This
chromatic Elysian Field of knobs, switches, and sliders before you is
the new limited edition product line from Pioneer. The CDJ-2000nexus
multiplayer, DJM-900nexus mixer and RMX-1000 remix station lead the pack
in professional performance and will now handily double as a mirror.
Platinum chrome panels reflect dazzling blue and white LEDs and a
platinum chrome jog wheel completes the metallic look, encouraging even
more scanty scratching from postulant DJs. With a price tag of $6999,
we doubt too many beginners will be spinning from these decks. While
this bedazzled set up may be reminiscent of Paris Hilton’s cellphone, it
is still undeniably cool. Just bask in the bossness of James Zabiela showcasing the product below.
Serato’s rolling out a brand
new piece of DJ software today – Serato DJ. Fresh on the heels of
updates to ITCH and SSL last week, the introduction of Serato DJ is
designed to fill a professional controllerist DJ gap in the Serato
software lineup. With a feature set that includes real MIDI mapping
utilities, iZotope-developed effects, additional cue points, and a brand
new Pioneer DDJ-SX controller for the software, is Serato DJ ready to
win the hearts of digital DJs?
SERATO DJ FEATURES
The
new software is built on top of a familiar set of features that users
have experienced in ITCH and to a lesser extent in DJ Intro – including
recording, syncing, SP-6 sampler, colored waveforms, but Serato is
wrapping in a number of new features to Serato DJ that might make it a
better fit for a professional controllerist. Many of the below features
have been requested by Serato users for quite some time, but it will be
great to finally see them in DJ:
Great New FX Powered by iZotope: Load your choice
of high quality FX including: Delay, Echo, Ping Pong Delay, Reverb,
Phaser, Flanger, Distortion, High Pass Filter (HPF), Low Pass Filter
(LPF), Combo HP/LP Filter.
MIDI Mapping: Take full advantage of Serato DJ’s features. MIDI mapping opens up the software to be mapped with a secondary MIDI controller.
More Cue Points: Set and trigger up to 8 cue points in Serato DJ to quickly jump to different sections in your track.
Brand New User Interface: A greatly improved
software layout that looks amazing and is simple to use. The new
interface also offers two and four deck view modes for four deck
controllers.
Four Deck Mixing: Mix with four decks on supported four deck controllers.
The press release from Serato also notes that there will be
additional features released “throughout the winter”. So far, there are
no videos or screenshots of the software in use – but keep your eyes
peeled as we’re entering BPM week!
PIONEER DDJ-SX
The DDJ-SX is yet another Pioneer/Serato collaboration – a four deck
controller designed to be the ultimate controller for Serato’s new
software. The major features of the SX include a completely standalone
hardware mixer, slip mode, velocity-sensitive performance pads for
samples, channel fader starts, dedicated filters, and touch platters
that can be switched into a dual deck mode that allows for control of
two decks concurrently.
No word yet on cost – but the unit is set to launch November 1st concurrent with the initial launch of Serato DJ.
HARDWARE COMPATIBILITY AND COST
Continuing Serato’s well-known hardware-paired business model, the
new software will roll out in stages for specific controllers:
Serato DJ can be downloaded directly from serato.com and
will be available in a series of release dates specific to individual
controllers this coming winter.
Serato DJ is a free upgrade for current ITCH customers and is fully
compatible with their supported existing controller (Numark NS6, Numark
NS7, Numark V7, Vestax VCI-300, Vestax VCI-380, Novation Twitch &
Pioneer DDJ-S1). Upgrades for ITCH controllers will rollout gradually
this coming winter.
Serato DJ Intro users can upgrade to Serato DJ for a one-off cost of
$199USD – and for a limited time this includes a license for the
powerful Serato Video plug-in. The software is fully compatible with
their existing controller. Customers with a Numark Mix Track Pro
controller will be the first to upgrade, followed by others such as:
Numark N4, Numark MixDeck Numark MixDeck Express, Numark MixDeck Quad,
Vestax VCI-400, Vestax Typhoon, Vestax VCI-100 Mk2, Pioneer DDJ-ERGO,
Reloop TM4, Reloop TM 2 and Denon MC2000 in a gradual rollout. NB: Customers with discontinued hardware will be unable to upgrade
to Serato DJ, however these controllers will continue to be supported by
ITCH 2.2.2.
