Read our comprehensive review of the CDJ-3000: www.digitaldjtips.com/reviews/pioneer-dj-cdj-3000/ Watch the James Hype CDJ-3000 performance livestream: djtips.co/james-hype-live
@Digital DJ Tips here is what I'm missing the most: 1. "current track played ID, easy broadcast to OBS stream DJs 2. Water/Dust proof improvement's 3. Open source Rekordbox/XDJ options for "add-ons", like PioDj "vst" 4. Official discord for @Pioneer DJ "fans", to collect real info from real people for real innovations 5. Generally lack of innovations: you put a processor in CDJ with lots of power, but not utilizing it fully 6. How about "crash reports" via internet directly to @Pioneer DJ support 7. Stop commenting officially from @Pioneer DJ support on "current track played ID" solution: "put a GoPro above CDJ's LCD screens" 8. Open source the @Pioneer DJ pro-link for 3rd party "add-ons" 9. If @Pioneer DJ plays the "I'm dominant in the DJ equipment area", will stop the innovation approach 10. All above will be scrapped by @DJ Mag top100 DJ's, as they are "addicted" to @Pioneer DJ, due clubs/vanues has over stockpile of @Pioneer DJ equipment, Sad Thanks for reading
@@amritabhaktas You've always been able to play unanalyzed files - all the way back to the 2000 when Rekordbox was introduced - you just loose all of the waveform and quantization benefits that you get by processing your files.
On getting them out of the box? We thought exactly that. But having DJed on them for a few days, we realised that they actually make CDJ DJing fun, in a way it wasn't before (for us), because they feel much closer to controller DJing. That's worth a lot.
@@digitaldjtips jesus are you paid by Pioneer, you can get that feel and more for nearly £1000 less per deck. They ARE a controller, a ridiculously expensive and not market leading one.
@@Chuggnuts What is the actual real-world benefit to using Denon? What is the feature you actually use? Or are you just trying to take a political stance against Pioneer's monopoly? Because you're actually a working DJ then you're only making your life harder by not keeping your music collection inside the Pioneer ecosystem.
@@RaquelFoster in general, recently Denon have offered more features, for a better price. It's not just the sc6000 Vs cdj3000 either, it's the same with cheaper products. I can't deny that I strongly dislike pioneers monopoly because I don't think it's healthy for anyone except Pioneer, but the cdj3000 is almost offensively arrogant towards potential customers if you ask me, is there any reason for them to be nearly £1000 more than the competition? I do have to say that it's entirely possible to avoid using cdjs though, it's not true that you HAVE to, although I once did buy a pair of cdjs when 1210's started becoming rarer in booths just because I felt I HAD to and I instantly regretted it (and went down the controller route instead, fortunately cdjs had gone up in price so I didn't lose a penny...) The sc6000 will read and analyse recordbox usb's so that's one benefit of having them in clubs, pioneers ecosystem is not so flexible.
Before, on the left side of the CDJ, you would press USB button to select your USB and then press the Link button on the other CDJ(s) to have the whole system use that USB. I notice that's gone now. How does that work here? You just tap the top where it says USB and select which USB the CDJ's are reading?
These aren't players made for consumer djs / for high assistance djing. They're made for world touring djs who are used to pioneer and can't be bothered to learn anything new. They'll reign supreme as long as that remains the case & as long as they're on tech riders. Doesn't really make sense to judge Cdjs at a consumer level - you want continuity at the club level - imagine if every club opted for a different set up, it would just be a nightmare.
@@Anis-gs7sv find it unlikely that the majority of the industry will move to denon. Most clubs stock pioneer by default and i dont see them buying double the gear for a minority of djs.
Digital DJ Tips I don‘t think this is a valid excuse for not having dual-deck capability. Sure, working with dual deck is kind of messy. But it is not that you are getting your arm twisted if you buy 4 Players if this is better for you. People with a moderate budget can get 2+2 standalone decks for a reasonable price - all others can buy 4 players. So what is the problem having dual deck capability?
So many people commenting on their dissatisfaction of the cdj3000 and of pioneer in general. People saying it's too little too late etc. What is it that you really need? Are all these functions that you're so upset aren't included really functions that you would use and need? I'm not a massively complex DJ, so maybe I don't need the functionality that is apparently missing here. They look awesome. Yes they are very expensive, but this isn't really aimed at bedroom djs. There are loads of controllers in the range from the ddj 400 through the all in one xdjxz. The Denon fans are so quick to scrap anything pioneer releases, and it's just the same as the age old Mac Vs PC debate. If you like the Denon more, great! If you like pioneer more, great. The truth is that these will be in all decent clubs (or at least the vast majority) and Denon will not be the club standard in the foreseeable future. That is the main reason why I won't be shifting to denon and investing in the whole engine ecosystem any time soon but I will never say never!. Thanks for the in depth review Phil. But what an unfortunate time to release this unit!
I love pioneer but denon absolutely walks all over this more usb inputs multi touch screens ability to store a 2.5 inch ssd drive so basicall have your whole library WiFi enabled so u can get songs from soundcloud beatport & tidal (not that I use them) but its there and it analyses songs in the player not having to go through rekordbox 1st which is a Ballache in its self and it works with every dj software including reckordbox pioneer have literally become the apple of the dj world we as djs waited to see what they come up with to contend with and this is it we as pioneer fans are dissapointed
Well the reason I bring my Denon set everywhere if clubs or venues won't offer them is mostly the roll/slice stuff which offer a lot more creativity. Also, the mixer offers the filter and effects simultaneously giving you again more creativity. The double layers are interesting too: you sometimes throw in a loop, add an acapella, do some scratching or beat looping/rolling/slicing with the 3rd deck etc. On a Pioneer you'd need at least 3 decks to do that. But what I miss most is on board analysis. I honestly no longer waste too much time prepping sets. I check Beatport, make a list of the tracks I like, I take the set to the venue. If they have WiFi, fine. If not, I use my cell phone as access point and I just stream the tracks directly from beatbort. I know you"ll say; that's not how the pro's work but I don't care. I do of course have a big disk with a lot of new and old tracks as well which are sorted/ordered etc. But still, the WiFi streaming saved me weeks of prepping time. Once you have it you can't miss it anymore. The only reason Pioneer has the market is because DJ's are bloody lazy
Ha ha, that's not what we meant! The old jogwheels had pretty noisy bearings in them - they were super hardwearing, but hardly felt refined. That's what has been fixed up here.
Also the ability to add an onboard SATA Drive built in, controller support for other software platforms, a motorized version of you want it, really good pitch algorithms.. the list goes on... would you not agree ?
Hey Phil. I think this is one of your best reviews. On point and a really good and detailed explanations of the new features. ...must've been hard to keep a straight face these last few days with all the speculations :) .
Good review guys! I personally feel they are an improvement to the cdj lineup but could still be improved, Pioneers hardware seems to always go the distance without issues! I’ve been fortunate enough to have both but for now Denon is my weapon of choice. People will buy what appeals to them, good to see both companies switching it up🤙
That's awesome! I still have one of my CDJ-500-II's from 1996 that still works. It was $1600 brand new -- only had looping and Master Tempo, that's pretty much it. Took forever to load, had no anti-skip, but it was amazing.
MPU which can't analyze on the fly, requested years ago already. Memory buffer which is still so small that I can only do an 4-beat emergency loop. No multi-touch. Basic flaws, just to remind we are not talking about lack of Wifi, Dual Deck or Performance Pads solely.
After months of doubting if I should switch back to Pioneer, I finally decided to buy the CDJ 3000’s this week. I only have one big regret now: wish I had pulled the trigger on them immediately when they came out! Man, these things are absolutely amazing!!! What a superb quality and what a great joy to play one these beasts. I feel that playing on these is so much more intuitive and effortless than my on my Denon’s that I not only enjoy DJ even more, but I immediately feel I can fully concentrate on the music. Yes, it’s a lot of money, but in terms of price/quality ratio it makes complete sense to me (maybe also because I’m not at all interested in the features it is missing and everyone seems to be complaining about like WiFi, dual layers, steaming, etc).
On the Denon's, I'm sure you can move a active loop forwards or backwards by holding down shift with the encoder, and the length of the move is the same size as the loop.
I commented on a video a few days back saying "I don't think they will come close to what Denon have brought out lately" I think I was right. It still ain't enough.
They basically added just enough to stop people from switching to Denon. Quite a shame really, I am baffled that it can't even analyze tracks on its own.
@@digitaldjtips Yeah, we all know how pioneer works by now hahaha. Great review as always, I'm sure the players are great but the Denons certainly seem more attractive to me.
@@digitaldjtips Also it's probably not there yet because the primary demographic for this are clubs and festivals where DJs should have everything ready
@@jeremiasidoroff6454 ... which is still no excuse, or at least, just a very poor one. But yeah, speaks a lot that Pioneer only cares about the top 20% acts and ignores the rest of their user base, like mobile or smaller club DJs...
