As Pioneer DJ makes their transition to full rekordbox workflow, thus they’re filling in the gaps in their controller and table top player range. We’ve seen the higher end XDJ-1000 (review here) appear, but rather than aim higher it’s the more affordable end of the range that gets a slot filled. The all new XDJ-700 is the next player that hammers another nail in the coffin of CD, and continues the shift towards an entirely digital workflow.
You know how this works — their words first:
Digitally versatile: meet the XDJ-700 – the compact digital player that punches above its weight
13th October 2015: Pioneer DJ is launching its most compact, portable and flexible digital player yet: the slimline XDJ-700 rekordbox™-ready player with a touch screen, Pro DJ Link and many performance features inherited from its bigger brother, the XDJ-1000.
The XDJ-700 offers DJs and venues unparalleled set-up possibilities. Its compact size and removable stand means it’s perfect for even the smallest booth or home set-up. It’s the first player at this price to feature Pro DJ Link – so DJs can share one source with up to four players or laptops. Tracks can be loaded via USB or Wi-Fi to give DJs even more choice.
The XDJ-700 is packed with features from the XDJ-1000, including Hot Cues, Auto Loops, Slip Mode and Beat Sync. The large, full-colour LCD screen gives DJs intuitive access to all the player’s features and faster browsing through a QWERTY keyboard word search. DJs can prepare their sets in rekordbox (Mac/PC) or the rekordbox app (iOS/Android) and the screen will display crucial information including wave display, Beat Countdown, Phase Meter and Key Analysis Indicator.
The XDJ-700 is available from December 2015 at an SRP of €699, including VAT.
Find out more https://www.pioneerdj.com/en/product/player/xdj-700/black/overview
Watch the video https://youtu.be/4xPteW07WWI
KEY FEATURES OF THE XDJ-700
1. Large full-colour LCD touch screen and fast track selection
A 7-inch, full-colour touch screen gives DJs intuitive control of the player’s features, while the three windows – browse, play and perform – stop the screen getting overcrowded.
Browsing is effortless; DJs can choose to scroll using the rotary dial or call up the QWERTY keyboard to do a keyword search.
2. Pro-DJ features inherited from top-flight players
The XDJ-700 boasts all the same features of the XDJ-1000, many of which are inherited from the flagship CDJ-2000NXS.
- Auto loops and Hot Cues: instantly triggers loops and cues DJs have set in
- Quantize: snaps loops and cues to the beat
- Beat Sync: matches the BPM of connected players to the beat of the master
- Slip Mode: silently continues track playback during a loop, reverse or scratch and brings the music back at the right point when the DJ exits the
3. rekordbox-ready to give access to more features and enhanced track information
DJs can analyse their tracks in rekordbox and the XDJ-700’s large touch screen will display:
- Wave display with Wave Zoom: zoom x5 for precision loops and
- Beat Countdown: mark key points on a track and player will count down from up to 64 bars
- Phase Meter: shows the position of the beat in the bar so DJs can compare the phase of each player with the master deck at a glance.
- Key Analysis Indicator: a traffic light system shows which rekordbox tracks are in a compatible musical key with the master
- Active Loop: DJs can set an Active Loop at the end of tracks to ensure they’re never caught unprepared
4. Pro DJ Link for enhanced flexibility and scope
Pro DJ Link means that DJs can connect up to four players or laptops via a LAN cable and share one source between them. rekordbox information can be shared across all four pieces of hardware, including the Beat Count, Phase Meter, Beat Sync and Key Analysis.
5. Load and browse music using Wi-Fi or USB connection
In addition to USB keys, DJs can load rekordbox-ready music from PCs, laptops and smartphones using a USB or Wi-Fii connection. They simply connect a device running rekordbox (PC/Mac) or the rekordbox app (iOS/Android) to the XDJ-700 and then browse and load tracks from the device’s screen. Devices connected via USB will even be charged during performance.
6. Compact design and removable stand
Pioneer DJ’s slimmest player yet, the XDJ-700 has been designed with the small booth or home set-up in mind. The unit measures just 238 x 308 x 106 mm (W x D x H). Plus the stand can easily be removed, reducing the height to 79 mm – helping it to fit into even smaller spaces.7. Other features
- USB-HID control of rekordbox dj
- Fully MIDI compatible
- My Settings instantly loads DJs’ preferred rekordbox settings
XDJ-700 SPECIFICATIONS
Playable media iPhone/iPod touch, Android phone, etc.
USB storage devices (flash memory/HDD, etc.) Computers (Mac/Windows PC)Playable file MP3, AAC, WAV, AIFF
(rekordbox™ for iPhone: MP3 and AAC only)USB storage support file systems FAT, FAT32, HFS+ Frequency response 4 Hz ～ 20 kHz S/N ratio 115 dB or more Total harmonic distortion 0.003% or less USB ports USB A port x 1, USB B port x 1 Audio output ports AUDIO OUT (RCA) x 1 Other ports LAN (100Base-TX) x 1 Audio output voltage 2.0 Vrms (1 kHz) AC adapter AC 100V 50/60 Hz, DC 12V Max external dimension (W x D x H) 238 x 307.8 x 106.3 mm (with stand)
238 x 307.8 x 78.8 mm (without stand)Weight 2.0 kg (with stand),1.7 kg (without stand) REKORDBOX SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Compatible OS (Windows) Windows 10 / Windows 8 / Windows 8.1 / Windows 8 Pro / Windows 8.1 Pro (32/64bit, the latest service pack) Windows® 7 Home Premium / Professional / Ultimate (32/64bit, the latest service pack)
Intel® Processer Dual Core 2.0 GHz or higher 4GB or more of RAMCompatible OS (Mac) Mac OS X 10.10, 10.9, 10.8 (Updated to the latest version) Intel® Processer Dual Core 2.0 GHz or higher 4 GB or more of RAM
Hard Drive 250MB or more of free space (not including space for storing music files, etc.) Sound Audio output to speakers, headphones, etc. (internal or external audio device) USB port A USB port is used to connect a controller or a mixer, and export track files to a USB storage device such as a flash drive and a hard disk drive Playable music file MP3, AAC, WAV, AIFF, ALAC, FLAC Internet connection An internet connection is needed to create a rekordbox user account and to download and activate the software Display resolution 1280 × 768 or greater i A wireless router is required to connect via Wi-Fi
WHAT IS THE XDJ-700?
It’s a unit that will steadily relegate CD to the legacy range. The XDJ-100 started it, and now the lower end is doing the same. At first glance, you’d be forgiven to wonder what the differences between this and the XDJ-1000 are. The XDJ-700 appears to be an exercise in trimming the fat. Without a CD drive, the unit can be thinner, and it is. But should you wish for it to be the same height as your mixer, Pioneer DJ provides a stand. But the overall dimensions are smaller too, which thanks to no CD and touch screen is more than possible. This does mean that an obvious casualty of this scaling down is the trademark CDJ jogwheel. And some of the less essential features have been removed to hit the price point too.
What surprises me is just how fully featured the XDJ-700 seems to be. My DJ style is a long way from complex, but I’m looking at what the touch screen, and rekordbox features bring, and it’s a lot. So I’m going to ask the question of CDJ users — is the XDJ-700 enough? Is this smaller wheel OK for most users? Or do you just like having huge units in front of you because it feels pro?
The demo video certainly shows a solid performance with all the rekordbox bells and whistles. What high-end features do you consider to be essential that aren’t catered for in the video’s setup?
Summing up, the Pioneer DJ XDJ-700 will set you back €699/$699 (TBC)/£519 and is available in December 2015.
GALLERY