There’s something a bit odd about this entire release process – if
you’ve been following closely, you’ll notice that the entire feature set
of ITCH is wrapped in Serato DJ, it will be a free upgrade for ITCH
users, and all ITCH controllers will be supported. It seems like ITCH
could very much be undergoing a rebranding process to be taken more
seriously – especially if the feature set delivers. Perhaps this is
really a completely new version of ITCH with a name change (although a
bit less ambiguous of a name would have been nice)? (Editor’s note: We asked Serato and they confirmed that last week’s 2.2.2 will be the last release of ITCH)
The software will continue to be locked down to just Serato DJ
certified controllers, just as Scratch Live is. While you can use MIDI
mapping to get functionality on secondary controllers, you’ll have to
have a primary one plugged in to get the software behaving properly.
The HDJ-1500s from Pioneer: they are sporting a new look from the company, which we rather like.
Pioneer has this week launched the HDJ-1500s, the latest model in its
headphone range. Promising durability, better isolation and higher
output than their predecessors, the HDJ-1000s, they also sport a rather
stylish updated look.
While headlining professional-grade features and performance, this
model is priced more affordably than Pioneer’s top end HDJ-2000s, with a
European street price of £149/€189.
Pioneer is claiming rugged build with lightweight allow hinges and
headband, and the company says it has improved sound isolation around
low and medium frequencies “thanks to the innovative sound-isolation
chamber on the bass reflex port, which eliminates background noise”.
These offer an appealing alternative to the pro-minded DJ who can’t stretch to the top-end HDJ-2000s.
The headphones come in chrome black and deep silver so you can match
them to your gear. There’s a standard carrying pouch, but also fit in to
Pioneer’s own carrying case (HDJ-HC01) for better protection. The cable
is single-sided and replaceable.
Overall we think if they perform well, these offer an appealing
alternative to the pro-minded DJ who can’t stretch to the top-end
HDJ-2000s. That price again: £149/€189 in Europe; we have no US price at
the time of going to press.
Pioneer launches the HDJ-1500 – Professional DJ headphones
Press release 10th April 2012
Every DJ knows that a spectacular set requires high-quality
headphones. Enter the HDJ-1500s, the pro-DJ headphones that deliver
flawless sound reproduction and impressive durability in a seriously
stylish package.
The latest addition to Pioneer’s professional headphones range, the
HDJ-1500s owe their crystal-clear sound quality to increased output
levels, a lower impedance and an exclusive soundproofing chamber
specially developed by Pioneer.
The HJD-1500s’ copper-clad aluminum wire voice coils guarantee
accurate reproduction of deep base notes and superbly balanced sound
across all frequencies. And the exclusive soundproofing chamber
eliminates outside noise so DJs can easily monitor the beat –even in the
loudest of venues.
Ruggedly built, with lightweight but durable magnesium alloy parts,
the HDJ-1500s are perfectly designed to endure the rigors of frequent
professional use. And the urethane memory foam ear pads hug the ear for
maximum comfort even during the longest sets.
Available in two stunning colors – classy chrome black and sleek deep
silver– the HDJ-1500s look good in every venue, while the included
carrying pouch means they’re perfectly portable.
Key features of the HDJ-1500
Superb sound quality
With high-quality components, the HDJ-1500s deliver perfectly
balanced sound across all frequencies. The headphones feature
copper-clad aluminum wire voice coils, large 50 mm driver units, rare
earth magnets and 38μm-thick diaphragms, guaranteeing accurate
reproduction of deep base notes and clear delivery of other low to
medium frequencies, such as kicks and snares. Output levels are 1 dB
greater than Pioneer’s HDJ-1000 headphones, and a lower impedance offers
even greater sensitivity, so DJs get pristine sound reproduction every
time, regardless of what device the HDJ-1500s are hooked up to.