These aren't players made for amateur djs with loads of assistance. They're made for world touring djs who are used to pioneer and can't be bothered to learn anything new. They'll reign supreme as long as that remains the case.
another excellent and detailed review, thanks Phil. i'm completely with you here. these are really good within the realistic amount of change a market leader can make with their flaship product. you simply can't tear up the rulebook if you have 90% of the market, due to the potential risk of alienating your core audience. great additions - key sync!!!!, the processor, 8 hot cues!!! (not 100% sold on the positioning, but i can see the argument for taking them away from the palm rest area), and of course the screen. also, shifting a lot of useful functionality to hardware buttons is also a massive plus i also agree that some of the stuff that's 'missing' seems certain to be introduced at some point through updates, so i won't be getting too worried about that. i do hate these tedious dennoners vs pioneers arguments, but i know why we have them. both are really great devices, incorporating many of the great things controllers have brought us in recent years. the important thing from this launch is that if i owned a club and needed to update, i'd feel in safe territory to stay within pioneer's infrastructure. it may feel lame to some, but pioneer appear to have done 'enough' with the 3000's. probably more than enough really. if it was a completely level playing field with all clubs starting from scratch, maybe dennon has the slightly better offer, but that's not the reality.
Imho that '"you cannot completely change it too much if you are the leader" is as bogus as they come. Sorry if this sounds too harsh. Don't know how to say it otherwise. Pioneer started too late with this and had to release something. THey just underdeveloped it and felt, pff, we own the market anyway so screw them. There is no excuse for not having dual layers; That won't change your workflow. There is no excuse for not having WiFi. Won't change your work flow. Imo these cue buttons under the screen are sooooo wrong: you can accidentally touch the platter and stop your music when it's in vinyl mode. They just put them there because people would otherwise say: ha you see? They copied Denon. I mean, the buttons are even exactly the same... It's a nice upgrade for sure but given what it brings and what the Denon costs the CDJ should not be 1 cent more than 750USD.
Interesting. I actually just switched from Denon (X1800/SC5000m) to Pioneer (V10 / CDJ3000) and I could not be more happy. To me, it was like moving up from a Golf GTI to a 911. Pioneer has absolutely nailed it imo.
No I don't believe so, Phil mentions things like onboard analysis and hoping there is wifi built in that we don't know about - I seem to remember in one of the videos Phil mentioning we wouldn't see dual layers for the same reason you mention
or intelligent touch screen, WIFI, SATA drive, no internal track analysis, no cross platform support, 1 USB port. Pioneer have dropped the ball on a £2.1k unit.
I think the target market for these players aren't massively upset by this. in festival and club environments i think people would prefer SD and USB sticks.
I start by saying that I have no intention of offending my dj mates in any way, but no matter how great a DJ you are, when you mix on a big stage at a festival or any major event, the pressure felt and the emotions are enormous. In these conditions, you want to have absolute control over the setup in front of you! Once you've touched the display at one point, you don't want a slide of another finger on the screen to be taken into account by mistake. The required pressure on the Pioneer screen is also meant to prevent accidental touches. You don't want to hit a hot cue and realize the pads were in a different mode. You don't really want to have several functions on a button and have to think about which function you are in so you don't do something wrong, you want to perform... You don't want to realize that you were in another layer of the player when you stop a deck or press a cue point! Mixing on stage at a festival is completely different from mixing at a party or a wedding. James Hype, Tiesto, or any big DJ doesn't come to download his playlist from beatport. Try to imagine if you see James Hype mixing on 4 players with only 2 players in front of him in dual layer mode? DJs who mix on 4 or 6 players want to have 4-6 players in front. Total control. Not to mention that they want to be seen mixing on 4 players, give a better picture for the fans! And another important aspect is that the mixer from Denon does not even compare with the mixer from Pioneer! Two aspects in the effects section: 1 - With Pioneer you have the list of effects exposed and it is very easy to select the desired effect, while with Denon you have an encoder and you have to memorize the list to know where the desired effect is to know if you are going left or right with the encoder. Then you have to press it to select the effect. A lot of wasted time. You have to think well in advance when you want to change the effect because otherwise you lose the moment when you have to apply it. In addition, you also have to prepare the following songs, to interact with the crowd, etc. You're doing a show! 2 - Denon's FX frequency is a potentiometer that you have to adjust and that you won't be able to set the same way every time, compared to Pioneer's band selection buttons. Things that matter under the pressure of the atmosphere of a major event! And how you can't synchronize the Denon players with the Pioneer mixer... The mentality behind these players and the mixer from Pioneer is completely different from the one behind the controllers, and the setups for scratch djs. In the last 20+ years, I have mixed both at festivals and other major events and as a mobile DJ. I don't want to go with my mobile DJ setup to a festival, nor to a party or a wedding with a setup of 4 players and a mixer. It is important to know your needs and choose the equipment that serves your purpose. Neither the SC6000 nor the CDJ3000 are better or worse. They serve close but different purposes. That's why currently Denon will not take Pioneer's place on the big stages, at major events and big clubs! If you aspire to be a DJ on a big stage, it would be good to master the Pioneer ecosystem. If you go with your setup to events, choose what you like, you can afford and it serves your purpose, what's the importance of which one is better if it doesn't do what you need? I hope I didn't upset anyone! All the best!
Thanks! I forgot to congratulate you for the detailed review! As for CDJ, there is room for gradual changes through updates. After all, Pioneer must have a market strategy. A dramatic change in this product line would bring advantages for Denon rather than small gradual changes. Now an established DJ has to choose between something he knows and something new for him (Denon) and I think it's obvious which is the easiest choice. If Pioneer were to dramatically change the CDJ, a DJ having to choose between 2 novelties could be a big problem for Pioneer! And BTW, you mentioned the loop encoder on the Denon players. That's what some DJs don't like. When using the loop function for a short buildup, sometimes you have to go from 1 beat to 1/2 to 1/4 to 1/8 in a fairly precise and fast sequence, and with the encoder sometimes you can very easily go over a step and ruin the buildup or slip your hand if you sweat a little. Instead, pressing a button to halve the loop at the required time is much more accurate. There are so many aspects that DJs who have not reached that level overlook. And it's normal because they have no way of knowing. And I wrote so much again... 😂 All the best!
I can't see much of an advantage on this over the Denon players even the SC5000's which i have. Lack of dual layer is also quite disappointing. It'll be interesting to see how this develops with things like dual layer and streaming. For the money it's just not great value buy one get one free on Denon. These are designed to be in clubs and festivals but i hope Denon starts making inroads as Pioneer just aren't doing it.... it's a rehash of what they've done. You can have a decent mixer and 2 Denon players as a bedroom DJ.... go laidback Luke!
Dual layer is never going to come to these, that would have been a hardware decision (it would have needed more sockets around the back). As you say these are designed for clubs and festivals - which of course makes this a monumentally bad time to launch them!
They are though, top end clubs installations and festivals - Denon are slashing prices to get their stuff into booths which is a good idea but one that Pioneer obviously don't feel the need to do. Pretty much no price increase for a much better unit seems right to us
They still slashed prices though as they were much more expensive when they first came out, the SC5000 for example dropped from $1899 down to $999 many outlets covered this
Also having watched the full video feels to me a bit like some of the 'new' features are on their current units so having used an RX2 2 years ago there's lots in the menus for example that are the same. I'm sure they are excellent units for the pio user just in isolation not as great as we'd all hoped they would be. Also i agree with what some others have said that the hot cue buttons should be below the platter and not above...
I'll wait til COVID is over to see how this does in its target market (clubs and festivals). I have started to see more Denon setups. Obviously, they're not the norm, but their growth in this market cannot be ignored.
Also consider Denons feature a great metal enclosure, AC power and full track buffer system, IEC locking socket, reduntant USB ports, good water resistance due to PCB coating, etc. this is serious engineering which shouldn't be ignored
I barely knew how to use CDJ-2000 NXS2, and got these to both be able to throw parties after the pandemic, but also to finally be able to practice and establish cue points naturally. I got the 3000s and immediately started using them on my Twitch streams, figuring I'd RTFM later, well this video filled in the gaps. I'm satisfied with the new 3000s, and have Traktor and real pads for when I want to get fancy.
I like pioneer and I'm using the NXS2, however I don't see any reason why I should switch to these CDJ or XDJ3000? Screen is bigger? no, 4 and 8 Beat Loop? no! could Pioneer let us know what is really innovative here?
could have done more with that jogwheel display. Is it the ssx3 that allows you to display your own logo? i find that comforting, wish they led with that in this unit and used that album artwork memory for something else
It's comforting ,it calms performance enxiety ,it calms me down ,seeing what you believe in and what you've been practicing ..It gives me courage I wish they could at least make it optional
Maybe it's not that stupid, because venues that do have the spare cash can now test out the units, upgrade their gear, and gain experience and confidence until they can open again. Top-End CDJs are expensive anyway.
@@digitaldjtips Um......No. I didn’t know you have to do that. These players are a major upgrade for me. I was on the old CDJ800mk2’s for the last 11 years 😂 How exactly do I do that? Is there a video on that process? Thanks
@@digitaldjtips Ok I figured that out finally thanks. I imported and analyzed. However when I put the usb stick back into the players there is no movement on the waveform. There are just 2 flatlines orange n blue which never move. Is there another button I’m supposed to push?
ITT: a lot of people who don't DJ outside the house screaming about how great Denon is. Holy shit: good luck with those club gigs with Denon CDJs that totally, acttually exist irl.
Hi where can I get more information on the proper key mixing you mentioned in the video? I have learned the 4 key option way of mixing, how would you find out what the other 2 keys you can mix into are?
