NAMM 2018: Pioneer DJ releases the DDJ-1000 rekordbox controller
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NAMM 2018: Pioneer DJ releases the DDJ-1000 rekordbox controller

NAMM approaches, thus my inbox begins to twitch with the sweet smell of new shiny. Pioneer DJ has developed a habit of releasing things pre-show now, and if they’re true to their emerging patterns, the new rekordbox ready DDJ-1000 4 channel controller is the first announcement from the show.

As ever, let’s hear what Pioneer DJ has to say, and then dig into it a little deeper:

Pioneer DJ-1000 rekordbox controller DVS (4)

The new rekordbox dj experience: Meet the DDJ-1000 controller, designed for rekordbox dj –

Club-style interface for intuitive performances in a compact, portable body

16th January 2018: We’ve created a new DJ controller for dedicated use with our professional performance application, rekordbox dj. The 4-channel DDJ-1000 is designed to help you get the most from the new features coming to rekordbox dj following the release of the latest version of rekordbox (ver 5.1). The upgraded software will be available to download on 18th January 2018.

The DDJ-1000 offers the ideal solution if you want to play at events and party venues other than clubs thanks to its easy portability and brand-new user interface, which is similar to the familiar multi player/DJM club-standard set-up. Its professional features include full size jog wheels inherited from the CDJ-2000NXS2 with added On Jog Display so you can keep an eye on important track information without looking at your laptop. Bring creative flair to your mixes with 14 Beat FX and use the 16 multicoloured Performance Pads (8 per deck) to trigger various features including Hot Cues, Pad FX and Keyboard Mode, which enables you to play a Hot Cue in different semitones. This allows you to improvise with sounds and create musical phrases as if you were playing on the keyboard of a synthesizer or other instrument.

The significantly updated version of rekordbox includes enhancements to the Related Tracks feature, adding more options for quickly finding tracks that are well matched with the one you’re playing. And the improved rekordbox dj Plus Pack brings new additions such as Automix, which uses the software’s upgraded track analysis to automatically and seamlessly mix tracks.

The DDJ-1000 will be available from mid-January at an SRP of €1,199 including VAT. It comes with a bundled licence key for our professional DJ performance application rekordbox dj, worth €139.

Watch the DDJ-1000 introduction video or download rekordbox ver 5.1 for free from 18th January 2018. If you own a licence key for one of the rekordbox Plus Packs (rekordbox dj, video or dvs), you can upgrade to the new version of the Plus Pack for free.

KEY FEATURES OF THE DDJ-1000

  1. Portable DJ controller with club-style layout 

All the buttons and knobs on the DDJ-1000 are arranged in the same layout as those on our club-standard CDJ-2000NXS2 and DJM-900NXS2 set-up. The jog wheels are inherited directly from the CDJ-2000NXS2, so they look and feel familiar to use. As a result, using rekordbox dj with the DDJ-1000 creates the same experience as playing from USB drives with a NXS2 set-up. The DJ controller is compact and portable, too, so you can easily take it wherever you go.

  1. Colour On Jog Display for quick reference and accurate performances

A high-definition LCD screen in the centre of each jog wheel displays information such as playback time, BPM, waveform, playback position and Hot Cue and Loop points. You can customise the information you want to see, so there’s no need to look at your laptop during a mix or scratch routine.

  1. 14 Beat FX including new additions 

The DDJ-1000 is loaded with all ten popular Beat FX from our DJM mixer series plus four new FX for adding creative flair and texture to your sets. You can instantly reference BPM and the name of the selected FX without looking at your laptop thanks to the dedicated Beat FX display.

New FX:

  • Enigma Jet, Mobius Saw, Mobius Triangle – FX that add sound with a feeling of infinite rising or descending
  • Low Cut Echo – echo-derived effect that cuts low frequencies of the echo sound
  1. Improved MAGVEL FADER

The DDJ-1000 features a new MAGVEL FADER crossfader, which inherits the design architecture of the renowned MAGVEL FADER PRO from the DJM-S9 professional battle mixer. Highly durable for more than 10 million movements, the new MAGVEL FADER enables complicated, intricate performances with a smooth feel. Plus, we’ve refined the software processing for jog wheel and crossfader operation to significantly reduce latency, so scratching feels more intuitive than ever.

  1. Multiple input/outputs enable different set-ups

DJ changeovers are a breeze for rekordbox dj users thanks to the two USB ports for PC/Mac. The DDJ-1000 has four external input terminals for DJ players and analog turntables, plus two Mic inputs. You can also use the DDJ-1000 as a stand-alone DJ mixer without connecting a PC/Mac.