WORLD EXCLUSIVE: groundbreaking soundproofing component
Monitoring tracks on a heaving dance floor is a breeze with the
HDJ-1500s, no matter how rowdy the party gets. Sound insulation around
low and medium frequencies (300 Hz to 1,300 Hz) has improved by an
impressive 4 dB compared to the HDJ-1000s thanks to the innovative
sound-isolation chamber on the bass reflex port, which eliminates
background noise.
Durable design for professional use
The HDJ-1500s’ moving headband and hinges are composed of rugged yet
lightweight magnesium alloy to withstand the rigors of professional use.
Plus, the single-sided cable can be easily replaced if it gets damaged,
further prolonging the life of the headphones.
Supreme comfort with interchangeable urethane foam ear pads
The narrow ear cup design creates a tight seal on your ear to block
out external sound, while the low-resilience urethane memory foam ear
pads make sure the HDJ-1500s are easy on the ears even during prolonged
use. The included ear pads can be replaced with the HDJ-EP01s –open-cup
protein leather ear pads which sit around the ears and are sold
separately –so DJs can choose the best option to suit their comfort and
listening style.
Available in two colors: chrome black and deep silver
DJs can coordinate their headphones with the club, the studio, their
kit, their set, their clothes or even their mood as the HDJ-1500s come
in two striking colors–classy chrome black and sleek deep silver.
Included accessories
The compact carrying pouch means the headphones can be safely
transported to the club or the studio in style. The HDJ-1500s also fit
perfectly in the slim and lightweight HDJ-HC01 carrying case.
Accessories such as USB memory sticks and SD cards can be stored in
specially designated pockets within the carrying cases for added
convenience.
Main specifications – HDJ-1500
DescriptionEnclosed dynamic stereo headphones
Impedance32 Ω
Sensitivity108 dB
Frequency range5 Hz to 30,000 Hz
Maximum input3,500 mW（JEITA）
Drive unitsφ50 mm domes
Cable length1.2 m single-sided coiled cable (approximately 3.0 m when extended – removable type)
Plugφ3.5 mm stereo mini-jack (gold-plated, two-way, screw type)
Ear pads Polyurethane (leather type)
Weight285 g (excluding cable)
Included accessoriesφ6.3 mm standard stereo adapter (gold-plated, screw type) and carrying pouch
Pioneer Electronics has released its AppRadio today that’s the first in-vehicle product that’s designed to utilize the processing power, storage capacity, network connectivity and apps of the iPhone and iPod touch (4th generation), as the primary source for its information and entertainment capabilities. With the industry’s first capacitive touchscreen that allows you to control most of the functions using a similar touch gesture as today’s smartphones, except in a larger format thanks to its 6.1-inch screen designed specifically for safer in-vehicle operation. It also comes with built-in Bluetooth for hands-free calling and an input for an optional vehicle mounted rear facing back-up camera. It’s now available for $399.
We knew Pioneer's AppRadio car stereo was coming to cozy up with our iPhones, but we didn't know how much its iOS integration capabilities would cost, until now. Turns out 400 bucks buys you one, and it's picked up some new capabilities since we got handsy with the device last month. In addition to letting you listen to tunes stored on your iPhone, access Google Maps, and make calls, the AppRadio now has access to your iPhone's contacts, calendar, videos, and photos as well. Unfortunately, there's still only four other apps (Rdio, Pandora, MotionX-GPS Drive, and INRIX) available, though Pioneer says more are coming. With a name like AppRadio they ought to get here soon, as in immediately.
Pioneer AppRadio Arrives Today at $399
AppRadio Ready for Immediate Purchase
CEA Line Shows 2011
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CEA Line Show – Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc., the leader in aftermarket car electronics technology, today announced that the AppRadio™ is now available for immediate purchase at a retail price of $399.