Great review, Phil! I think the sound quality comment was incorrect. If Pioneer implemented "the best D/A converters" in these players, why did you connect them via digital link? That way, you clearly bypassed those converters. Also, great sound regardless how much you speed up or down tracks has nothing to do with the D/A converters, but rather to do with the software, which indeed sounded awesome! Keep up the good work - you rock!
@@djgartek Now that is very true - my bad. However there is an awful lot of processing going on inside the unit. It upsamples all audio to 96kHz before applying timestretching etc. That all sounds awesome. But yeah, I didn't review the actual DAC, you're right.
@@digitaldjtips the upsampling doesn't increase the quality, it avoids digital noise generated by key shifting and master tempo algorithms. It doesn't imply more quality, even the increase of bits to 32. 32 is because ARM processors expend the same amount of resources when process 24 or 32 bits (processors works in power of two 2,4,16,32,64... Etc) . But 32 sounds better but doesn't mean an improvement.
Hey.. setup has just arrived today, however the link cue headphones is turned on but when I tap on the preview of a song, it doesn’t play through my headphones? Any help with this please
When I got my Denons I found out they had WiFi a year before they announced it by reading the instruction manual, and in it there was a warning that the device produced radiowaves, so if it says that in the manual, they likely have WiFi on board.
Something came up in the sound quality portion that may be an issue. It was in reference to the high quality dac chips that are supposed to be in this unit. If I'm not mistaken, when you use these players with the matching Pioneer mixer, the connection is digital. That means you bypass the entire dac portion of the unit, and its just a transport. You're spending a lot of money on something that is not going to be used. Its kind of like what the Rane 12 is, or how Denon released the controller only section of their media players. So, if you are going with an all Pioneer system, you end up spending a lot of money on things that won't be used. I'm pretty sure I'm right about this, but if I'm wrong, someone please correct me. If I happen to be right, maybe Pioneer is coming out with a transport only version of this unit?
Yes you are bypassing the DAC, but it's wrong to say it is then reduced to a controller. It still has a computer and an operating system inside it to work with your music files and provide the other performance functions and audio processing. These are professional units, designed for modularity and versatility, so having both options in the one unit makes sense from a pro point of view.
one nice feature not mentioned is that when you adjust the sensitivity of the job wheel, it actually adjusts the tension as well, so if you make the wheel less sensitive, it actually becomes physically tougher to change the tempo.
Just got the CDJ 3000s. In controller mode I don’t have 2nd deck stacked waveform. Do you know how to turn them on? Also, I can’t pinpoint the cue to where I want it. Everytime I try to set a cue it defaults it to the nearest point. Please help. Thanks.
I would love some focus on the ability to resist water damage. Sooo many clubs are having problems with spilled drinks from gusts. This is by far a what damages players more than buttons get worn out. Even small droplets has caused major problems while playing. That said the CDJ 3000 looks promising, and I look forward to use it.
One thing that I'll mention, wifi isn't something that can be "coded in" it would require specific hardware, it's unlikely that wireless will be in like dennon as if you had that chip on the hardware you'd want it working from initial sale and I feel it's posible that they will become wired but they may do what they usually do and cop out by saying you could just use computer hooked up to the network running rekordbox to do that
yeah not sure I'm a fan of the new cdj's. Honestly, not much had to be improved. a couple things here and there. Mabey where the hot cue buttons are, those could be pads used for other things. Honestly, it kind of looks like a downgrade
It doesn't feel like a downgrade to use - the screen and the responsiveness, the key sync/shift, the new hot cues alone make it feel totally different to play on.
To me it’s overfull with Buttons and looks to much in 1 place! And the que placement looks like your going to Tap the jogwheel when your using que points. And the screen is not anno 2020. Pioneer is strong in Rekordbox but is that going to help them? I think no clubs are going to upgrade to cdj 3000 from nxs2 no real big thinks to do it. Also sc6000 looks cleaner and more professional now and cdj 3000 more like a gimmick in my opinion.
@@Xer0.Visual5 Agreed, the SC6000 is much cleaner and simpler - the CDJ-3000 does look cluttered. There are too many legacy buttons (the looping and memory cues). That said, we do think you'll see clubs upgrading as Pioneer DJ introduces more software features, and as DJs start to insist on the 3000s.
@@digitaldjtips but i really think this player is also going to help Denon and the SC6000. In this time in the world there is way more time for bigger DJs to think about Switching. Here are already some big names with Denon and i really think the CDJ 3000 is going to help Denon with getting more people going to the SC6000, plus the NextGen DJs will look better before making a Call on what there going to use. And i think that is good for everyone.
@@digitaldjtips yeah it may not feel like a downgrade but unfortunately some features are lost. And I agree with @kevin.R everything does look overcrowded.
Do you have to export from RB6 to enable the 3 band waveform? exported data from RB5 didn't show up as the 3 band on the unit when I tested it Cheers :)
28:00 - The feature of previewing the track while sliding through it is really awesome. I hope something like that come up soon on the Prime Series updates.
Prime preview mode was already available on Prime 2 and GO and will become available on Prime 4 with firmware update 1.6 which have been released for public beta
@@digitaldjtips said it best. I miss traktor so much. Currently on Denon SC5000 because my computer is super outdated, but I miss my remix decks and Traktor effects and the fine tuning key adjust. I hope traktor does something to stay in the "game" because I love that software to death but it needs some updates bad. The smart playlist is hopefully the first step forward. 🤞
4 ปีที่แล้ว
CREATING AND SAVING A PLAY LIST ON THE PLAYER TO YOUR MEDIA IS A MUST TRUST ME
I have a much better appreciation of these decks abilities after watching this concise in depth review. Great job @digitaldjtips Really looking forward to seeing how they utilize the MPU with software/feature set upgrades soon
Hi Phil, do you think we'll see an XZ2 or other standalone with these improvements in the near future or will Pioneer take their sweet time and make us wait?
The vinyl start knob, IMO, was cool when used as an effect. I would stop the track slowly, maybe talk on the microphone, then start again with a slow start effect which is kinda cool
Hi Phil, great video! As the 8 cue pads only do cues, Do you know if you can plug in a DDJ-XP1 for LOOP ROLLS instead of having to use the touch screen?
In fact, if they got rid of the pointless MEM/CUE buttons there would be enough room to have another row of 8 pads for the LOOP ROLLS / SLICER etc (which would be way more tactile than a touch screen) or, these second row of pads could be used to trigger instant gratification FX that draw from the mixer or the RekordBoxDJ software.
Maybe I'm the only fan of the retro spinning LEDs on CJDs? I just don't like DDJ-1000 screens. It looks like you took a cheap phone screen and tried to make it look round by masking off part - which is exactly what the DDJ-1000 screens are. These look better, but... they're still emulating that screen look. I hope I can turn off that blue stripe which does nothing but indicate it's in vinyl mode... and maybe even turn off artwork and have a more interesting spinny graphic.
Thank you very much for the review Phil. I’m not surprised about the price since it’s pioneer. Some of the missing features can be done thru future updates. I don’t like where they placed the hot cue buttons. For the money/features and Engine getting better, I rather go for denon players.
The reason this will probably succeed is because Pioneer Sponsored DJ’s will receive these quick sharp as will the worlds top clubs (and also clubs where owners don’t have a cost barrier). Will that drag along other DJs and clubs for the journey? Time will tell. Is the Pioneer CDJ-3000 mk2 already in the making with the improvements Phil wants to see included?
Well, a lot of those improvements can be done via firmware upgrades, due to the MPU inside it - that may just turn out to be the biggest leap forward here, and of course, it's invisible...
Digital DJ Tips it’s going to take a real leap of faith from lesser known DJs and Smaller Clubs together to force Denon into the #1 position regardless of what features they offer and price point.
it have the right things that were needed for live sets... a better bright screen for day gigs, better overall screen, better audio quality and the waveforms overlaped, then all the other things are just for people buying it at home, but not usefull for big set ups in parties. I think it will remain as standard for many years.
So happy I purchased my Denon SC6000M's. Originally I was wondering if I had done the right thing as Pioneer made their announcement one day after I received my equipment but oh my does it look like I've made the right choice here. I'm not a fan boy as I didn't own either Pionner or Denon equipment up until recently, yes I'm likely biased because I'm now a Denon user but hear me out. I'm a bedroom DJ, I won't be playing at venues and I certainly appreciate that users who do will absolutely love this new Pionner equipment as it's a step up and I think these units are for those users. I'm definitely surprised that many features are lacking and you'd like to think some of these things will come as a software update but wait a minute.... 1) There doesn't appear to be a WiFi card in these units. Their integration to services such as Beatport require you to use your PC and RB and link RB to these services. That's what they are officially advertising and I don't see on the product sheet that it has any WiFi card. Waiting to be proved wrong here. 2) No dual layer and even if they add it in a software update (which they aren't likely to do given their standpoint), you'd need to sacrifice something to get it because Denons have a physical layer button. 3) No on board analysis. Really? You have these fancy CPU's inside with all that power. You'd like to think this will be implemented in a future update. 4) No multi gesture - so you add this nice new big screen to look at things but come on, it's 2020. Even a 10 year old Android tablet has this, let alone some DJ equipment worth ££££'s (for those of you who are getting this equipment, hope the screen is capable of it so it comes in a future software update). 5) No cloud locker - this will likely come in a future software update, but you still won't have it currently. 6) Can't make playlists - what? I have all that screen to use...why not? Oh wait...future software update...hopefully....maybe... 7) Motorised platter option? Oh, no. A screen in the middle of the jog wheels to display info that's already on that huge screen in front of your eyes is far more important...great. I mean even if you don't want a motorised platter, do people really look at these tiny screens when you now have such massive screen estate? Maybe when the main displays were smaller but come on...but but they have better resolution and stuff! ... What am I missing here? :) 8) Plastic buttons. Plastic screen. Plastic. Imagine if Apple used plastic buttons on their flagship devices and claimed "this is what people want in their expensive equipment". Doesn't add up but what do I know eh. Sure rubber is hardly premium such as metal but you got your plastic, guys. I mean yeah, if you're a CDJ2000 user and want the best Pioneer has to offer then sure, go grab these I'm sure you won't be disappointed, especially if you play in all these venues like James Hype and they actually start providing some missing features through software. I've said all along, if you get the hardware right and the software can be constantly updated, you can't go wrong as it's future proof. Problem is, I'm not sure the hardware is right here (I'm sure others will disagree but each to their own). Let's not mention the price for this equipment either right. Overall: 6/10. (7/10 if you're an existing CDJ user). Cheers - just remember these are my opinions, I'm sure some will be upset by it and some will agree with it, that's just the nature of it but wanted to chuck my pennies worth in.
