader knob

Jogwheel features and capabilities:

TECHNOLOGY: High quality 10bit analog magnetic shaft/hall encoder with high Ticks Per Turn rate (TPT > 600)
MECHANICS: Heavy full metal knob, combined with ball bearing axis for long duration high spin support. Supporting highest precision in small movements AND an intelligent dynamical speed acceleration for beat searching on fast swipe gestures. Easy MIDI mapping (no toggles needed, firmware supports both automatically)
TOUCH SENSITIV in VINYL mode. CDJ/VINYL button (left below Jogwheel) toggles between the 2 Jogwheel modes: 1. CDJ mode -> Nudging (no touch events), and 2. VINYL mode -> CUE position (scratch) mode with activated TOUCH recognition on complete Metal knob (holding music on finger touch). Using capacitive touch technology (clickless recognition for lowest latency)
MIDI CC messages: High speed CC messages in layer 1 (600 TPT for smooth jogwheel mappings), Layer 2-4 send CC Encoder messages (20 TPT). This allows to map the jogwheel easily to any user preferred encoder actions (e.g. for Track browser scrolling or Loop Length)

POWER-ON Configuration SETUP features:

DECK modes (NEW): A, B, C, D, AB, AC, BD, CD, ABCD. User can store their favorite toggle mode, user with 2 Dark Fader TT can assign the controller differently on L/R side. No longer need of any modified mapping files, one file for all scenarios
SL1200 FADER Customizing (same as in Dark Fader): MID POSITION, MID RANGE, SENSITIVITY, MSTO (MIDI Soft Take over)
SL1200 FADER Customizing (TT only): DECK button (MIDI channel toggle) and SHIFT-DECK (for SL1200 PITCH RESET) can be disabled (for user who wish 2 additional free buttons for own favorite mappings)
Jogwheel Customizing: Rotate Sensitivity (Noise reduction) and (NEW during Beta): VINYL button toggle mode customizing (latching or momentary)

We build on your request

All Dark Controller are hand made, focused on highest quality, using best components on market. We build each controller on user requests.

How we build: we designed all electronic circuits, professional PCB vendors built the Printed Circuit Board on our plans. We constructed a Dark Fader TT Jogwheel PCB module with manufactor assembled PCB components in smallest SMD IC technology (QFN-UT). The metal chassis panels are 3D CAD constructed by us, CNC milling factories built to our specifications. All listed components above and spare parts are typically on stock.

All firmware is coded from us (in own intellectual property), we support further updates, latest versions and mapping templates can be downloaded from our website.

We start the soldering and mounting process with ordering. Each device is manually soldered and mounted by hand. We upload our latest software and test each controller before we send shipping. We guarantee on quality.

Typical delivery time from ordering to shipping is about 2 weeks, we deliver world wide.

Projected Retail Price (this may change in future)

Dark Fader TT: 488 € (same for all 3 design versions: STANDARD, TRANSPARENT, DARK BLACK).

User with professional mixer could consider a double height version. We can mount our Dark Xpander prior shipping, so Dark Fader TT could fit best to club equipment height. We offer this option for additional 49 €. More details here: Dark Xpander.

Insights to our retail price calculation: All is driven by our purchasing costs of the high quality components. Dark Fader TT price is 120 € higher than the price of Dark Fader (without TT) because this covers exactly our own costs for the additional Jogwheel components (stepless analog 10bit hall encoder including metal knob and pcb). We did not add any additional margins.

Be aware that we may increase the price in future. The purchase costs of our components are being driven up continuously worldwide (Teensy CPU, SMD IC’s, hall encoder and the SL1200 fader are doubled since 2021, we even removed USB hub chips because they increased by 600%) and there is still no end in sight.

So let us know if you want us to build your Dark Fader TT. Tell us which design you love most: STANDARD black with Silver steel knobs or Acryl TRANSPARENT or the new DARK BLACK style (all in black) .. or even anything special custom made ; )

In case you are interested in more than one Dark Controller (e.g. 2 Dark Fader TT, one on each side L/R of your mixer), then ask us for an additional discount.

Interested ? .. then Contact us!

Technical Specifications

Chassis

Full metal chassis, available in single or double height (double height via optional Xpander)
CNC made panels, brushed and double black anodized 3mm aluminium, polished bare metal side surfaces
Engraved pitch fader scale and logos (no painting, no laser cut)
Size compatible to Dark family, double height option via Xpander
Dimension L/W/H (single height): 207 x 65 x 38/48 mm, with Xpander: 207 x 65 x 74/84 mm
Weight: 430 grams (630 grams with Xpander)

Design versions

STANDARD: brushed black anodized Alu & Silver steel knobs
TRANSPARENT: Acryl Top Panel & Silver steel knobs
DARK BLACK: brushed black anodized Alu & Black steel knobs

SL1200 Fader

Technics SL1200 fader (click-less version mk3/4/5), 100mm
Technics silver (mk3/4/5) or black (mk7) fader cap
Firmware: A/D voltage conversion with full 14Bit resolution

Jogwheel

High quality 10bit analog magnetic shaft/hall encoder with high Ticks Per Turn rate (TPT > 600)
Ball bearing axis for long duration high spin support
Supporting CDJ mode (Nudging), VINYL mode (touch scratch) and 20 TPT encoder simulation in additional layers
Heavy full metal knob, touch sensitive in VINYL mode (clickless capacitive technology)

Control elements

KNOBS: 6 stainless steel buttons (12mm anti vandal switch), smooth low pressure versions, silver or black anodized surface (both lathe polished)
LEDS: 4 multi purpose RGB LEDs, indicating controller details (Decks A-D, SHIFT & BANK layer, Jogwheel modes (CDJ/VINYL) and MIDI messages
Bicolored fader MID position LED (green/red) to indicate MIDI messages and fader zero position). All LED are fully automated firmware triggered

PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD

Bottom layer PCB: Dark Board (CAD factory made PCB, dual layer, black glossy surface, immersion gold contacts)
Top layer sandwich PCB: Dark Fader TT carrier PCB for Jogwheel and RGB LEDs, SMD QFN components factory soldered in SMT (surface-mount technology), I2C bus connected to Dark Board
CPU: Teensy LC or 3.2 (48-72 MHz 32 bit ARM processor)

Connectivity

USB MIDI connector (USB-B standard size) to connect Dark Fire TT to MIDI host. USB bus powered (no power adapter needed)
Low power consumption (less 80 mA) allows operation even on mobile devices / smart phones (without powering or USB hub)

FIRMWARE

MIDI class compliant, no driver needed
Multi-deck support (1, 2, or 4 decks), multi-layer support (4 layer)
Built in ‘Power-On Configuration Setup’ to customize user settings and SL Fader and Jogwheel preferences

Dark fader TT

Technics SL1200 pitch fader meets metal Jogwheel
Turn Table workflow in a pocket - MIDI TT To Go

Available NOW

New (April, 2023): Serato mapping available

The idea behind Dark Fader TT