DJzone DJ Magazine

It was Tokyo’s turn to play host to the Allies All Star Beat Down shoot-out recently, when the event arrived at the fashionable nightclub, Shibuya Nuts. Situated at the hub of the city’s youth culture, the event was organized by Shoji Sadanari’s Breaking Ground Productionz (BGP) and Stanton distributors, Moridaira.

Eight experienced competitors gathered from all over the country — although it was a young competitor, 20-year-old DJ Shun, who most impressed the capacity audience and the judges, consisting of Klever and Spictacular (from the Allies) and professional Japanese DJ, Yo-1.

All the competitors brought their own records, using the new Stanton ST-150/STR8-150 turntable for playback and SA-5 for mixing.

Both the ST-150 (standard S shaped tone arm) and STR8-150 (skip-proof straight tone arm) offer durable construction designed to minimize feedback, industry-leading torque, and an ultra-stable platter and tone arm. And with features like Key Correction, Reverse, up to 50% pitch adjustment, and S/PDIF digital outputs, the ST-150 and STR8-150 have quickly become club favorites.

The two-channel SA-5 battle mixer features the world’s first ‘no knob’ design, superb construction and pristine sound quality. With audio specs on a par with pro audio mixers it has become the official mixer of the Allies All-Star Beat Down.

This is because the SA-5 is one of only four Stanton mixers to employ Superior Sound Technology (SST)™ design engineering. This technology gives Stanton mixers studio quality at prices working DJs can afford. All SST mixers feature ultra low-noise circuitry; clean, transparent sound; no channel bleed and superior construction throughout.

Features on the SA-5 include Penny & Giles line faders and crossfaders, giving DJs more natural control during heated turntable competitions, while at the same time making them ideal for studio use.

Said Moridaira’s Sawaki Kashiwai, “We received a really, really good reaction from everyone who tried this equipment — and the 150 series was described as ‘miraculous’.”

It was clear too that the audience enjoyed the event and want to see it take place again next year. “We believe the Beat Down 2004 will be even bigger and more successful,” predicts Sawaki. The winner of the Tokyo BeatDown will go on to compete in the World Finals in London in November, together with the winners from the US and European Beatdown.