@@digitaldjtips Certainly was and it's probably even more crazy when you think I'm new to DJ'ing and are starting it as a new hobby! I always try and buy the best of whatever it is, because that's the type of person I am and wasn't really financially limited so why not. I wouldn't want to purchase some equipment and then be like "damn if I have just spent a little more I could have done this and progressed my learning further". I only have one SC6000M currently as I'm waiting delivery of my other player however with a single SC6000M + X1850 + link to VirtualDJ pro, I am already learning the basics whilst also learning the new techniques (mixing with stem separation) and I'm having a blast! One thing I'm confident on though, is if I ever reach a good skill ceiling, it won't be down to restrictions of the hardware. I'm also a techie guy so I just love the gadget side of it as well. Due to being motorised platter I can also learn how to scratch better and invest time and have fun with that. So much to learn, so much fun to be had! I'm even going to stream my journey to becoming an below-average DJ, lol. Stupid waste of money/Do I regret it? Definitely not. Hours fly by whilst doing my super poor mixing efforts! Will I always have them? For a heck of a long time for sure because they do everything I can see I want, especially with software updates. Should I have gone Pioneer? No. Should I have just got a controller only? Maybe, I almost purchased the Rane's, however I just felt like the SC6000M's literally had everything.
Obviously not as good as the Denon, BUT Pioneer still dominated DJ booths with the 2000 and these are a great improvement over those so they'll undoubtedly become industry standard. I'd rather use a 2000 over a Prime any day just because of how it feels and responds, so I'm happy with this upgrade
@@maus3454 I don't think they'll switch to Denon gear, DJ's don't have enough experience and trust in it, plus from my limited experience the build quality doesn't feel up to what Pioneer do. But I'm not sure with everything going on there will be a lot of clubs rushing to upgrade to the 3000's at the moment either
Good review. Definitely an improvement over the old one. But still don't see the justification for the insane price. Especially given the lack of innovative features.
Read our comprehensive review of the CDJ-3000: www.digitaldjtips.com/reviews/pioneer-dj-cdj-3000/
Watch the James Hype CDJ-3000 performance livestream: djtips.co/james-hype-live
@Digital DJ Tips I added my comments below
@Digital DJ Tips here is what I'm missing the most: 1. "current track played ID, easy broadcast to OBS stream DJs 2. Water/Dust proof improvement's 3. Open source Rekordbox/XDJ options for "add-ons", like PioDj "vst" 4. Official discord for @Pioneer DJ "fans", to collect real info from real people for real innovations 5. Generally lack of innovations: you put a processor in CDJ with lots of power, but not utilizing it fully 6. How about "crash reports" via internet directly to @Pioneer DJ support 7. Stop commenting officially from @Pioneer DJ support on "current track played ID" solution: "put a GoPro above CDJ's LCD screens" 8. Open source the @Pioneer DJ pro-link for 3rd party "add-ons"
9. If @Pioneer DJ plays the "I'm dominant in the DJ equipment area", will stop the innovation approach
10. All above will be scrapped by @DJ Mag top100 DJ's, as they are "addicted" to @Pioneer DJ, due clubs/vanues has over stockpile of @Pioneer DJ equipment,
Sad
Thanks for reading
Cool :)
Don't want much then 😅
@@amritabhaktas You've always been able to play unanalyzed files - all the way back to the 2000 when Rekordbox was introduced - you just loose all of the waveform and quantization benefits that you get by processing your files.
These players with their overall functionality and screens could be such a great product in 2017
But in september 2020 they already look and feel old
On getting them out of the box? We thought exactly that. But having DJed on them for a few days, we realised that they actually make CDJ DJing fun, in a way it wasn't before (for us), because they feel much closer to controller DJing. That's worth a lot.
Glad we could help :)
@@digitaldjtips jesus are you paid by Pioneer, you can get that feel and more for nearly £1000 less per deck. They ARE a controller, a ridiculously expensive and not market leading one.
@@Chuggnuts What is the actual real-world benefit to using Denon? What is the feature you actually use? Or are you just trying to take a political stance against Pioneer's monopoly? Because you're actually a working DJ then you're only making your life harder by not keeping your music collection inside the Pioneer ecosystem.
@@RaquelFoster in general, recently Denon have offered more features, for a better price. It's not just the sc6000 Vs cdj3000 either, it's the same with cheaper products. I can't deny that I strongly dislike pioneers monopoly because I don't think it's healthy for anyone except Pioneer, but the cdj3000 is almost offensively arrogant towards potential customers if you ask me, is there any reason for them to be nearly £1000 more than the competition? I do have to say that it's entirely possible to avoid using cdjs though, it's not true that you HAVE to, although I once did buy a pair of cdjs when 1210's started becoming rarer in booths just because I felt I HAD to and I instantly regretted it (and went down the controller route instead, fortunately cdjs had gone up in price so I didn't lose a penny...) The sc6000 will read and analyse recordbox usb's so that's one benefit of having them in clubs, pioneers ecosystem is not so flexible.
Before, on the left side of the CDJ, you would press USB button to select your USB and then press the Link button on the other CDJ(s) to have the whole system use that USB. I notice that's gone now. How does that work here? You just tap the top where it says USB and select which USB the CDJ's are reading?
end of the CDJ era for me. Denon is the new King!
Thanks for watching Anis
same
These aren't players made for consumer djs / for high assistance djing. They're made for world touring djs who are used to pioneer and can't be bothered to learn anything new. They'll reign supreme as long as that remains the case & as long as they're on tech riders. Doesn't really make sense to judge Cdjs at a consumer level - you want continuity at the club level - imagine if every club opted for a different set up, it would just be a nightmare.
Ots O oh sure but things can change especially if those dj’s as well go to Denon as I see lately.
@@Anis-gs7sv find it unlikely that the majority of the industry will move to denon. Most clubs stock pioneer by default and i dont see them buying double the gear for a minority of djs.
I said this on another channel but.... 4 decks of Denon Sc6000 = £2500, 4 decks of Cdj3000 = £8800
Sure but a lot of DJs don't actually like dual layers, if the new unit we've seen is indeed a control for it then it seems Denon acknowledge that
Digital DJ Tips I don‘t think this is a valid excuse for not having dual-deck capability.
Sure, working with dual deck is kind of messy. But it is not that you are getting your arm twisted if you buy 4 Players if this is better for you. People with a moderate budget can get 2+2 standalone decks for a reasonable price - all others can buy 4 players. So what is the problem having dual deck capability?
@@LukT95 spot on mate. Seems pioneers decision is $$$$$ based
Agreed I would hate to use dual player in a club..
Of course it makes sense from a business point of view as well, no denying that
So many people commenting on their dissatisfaction of the cdj3000 and of pioneer in general. People saying it's too little too late etc. What is it that you really need? Are all these functions that you're so upset aren't included really functions that you would use and need? I'm not a massively complex DJ, so maybe I don't need the functionality that is apparently missing here. They look awesome. Yes they are very expensive, but this isn't really aimed at bedroom djs. There are loads of controllers in the range from the ddj 400 through the all in one xdjxz. The Denon fans are so quick to scrap anything pioneer releases, and it's just the same as the age old Mac Vs PC debate. If you like the Denon more, great! If you like pioneer more, great. The truth is that these will be in all decent clubs (or at least the vast majority) and Denon will not be the club standard in the foreseeable future. That is the main reason why I won't be shifting to denon and investing in the whole engine ecosystem any time soon but I will never say never!. Thanks for the in depth review Phil. But what an unfortunate time to release this unit!
Can't agree more about the timing - you had us at "what an unfortunate time"!
I love pioneer but denon absolutely walks all over this more usb inputs multi touch screens ability to store a 2.5 inch ssd drive so basicall have your whole library WiFi enabled so u can get songs from soundcloud beatport & tidal (not that I use them) but its there and it analyses songs in the player not having to go through rekordbox 1st which is a Ballache in its self and it works with every dj software including reckordbox pioneer have literally become the apple of the dj world we as djs waited to see what they come up with to contend with and this is it we as pioneer fans are dissapointed
why don't you mix on your iphone or something similar, all the basic features are there already. Not too complex it will fit your style.
