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Richie Hawtin Will Show Off His Mysterious New Mixer on a Boiler Room Webcast

Here's what we know so far about the Play Differently mixer.

When it comes to a roll out, few artists are as precise and calculated as Richie Hawtin. The techno icon's latest pet project, the new Play Differently DJ mixer is no different. Cryptically revealed back in January at the annual NAMM conference, Hawtin didn't bother to tell us what made his new collaboration with engineer Andrew Rigby-Jones any different from the pair's previous products, the Allen & Heath CTRL:62 and CTRL:92 mixers. Heck, we weren't even allowed to see the new mixer other than a close up of a few knobs.

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Subsequent information about the history and agenda behind Play Differently has come out via a brief promotional video as well as an extended conversation held by Hawtin at SXSW Interactive. Some of the the mixer's more high profile beta testers have let slip a few specifications on THUMP's Rave Curious Podcast, including Chris Liebing's revelation that the mixer has two headphone ports for B2B DJ sets, and Adam Beyer, who discussed the mixer's unique EQ and filter situation.

Next Tuesday May 3, marks the first chance to actually watch the mixer in action, as Boiler Room presents a live Play Differently webcast, that will feature Hawtin and Liebing, plus Dubfire, Ellen Allien, Fabio Florido, Joseph Capriati, Hito, Chambray, La Fleur, Whyt Noyz and some unannounced guests, all performing on the new mixer. The webcast starts at 8 pm CET and marks maybe the first time in the five years since Boiler Room tapped the previously unknown audience for watching people dance behind the DJ that the unobstructed view of the mixer will really pay off.

Bookmark this page to watch the webcast, and in the meantime, you can watch Hawtin's full SXSW lecture right here.