djDecks for Windows

DJ software like AdionSoft's DjDecks can put pro-level audio programming and playback capabilities at your fingertips. You can mix and sequence many different file types and play them back in programmed sequences, like most DJ-oriented software. It has a raft of beats, loops, echoes, and other special effects you can apply during playback or save in your chosen file type, as well as plug-in expandability, like some of its competitors. But what sets it apart from and above most similar software is its flexibility and compatibility with external devices, such as multiple sound cards, including ASIO driver support, and pro-level external controllers and processors.

Few software interfaces merit "awesome" as a description, but DjDecks' easy-to-use, skinnable design qualifies. The basic controls resemble an integrated audio player, equalizer, and mixing panel for three separate decks, tied together by the program's file menus, which offer numerous customization and configuration options as well as a Help file and other basic but essential controls. Links to the developer's Web site offer further assistance as well as access to numerous cool and unusual skins to customize DjDecks' look. It's also compatible with external processors and controllers, including up to 16 MIDI top controllers like the Behringer BCD-2000 and EKS XP10. The exceptional Vinyl Control plug-in tracks the location of the analog cartridge's stylus on specially coded vinyl records.

The free trial version of DjDecks is limited to 30 minutes of use. It's compatible with Windows 7; it installs cleanly but leaves folders behind when it's uninstalled.