@@shadie2k 100%. Outdated and overpriced.... as usual.
Well the reason I bring my Denon set everywhere if clubs or venues won't offer them is mostly the roll/slice stuff which offer a lot more creativity. Also, the mixer offers the filter and effects simultaneously giving you again more creativity. The double layers are interesting too: you sometimes throw in a loop, add an acapella, do some scratching or beat looping/rolling/slicing with the 3rd deck etc. On a Pioneer you'd need at least 3 decks to do that.
But what I miss most is on board analysis. I honestly no longer waste too much time prepping sets. I check Beatport, make a list of the tracks I like, I take the set to the venue. If they have WiFi, fine. If not, I use my cell phone as access point and I just stream the tracks directly from beatbort. I know you"ll say; that's not how the pro's work but I don't care. I do of course have a big disk with a lot of new and old tracks as well which are sorted/ordered etc. But still, the WiFi streaming saved me weeks of prepping time. Once you have it you can't miss it anymore. The only reason Pioneer has the market is because DJ's are bloody lazy
"nothing rattles"
That's because there's nothing inside apart from a computer and a cog. That price is insane!
Ha ha, that's not what we meant! The old jogwheels had pretty noisy bearings in them - they were super hardwearing, but hardly felt refined. That's what has been fixed up here.
@@digitaldjtips I love your videos but the longer this one goes on, the more shocked I am at how far they haven't pushed it!
@@slaterbreaker Fair enough! Love to know what you think is missing when you've watched the whole thing :)
@Keeny J good points made there, would you not agree Digital DJ Tips... hard to argue hey ?
Also the ability to add an onboard SATA Drive built in, controller support for other software platforms, a motorized version of you want it, really good pitch algorithms.. the list goes on... would you not agree ?
Hey Phil. I think this is one of your best reviews. On point and a really good and detailed explanations of the new features. ...must've been hard to keep a straight face these last few days with all the speculations :) .
Kind of you to say, glad you liked it! It took a lot of work 😎
Good review guys! I personally feel they are an improvement to the cdj lineup but could still be improved, Pioneers
hardware seems to always go the distance without issues! I’ve been fortunate enough to have both but for now Denon is my weapon of choice. People will buy what appeals to them, good to see both companies switching it up🤙
Thanks for your feedback Andy, and it is especially useful as you own both systems.
Denon, ahead !
I’ll stick with my pioneer cdj350’s, basic but still going strong👍
Your 350's still going strong is one of the reasons people love Pioneer so much 😄
That's awesome! I still have one of my CDJ-500-II's from 1996 that still works. It was $1600 brand new -- only had looping and Master Tempo, that's pretty much it. Took forever to load, had no anti-skip, but it was amazing.
I also stick to my 350's, they were great value for the second hand price! Also work as controllers for rekordbox if I want to!
Its 2AM here & im looking at this.. lolz
ClectaSkiMusic haha. I’ve just woke up. 8am here and straight in this.
8.49 am here
Sorry to keep you up lol
1.04am here
MPU which can't analyze on the fly, requested years ago already. Memory buffer which is still so small that I can only do an 4-beat emergency loop. No multi-touch. Basic flaws, just to remind we are not talking about lack of Wifi, Dual Deck or Performance Pads solely.
Yeah we hope they'll add onboard analysis
After months of doubting if I should switch back to Pioneer, I finally decided to buy the CDJ 3000’s this week. I only have one big regret now: wish I had pulled the trigger on them immediately when they came out! Man, these things are absolutely amazing!!! What a superb quality and what a great joy to play one these beasts. I feel that playing on these is so much more intuitive and effortless than my on my Denon’s that I not only enjoy DJ even more, but I immediately feel I can fully concentrate on the music. Yes, it’s a lot of money, but in terms of price/quality ratio it makes complete sense to me (maybe also because I’m not at all interested in the features it is missing and everyone seems to be complaining about like WiFi, dual layers, steaming, etc).
Pioneer will be glad to hear that Pieter :)
On the Denon's, I'm sure you can move a active loop forwards or backwards by holding down shift with the encoder, and the length of the move is the same size as the loop.
On pioneer it's the beat jump that does that same thing
I commented on a video a few days back saying "I don't think they will come close to what Denon have brought out lately"
I think I was right. It still ain't enough.
Sounds like it's not for you Kere
& it's 2,300.No thanks
I can't wait for the comparison videos with Denondj and pioneer
Awesome!
They basically added just enough to stop people from switching to Denon. Quite a shame really, I am baffled that it can't even analyze tracks on its own.
As we said in the review, we think this is a strategic decision, and that it will come at some point.
@@digitaldjtips Yeah, we all know how pioneer works by now hahaha. Great review as always, I'm sure the players are great but the Denons certainly seem more attractive to me.
@@digitaldjtips Also it's probably not there yet because the primary demographic for this are clubs and festivals where DJs should have everything ready
@@jeremiasidoroff6454 ... which is still no excuse, or at least, just a very poor one.
But yeah, speaks a lot that Pioneer only cares about the top 20% acts and ignores the rest of their user base, like mobile or smaller club DJs...
These aren't players made for amateur djs with loads of assistance. They're made for world touring djs who are used to pioneer and can't be bothered to learn anything new. They'll reign supreme as long as that remains the case.
That was this kind of proper review i was waiting for !
Glad you found it useful.
another excellent and detailed review, thanks Phil.
i'm completely with you here. these are really good within the realistic amount of change a market leader can make with their flaship product. you simply can't tear up the rulebook if you have 90% of the market, due to the potential risk of alienating your core audience.
great additions - key sync!!!!, the processor, 8 hot cues!!! (not 100% sold on the positioning, but i can see the argument for taking them away from the palm rest area), and of course the screen. also, shifting a lot of useful functionality to hardware buttons is also a massive plus
i also agree that some of the stuff that's 'missing' seems certain to be introduced at some point through updates, so i won't be getting too worried about that.
i do hate these tedious dennoners vs pioneers arguments, but i know why we have them. both are really great devices, incorporating many of the great things controllers have brought us in recent years. the important thing from this launch is that if i owned a club and needed to update, i'd feel in safe territory to stay within pioneer's infrastructure. it may feel lame to some, but pioneer appear to have done 'enough' with the 3000's. probably more than enough really. if it was a completely level playing field with all clubs starting from scratch, maybe dennon has the slightly better offer, but that's not the reality.
Thanks very much Seth, and thanks for the level headed analysis :)
Imho that '"you cannot completely change it too much if you are the leader" is as bogus as they come. Sorry if this sounds too harsh. Don't know how to say it otherwise. Pioneer started too late with this and had to release something. THey just underdeveloped it and felt, pff, we own the market anyway so screw them. There is no excuse for not having dual layers; That won't change your workflow. There is no excuse for not having WiFi. Won't change your work flow. Imo these cue buttons under the screen are sooooo wrong: you can accidentally touch the platter and stop your music when it's in vinyl mode. They just put them there because people would otherwise say: ha you see? They copied Denon. I mean, the buttons are even exactly the same... It's a nice upgrade for sure but given what it brings and what the Denon costs the CDJ should not be 1 cent more than 750USD.
man we waited for this for years. denon is way ahead of you guys now. time to sell my cdj2000 and move on
What will these CDJ2000 be worth now?
Guessing you'll be moving to Denon?
Interesting. I actually just switched from Denon (X1800/SC5000m) to Pioneer (V10 / CDJ3000) and I could not be more happy. To me, it was like moving up from a Golf GTI to a 911. Pioneer has absolutely nailed it imo.
How can the cdj3000 be a duel player in future updates when there's only one set of outputs on the back?
It can't, who told you it could?
@@digitaldjtips I thought you said it in your first review. You said you wouldn't be surprised to see that add in update's.
No I don't believe so, Phil mentions things like onboard analysis and hoping there is wifi built in that we don't know about - I seem to remember in one of the videos Phil mentioning we wouldn't see dual layers for the same reason you mention
No internet connection and no online streaming built-in?? come on guys it is 2020 :D
Not at first glance anyway
You cannot fix the lack of WIFI with a software update
or intelligent touch screen, WIFI, SATA drive, no internal track analysis, no cross platform support, 1 USB port. Pioneer have dropped the ball on a £2.1k unit.
It's a joke was so excited for the next jen I think this will sink pioneer denon just smashed it the only thing I like is the que function
I think the target market for these players aren't massively upset by this. in festival and club environments i think people would prefer SD and USB sticks.
