- 3 0 0 0 : £2,. In the pink noise of a blur that is 2020, Pioneer DJ drops the brand new CDJ- 3000 into the crosshairs of the DJ world. Sure, there's literally bugger all events going on to use it at, but that also means there is more talk about this new player than any others which have come before it. This deck isn't something which should be taken lightly, as it represents an evolutionary change to the industrystandard CDJ.

68 68 sponsored by The first question that needs to be addressed is why is it called a CDJ at all, as there is no CD drive?! Pioneer DJ's press material is pretty confident in their response: The CDJ moniker has become a standard reference for those who need a pair of something to sit aside a mixer. Like hoovers are to vacuum cleaners, CDJs are the dependable multitools used around the world to deliver music to the masses. From my perspective, I will jump straight in here and answer the question: at over £2000 a pop, why doesn't it play CDs?

Simple; because it doesn't need to! The reality is that the CD drive on the previous model was the least used feature. I mean, vinyl sales are higher than CDs right now. So if we were going off the sales stats it should play 12”s!

Obviously, that’s not practical, but the fact remains that it makes sense both that the Pioneer DJ team have retained the iconic CDJ name and that they have got rid of the actual CD drive. Now this elephant in the room has been addressed nice and early, let's focus on what the CDJ-3000 does have to offer. At first glimpse, it doesn't look generationally different from its forefather, the CDJ-2000NXS2. Which I think is a good thing.

The CDJ-2000 has been around since 2009, albeit with a couple of updates along the way. It has a tried and tested interface that DJs the world over are familiar with. This new deck isn't about reinventing the wheel. Instead it's about improving and refining workflow, speed and performance.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it! That said, the one difference which jumps out immediately is the size of the high-resolution full colour touch screen. It's like a CDJ-2000NXS2 with the screen you never realised you wanted. At 9”, is it is 2” larger than the one on the previous model, occupying a significant chunk more real estate without overpowering the unit's proportions.

Setting the player up is pretty straightforward, and all the connections you’d expect are present and correct. On the back panel there’s an IEC mains input (with V-Lock to prevent the power being accidentally disconnected mid-set), both analogue RCA and digital coaxial outputs, a LAN socket for Pro DJ Link connectivity (Pioneer DJ's branded way of saying 'local area network connected media players’) and a USB B socket for the HID mode. Up top, there’s a USB port as well as an SD card slot.

Having hooked everything up, I switch the CDJ on, and it instantly comes alive. I put my rekordboxprepped USB stick in and BAM! It's there. My PIONEER DJ CDJ-3000 little Sandisk stick crammed with to 96kHz/32-bit 20,000 tracks literally appears in playable audio moments.

This is where the next difference is talking point of the CDJ-3000 when comes in: it's MPU. where Pioneer audio processing This MPU (or Multi-Processor makes a real Unit to us mortals) is one of the playing my CDJ-3000's ace cards. The CDJ- the CDJ-3000 2000NXS had an older DSP-driven better than architecture, initially conceived setup through for 2009's launch, and times and mixer. I just technology have moved on a long to review with way since then.

The new MPU design is a complete overhaul of The next everything going on under the lid the improvement of the player and is designed both connection, to allow new advanced features and gigabit, meaning to ensure stable performance and six… yes six a lightning quick workflow. Quite USB stick. This simply it is on an entirely different I personally level to any DJ media player created because A) I by Pioneer DJ, Denon DJ, or any B) I don't have other competitors until now.

It's and C) I would hard to convey how smooth the MK2 Golf GTI if flow of information appears as I it would cost! navigate my track play history and the Zabelias library. It's like it's from the future will be grateful but still feels familiar. The gigabit When I read the marketing bumf benefit me in I discovered that there isn't just though. It a dual core processor or even a possible to stack quad core inside the CDJ-3000, connected its MPU has one of each!

For the you can view nerds amongst us, it contains both decks on two ARM Cortex processors, a it possible to 1.5GHz dual-core A57 and a 1.2 you come from GHz quad-core A53. Having begun generation like to realise just how powerful this waveforms of piece of kit is, I decided to throw each other is a some lossless files at it. Each track granted and the is 80-110MB and they load within moments. I don't know precisely how the MPU does it, but it loads these mammoth tracks, as well as 2-hour long premixes, quicker than anything else I have ever tested.

Sound quality is also as you'd expect from a player destined for the world’s biggest club booths and festival stages, with internal audio calculation processing STAYING PIONEER MOBILE DJ CDJ- floating in all this on a standalone player with formats. The no screen stuttering or hesitation particularly noticeable whatsoever. It just handles it! time-stretching/key shifting, DJ’s advanced new Now let's talk more about that technology screen, which really is a joy to difference.

Even use. It's 150% brighter than the standard MP3 tracks, CDJ-2000NXS2 screen, which sounds noticeably could already illuminate the faces my CDJ-2000NXS2 of the DJ and his/her groupies in the DJM-900NXS2 the booth! With a larger screen wish I had a DJM-V10 and superior definition, the CDJ- it (*cough*)! 3000 can display an extra 30% of your library or track information. noticeable change is New single touch gestures for the of the Ethernet screen also mean you can swipe now running at a or slide up and down your library you can run to find tracks even in the deepest CDJ-3000s from one corners of your media.

However, is a feature which the Pioneer DJ scroller is still would never, ever, use present and works flawlessly in don't have six hands tandem with these gestures. The the creative ability other advantage of this larger prefer to buy a mint screen is the ability to display a I had the £14K that waveform overview of all your However, I’m sure tracks. This is especially useful if and EZs of this world you have multiple variations of a for a setup like this. track; the ability to view high, mid and low frequencies at a glance ethernet DOES actually can steer you to the track you want a couple of ways, to play at that particular moment. means that it is now waveforms from Next up, let’s talk about two new players!