  1. Other features
  • Multicoloured Performance Pads – tactile illuminated rubber pads trigger Hot Cues, Pad FX, Beat Jump, Sampler, Keyboard Mode and more
  • Feeling adjust – customise the feeling of the jog wheel
  • Advanced Super Fast Search – quickly reach any playback position
  • Page – switch between Hot Cues 1-8 and 9-16
  • Key Shift and Key Sync buttons – direct control of rekordbox dj key-related features
  • Sound Color FX – enhance your sets with the four popular FX from the DJM mixers
  • Aluminium/acrylic-finished top panel – for a quality look and feel
  • Lightweight and portable
  • rekordbox dvs ready – requires the rekordbox dvs Plus Pack licence key and dedicated Control Vinyl (both available separately)

KEY FEATURES OF REKORDBOX VER 5.1

  1. Automix for smooth and natural automatic mixing

Drop tracks into an Automix playlist and rekordbox dj will mix them accurately and smoothly. Phrases in a track are now detected by the newly developed phrase analysis algorithm in the track analysis section of rekordbox’s KORETECH engine. In addition to the phrase information, Automix uses track information such as beat position, BPM and key to make mixes sound natural. You can scratch, apply FX and change the order of tracks during Automix.

  1. Advanced Related Tracks feature brings more detailed search criteria

The popular Related Tracks feature – which displays tracks that are well matched with the one you’re currently playing – has been significantly upgraded. You can easily find even more relevant tracks using increased search criteria such as artists, comments and file formats, and you can save your custom criteria and call it up at any time. This feature is highly useful for creating unique sets from tracks you might not have otherwise thought to mix together.

DDJ-1000 specifications

Frequency characteristic20 Hz to 20 kHz (LINE)
S/N ratio112 dB (USB)
Total Harmonic Distortion0.002% (USB – MASTER1)
Input / Output TerminalsInputsLINE/PHONO × 2 (RCA), LINE × 2（RCA）

MIC × 2（XLR & 1/4-inch TRS jack x 1, 1/4-inch TRS jack x 1）

OutputsMASTER × 2（XLR × 1, RCA x 1）

BOOTH OUT × 1（1/4-inch TRS jack）

PHONES × 2 (1/4-inch stereo jack × 1, 3.5-mm stereo mini-jack × 1）

USBUSB (Type B) x 2
Maximum Dimensions (WｘDｘH)708.0 × 361.4 × 73.4 mm
Weight6.0 kg
AccessoriesAC adaptor, Power cord, USB cable

Quick Start Guide, rekordbox dj licence key card

System requirements

Compatible OSMacmacOS High Sierra 10.13 (updated to the latest version)

macOS Sierra 10.12 (updated to the latest version)

OS X 10.11, 10.10 (updated to the latest version)

WindowsWindows® 10, 8.1, 7 (the latest service pack)
CPUIntel® processor Core™ i7, i5, i3

Intel® processor Core™ 2 Duo: 2.0GHz or above

Memory4 GB or more of RAM

Pioneer DJ-1000 rekordbox controller DVS (1)

Nutshelling the DDJ-1000

Yay, another 4 channel controller. It’s hard to get excited about such things these days, but let’s have a look at what it offers. But to be clear — this is not a standalone unit. You’ll still need a computer running the supplied rekordbox 5.1.

Firstly, the jogs — these are full-sized CDJ style wheels straight from the CDJ-2000NXS2. The difference is that they have a lovely high res centre screen, that while a very welcome addition is a tad busy. I hope we’re offered option on what gets displayed. This something that I imagine will be seen a lot more in the future, but I’ll get to that.

The mixer section is a full analogue mixer. It has four channels, familiar hardware colour effects, as well as 14 built-in beat effects. And because of the 4 inputs (two of which are phono) you can use the DDJ-1000 with rekordbox DVS. You’ll need to buy it, but this controller offers a solid hub for whatever way you want to play.

Pioneer DJ has gone to great lengths to pack an awful lot into the DDJ-1000. For me, this feels like a degree of range rationalisation, as I felt that there have been too many different controllers in the Pioneer DJ range. The DDJ-1000 feels mid range now, and is priced as such. The Pioneer tax isn’t in play here — at DJWORX, we seem to be in agreement that this is a well priced controller.

Breaking free

The first thing that strikes me about the DDJ-1000 is how Pioneer DJ wants to reclaim their IP, and put their mark back on their controllers. When you look back at the other DDJ controllers, they were largely repurposed Serato DJ controllers, and not explicitly made for rekordbox.

But when we have here are some classic CDJ touches. The familiar jog wheel dimples and start stop button rings. It started on the DDJ-RZX, and has continued through to the DDJ-1000. But it’s not just looks — as Serato DJ and rekordbox’s feature set diverges, it’s hard to have a one paradigm does all scenario. What works for Serato DJ’s features may not translate that well to the directions of rekordbox.