I start by saying that I have no intention of offending my dj mates in any way, but no matter how great a DJ you are, when you mix on a big stage at a festival or any major event, the pressure felt and the emotions are enormous. In these conditions, you want to have absolute control over the setup in front of you! Once you've touched the display at one point, you don't want a slide of another finger on the screen to be taken into account by mistake. The required pressure on the Pioneer screen is also meant to prevent accidental touches. You don't want to hit a hot cue and realize the pads were in a different mode. You don't really want to have several functions on a button and have to think about which function you are in so you don't do something wrong, you want to perform... You don't want to realize that you were in another layer of the player when you stop a deck or press a cue point! Mixing on stage at a festival is completely different from mixing at a party or a wedding. James Hype, Tiesto, or any big DJ doesn't come to download his playlist from beatport. Try to imagine if you see James Hype mixing on 4 players with only 2 players in front of him in dual layer mode? DJs who mix on 4 or 6 players want to have 4-6 players in front. Total control. Not to mention that they want to be seen mixing on 4 players, give a better picture for the fans! And another important aspect is that the mixer from Denon does not even compare with the mixer from Pioneer! Two aspects in the effects section: 1 - With Pioneer you have the list of effects exposed and it is very easy to select the desired effect, while with Denon you have an encoder and you have to memorize the list to know where the desired effect is to know if you are going left or right with the encoder. Then you have to press it to select the effect. A lot of wasted time. You have to think well in advance when you want to change the effect because otherwise you lose the moment when you have to apply it. In addition, you also have to prepare the following songs, to interact with the crowd, etc. You're doing a show! 2 - Denon's FX frequency is a potentiometer that you have to adjust and that you won't be able to set the same way every time, compared to Pioneer's band selection buttons. Things that matter under the pressure of the atmosphere of a major event! And how you can't synchronize the Denon players with the Pioneer mixer... The mentality behind these players and the mixer from Pioneer is completely different from the one behind the controllers, and the setups for scratch djs. In the last 20+ years, I have mixed both at festivals and other major events and as a mobile DJ. I don't want to go with my mobile DJ setup to a festival, nor to a party or a wedding with a setup of 4 players and a mixer. It is important to know your needs and choose the equipment that serves your purpose. Neither the SC6000 nor the CDJ3000 are better or worse. They serve close but different purposes. That's why currently Denon will not take Pioneer's place on the big stages, at major events and big clubs! If you aspire to be a DJ on a big stage, it would be good to master the Pioneer ecosystem. If you go with your setup to events, choose what you like, you can afford and it serves your purpose, what's the importance of which one is better if it doesn't do what you need?
I hope I didn't upset anyone! All the best!
You make a good point, many pros just want reliability and familiarity
Thanks! I forgot to congratulate you for the detailed review! As for CDJ, there is room for gradual changes through updates. After all, Pioneer must have a market strategy. A dramatic change in this product line would bring advantages for Denon rather than small gradual changes. Now an established DJ has to choose between something he knows and something new for him (Denon) and I think it's obvious which is the easiest choice. If Pioneer were to dramatically change the CDJ, a DJ having to choose between 2 novelties could be a big problem for Pioneer! And BTW, you mentioned the loop encoder on the Denon players. That's what some DJs don't like. When using the loop function for a short buildup, sometimes you have to go from 1 beat to 1/2 to 1/4 to 1/8 in a fairly precise and fast sequence, and with the encoder sometimes you can very easily go over a step and ruin the buildup or slip your hand if you sweat a little. Instead, pressing a button to halve the loop at the required time is much more accurate. There are so many aspects that DJs who have not reached that level overlook. And it's normal because they have no way of knowing. And I wrote so much again... 😂 All the best!
I can't see much of an advantage on this over the Denon players even the SC5000's which i have. Lack of dual layer is also quite disappointing. It'll be interesting to see how this develops with things like dual layer and streaming. For the money it's just not great value buy one get one free on Denon. These are designed to be in clubs and festivals but i hope Denon starts making inroads as Pioneer just aren't doing it.... it's a rehash of what they've done. You can have a decent mixer and 2 Denon players as a bedroom DJ.... go laidback Luke!
Dual layer is never going to come to these, that would have been a hardware decision (it would have needed more sockets around the back). As you say these are designed for clubs and festivals - which of course makes this a monumentally bad time to launch them!
They are though, top end clubs installations and festivals - Denon are slashing prices to get their stuff into booths which is a good idea but one that Pioneer obviously don't feel the need to do. Pretty much no price increase for a much better unit seems right to us
They still slashed prices though as they were much more expensive when they first came out, the SC5000 for example dropped from $1899 down to $999 many outlets covered this
@@digitaldjtips only because a new version was announced....and the SC5000 found its new place in the market alongside the SC6000.
Also having watched the full video feels to me a bit like some of the 'new' features are on their current units so having used an RX2 2 years ago there's lots in the menus for example that are the same. I'm sure they are excellent units for the pio user just in isolation not as great as we'd all hoped they would be. Also i agree with what some others have said that the hot cue buttons should be below the platter and not above...
I'll wait til COVID is over to see how this does in its target market (clubs and festivals). I have started to see more Denon setups. Obviously, they're not the norm, but their growth in this market cannot be ignored.
No definitely not, it’s awesome kit
Also consider Denons feature a great metal enclosure, AC power and full track buffer system, IEC locking socket, reduntant USB ports, good water resistance due to PCB coating, etc. this is serious engineering which shouldn't be ignored
Have they added anything on the software side that you said the unit was missing at the end of this video, now 3 years later? I am curious
Very little, only Beatport as a streaming service and cloud library access (both pretty cool, it has to be said)
No analyzing in the deck...no Beatport Link, Tidal or Soundclowd streaming ???
No sadly not at the moment but the potential is there for this to be added and considering the new subscription plans with Rekordbox...
Is there a new version of the CDJ3000 coming out anytime soon? I’m going to buy these now if not.
Using CDJ3000 in HID mode, is there a way to control or use the performance pads ?
3:08 Phil hit the mark because that's exactly why I like the new hot cue placement
Thanks for watching!
I'd still like to see 2 decimal places on the bpm display but other than that I'm very happy
Just off to buy a lottery ticket 😂
Haha good luck ;)
ABSOF.KINGLUTELY!! This is what buffles me more than anything. Another (great) CDJ iteration and still no 2 decimals bpm display?? Come on Pioneer...
9:45 they do have a mixer with the hub built in the back, djm 2000
Yes good point we forgot about that, thank you for reminding us
I barely knew how to use CDJ-2000 NXS2, and got these to both be able to throw parties after the pandemic, but also to finally be able to practice and establish cue points naturally. I got the 3000s and immediately started using them on my Twitch streams, figuring I'd RTFM later, well this video filled in the gaps. I'm satisfied with the new 3000s, and have Traktor and real pads for when I want to get fancy.
Glad you're enjoying them Clayton :)
Did he review 'Source' button or how to use usb drive & link mode Or i just missed it? Can anyone help me out?
Is there any way to get rid of the BPM and Key views on the screen?
No idea without checking the manual
Nice, detailed review Phil! Thank you.
You're welcome souldefunk music!
I like pioneer and I'm using the NXS2, however I don't see any reason why I should switch to these CDJ or XDJ3000? Screen is bigger? no, 4 and 8 Beat Loop? no! could Pioneer let us know what is really innovative here?
Key shift is the feature we will use the most.
@@digitaldjtips No audio glitches with key shift? Had some bad experience with Master Tempo on 900nxs, is Key Shift a different process?
No audio glitches. It is rock solid.
Same here - not worth the upgrade.
Aidyba81 let's wait for the cdj3000 mk3 😂👍
could have done more with that jogwheel display. Is it the ssx3 that allows you to display your
own logo? i find that comforting, wish they led with that in this unit and used that album artwork
memory for something else
It is pretty cool seeing your own logo on the decks lol
It's comforting ,it calms performance enxiety ,it calms me down ,seeing what you believe in and what you've been practicing ..It gives me courage I wish they could at least make it optional
thank you very much for this, to confirm... changing the key display from regular to camelot needs to be done in the rekord box software right?
Yes
Here is a question. Will these also link with the 2000NXS2 players??
Yes
Releasing a club standard player when their are no clubs open and no club DJs earning money might not be a great idea.
Certainly not the best timing…
Maybe it's not that stupid, because venues that do have the spare cash can now test out the units, upgrade their gear, and gain experience and confidence until they can open again. Top-End CDJs are expensive anyway.
How did you get a full review for the CDJ3000 before the SC6000?
We reviewed the '6000s back in JAnuary.
@@digitaldjtips You did two videos that were 45+ minutes for the CDJ 3000 and a 15 minute review back in January for the Sc6000. hardly the same.
No, that is true .We are scheduling some more SC6000 content at some point.
I bought these a few weeks ago. I still can’t figure out why my screen doesn’t show the large waveform like yours does.
Any help on this??
Did you analyse your music in Rekordbox first?
@@digitaldjtips Um......No. I didn’t know you have to do that. These players are a major upgrade for me.
I was on the old CDJ800mk2’s for the last 11 years 😂
How exactly do I do that?
Is there a video on that process?
Thanks
It's pretty simple, mostly drag and drop once you've downloaded Rekordbox (which is free for this purpose) :)
@@digitaldjtips Ok I figured that out finally thanks.
I imported and analyzed.
However when I put the usb stick back into the players there is no movement on the waveform.
There are just 2 flatlines orange n blue which never move.
Is there another button I’m supposed to push?
sc6000 still twice the player that one is, not only in model number but literally.
Thanks for weighing in :)
ITT: a lot of people who don't DJ outside the house screaming about how great Denon is. Holy shit: good luck with those club gigs with Denon CDJs that totally, acttually exist irl.
Hi where can I get more information on the proper key mixing you mentioned in the video? I have learned the 4 key option way of mixing, how would you find out what the other 2 keys you can mix into are?
Where in the video do we mention it please? Phil might be referencing another article/video we've made
does it analyze tracks or you have to analyze it thru rekordbox?
You have to do them through Rekordbox
Great review, Phil!
I think the sound quality comment was incorrect. If Pioneer implemented "the best D/A converters" in these players, why did you connect them via digital link? That way, you clearly bypassed those converters. Also, great sound regardless how much you speed up or down tracks has nothing to do with the D/A converters, but rather to do with the software, which indeed sounded awesome!