As a result, features of the CDJ-3000 that the waveforms from really are game-changers: Touch one player, making Preview and Cue Link. Once again align beats by eye. If made possible by the innovative the Serato laptop MPU architecture, Touch Preview me, monitoring the allows you to preview tracks at both tracks next to the touch of your finger, playing luxury you take for the track direct from the library to CDJ-3000 manages THE EARLY DAYS your headphones without having full colour on jog to load it to a player.

Cue Link then to those found on allows you to press and hold your controllers finger on any part of the waveform XDJ-XZ). It can be for the currently loaded track and immediate information hear it in your headphones, even track time remaining, while it is playing out through the and percentage or main output. This means that you up your booth with can hear your mix-out point before getting to it, whilst the track is Another notable playing. Powerful stuff!

Other the CDJ-3000’s Key media players on the market offer that will get DJs preview functionality, but I haven't in key very excited. used one so immediate and by a dedicated intuitive. However, it is important alongside Beat Sync to point out, this feature is only automatically adjusts currently available if you have track to match the either a Pioneer DJ DJM-900NXS2 or DJM-V10 mixer. One of the few changes to the layout of the unit’s controls can be found in the hot cues department.

Increased from four to eight, they now take pride of place between the bottom of the screen and the top of the jog wheel. Both their location and flexible functionality – being configurable as either hot cues or loops – is inspired by the setup on Pioneer DJ’s popular XDJ- RX2 and XDJ-XZ all-in-one units. I think this will be a move welcomed by all CDJ-2000NXS2 owners, as toggling between two banks of four was clunky. I also think the position of these buttons now makes perfect sense, as they don't get in the way when using the jog wheel.

Speaking of the jog wheel, it’s so much smoother than anything else which has come before it. Resistance is fully adjustable, as you'd expect, but the number of sensors calculating movement has increased substantially. The result of this is that the platter latency is HALF of what it was on the CDJ-2000NXS2. Half latency or double accuracy - either way, it's twice as good as what we have all been using!

Another upgrade is the introduction of a 7700 70 display, similar track on the master deck. This is Pioneer DJ’s very handy when using vocal a (DDJ-800/1000 and cappellas, allowing them to play used to display over any track, regardless of its key, such as without the need to manipulate in BPM, pitch production software beforehand. simply to liven It is also possible to use the Key album artwork! Shift feature on the touch screen to manually shift the key up or enhancement is down.

Sync feature who like to mix When it comes to the build quality, It is activated Pioneer DJ has, once again, nailed button located it. Just like its predecessor, this and Master. It deck is built to withstand the the loaded key of the PIONEER DJ CDJ- pressures and rigours of being on on Apple devices, the road every day and in use every phones as old as night. As well as the jog wheel an excellent way to upgrades mentioned earlier, the phone sitting in your Play, Cue and Hot Cue buttons are to good use! now backed with surface-mount switches.

This means that not This wouldn’t be only is the response improved but review if I didn’t the buttons are set to last 30% fact that there are longer than the older setup. Finally, available on Denon the top plate of the CDJ-3000 is players that are manufactured from aluminium, their absence from which is both lightweight and Most noticeable is extremely strong. second ‘layer’ to to play two tracks The CDJ-3000 unlocks rekordbox deck setup can be dj's Performance Mode on a Mac/ two pieces of hardware.

PC, which means you can play from processing power a library on your laptop should you MPU could no doubt wish to do so. There is also more utilised for this, power in the rekordbox ecosystem, chosen to keep should you wish to harness it, in Which makes sense; the shape of the rekordbox for clubs and festivals iOS app. Used in tandem with a player is aimed at Dropbox account, it allows you four decks, you put to store and manipulate all of your rider!

Another your tracks' metadata – such as connectivity, but in cue points, loops, library location what truly pro DJ and grid information – on the go. streaming their You can then connect the phone Finally, there’s the DIRECTLY to a CDJ-3000 and analysis' onboard, playout the tracks. Sure, it can – why would you seem gimmicky, but to have a that? If the mighty backup source of music in the form rekordbox 6 is a of your phone, which is with you all why not use it to the time, sounds like a great idea tracks beforehand? to me!

It's only currently available Pioneer DJ have 7722 72 but you can use they are going to make their new iPhone 5s, so it's giant MPU earn its crust and put that old that exciting new features will be desk drawer added via firmware update in the not too distant future. a complete So, to wrap things up, I believe acknowledge the everything that Pioneer DJ has a few features done with the CDJ-3000 makes DJ’s Prime perfect sense. Everything from conspicuous by the ground-up redesign under the the CDJ-3000. hood to retaining the established the lack of a Pioneer DJ workflow that has kept allow one unit the CDJ at the heart of every club so that a fourbooth around the world for the created with past two decades.

Sure, we would While the have loved to have seen these of the mighty 'appear' at festivals and in club DJ have been booths, but thanks to #covidlife, Pioneer DJ have this launch has been an entirely things simple. virtual one. Some call it bad timing at the big and others say it is in poor taste – which this while the entire live events sector – if you want is at a standstill. But, let’s be fair; four decks on the last time the DJ booth had a one is Wi-Fi significant upgrade was when the all seriousness, CDJ-1000MK3 became the CDJ- wants to risk 2000 in 2009.

The intention back music at a gig?! then was to make our professional lack of 'mass and creative lives better, which it but – again has done for over a decade. Now, need to do as professional DJs look to get and powerful ahead of the curve when we get free download, back to normal, both professionally analyse your and creatively, I personally think That said, that the CDJ-3000 couldn't have promised that come at a better time! PIONEER DJ CDJ-3000