Personally I needed a larger scope and already had an investment in Traktor / Laptop. So S8 made more sense for me. 1 week in and still finding features, functionalities and quirks 😉 Another fresh new pioneer feature is the fantastic sequencing loop record control. The sequencing loop control means that creating loops on the fly has never been easier for on-the-move mixers. Experimental DJs can also enjoy the unique level of splicing made available with the 16 velocity sensitive pads. The XDJ-RX, though, is the first controller to come close to hitting the spot with Rekordbox – close enough for us to feel excited about using it. Aside from the library searching issue, there’s not much I missed here from DJing with Traktor, Serato or VirtualDJ plus a controller – and I did like the Pioneer look and feel. Considering that along with the DDJ-RZ this is the first of the native controllers for Rekordbox DJ, which itself is only in its first version, Pioneer DJ have done an excellent job, it’s been difficult to find anything wrong with it. Niggles like slow refresh rate on screen changes, small shift button and scroll knob are all forgivable when everything else works so well. The Pioneer DDJ-RX is built for the road with a rugged metal chassis, in addition to this the unit offers high quality audio circuitry and offers standalone mixer functionality.

First Impressions / Setting up Based on the popular DDJ-SX Pioneer DJ’s first controller for the new Rekordbox DJ software has a lot to prove, it certainly looks the part, but can it deliver? First impressions and setting upIt will be interesting to see what comes next. I would like to see Pioneer release a controller like this with four channels and a touchscreen priced a bit higher, and another one, again with a touchscreen (leaving that off the XDJ-RX was a mistake), but without all the complicated inputs and outputs of this unit, only controlling two software channels, and so coming in cheaper.

You get a free rekordbox dj licence key bundled with this controller. Simply activate your licence key for our DJ software, connect the controller and start DJing. The Pioneer vs Traktor discussion is v interesting. I have used CDJ 2000 nxs a lot and I simply don’t find them as intuitive as the traktor system, both Manually and in SYNC mode.

Take control

Rekordbox DJ includes all the accustomed tools including Sampler, Slicer, Hot Cues, Beat FX and Sound Colour FX along with Beat Jump and introducing the new Pad FX so you can create multiple FX chains using all 16 pads. I’ve had the unit for about a week now and its great, but this weekend I tested out the ‘hot-swappability’ of the unit in terms of standard flash (no rekordbox analysis), rekordbox flash, laptop via ProLink, AND Traktor, and these are my thoughts which I wrote elsewhere but wanted to share them here as they may help some in making a decision. I mean, if I was Pioneer I would built this simple on/off option….if you know what I mean – it makes so much sense (you wouldn’t want the screen to sit there idle and just create unnecessary glare when using only mixer section and turntables in a darker room with ambient lighting everywhere would you?) I am asking this as I am planning on connecting a pair of pure analog SL1200s and play music from real vinyl – if this is a digital mixer then I suppose that the benefit of analog (turntables) source (warmth and authencity of the analog) will be lost in ‘digital architecture’? The Pioneer DDJ-RX is the finest example of hardware–for-software engineering out there. Pioneer has designed the DDJ-RX controller to visually unite with rekordbox software through colour co-ordination. The colour coding on mac and PC screens immediately match with that of the pads, knobs and buttons of the RX controller, creating intuitive, stress free play.

Now with the XDJ-RX, for the first time it’s possible to see how a beginner DJ could buy this as their first controller, learning how to DJ on it the “Pioneer” way, and so theoretically carry those skills right across into the pro DJ booth when ready with a minimal learning curve to adjust to. Since one of the issues people have with software / controller DJing is “but the club I want to play in has CDJs, and I don’t know how to use them!”, this could turn out to be significant. Rekordbox is Pioneer’s DJ software solution, but it’s slightly different to Serato, Traktor, VirtualDJ and the like, in that it is not intended to go into the DJ box with you – at least when it comes to standalone/all-in-one systems. Rather, it’s intended to be used to prepare your music beforehand, so that you can do all kinds of cool controller-type stuff in the DJ booth, without the laptop being there with you. Trigger rekordbox dj's quantized Beat FX to the 3 buttons, trigger and twist the dial to manipulate the parameters of each. Get creative with high-quality Sound Colour FX – Noise, Crush, Pitch and Filter. But also you can set the unit into Midi mode for use as a “traditional” DJ controller with DJ software that can be mapped such as Traktor or VirtualDJ (great if you want to make the transition to Rekordbox gradually), and – my personal favourite – a highly useful brightness control for the display, so you can set it to be clear and easy to read in broad sunlight, while also so as not to dazzle you in a dark DJ booth. The XDJ-RX is not compatible with Serato DJ at the time of this writing. Is this unit in any way DVS compatible/expandable? I would like the have the option to use timecode vinyl on the SLs to control the software (particularly Serato DJ) and mp3s through this unit.

Tech spec

As far as the standalone mixer functionality in this: I understand that this mixer will be ‘digital’ as far as the architecture goes? Nevertheless, the XDJ-RX is very, very good. Pioneer DJ is coming close to landing a killer punch outside the DJ booth, something pretty significant since the company is already the undisputed champion within it. On paper at least, the XDJ-RX is the first controller from Pioneer that has convincing answers to some of the big shortcomings people roll out when it comes to software DJing – and I’m not referring to the detractors who won’t give it a go, but those of us who’ve done it for years and still see things about it that aren’t perfect. The new Pioneer DDJ-RX is the latest DJ controller to be released by the well known Pioneer DJ brand. The new controller has been exclusively designed to manage the new Pioneer Rekordbox DJ software. It is speedy, dependable and sounds excellent in any given environment. The new RX controller along with the Rekordbox software have been specially created for DJs who use or want to use the performance software on a laptop with a controller. As a result rather than having to take equipment to the venue, the library can easily be exported to a USB, enabling the DJ to use the industry standard equipment that is found in the majority of venues across the globe. In the mixer section we’re in reassuringly familiar Pioneer territory – standard bass / mid / treble kills for each channel plus full kill trim / gain knobs. Each channel has a silver control knob for the built-in hardware colour FX with the FX selector buttons in the middle giving you a choice of the “noise”, “crush”, “pitch” or “filter” FX that features on a lot of Pioneer gear. With the levels for booth output, master level meters and mater level control lined down the middle, everything feels ergonomically laid out with just enough space to get to grip with EQ, filters and so on. In the middle of the channel faders sits the fader for the volume level of the sampler output and buttons to sync and cue the sampler too, more on the sampler in a bit…