Keep up the good work - you rock!
Michalis Roussounelos absolutely!!! I agree with you. He never used the D/A converters! He reviewed the mixer’s D/A converter
@@djgartek Now that is very true - my bad. However there is an awful lot of processing going on inside the unit. It upsamples all audio to 96kHz before applying timestretching etc. That all sounds awesome. But yeah, I didn't review the actual DAC, you're right.
@@djgartek Exactly!
@@digitaldjtips the upsampling doesn't increase the quality, it avoids digital noise generated by key shifting and master tempo algorithms. It doesn't imply more quality, even the increase of bits to 32. 32 is because ARM processors expend the same amount of resources when process 24 or 32 bits (processors works in power of two 2,4,16,32,64... Etc) . But 32 sounds better but doesn't mean an improvement.
Hi Phil, seems to me that they forgot that hot cues are quite important when you are performing... I´ve realIzed how good is my DDJ1000.
They're less weirdly placed than you think when you get using it :)
I never use the hot cues on my DDJ-1000.
The XDJ-XZ desperately needs that screen!
Agreed
Hey.. setup has just arrived today, however the link cue headphones is turned on but when I tap on the preview of a song, it doesn’t play through my headphones? Any help with this please
Head to Global DJ Network, make a post and include a picture or short video - that'll be the best way to diagnose this: djtips.co/family :)
Hey James I just purchased two Cdjs 3000 and the djm900nxs2 I need to get a good Mac book what is the best model to get that will support reckodbox.
Macbook Pro! At least 8gb RAM but 16 would be better these days
When I got my Denons I found out they had WiFi a year before they announced it by reading the instruction manual, and in it there was a warning that the device produced radiowaves, so if it says that in the manual, they likely have WiFi on board.
Interesting...
Something came up in the sound quality portion that may be an issue. It was in reference to the high quality dac chips that are supposed to be in this unit. If I'm not mistaken, when you use these players with the matching Pioneer mixer, the connection is digital. That means you bypass the entire dac portion of the unit, and its just a transport. You're spending a lot of money on something that is not going to be used. Its kind of like what the Rane 12 is, or how Denon released the controller only section of their media players. So, if you are going with an all Pioneer system, you end up spending a lot of money on things that won't be used.
I'm pretty sure I'm right about this, but if I'm wrong, someone please correct me. If I happen to be right, maybe Pioneer is coming out with a transport only version of this unit?
Yes you are bypassing the DAC, but it's wrong to say it is then reduced to a controller. It still has a computer and an operating system inside it to work with your music files and provide the other performance functions and audio processing. These are professional units, designed for modularity and versatility, so having both options in the one unit makes sense from a pro point of view.
INCREDIBLE VIDEO !
Thank You 🙏🙏🙏
Our pleasure!
Any word on if CDJ-2000 cases will fit the new dimensions of the CDJ-3000?
Jackal Jyve no
one nice feature not mentioned is that when you adjust the sensitivity of the job wheel, it actually adjusts the tension as well, so if you make the wheel less sensitive, it actually becomes physically tougher to change the tempo.
Thanks for the additional point Paul! :)
Can you run Traktor through HID mode?
everyone: "stop looking at a laptop screen on stage"
Pioneer: *puts the laptop screen in the deck itself*
Lol well just don't do it all the time 😄
Just got the CDJ 3000s. In controller mode I don’t have 2nd deck stacked waveform. Do you know how to turn them on? Also, I can’t pinpoint the cue to where I want it. Everytime I try to set a cue it defaults it to the nearest point. Please help. Thanks.
We haven't tested this in controller, mode, although I suspect there is currently no way. Would love to be proved wrong!
Thoroughly enjoyed the review! I would love to give these a go myself however, the cost of the pair of CDJs, along with the mixer is very expensive.
Thanks Paul, glad you liked it!
I would love some focus on the ability to resist water damage. Sooo many clubs are having problems with spilled drinks from gusts. This is by far a what damages players more than buttons get worn out. Even small droplets has caused major problems while playing. That said the CDJ 3000 looks promising, and I look forward to use it.
Thanks for watching!
so then what about the next one what else can they possiably do now how bout make the jog wheel actually move like the ns 7
Would be something very new for Pioneer as they have never done it, not sure the demand is big enough
Can we add a performance pad like the sp 1 or the xp1 / 2.. i believe it worked on the nxs2
its got two computers inside. im sure they will be able to work with the SP/XP. would be surprised if not. updates
I don't know the answer to that I'm afraid.
One thing that I'll mention, wifi isn't something that can be "coded in" it would require specific hardware, it's unlikely that wireless will be in like dennon as if you had that chip on the hardware you'd want it working from initial sale and I feel it's posible that they will become wired but they may do what they usually do and cop out by saying you could just use computer hooked up to the network running rekordbox to do that
No but like with the SC5000 we didn't know it had built in wifi when it was first released, we're hoping this is the case here
@@digitaldjtips didn't think bout that, here's hoping
You could be right, but that is not how their competitor launch that function, so who knows?
Will you order soon or just recently ordered a CDJ3000 or a SC6000? If yes so - which one did/will you buy?
If that's a question for us then Phil has said several times in the comments sections he'd get the Denon setup
Hi Phil, do you know if LOOP ROLL works on a active loop? or does it throw you out the loop?
Not got the unit in front of me, but 90% sure it works on an active loop.
What framerate does the screen run at?
I don’t know, it’s very smooth.
yeah not sure I'm a fan of the new cdj's. Honestly, not much had to be improved. a couple things here and there. Mabey where the hot cue buttons are, those could be pads used for other things. Honestly, it kind of looks like a downgrade
It doesn't feel like a downgrade to use - the screen and the responsiveness, the key sync/shift, the new hot cues alone make it feel totally different to play on.
To me it’s overfull with Buttons and looks to much in 1 place! And the que placement looks like your going to Tap the jogwheel when your using que points. And the screen is not anno 2020. Pioneer is strong in Rekordbox but is that going to help them? I think no clubs are going to upgrade to cdj 3000 from nxs2 no real big thinks to do it.
Also sc6000 looks cleaner and more professional now and cdj 3000 more like a gimmick in my opinion.
@@Xer0.Visual5 Agreed, the SC6000 is much cleaner and simpler - the CDJ-3000 does look cluttered. There are too many legacy buttons (the looping and memory cues). That said, we do think you'll see clubs upgrading as Pioneer DJ introduces more software features, and as DJs start to insist on the 3000s.
@@digitaldjtips but i really think this player is also going to help Denon and the SC6000. In this time in the world there is way more time for bigger DJs to think about Switching. Here are already some big names with Denon and i really think the CDJ 3000 is going to help Denon with getting more people going to the SC6000, plus the NextGen DJs will look better before making a Call on what there going to use. And i think that is good for everyone.
@@digitaldjtips yeah it may not feel like a downgrade but unfortunately some features are lost. And I agree with @kevin.R everything does look overcrowded.
i use rekordbox 5.8.5, will my flashdrives work well with this?
your flash drive will work with denon sc5000, prime 4, prime 2 and sc6000 with those sticks... even with rekordbox exported sticks
@@NiceWindow maybe i asked the wrong way hahah, i meant to ask this, if i use rekordbox 5.8.5 will the cdj 3000 read them like the 2000?
Beat Jump buttons are a nice touch
Definitely
Do you have to export from RB6 to enable the 3 band waveform? exported data from RB5 didn't show up as the 3 band on the unit when I tested it Cheers :)
Yes, and I think you also have to reanalyse your tracks.
Thanks for the reply 😁, won't a reanalyse mean loosing Grid info 😢
Try it with just a few tracks first...
Can you still use Master and Slave?
Yes
@@digitaldjtips it's being removed here in the US for the better.
hi can you please tell me if cdj3000 is compatible with xdi-xz ?
Yes, they can be used to control the third and fourth channels in a Pro DJ Link set-up with the XDJ-XZ as the mixer.
27:00 does the Denon also have this function?
Yes it does lol
Denon also already has key shift not to mention streaming and onboard track analysis
Yes it does, I say so in the review.
28:00 - The feature of previewing the track while sliding through it is really awesome. I hope something like that come up soon on the Prime Series updates.
Prime preview mode was already available on Prime 2 and GO and will become available on Prime 4 with firmware update 1.6 which have been released for public beta
Nice one Vin
@@maus3454 could you share any link about it?
@@DEBOASSE th-cam.com/video/8j61WqH_dgQ/w-d-xo.html
@@maus3454 Thanks for sharing i knew the artwork thing but I just discovered you can navigate the track on that mode. Brilliant! I appreciate you!!!
I switched from Pioneer to Traktor and I’m happy I did.
Depending on the kind of DJ you are Traktor is a great bit of software :)
@@digitaldjtips said it best. I miss traktor so much. Currently on Denon SC5000 because my computer is super outdated, but I miss my remix decks and Traktor effects and the fine tuning key adjust. I hope traktor does something to stay in the "game" because I love that software to death but it needs some updates bad. The smart playlist is hopefully the first step forward. 🤞
CREATING AND SAVING A PLAY LIST ON THE PLAYER TO YOUR MEDIA IS A MUST TRUST ME
Yes, it’s something we want to see them introduce
I have a much better appreciation of these decks abilities after watching this concise in depth review. Great job @digitaldjtips Really looking forward to seeing how they utilize the MPU with software/feature set upgrades soon
Glad it helped you
Love the song preview.