"The smartphone continues to change the landscape of our industry and Pioneer's AppRadio is the first aftermarket product to fully embrace the iPhone 4 for use in the automobile"
The AppRadio is the first in-vehicle product designed to utilize the processing power, storage capacity, network connectivity and apps of the iPhone™ and iPod touch (4th generation) as the primary source for its information and entertainment capabilities. Pioneer's AppRadio also features the industry's first capacitive touchscreen that enables control of most functions using similar touch and motion gestures as many of today's most popular smartphones, but in a larger 6.1-inch screen designed specifically for safer in-vehicle operation1. For safety and convenience, AppRadio features built-in Bluetooth for hands-free calling2 and an input for an optional vehicle mounted rear facing back-up camera.
"The smartphone continues to change the landscape of our industry and Pioneer's AppRadio is the first aftermarket product to fully embrace the iPhone 4 for use in the automobile," said Ted Cardenas, director of marketing for the car electronics division of Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. "With a familiar and intuitive interface and the ability to add features by simply updating or adding apps, the AppRadio is the ultimate car stereo for the iPhone 4 user."
Feature and App Compatibility Expansion
Today's announcement also highlights the flexibility of the AppRadio to seamlessly add features through AppRadio compatible iPhone apps.
The latest update to Pioneer's AppRadio app now adds access to the iPhone's Contacts, Calendar and Photos apps. Contacts provides direct access to stored contact information for hands-free calling via Bluetooth, routing via Google Maps, and enables users to quickly send their current locations via e-mail. With the vehicle parked and the parking brake fully engaged, Calendar displays stored calendar and events information and Photos provides on-screen viewing of the user's photos, slide shows, geotagged photos and videos taken with an iPhone 4.
This expansion adds to the list of AppRadio compatible apps that includes MotionX-GPS DRIVE™, INRIX®3, TRAFFIC, Rdio®, PANDORA® INTERNET RADIO plus the iPhone's Google Maps and iPod music library.
As the library of AppRadio compatible applications continues to grow, users will be automatically notified via the Pioneer AppRadio iPhone application, with a link to the respective app(s) page within the Apple iTunes App Store. Additionally, the AppRadio software itself is updatable offering the potential for future hardware, software and as app compatibility changes.
Pricing and Availability
Pioneer's AppRadio is available now for a retail price of $399 at Best Buy, Crutchfield.com, Amazon.com and select Pioneer Authorized Retailers.
Pioneer's Car Electronics Division is known for offering the kind of in-car products that make driving more enjoyable by offering high quality audio and video, seamless connectivity and ease-of-use. Its focus is on the development of new digital technologies including audio video, navigation and emerging media, while maintaining its strong heritage in products for car audio enthusiasts and sound competitors.
Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., and its U.S. Web address is www.pioneerelectronics.com. Its parent company, Pioneer Corporation, is a leader in optical disc technology and a preeminent manufacturer of high-performance audio, video and computer equipment for the home, car and business markets. The company focuses on three core business domains including home electronics, car electronics, and Digital Network Entertainment™.
1 Do not use your Pioneer system if doing so will divert your attention in any way from the safe operation of your vehicle. Always observe safe driving rules. In some states certain operations of devices while driving may be illegal. Where such regulations apply, they must be obeyed.
2 Bluetooth functionality requires a compatible Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone. Certain Bluetooth features may not be supported by all compatible Bluetooth-enabled devices, and/or the functionality of such features may be limited in certain devices or by certain wireless carriers. See more details about compatible Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones at the following webpage: "http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/BluetoothCompatibility".
For this year’s CES, Pioneer showed off their new in-dash navigation systems, the AVIC-Z130BT and AVIC-X930BT, which allows drivers to connected to social networks, local searches and traffic services while keeping their focus on the road. Instead of looking to mobile devices for social media updates, drivers can now be fully drivers entertained, informed and up-to-date with smartphone connectivity to Aha Radio for Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, Traffic and podcasts, Pandora internet radio and App Mode.
