Now with the arrival of 2.0 around the corner and seemingly endless possibilities in the Scratchlive world, I think it's about time to seriously bring back the idea of an Empath mixer for SSL.

To be honest, the 57sl is a good mixer, but cannot operate the full functionality offered in 2.0.

The Sixty-EIGHT looks amazing and is probably the best mixer for a club install... but way out of most people's price range.

This is now Rane's opportunity to create the "Better" in a Good, Better, Best mixer line for SSL. The Empath would be the logical choice for it. Its footprint is similar to what most deejays love about the 57sl and its 3rd channel accomodates the flexibility and creativity offered in 2.0.

I'm sure with the advancements in technology we have now, Rane can find a way to condense some of its materials to fit the SSL interface. But, would they be able to MAP it at $2000?

Agreed, but only if available in a rotary version as well (like current Empath lineup).

Defintiely sounds good, I'm planning on buying an empath really soon as now I have the SL-3 I have nowhere for that third output to play through. If there was an EmpathSL I would've just bought that instead.

Yes i agree also, a mid range mixer with seperate channel vu meters with SL integrated would be perfect for a lot of us.

The sixty-eight is an awesome piece of kit, but not really in my range/needs.

An Empath with SL would be absolutely perfect, although really I hope Rane doesn't make one now as I'm about 99% to buying a normal empath and if it came out straight after I'd hate myself :)

This would be a excellent mixer with SSL built in. But Laz219 you definitely can't go wrong with the empath and SL-3. Thats what I own and I love that mixer especially with the SL-3.

It wouldn't really bother me, I'd just wish i'd waited a little longer.

Can't wait to get the Empath all the same.

You will love that mixer it sounds amazing and the EQs are so clean. Also get the cool headphone low & high tone controls. Oh did I mention the ultra smooth Penny & Giles faders.

Everytime I go to my local shop I play with them for a while. Really looking forward to picking it up. Although I am supposed to be saving to move.

That's cool,hopefully you will be able to get one. I know responsibilities first,Good Luck.

i like the Empath's channel/fader layout much better than the Sixty Eight, it has nothing to do with money for me, there's just no way in heck i'm buying a mixer whose xfader is on the *right* side. i even asked them about it and they said they had to make room for the extra Mic strip. so they actually let something as crucial as fader location, totally ignoring the basic principles of physics/balance and shoving the xfader in any old where like some behemoth console-style studio thing.

They also said, "Jazzy Jeff liked it just fine", but did he actually comment on fader location or did he just put up with it due to the other goodies (which are tempting to be sure).

So an Empath with some basic cue/transport functions (preferable dedicated ones for each channel, not "layered" like the Sixty Eight) would be like a smaller version of what i was hoping the 68 would be - AWESOME!!

As it is i think an Evo4 is as close as you can get currently. Otherwise cross yer fingers and pray fer RANE!!

Susan28--I agree with you on the Evo4 completely. Great mixer with awesome efx and Midi! However, I'm also an Ableton Live user, and by the looks of things, The Bridge is absolutely worthless without a dedicated Serato mixer. Hopefully I'm wrong.

Blvd: hmmm, don't know anything about Ableton. You might could program an Evo to run it, but you'd have to be multi-layering all kindsa shit and dual-purposing critical mixer controls (faders, eq etc) for all the functions, where my whole purpose for wanting a Midi mixer (preferably native Serato) is wanting *dedicated* Serato controls apart discrete from mixer functions. Since i'm old-school (at least for now) and don't care about loops or effects and am screaming only for dedicated cue/transport controls for the 4 virtual decks (and really only need 3) in Serato, those 4 rotating push-switches could give me the Shift-key-free (really hate those shift keys) scrolling/loading i seek (and which is *all* i seek) from a Serato/Midi mixer.

i just hope if they do come out with an Empath that it's not laid out like the 57, with all channels sharing that one row of buttons. what i'd like to see is 3 rows of control buttons like the 68 has on both sides (which are each shared by 2 channels), only with a dedicated row of buttons running right down beside the eq for each channel (kinda like the Midi dials on the Zero4). Fast, clean and unambiguous. The Empath already has plenty of room on the faceplate for that, though not sure about under the hood. But ergonomically and speed-wise, i think it would be a sweet lil hotrod! Even if they had to widen it a smidge.. just think of those few extra centimetres as racing slix ;)

@young: If you don't mind me asking, how are you currently controlling Serato; keyboard or an outboard of some sort?

