Letting off steam: XDJ-1000 scratching [VIDEO]

Want to know how well the Pioneer XDJ-1000 scratches? I let off some post-taxes stress and threw this video together quickly before it had to go back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2YnvSYlY9U

I’ve been saying for a while that video will figure strongly in the DJWORX future. The problem that I have is a crippling perfectionism that stops me from putting out just about anything because I’m never going to be happy with the end result. I’m not alone in feeling this way in the team either, but sometimes you just have to say bollocks to it and let go. So after four days of staring at spreadsheets and neatly filing receipts for my tax return, I decided to let off steam on the Pioneer XDJ-1000.

I’m neither Qbert or Kubrick. Nor do I have a DMC level scratcher locked in a cupboard to do such things at the drop of a hat. But the end result is nonetheless satisfactory for a video thrown together in 30 minutes after breakfast and before doing the photoshoot for our forthcoming review XDJ-1000 review.

About the XDJ-1000 jog wheel…

As far as the jog wheel goes, it’s typical mid-range Pioneer. It lacks tension control, but does have a touch release control to adjust from instant release to a few seconds before getting up to full speed. Feel wise, it’s CDJ rather than DDJ — a little rattly and having a pressure rather than touch sensitive top. And while I can complain about, it does work much better than the DDJs, which considering the price and pedigree are still a little lacking.

So while my skills are weary, rusty and in need of acclimating to the Pioneer wheel , I feel that the video shows enough to give people a good idea of what it’s capable. After all, isn’t the first question anyone asks of such thing s is “can it scratch?”. I’ll leave that up to you to decide.

Andrew Unsworth’s (yes he’s back) XDJ-1000 review is in for fact checking, and all being well will be published mid-week.

Mark Settle
Mark Settle

The old Editor of DJWORX - you can now find Mark at WORXLAB

Articles: 1228

39 Comments

  1. Gizmo got cuts galore!

    As for the pressure sensitive jog wheels Pioneer use, I’ve never been a huge fan. I find on occasions I don’t apply enough downward pressure and the sound “slips” from beneath my fingers.

  2. There’s no comparison with any Pioneer product versus Denon SC3900 “for scratching.” Hands down the Denon SC3900, 3700 is the closest to Technics 1200 scratching-wise.” With the Denons, you can emulate any old school scratch, along with new scratch styles.

  3. for me i find the touch wheels on my sz to be more like vinyl then the regualr cdj wheels. i can adjust tension and make them feel close. strange how each dj finds it different and hands down 3900 is the closest. just take a 3900 platter off and look at platter and moter. its a close to technic but shrunk. wieght and all.

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