The AVIC-X930BT will be available in March, and the AVIC-Z130BT will be available in April for suggested prices of $800 and $1,200, respectively.
AVIC-Z130BT: In addition to a comprehensive map database from Tele Atlas, the new double-DIN AVIC-Z130BT features 4GB of flash memory, a 7-inch WVGA touch screen display, a 3D graphics accelerator, DVD playback, Dual Zone capability for rear seat playback, built-in Bluetooth for hands-free calling and music streaming, USB connectivity2for iPod/iPhone connectivity, SD card slot, back-up camera input, built-in HD Radio and is SIRIUS XM3 satellite ready. Another cool feature is its voice recognition ability, including the ability to input destination addresses by voice.
The AVIC-Z130BT offers Clear Channel’s Total Traffic Network service for free via a Radio Data Service-Traffic Message Channel (RDS-TMC) tuner. With the included RDS-TMC tuner, ND-TMC10, the traffic service provides an overlay of real-time traffic events and conditions on the navigation map.
AVIC-X930BT: The new double-DIN AVIC-X930BT features 4GB of flash memory, a 6.1-inch WVGA touch screen display, a 3D graphics accelerator, DVD playback, built-in Bluetooth for hands-free calling and music streaming, USB connectivity for iPod/iPhone connectivity, micro SD card slot, back-up camera input and is SIRIUS XM satellite and HD Radio ready.
You know that feeling you get when you hop into a car you'll never be rich enough to own? It's full of fascinating technology, everything works great, it's solidly built, it definitely won't fit into the "compact" spots at 7-11 -- and it just doesn't care. If you're a DJ, entering the world of Pioneer's DJM-2000 is a little bit like that. Read on for our impressions of the multitouch-laced behemoth to see if it'll have you raving all the way to 2012.
In an era of increasingly Liliputian sound gear, this Bentley of a mixer is decidedly gigantic. The DJM-2000 will take up a 17" x 15" spot in your coffin, and it weighs in at more than 20 pounds. You could travel with it, but you might want a roll with a Daft Punk-sized road crew to help you cart it around.
This mixer sits at the very top of Pioneer's DJ line, so you can kind of take the basics for granted. The faders slide and resist just the way we like them to. All of the switches, knobs, buttons, and LED's look and feel professional. The enclosure itself feels like a tank -- while we wouldn't want to see what happened if we dropped it, somehow it gives off the impression that it could take a licking and still do its job admirably.
One of our favorite features is the set of eight channels of 24-bit/96 kHz audio onboard. The DJM-2000 runs via USB to your computer, where you'd presumably tell your DJ software where to route the jams. Each of the four channels on the DJM-2000 has a traditional line / phono switch, but with a very cool "USB" position as well. So -- surprise surprise! -- you won't even need any actual decks to get rolling. Just a computer with some music on it. What you won't get are jog wheels of any type -- so you can't completely abandon whatever control method you're already using for this one box.
The sound coming out of the D/A converters buried within is thick and substantial. We can say with confidence that this is definitely the best-sounding digital DJ interface we've laid ears on.
If you've ever used one of Pioneer's effects-laden mixers, you'll know they're a lot of fun to mess with. No exception here: highly-assignable and programmable beat and harmony effects take up a lot of space on the face of the DJM-2000, and with good reason. We ended up spending more time experimenting with different knob-tweaking permutations than we did with... the touch screen.
Touching the freqs
The first thing you'll notice upon powering up is Pioneer's pièce de résistance: a 4.5- x 2.75-inch multitouch screen sitting right on top of the crossfader. Three buttons handle the screen's destiny: MIDI, MIX, and REMIX.
Such a fancy piece of gear would be remiss without its fair share of MIDI. The touchscreen itself can become a controller: we used preset control screens to trigger tracks in Traktor Pro. Virtual sliders, X-Y fields, and buttons will send MIDI over USB, a very handy feature to keep most of your triggering functions close to the center of your rig.