Not at all, Good question because I have been eye balling the 68. Don't get me wrong I love my Empath but 90% of my gigs are mobile and I like the fact that the 68 has everything right there on the mixer less stuff to hook up and bring. Also could benefit from the two mic's. Currently I am using my Mac's keyboard short cuts, but can definitely see myself using some sort of controller because I do use loops,cues and I also like the effects. Also eye balling The Kontrol x1 it looks nice, maybe Rane will make a controller (hint). Anyway I am Technic 1200 user and hate to have my face buried in my computer. I have been a big fan of rane products since the MP 22 and 24.

Yep i got onboard the tRane with the MP24 back in the day too and would love to return to the fold.

i've been checking out the X1 and the Denon HC1000. The X1's have unique machine identifiers that are recognised by Traktor so you can use two of them for more decks without layering, but not sure if Serato would grok two of them; i think it would though. i contacted both Denon and Serato about using 2 HC1000's (i prefer the horizontal layout) but Denon couldn't tell me if they had unique identifiers (tisk tisk) and Serato couldn't say if they'd be recognised, so i'm in limbo on that for the moment. Let us know if you try it successfully.

So do you like my idea for the Empath's Serato controls running vertically next to the eq knobs for dedicated control for each channel and no toggling? i think that would be the bee's knees..

Will do,I still break out my 22 every once in a while. Yes I like that idea that would be one sick mixer. Don't know if Rane could make that happen because I don't think their would be room. But I could be wrong. Anyway the Empath is one excellent little mixer that packs a punch and it is my mixer of choice.

yeah, think i'll hang tight with my old 2002x for now and see what shakes out with Rane over the next year or so.

Like i said the Empath has the room on the faceplate for the buttons where i described, but dunno how much space the midi stuff takes up belowdecks.

Now, these buttons couldn't be the size of the 68's big square ones, but there looks to be more than enough room beside the eq strips for a row of buttons like the 57 has. That would give instant access to cue/loop for each deck, and the bells and whistles could be toggled on their respective channels - the main thing is not to have to toggle just to *access* the deck.

Also, making one or more of these buttons a rotating knob/pushbutton combo for cue/load you could eliminate the dedicated scroll knobs the 68 has, saving a lil space/clutter while still being intuitive (if not more intuitive).

i'll do a +1 to this conversation. i've owned my empath for about 6 years now, and love it. it's easily the best mixer i've owned in the 20 years i've dj'd (before this, i'd blow through them every 2 years or so). it's perfect for me.

with the bridge coming out, i was seriously looking at the 57, but really don't feel like it's an upgrade to what i have, with the exception of the automation under ableton. i /really/ want that, but have no use for 68 in my set up -- it's way overkill. i like the ease of switchover between djs, which is useful at times, but not worth the width increase and fourth channel. really, i just want a 3 channel empath that does automation. and has the sl-3 sound quality.

fingers are crossed that we get something like that later this year or next. until then, my empath and sl-1 box are working just fine. i just integrated a kontrol x1 into my setup (replaced my old triggerfinger), and that's doing nicely for my button needs.

It would definately save me a ton of money if there was an EmpathSL Since that is easily my favorite mixer because i can use the xfader for my scratching and hip hop gigs and then use the rotary for my dance music gigs. im hoping/praying/dreaming of it or else once my technician skills are honed then im going to tinker w/it my self... (a while from now.)

WAITING, WAITING, WAITING!.. I've owned the SL1, SL3, TTM57,..heck, other than the 68, I've used them all! I think its about time and it makes perfect sense for Rane to this and comfortably around the $2000 mark. We are simply talking about perhaps the greatest 3-channel digital mixer yet to be made by anyone!!.. The Empath was legendary and is still highly valued however, in this digital age, almost EVERYONE NEEDS A DIGITAL MIDI ENABLED MIXER and WITH SERATO INSIDE, WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT THIS MAKES SENSE.

+1 Long live the Empath, love this mixer, still sounds like a excellent idea to me just don't no how they would squeeze all that into that mixer.

yeh rane empath is a great mixer, my friend has one so used it plenty of times.