This makes me happy — because of the utter dominance of Serato in the controller game, their influence on design elements is clear. It’s good that aesthetic details can play a part in controller design again, because alongside the actual features, they really do matter.

A GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE?

Clearly Denon DJ is piling the pressure on Pioneer DJ in the booth with the Prime series. This in turn will have forced Pioneer DJ to either come up with fresh ideas, or at least bring forward ideas that they were saving for a rainy day. Well Prime was that rainy day, and slap bang in the middle of the jogs is a clear response to Denon DJ.

Just look at that gloriously detailed centre screen. And it’s sat in the middle of a classic CDJ jog wheel. It’s clear to me that with coalescing hardware and software IP, we’ll see something very similar on whatever Pioneer’s response to the Prime series will be.

SUMMING UP

The DJ-1000 rekordbox controller will be available mid-January (so any day now) with quoted prices of €1199, £1059, and $1199 respectively.

Gallery

 

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Mark Settle
The Old Owner
I was the editor around these parts for the first two decades of the DJWORX journey. I’m on a creative journey at The Worxlab, and drop in occasionally here. Expect the odd article from me every now and again.
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51 Comments

  1. The one thing that I noted from this unit which I think is a first on any product. It has 2 USB inputs but instead of me only being able to assign either channels 1/2 on the mixer to one machine and 3/4 to another, it seems I can select which channels are used by which machine. This I feel is the one feature that sets it apart from any other similar controller, and a feature I have been hoping for for sometime.

      2. Well done yes it does but if you read my post again you will note what I said about the channels. The demon unit cannot do this it is USB1 on channels 1/2 and USB2 on channels 3/4 only

  2. Beside that I can not See Magvel Curve adjustment, that is a pity (but will be inside software) what I can see is:

    – Is great Controller (no more Sample fader in the middle finally)
    – Price is right
    – Denon can only try to enter in the game, but as every time I support this theory, Denon is linked to 3rd part company (Serato) that make everything more slow (pioneer arrive and say: Available in 2 week!) and Pio is more powerful inside RB ecosystem .
    – Rekorbox is coming day by day, more stable and mature. Yes, Serato is still Serato…But Rekorbox is Really a great piece of software right now..and becoming more strong I guess, in future.

    Denon is great, but have No own ecosystem, Engine is only a “bad” pice of software….
    I am not work for Pioneer as well as I am big fan of Pio…But I have to admit that they do day by day great Hardware and Amazing software.

    just my 2 cent…

  3. It’s ok and bit push forward but Pioneer still needs to understand better the producer part of actual djing. They miss some interesting points (probably for being nichie in their minds) that set a differences for non bedroom djs or true Hiphop and electronic heads.
    Anyways competition is welcomed, now release a new turntable with the Tour line technology. It’s about time…

  4. I feel the main selling points are “real” jog wheels and a traditional Pioneer mixer.
    If this was a Serato unit it would be a total winner.
    It’s a shame it takes Pioneer some competition, and the want to suck everyone into the RBDJ ecosystem to get up off their laurels.
    Denon really put them to shame with their new players.

  6. I love the look of it. I hope that track browsing can be done on the little screens (i know they are small, but a simple focus on one tune with the tune before and after being slightly faded out while scrolling could be super useful). Otherwise having those two screens is just bells and whistles.

  7. This looks like the perfect solution for the niche market, those not quite happy with the SX2 and not willing/able to cart the SZ into compact DJ booths, that’s exactly the niche I’ve been in, this looks like an attractive option BUT at this price, I don’t want to be forced to used RB DJ, I’d like the option to use it with what I like.

  8. I thought that Jog Wheels were on their way out? You paying attention NI? Or are you going to continue down the jog-wheel’less path to mediocrity?

        1. Hmmm… because it’s a mixer as well as a controller, I assumed that they were. But the manual says this:

          When the unit is connected with rekordbox dj, the SOUND COLOR FX function of the unit can be used with external input

          .
          However, when talking about beat FX, it makes no mention of explicitly needing rekordbox dj. But the PR Staes that the beat fx are from the DJM, but implies that you’d need to be running rekordbox dj. Confused.

  11. Pioneer flexing their muscles as a response to Denon DJ.
    I’m curious how long it will take for the XDJ-1750 (basically a SC5000 rip-off) to arrive.

    Shame they need competition to come up with features (hd jog display, it’s 2018!) that should/could have been around for years.
    But they have gotten away with slow innovation pretty well for years.

    1. Other products that are out of most folks price range. Now they have something that more folks can afford. The high-end folks are always going to buy the more expensive high-end stuff. But I do get your point, some folks are just going to opt for this.

    1. Not really. Shift+Wheel Scrubbing is faaar better than any “finger across a strip” at making accurate & precise playhead placing. At least in my opinion anyway.

