The Last DJ Controller? Our XDJ-AZ Review - Digital DJ Tips

[@digitaldjtips]

⚡ TIMESTAMPS ⚡ 00:00 XDJ-AZ overview 00:50 Introduction 01:32 SonicLink for headphones 02:06 Music management 02:52 Key shift & sync 04:54 Decks & pads 07:13 Mixer layout 07:53 Screen settings 10:23 Screen views & functions 13:36 Inputs & outputs 14:56 Three things to consider 18:20 Should you buy it?

[@clanoue1167]

When can it be bought?

[@damelos4039]

Phil, I don't think I've ever seen you SO exited for a new piece of gear. You sound almost giddy! I think you were actually on your tip toes for a second as your excitement just couldn't be contained. LOL I'm waiting for Serato support since I don't want to go down the Rekordbox pathway. Great review!

[@digitaldjtips]

Serato supports will come. We’re excited by this because we know it will be perfect for so many of our students

[@Jay__Jamz]

Been waiting for this drop and it's been worth it! Can't wait until they add more streaming services to the unit

[@djbackflow]

Wow it’s not even October 10th here in Toronto and I am already watching this 👏 Thanks Phil.

[@digitaldjtips]

You’re welcome

[@JoshuaNeedham]

$3,200 it shoud dance for you too.

[@Angry_White_Cat]

😂 for real.

[@adriangriffiths4051]

Living in Wales, you be an idiot to spend this much on DJ gear. The entertainment industry has gone since Lockdown.

[@EExgle]

What does that mean for anyone not brittish 😭😭

[@mattmayor2628]

@@EExglemeaning that for the price it should do everything and more

[@gavsmith1980]

@@EExgle Don’t think he’s British, $ ain’t £

[@19rayrayray90]

Pioneer : Here is the introduction of our latest XDJ-AZ Phil literally 1 second later : Here is the full review of our latest XDJ-AZ 🤣

[@brianweingartner619]

All the reviewers have had it for weeks if not months

[@MadelnMachines]

It's like stars in their eyes

[@Gamer4-life]

for sure they had it weeks in advance but could say because of NDA i new it was dropping this weeks because the xz had release around that same time 2020

[@jsvadj]

That’s one way to make a distinction between a review and an advertising campaign.

[@Thasoundguy]

AlphaTheta

[@velanche]

Might have to keep my eyes on this one, as I may make a shift in my music focus as a DJ in the coming year and this could hit some key checkboxes. Thanks for the show-and-tell!

[@digitaldjtips]

You’re welcome

[@Statik222]

Phil, just received mine. I'm a Serato user and spent the weekend mapping out "Stems" and My Dj Effects/Drops. Here's the issues i'm coming across and hope that AT makes these corrections: 1. When mapping out Stems you have to map out each channel / deck individually. When doing that for some reason the bright pad lights go away and become dark blue.. The pads function however it is difficult to know when a stem is applied because the pads won't blink, light up, change color or anything. You literally have to stare at laptop screen under stems option to make sure stems are ON or OFF. It'd be nice if we could change pad colors or have them blink when using stem mapping feature or at least turn off that way it would be easier to identify which stem is in use or not. 2. There's no effects pad so again I mapped one out however the same issue with pad lights and also you have to map each deck individually now when doing this for some reason... After mapping out deck 1 it works great then mapping out deck 2 it takes what I did for deck 1 away and applies it to deck 2 and i'm sure if I map deck 3 it'll then take away from the previously mapped deck. There is a feature when mapping that prompts "Hold down Control to add mapping commands" And when I set deck 1 back up and went to deck 2 I held control and added the effects to deck 2. Now the pads turned dark blue to let me know the feature was applied but when using deck 2 no sounds come out of speakers even when looking at serato the effects features aren't showing any movement as they do with deck 1... Is there a fix to any of this? Hoping this gets to Pioneer/ AT. Thanks, Dj Statik

[@digitaldjtips]

Thanks for sharing this detailed feedback, I am not sure if this is a limitation of the XDJ-AZ or Serato's mapping system, but I do know the engineers check in on these posts. I suggest you also post this under our (just added) XDJ-AZ Training Tutorial, because they're more likely to see it there.

[@CypiXmusic]

Now this is a proper controller! Finally

[@martynjames1514]

Its not really a controller though its designed for standalone.