I dont see why you need an SL empath so badly when ther is the 68 out there.....defo would rather use the 68 than the empath for sure......

Yes, that's what I was thinking s3kn0tr0n1c, I would love to get the 68, but I think they were saying Empath with SL to keep cost down and have the extra channel. Still using my Empath till this day, I like it so much I could not see even switching to the 57 when it came out. But the 68 is another story that mixer looks sweet.

Fair point it is really expensive, .....i had to sell of my mpc2000xl, a vestax mixer and save like mad for it.......worth it tho.

I'd imagine even an empath SL would still be 80% the cost of a 68 tho.

An empath with a SL3 seems the best option just now then....give you the 3 channels and mixer you like....just a bummer its separate and no sl controls

-i want a ten inch mixer
-there are A LOT of ppl who aren't happy with the 68
-lower cost
-the 68 isn't a scratch mixer

I know it kind of sucks not having the SL controls, thats why I was trying to weigh my options out, sell my Empath and SL 3 and save for the 68 or get a controller for now and wait it out. And for me most of my stuff is mobile and I like the fact that everything is right there no messing around with extra stuff. S3kn0tr0n1c do you already have the 68 if so how are you liking it. Wrosenbl12 has some good points too, if they had a SL Empath
that would be a good choice for me, just don't know how they would get all that in a Empath, I also like effects and that what brings me back to the 68, decision decisions. So for now its my SL 3 and Empath. Thanks too Rane for making excellent stuff. I love my Empath and SL3.

@ wrosenbl12 - why isnt the 68 scratch mixer??

It is the same fader(magnetic, hall effect) as the ttm57 etc and is perfect for cutting.........im heavily into cutting and love this mixer to scratch with........its a hell of a lot nicer cutting on a 68 than an empath. Plus the upfaders are close enough to easily adjust 2(or more) with one hand.........i juggle cut, and mix easily on this mixer.

@ young3 - yes i have it, got it as soon as it hit the uk.......LOVE IT.....there were a few bug/glitches at first but its getting pretty solid now.......got it all midi mapped how i want so i can load tracks to any of my 3 decks with 1 click......if you use serato, and need more than 2 channels this is what you want......

Right on s3n0tr0n1c you make me want one. Just might have to start saving and selling. How are the cue buttons ,here alot of people complaining.

why isn't it a scratch mixer?

1. WAY to crowded
2. No reverse control - not able to hamster
3. Up faders are cheap.
4. WAY to crowded

I juggle and scratch all the time on the 68...i just don't like it.

As a side note I think the 68 feel short of it's expectations. I personally have had 4 friends buy the 68 and all 4 are looking to or have already sold it. Also look at the second hand resale value of it...much lower than it's retail value.

@young3...before buying one I'd make sure to check it out...some ppl love it...others (such as myself don't like it at all). Regarding the cue buttons...they are very hard and they amount they "give" or go down is minimal...you can barely detect that you've pushed a button. What I like about the 57s buttons is that you can hit a cue and move a fader with the same hand...this is much more difficult on the 68.

I don't own one...but about half of my practicing is done on a 68.

Thanks for the info wrosenbl12,I will definitely check it out before buying one. I could not imagine Rane putting cheap up faders in the mixer. Not sure what kind they are, I did hear they did not use the nice P&Gs that are in the Empath because of limited space. Wrosenbl12 I take it you have a 57 ? Also Do you like the Empath?

rane made a claim somewhere that they are still high quality...but after working with the magnetic cross fader...it's a noticeable difference. then again you probably won't be slamming the upfaders like you would on a scratch mixer so it's less of an issue and you probably won't notice it after a while.

i do own a 57...i love it to death! i recommend it to EVERYBODY...it's a great mixer and rane has AMAZING customer service.

i don't own an empath but i have definitely used them...and i do like them. in fact one of our clubs here has an empath and it has been used and abused...but it still works like a champ.

Yes, your right on that one,that's why they probably put the magnetic just for the cross fader on the 68. I did some research and from what I under stand I think the up faders are from a company called Bourns. The 57 is a nice mixer never mixed on one but I seen one at Guitar Center and the fader felt amazing. Nice to hear the info on the Empath. Second that on Rane customer service.