Agreed!
beatportlink supported or no?
No
Hi Phil, do you think we'll see an XZ2 or other standalone with these improvements in the near future or will Pioneer take their sweet time and make us wait?
Your guess is as good as ours on that one, we'd love to see a new XZ with the updated screen
The vinyl start knob, IMO, was cool when used as an effect. I would stop the track slowly, maybe talk on the microphone, then start again with a slow start effect which is kinda cool
Funnily enough, it is something James Hype missed, too.
Hi Phil, great video! As the 8 cue pads only do cues, Do you know if you can plug in a DDJ-XP1 for LOOP ROLLS instead of having to use the touch screen?
In fact, if they got rid of the pointless MEM/CUE buttons there would be enough room to have another row of 8 pads for the LOOP ROLLS / SLICER etc (which would be way more tactile than a touch screen) or, these second row of pads could be used to trigger instant gratification FX that draw from the mixer or the RekordBoxDJ software.
No, you can't use an XP-1 as that is a software controller. Many people use the memory cue buttons, just FYI.
@@digitaldjtips The DDJ- SP1 is a software controller and you can connect it to a CDJ2000NXS2
OK I stand corrected, but I don't know how you'd use this with the 3000 - I'd love for someone to share :)
noob: my question is: if they updated the players, why didn’t they update the mixer too? isn’t djm 900 nxs 2 kinda old?
Yep came out in early 2016 if I recall. Perhaps it's on the way? We never really got reasoning for it. Not a noob question at all :)
My controller is Pioneer’s rival, Hercules Impulse-500! That’s a great controller as well, especially for beginner and intermediate level DJs like me.
It is a good beginner-intermediate controller, for sure.
LOL.. 6 of these will be playing loops at festivals soon
Lol :)
😂
Soon lol
Lmfao. Best comment here.
That is not an incorrect statement. Also we gotta remember that classic motto " YOU'RE NOT HEADLINING UNLESS YOU'RE REDLINNIN!
Excellent review. Thanks
You’re more than welcome
Maybe I'm the only fan of the retro spinning LEDs on CJDs? I just don't like DDJ-1000 screens. It looks like you took a cheap phone screen and tried to make it look round by masking off part - which is exactly what the DDJ-1000 screens are. These look better, but... they're still emulating that screen look. I hope I can turn off that blue stripe which does nothing but indicate it's in vinyl mode... and maybe even turn off artwork and have a more interesting spinny graphic.
Good point, and interesting to hear that. You can turn them down very dim, I’m not sure if there’s any more customisation possible
Thank you very much for the review Phil.
I’m not surprised about the price since it’s pioneer.
Some of the missing features can be done thru future updates. I don’t like where they placed the hot cue buttons.
For the money/features and Engine getting better, I rather go for denon players.
Thanks for watching Carlos, fair points - the hot cues aren't as weirdly placed as you think once you get using them :)
Out of /10, how would you score these independently a) CDJ 3000, b)Prime 4, and c) Denon SC6000?
We review products out of 5, these got 4.5/5
The reason this will probably succeed is because Pioneer Sponsored DJ’s will receive these quick sharp as will the worlds top clubs (and also clubs where owners don’t have a cost barrier). Will that drag along other DJs and clubs for the journey? Time will tell. Is the Pioneer CDJ-3000 mk2 already in the making with the improvements Phil wants to see included?
Well, a lot of those improvements can be done via firmware upgrades, due to the MPU inside it - that may just turn out to be the biggest leap forward here, and of course, it's invisible...
Digital DJ Tips it’s going to take a real leap of faith from lesser known DJs and Smaller Clubs together to force Denon into the #1 position regardless of what features they offer and price point.
it have the right things that were needed for live sets... a better bright screen for day gigs, better overall screen, better audio quality and the waveforms overlaped, then all the other things are just for people buying it at home, but not usefull for big set ups in parties. I think it will remain as standard for many years.
Thanks for weighing in Joaquin
So happy I purchased my Denon SC6000M's. Originally I was wondering if I had done the right thing as Pioneer made their announcement one day after I received my equipment but oh my does it look like I've made the right choice here. I'm not a fan boy as I didn't own either Pionner or Denon equipment up until recently, yes I'm likely biased because I'm now a Denon user but hear me out. I'm a bedroom DJ, I won't be playing at venues and I certainly appreciate that users who do will absolutely love this new Pionner equipment as it's a step up and I think these units are for those users.
I'm definitely surprised that many features are lacking and you'd like to think some of these things will come as a software update but wait a minute....
1) There doesn't appear to be a WiFi card in these units. Their integration to services such as Beatport require you to use your PC and RB and link RB to these services. That's what they are officially advertising and I don't see on the product sheet that it has any WiFi card. Waiting to be proved wrong here.
2) No dual layer and even if they add it in a software update (which they aren't likely to do given their standpoint), you'd need to sacrifice something to get it because Denons have a physical layer button.
3) No on board analysis. Really? You have these fancy CPU's inside with all that power. You'd like to think this will be implemented in a future update.
4) No multi gesture - so you add this nice new big screen to look at things but come on, it's 2020. Even a 10 year old Android tablet has this, let alone some DJ equipment worth ££££'s (for those of you who are getting this equipment, hope the screen is capable of it so it comes in a future software update).
5) No cloud locker - this will likely come in a future software update, but you still won't have it currently.
6) Can't make playlists - what? I have all that screen to use...why not? Oh wait...future software update...hopefully....maybe...
7) Motorised platter option? Oh, no. A screen in the middle of the jog wheels to display info that's already on that huge screen in front of your eyes is far more important...great. I mean even if you don't want a motorised platter, do people really look at these tiny screens when you now have such massive screen estate? Maybe when the main displays were smaller but come on...but but they have better resolution and stuff! ... What am I missing here? :)
8) Plastic buttons. Plastic screen. Plastic. Imagine if Apple used plastic buttons on their flagship devices and claimed "this is what people want in their expensive equipment". Doesn't add up but what do I know eh. Sure rubber is hardly premium such as metal but you got your plastic, guys.
I mean yeah, if you're a CDJ2000 user and want the best Pioneer has to offer then sure, go grab these I'm sure you won't be disappointed, especially if you play in all these venues like James Hype and they actually start providing some missing features through software. I've said all along, if you get the hardware right and the software can be constantly updated, you can't go wrong as it's future proof. Problem is, I'm not sure the hardware is right here (I'm sure others will disagree but each to their own).
Let's not mention the price for this equipment either right.
Overall: 6/10. (7/10 if you're an existing CDJ user).
Cheers - just remember these are my opinions, I'm sure some will be upset by it and some will agree with it, that's just the nature of it but wanted to chuck my pennies worth in.
Massive outlay for bedroom DJing Aur0rasi, any reason you went with media players at all? :)
@@digitaldjtips Certainly was and it's probably even more crazy when you think I'm new to DJ'ing and are starting it as a new hobby! I always try and buy the best of whatever it is, because that's the type of person I am and wasn't really financially limited so why not. I wouldn't want to purchase some equipment and then be like "damn if I have just spent a little more I could have done this and progressed my learning further".
I only have one SC6000M currently as I'm waiting delivery of my other player however with a single SC6000M + X1850 + link to VirtualDJ pro, I am already learning the basics whilst also learning the new techniques (mixing with stem separation) and I'm having a blast!
One thing I'm confident on though, is if I ever reach a good skill ceiling, it won't be down to restrictions of the hardware. I'm also a techie guy so I just love the gadget side of it as well. Due to being motorised platter I can also learn how to scratch better and invest time and have fun with that. So much to learn, so much fun to be had! I'm even going to stream my journey to becoming an below-average DJ, lol.
Stupid waste of money/Do I regret it? Definitely not. Hours fly by whilst doing my super poor mixing efforts!
Will I always have them? For a heck of a long time for sure because they do everything I can see I want, especially with software updates.
Should I have gone Pioneer? No.
Should I have just got a controller only? Maybe, I almost purchased the Rane's, however I just felt like the SC6000M's literally had everything.
Fair enough :)
Obviously not as good as the Denon, BUT Pioneer still dominated DJ booths with the 2000 and these are a great improvement over those so they'll undoubtedly become industry standard. I'd rather use a 2000 over a Prime any day just because of how it feels and responds, so I'm happy with this upgrade
For Pioneer users, you've hit the nail on the head there Frank.
But will clubs upgrade there existing 2000’s to 3000’s or move to 6000’s?
@@maus3454 I don't think they'll switch to Denon gear, DJ's don't have enough experience and trust in it, plus from my limited experience the build quality doesn't feel up to what Pioneer do. But I'm not sure with everything going on there will be a lot of clubs rushing to upgrade to the 3000's at the moment either
Phil "We'll get to that later" Morse 😂
Guilty as charged!
Denon Beat Jump works the same check out Crossfaders review of sc6000
Thanks for weighing in
Good review. Definitely an improvement over the old one. But still don't see the justification for the insane price. Especially given the lack of innovative features.
I don't think anyone thought these would be cheap...
This review feels like it was made two years ago. None of the features that was presented are new in 2020.
Yup
New for Pioneer though
27:48. Traktor has a song preview in Traktor. Hope pioneer adds Traktor compatibility like it has I the nexus 2.
Would be nice to see!