[@piurtv]

"It was already behind the best of the competition even when it was launched." It's good to finally admit it. I remember many reviews talking about the XZ like the first ever professional 4-channel standalone like the Prime 4 was never released.

[@digitaldjtips]

We certainly didn’t

[@Ghost.uppercut]

Denon DJ sucks lmao stop it.

[@Ghost.uppercut]

Denon Prime's has sooo many bug issues its gross, Thing freezes like its getting paid. There is a reason almost no one has one.

[@sin3r6y98]

@@Ghost.uppercut We put a prime 4+ in our weekend mini club, it works fine. Literally has never given us an issue in multiple 5+ hour sets. And it does all the DMX lighting automation in standalone mode... Feels like AlphaTheta just got (mostly) on par with Denon with this release. Let's see what the prime 5 looks like next.

[@HongStarr]

They should've moved the performance pads up, as they did with the 3000s, to be more in line with the design progression. That would make it more like a product upgrade from the XZ visually.

[@digitaldjtips]

We tend to agree but they’re also no problem where they are

[@dam55ian]

@@digitaldjtips its not a real problem i agree but its an odd choice if they market it as inspired by cdj3k style layout. also i like the cdjs3000's but tbh if it would be my own product and brand i would add some things to make it a better product. not sharing cuz not giving great ideas for free lol.

[@Ghost.uppercut]

I actually would also like the pads like the cdj's, they kinda get in the way sometimes and i HAVE hit them before on hard ass sets.

[@trevordustan3760]

mines on order, i cant wait.. been waiting like 8 months for this and i should get the XDJ-AZ, F10 Headphones and AT Flight Case on 4th Nov 2024 yipeeeeee 🙂

[@cosmicpuma]

Totally agree with all the comments re price. Also, the streaming and connectivity options are miles behind the competition. If AT reduced their prices so it reflected the feature set, which let’s be honest, is not what it should be at this price, then it could be called worthwhile. We as dj’s and the community need to stop this madness that is the AT/Pioneer pricing… I’m not anti AT, only tired of them pushing products that don’t justify the price tag, (in my humble opinion) based on what the competition offers regarding feature set vs price … Thanks for the in depth review Phil.

[@CypiXmusic]

After 5 years they caught up to Denon's Prime 4! Was about time!

[@digitaldjtips]

Fair words

[@chrisbrewinbland3881]

@@CypiXmusic can’t see any customisation on the screen, extra zone, streaming services not on par with Denon, no Dropbox, I could go on, this hasn’t caught up with a 5 year old unit

[@lansfordspencer8583]

Only denon will have something now in the pipelines of real stems in a standalone

[@chrisbrewinbland3881]

@@lansfordspencer8583Denon Prime Pro Stand alone incoming with full club gear jogs and stem separation, it will blow this out of the water!!

[@_vnthony]

@@lansfordspencer8583 And now we have standalone stems on Denon. LFG!

[@rami5682]

Thanks so much fo the tutorial Phil! U r # 1 ! 🤙

[@digitaldjtips]

You're welcome.

[@starlite-qj5ck]

It's finally here this is going to be out of stock in few months. I can see it being very popular

[@macavree9464]

Still rocking a DJM-700… good enough for me. Although this unit is beautiful.

[@djcraigg69]

Same here 🙂

[@m-stat9]

totally irrelevant.

[@macavree9464]

@@m-stat9 Booo!

[@macavree9464]

@@m-stat9 mind your own business 😵‍💫

[@m-stat9]

stop spamming then. AZ and DJM700 are like comparing a car and a boat.

[@b00ster88]

Phew, i have the XZ but i don't think it's worth the upgrade... I only use 2 channels and i don't mind the old tech/old screen. I do hope the XZ holds it's value a little bit. It's still a very very good/complete all-in-one! ❤

[@digitaldjtips]

It is - it does the important stuff very well indeed

[@CetraAudio]

Chances are you may never have to upgrade. Lets not forget we're just DJi'ng here, really don't need much else at this point.

[@Atem_S.]

THE DJ GODS HAVE BLESSED US!!! PS, Thx a lot for the freebie! Ok, I might change my mind over legacy controller for this one....