  14. The only uglier controller than that one is the old ddj t1.
    Who thought about those stupid displays ??? – i’d rather have a look over my laptop than trying to figure the loaded information in it.

  15. Split it right down the middle , and sell me the left half as a scratcher
    play from USB
    Entire bottom should be batteries, enough for 8 hours.
    I’ll pay $1000

  16. I love the original full size jog wheels & mixer. The jog display is cluttered and seems to somehow take away the class of the unit. I have mixed feelings about this controller. I don’t totally like it & yet also don’t dislike it. I’ve got that “Uuuuuhm” type of feeling.

    1. Display is configurable. You can only have it show the needle marker if you want. Not sure how a display can take away from the class of the unit. Pio sells $3000 units with displays.

  20. this proprietary business has got to stop. Without midi mapping capabilities (unless I missed something) this is a deal breaker.

    Also, this whole Pioneer story of “prepare yourself for the decks in the club” is getting tired. You should be able to show up with USB sticks at this point, and be able to rock a crowd just using two decks, mixing techniques and EQ.

    1. While standalone is a better solution for many, I feel that the issue will be weening people from their big hi res screens back to small ones. And as the industry is demonstrating, 4 channels of standalone action isn’t an easy thing to achieve, especially trying to display the track info in a coherent way on small screens, as well as having the raw grunt to handle 4 channels at all.

      There come a point where they have to ask the question — can 4 channel standalone be done effectively? Or is it easier to stick with a laptop and all the big screen raw power that they bring to the table?

      1. All fair points Mark, I guess my rant was more aimed at Pioneer making something that’s literally no different to my SX2, the only issue it seems to resolve from my player is the distance of the fader to the platter, I quite often knock the fader on my SX2

        I think the predecessor to this unit with the screens would have been perfect as Standalone, a screen in the middle for track selection, with Serato style visibility (I like to see artist and title on one screen) and a screen above each deck to support the other stuff, accompanied by Serato style graphics for the platter screens.

        1. Here’s my thinking — to build a larger screen into a controller will either make the controller much bigger, or impact on useable space, and push the price up too. If you make it some sort of plug in screen, it feels a lot less like an all in one controller, at which point you might as well just use a laptop (which we all own anyway) and all the power that brings.

          1. putting a screen “On” the computer is certainly popular for computers, hence the laptop. those same objections were probably raised.
            i don’t know how “powerful” the laptop is now that OS’s change so frequently, stranding expensive devices.

            the fold-down, locking, “lid” screen (just like a laptop) might not work on many controllers that are out there right now. The approach should be to “start” with the lid/cover/screen, and build the device “from” that.

            the advantages of a well designed and thought out purpose built device; one for turntablists, one for scratchers, and another for mixers, with a static OS, seem self-evident at this point.

  22. I just Pre ordered my DDJ-1000 and ill b giving a review as soon as my delivery gets here when its released. Whats the main reason that I made the purchase?
    1) The jog wheels are straight from the Nexus2 cdjs and I hated using the miniature jogs on the SX2 and Dj808 because Im 6’6 get tall and my hands fit perfect on the Nexus2 CDjs so thats a major point. Plus they have Job well tension adjust!!
    2) The DDJ-1000 is a slightly smaller DDJSZ2 with less features: I was going to buy the SZ2 but it had a lot of features and buttons that I really didn’t care about for my style of Djing at my events: Serato flip, extra FX knobs and loop buttons, etc. Plus I can travel better with the size dimensions of the DDJ-1000
    3) I want to fully transition to using rekordbox with a controller since I use the Pioneer Nexus series in Clubs I play at, so its a smooth transition for me.
    4) The Price is right! Its only $200 more than the SX2, plus its bigger than the SX2. And its $800 cheaper than the DDJSZ2. Which is perfect price point wise.
    As DJs we all have our reasons for investing our Hard earned money into the gear we need for our DJ styles/genres of music. We have invested hundreds if not thousands of dollars into the equipment for years so that we can do what we love and help people have great times at the parties we Dj at. My reasons may not be your reasons, and your feature desires in Dj gear may not be suitable for my dj feature desires but we do have one thing in common no matter what choice of DJ gear we love: WE LOVE TO DJ. Its as simple as that. May every Dj who reads my post, have a great year of doing great parties and having fun doing what we love!!!! Peace and Blessings!! —DJ KALEAF

  23. I have been a Serato user for over 4 years now with no plan on switching. This however checks off so many boxes of what I need for my Bar gigs, Weddings and even club events (when they have bad or faulty equipment). I might just have to make the switch to rekordbox or at least see what is all about. Plus if I can get all my lights working with their new DMX software, that’s a big win and time saver for me. Keeping my eye on this.