Stanton C.313

When mixing with CDs, a large jog wheel helps you find cue points and prepare tracks precisely. The Stanton C.313 is a single tabletop CD player for audio CDs and MP3 CDs; the jog wheel also enables quick track searching and frame-accurate searching in Pause mode. It does not have a scratch function.

You can browse MP3 tracks directly on the unit by folder and track. The display shows track position, playback time and file names or CD text, among other information; the time display can switch between elapsed and remaining track time, as well as total remaining playback time. Auto Cue sets the cue point at the start of the track, and Instant Playback starts playback immediately. You can play individual tracks or play the CD continuously.

Seamless Looping and integrated sampling are available for transitions and repeated sections. Four trigger pads store samples, loops or cue points; saved cue points can be recalled during playback. Anti-shock buffering protects playback from brief shocks for up to ten seconds.

You can adjust the tempo using the pitch fader. Audio CDs offer ranges of ±8%, ±16%, ±25% and ±100%; for MP3 playback, ±8% and ±16% are available. Key Lock changes the tempo without changing the pitch. For temporary adjustments, there are Pitch Bend buttons offering up to ±8%, as well as Pitch Bend control via the jog wheel offering up to ±100%.

An analogue RCA output and a digital S/PDIF output are provided for connecting to a mixer. A Fader Start/Relay connection links the player to compatible mixers; with a second C.313, relay playback can be switched alternately between the two units. The LCD shows status and playback position; after 15 minutes of inactivity, the unit automatically switches to Sleep mode.

The C.313 is suited to DJ setups where audio and MP3 CDs are played with pitch adjustment, cueing, loops and samples. The jog wheel, MP3 navigation and digital output are the key selection criteria; the model is not designed for scratching.