[@Hayesvalley]

Will you be doing a AZ vs Opus? I have the opus and really curious to hear your comparisons pros and cons for both

[@AndersRingsted]

I LOVE IT. But - i really love the Hot cue buttons on my Opus better. The rubber like pads is not for me. I often play on both CDJ2000NX2 and CDJ3000 and the similarity from them to the opus is more precise in my mind. I would like a new CDJ2000 with a bigger display but as a BUDGET player like the XDJ series. NIIICE VIDEO!

[@xXmystery0JumperXx]

XDJ 1000 mk 3 is coming soon..

[@digitaldjtips]

Yes and intriguing that the GRV6 does have that even though it’s a consumer device

[@Nogi-aka-DJNugz]

@@digitaldjtips at first glance I still prefer the opus quad. If they had put the effects on board like this unit, it’d be perfect

[@ralfbennert9279]

Best review as always :)

[@djiceysometimes8013]

Was waiting to decide on this or the Prime 4+.... think it'll be the prime4+ after all

[@PunchineloPow]

Out if curiosity what makes you side with the 4+ over this other than price? I'm currently after something and would love your opinion 🤟

[@m-stat9]

@@PunchineloPow everything

[@twank6234]

​@@PunchineloPow For me personally the price and integration with Soundswitch for lightning controls. I know its a bit lame for me to say but Denon makes an all-in-1 controller which allows me as a DJ to not bring a laptop with me and still deliver a great audio and light show. Should they somehow integrate DMX control with this unit then i would seriously consider it given that you are jumping into the Pioneer ecosystem.

[@heathenshaunt681]

@@PunchineloPow pioneer spent too long as the so called king people can see options like rane and Denon are way better

[@MarianoCrivello1]

@@PunchineloPow EngineDJ.

[@GraemeNimmo-n1l]

Hey Phil, love that Amadeus Mozart is the 2nd artist in your library (presuming that’s tidy Amo and not classical Amadeus 😉)

[@digitaldjtips]

Haha it is pop music despite the name!

[@Slixk2good]

I bought an XZ 4 weeks ago😭- RIP … I love it though

[@sxrory]

Ouch

[@PeteSherriff]

I knew I stayed awake for a reason 😂

[@melsterne3484]

Hey Pete, my favourite midlands DJ, 🎉🎉🎉

[@ddetongre]

To summarise: Expensive, no active layer deck colours, light control that has been on Denon Prime hardware for almost 4 years, dedicated beat jump buttons in a weird location, gated playback taken from the RX3, the same awful 3 column menu system when sorting tracks, no internal ssd capability, cue point display that has no labels (still.) The only positives I see are the ESS audio chip, wireless headphone capability and the extra dedicated master EQ. Looks like another overpriced con job from Pioneer under the Alpha Theta badge. They can change the name, but they’re still behind in the game. I would go for a Denon Prime 4+ with more functionality, flexibility and lower price than this, that gives a Dj much better value.

[@heathenshaunt681]

Or get a rane one or the 4 deck I personally like the platters on the one over the new ones and jog wheels never feel right to me some are better than others but not right allegedly

[@papi.anaconda]

The 3 columns in music library I truly dislike on my RX3. Could not believe it's still there. Thought they improved it in the OpusQ

[@shevydoe]

I think it does have dedicated breast jumps, i was looking for it and you can see them at 2:36

[@jmrub06]

@@shevydoeI agree, let them tittays dance

[@MistaMatthews]

@@jmrub06😂

[@djNineshoxxx]

the AZ is nice but a logical purchase would be the prime 4 plus which has everything you need to get started with several streaming services to boot the AZ should have been launched when all its featured were ready.

[@digitaldjtips]

If you don't want/need the "missing" features but prefer Rekordbox ecosystem, AZ - if you need those things and don't mind Engine DJ - Prime 4+.

[@HarryBawse]

@@digitaldjtips who in their right mind prefers Rekordbox over literally any other dj software? I'm not paying to use dj software that is ridiculous. The price of the controller alone should cover a lifetime license like Denon does with Prime and Engine DJ.

[@redbasemedia]

We need a XDJ-AZ vs Denon Prime 4+ vs Raine video now.

[@RealNuruMusic]

How does the screen compare to the rx3? Resolution and display wise… thanks!

[@digitaldjtips]

Similar

[@RaymondWard]

Thanks for this video. Now to save.

