Having just announced some new headphones, it’s clear that Pioneer DJ has a little more up its sleeves, and has possibly just teased it in their new video. You see that DJ in the video? What is he using? A DDJ-SZ? Is it really?
Well it probably is, but it is different, and most likely the DDJ-SZ update that has been rumoured for a little while now. How can we tell? Firstly, that’s not Serato DJ running on the laptop. And despite my years of Photoshop forensic attempts, even I can’t sharpen that screen into anything meaningful, other than seeing that it’s waveforms, decks, and library in that order. The decks appear to have the 6 slots as seen in the image shown at DJ Expo.
And to the controller — I can see it’s new because you can make out that the logo at the top of the unit has changed to Pioneer DJ, signifying some sort of update. Control-wise, I can see no layout differences, but the button colours are definitely different, changing from Serato’s customary red to blue.
The one thing I can’t be certain of is if this is a Serato DJ or rekordbox unit. There’s definitely a logo where the Serato logo should be, but it’s too blurry to make out what it is. I’ve laid the Serato and rekordbox logos over the top and done some blurring, and while the rekordbox logo fits better, it’s too close to call.
So, two scenarios exist:
- DDJ-SZ2 — this has been rumoured, and this looks like it could be it. But it is unusual in that it would run rekordbox and Serato DJ, something that I believe hasn’t been done before.
- XDJ-RZ — if it’s pure rekordbox, then the Serato DDJ designation is redundant, and the established XDJ nomenclature comes into play. Given that rekordbox (4?) is out in beta (surprisingly leak free too), and is clearly designed for controller use, I tend to favour this scenario.
As a hidden in plain site thing, I’m guessing that we won’t have to wait long to find out. In fact, I’d lay good money on my breakfast being delayed tomorrow too. I’ll find out when you do — that’s how Pioneer DJ rolls these days.
There is no need they need to be that massive…. They should be able to reduce the size in todays day and age. I went digital to ease the back pain….not add to it.
Part of the reasons they get this size is to give bedroom DJs a chance to get the full Pioneer experience without having to splurge on two CDJs and a club mixer. It’s still a lot of money, but nowhere near as much.
Size does not = weight. No matter how big it ends up being it should have no negative effect on your back the whole thing will most likely weigh less than just one Technics 1200.
Also what Dan said.
Wouldn’t it have a screen if it’s the RZ?
The little screens on other models were fine when rekordbox was just a library manager. But with rekordbox seemingly becoming fully fledged DJ software, a laptop is a better solution with a device like the SZ.
Surely not after all their ‘Liberate from the laptop’ marketing for the RX, surely an RZ version would have to follow that same all-in-one philosophy.
If it’s a RB version of the DDJ-SZ they’d just call it something different to identify it as a controller designed to work with RB DJ software.
DDJ – Serato controller
XDJ – multi player
XDJ-R – Rekordbox all-in-one
?DJ – Rekordbox controller
But who knows???!
DDJ.. for software controllers
DDJ – S.. for Serato controllers
DDJ – R.. for Rekordbox software controllers?
So “DDJ-RZ” would make sense to me..
Mark, the whole point of the new rekordbox software is to sell even more hardware units. This is where Pioneer make their money. Not in software as is. So, from their perspective it makes sense to have their units compatible with as much software as possible, on top of rekord box. So, following that logic, I doubt we will see that much regular pioneer controllers geared only to one software platform alone.
I see your point, but then wouldn’t Apple just open up its hardware to Windows and Android too? Wouldn’t NI allow Serato and Virtual DJ to be officially supported on their hardware?
This is about Pioneer wanting to be a one-stop shop and creating a Piosphere ecosystem, where you buy their hardware with bundled software (thus saving them all those Serato licences), and them being able to shape their workflow to how they see Pioneer DJ stuff working. Right now, you have Serato saying that all their partners have to design things in a particular way to fit Serato’s version of DJing. Pioneer DJ is breaking free from that, and while I suspect that there will be a period of crossover, rekordbox and Serato DJ are sufficiently different that they’ll have different hardware.
Who knows — perhaps Serato will do expansion packs to turn rekordbox controllers into Serato DJ ones. But that will come down to Serato themselves trying to attract people to their platform. Pioneer DJ won’t care because people will already have bought the hardware and software, and that’s as far as Pioneer DJ support will extend.
Trying to make our lives easier seems to making it more complicated… maybe we should just go back to wax :D
I do see your point too Mark. But I’m not so sure, my guess is that the communication between Serato and Pioneer is a two way process. I hope we are headed for a more “open” way of thinking, choice is great for us consumers. And I feel products like the Serato Club Kit has been a step in the right direction.
As for the the Apple comparison, you probably already know that you can run windows on a mac… -> https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201468
Lately we’ve seen pioneer gear being supported by Serato, NI, VDJ, Algoriddim. And I really hope they’ll keep supporting several platforms in the future too.
I was obviously wrong about this! ;-)
Pio wants to exploit all markets possible. Not sure if I wanna purchase the full RB4 license, Wonder if there is some 14 day trial?
That’s better – the gif now loops.
is it just me or do the edges look more pronounced between the mixer and ‘deck’ is it possible stand alone units? or modular i mean
I’d love standalones but the edge on the mixer side is to small it seems. Look at where the color FX buttons end up on the right. Of course, I could be wrong.
Has no one looked at the Early Adopter program video? https://rekordbox.com/en/eap/
for what? we all know what the software looks like, Its the controller we need to see
DDJ-SZ2 — this has been rumoured, and this looks like it could be it. But it is unusual in that it would run rekordbox and Serato DJ, something that I believe hasn’t been done before.
a.) A few Pio mixers already do both RB & SDJ and b.) The SZ is absolutely supported via the Rekordbox beta currently going. Kinda shaky & slow going but supported.
The edges look pretty pronounced… could we be seeing standalone controller units here? I’d love to see such a fully fleshed frontal assault on the controller end of the market.
That looks like a DDJ-SZ with Virtual DJ if anything.
Those two “platters” in the software GUI look a little too bright to be the ones in the Rekordbox DJ teaser. But it’s too blurry to say for sure.
@DJWORX:disqus no delay in eating your breakfast yesterday morning huh? :-( I was looking for a juicy Pioneer News tidbit.
I thought that he was hinting that it would be revealed during Apple’s event earlier today…
It’s a ddj rz with rekordbox 4.0
Just what I said.. ;)