The REMIX interface is a bit like a Kaoss Pad in the mix. An X-Y frequency-time grid controls four oscillators, a re-sampler, and pitch / gate effects, with handy frequency-based triggering to set the sounds in time with the beat.
What you'll see advertised the most about this piece of kit is FREQUENCY MIX -- a touch crossfader that allows you to control the balance of the sound over 7 bands of EQ. This is the thing your geeky friends will want to see first, and the effect is kind of exhilarating. Being able to have such fine and intuitive control over the different sonic areas of your inputs is a breath of fresh air -- it will certainly put a smile on your friends' faces. We noticed that it came in the most handy with highlighting and blending particular parts of the mix we wouldn't have noticed with a simple 3-band EQ.
That said, after a chunk of time with the Frequency Mix area, we found ourselves reverting to the traditional 3-band EQ to notch into specific frequencies. This is undoubtedly an act of habit. We imagine it will take quite a bit of time for jocks to be more comfortable touching into frequencies than tweaking knobs as they have been for decades.
The touchscreen itself, while not particularly high-resolution or beautiful, is as snappy as any hardware button we've ever used to trigger a MIDI note. We can't say that about some other touch applications. Feeling like we could be able to trust a screen to respond quickly and reliably to ultra-timing-sensitive interaction was a new one for us; we certainly wouldn't trust our iPads in the same way. We can't stress this enough: the purpose-built touch interface feels just as reliable as a knob or fader. It's obvious a lot of work went into optimizing this screen for the DJ.
The way it makes you feel
We know that there are, of course, lots of other options out there for taking your DJ sets into a highly-stylized future. LEMUR pioneered (no pun intended) the use of multitouch in the realm of audio and continues to innovate there. iOS DJ and MIDI applications are plentiful and useful tools for swiping, pinching, and tapping into an innovative mix. But we've gotta say, we've never seen a more tightly-integrated, stable, and functional implementation of multitouch display in an audio context.
Technically, nothing in the DJM-2000 is groundbreaking on its own, although there is one true "first" here -- a touchscreen has not, to our knowledge, ever been inserted directly into a mass-produced mixer. But that's not really the best part about this big black chunk of signal processing. Because all of the elements play so nicely together, we got a synergistic feeling from the components of DJM-2000: the creative potential hidden inside adds up to more than its discrete components belie. What we really thought once we got the hang of it was "it only does everything," but another marketing team already snatched those words up. Homebrew audio freaks might be able to approximate something like this setup, but we certainly wouldn't trust this much circuitry in da club unless it came from a giant like Pioneer.
Wrap-up
Our verdict? If you're among the growing group of people downsizing your kit for the sake of economy and convenience, we'd point you towards something like Native Instrument's Traktor Kontrol S4. But if you're still rocking turntables or CDJ's and need to outfit the "boy's room" in your Gulfstream or yacht with a new DJ mixer, you can do no better than the $3000 DJM-2000. (If you're already hooked into Pioneer's ecosystem of high-end CDJs, it makes even more sense for you, as there's a bevy of DJ Link goodness here we haven't even gone into.) It's a pleasure to operate, and no matter how you feel, it's just downright awesome to have a multitouch interface inside your mixer.
A parting note: no matter how awesome rigs like this make you feel, for the love of Tiësto: if your'e just getting into DJing, please go Behringer or Hercules. You'll feel a lot less stupid when you spill your DJ beverage all over it and have to get a new one.
Serato’s rolling out a brand
new piece of DJ software today – Serato DJ. Fresh on the heels of
updates to ITCH and SSL last week, the introduction of Serato DJ is
designed to fill a professional controllerist DJ gap in the Serato
software lineup. With a feature set that includes real MIDI mapping
utilities, iZotope-developed effects, additional cue points, and a brand
new Pioneer DDJ-SX controller for the software, is Serato DJ ready to
win the hearts of digital DJs?