[@digitaldjtips]

Happy to help

[@SirBoopBoop]

That 10inch screen looks clean. Hopefully it doesn't glare too bad under direct sunlight...

[@Positive_Tea]

It probably will have a day mode

[@ddetongre]

Hi Phil, my gripe with Alpha Theta controllers, is that they don’t have labels on the hot cues. Is that still the case with the AZ? It’s a bit pointless adding them in Rekordbox if they’re not visible on the controller. 🙃

[@viberdoom]

Looks nice. I wonder if the Opus Quad will get the Beatport play update soon. That’s what I’m waiting for.

[@DJ-Justo]

No mention of stem or stemeq, this Serato/alpha theta partnership needs some serious support. What a shame it doesn’t come with support at launch w Serato. Let’s see if Serato opens up stem eq for this

[@Positive_Tea]

Quality stems do not an exist in stand alone units yet

[@NJX_ONe]

@@Positive_Teayou beat me to it lol... Even high end Intel CPUs struggle to run stems... And to add to this...a lot of pioneer and even Denon controllers haven't been launched with Serato but it'll come but why would you want this just to hook it up to Serato? Just get the Flx 10

[@Angry_White_Cat]

They find new ways to take your money 😂

[@LuisMontes]

​@@NJX_ONeIntel isn't an AI power house. For over 3k they could have added a decent GPU and used demux

[@pudlah]

All this wait for the xdj-xz replacement and yet no stems! Very disappointing! Why did AlphaTheta bother.

[@djfane4790]

The price is ok, see that Opus was similar or even more expensive and this AZ is more advanced in many functions, still takes years to come out with something in vibe with nowadays technologies. Anyway, good one, probably I will buy AZ and sell or use XZ for renting.

[@digitaldjtips]

Think you'll like it!

[@DJLyncho]

Looks cool, Two new units in a week. I'm guessing Denon or NUMARK very very soon? 😏

[@IcemanTheDj]

Waiting for CDJs 🤭

[@digitaldjtips]

Who knows? Not us!

[@kereamohau]

So glad you don't have to hold 'Shift' to access the second row of the Pad Mode options. That was a big annoyance on the controllers.

[@houstoner]

Too little too late. Do I want this unit, hell yeah! But I am on a hiatus from Pioneer, Alpha Theta, whatever products. Putting stuff behind subscription paywalls that we bought licenses for is wrong, and this company is crap for it. They really screwed the hobbyist DJ over in the name of greed. Yeah I'm sure someone will comment "just downgrade", well I did that and you lose the cool new basic features. The whole things is crap! Do better Pioneer! Make DVS a license again and that could lure me back, but they won't listen.

[@diegoandreovalle]

Thats exactly what got me into denon

[@TheSaabClinicUK]

@@diegoandreovalle Same here too. Prime4 all the way, even more so with smaller clubs and bars here in the UK moving to Denon as well. Or "Bring your own kit" setups. plus for me being able to fit your own internal drive is a win. Have a 2TB SSD in mine, meaning all my library is there in milliseconds. Ive found streaming services to be useless in bar / club scenarios, since the 4G service is swamped with all the people on the dancefloor. And/or the hotspot just drops frequently with 200+ other mobile phones in front of you.

[@Nogi-aka-DJNugz]

@@houstoner certain gear unlocks DVS

[@HarryBawse]

@@Nogi-aka-DJNugz no it does not! I have the XDJ-AZ and it doesn't unlock shit. This is greedy and late stage capitalism at it's finest!

[@Nogi-aka-DJNugz]

@ wow - my CDJs unlock dvs

[@_cr8ive_]

If you're a professional DJ wanting to upgrade, would you say that this single unit would be a better option rather than 2 CDJ_3000's?

[@digitaldjtips]

Yes, for most DJs

[@_cr8ive_]

@@digitaldjtips that's great, thanks Phil, will certainly look into this model...stay blessed...👍🙏🥂

[@frankieshulz9605]

I don't u guys, but i think it's the same as OPUS-QUAD, but with better looking cosmetic design and the only difference is the new connection for the wireless headphones. That's it !!

[@vipcolombiatravel]

Opus Quad VS XDJ - AZ please! 🙏🏽🎧❤️☝️🔗

[@digitaldjtips]

Coming

[@HarryBawse]

Both suck compared to Denon!

[@DarkModulator]

The dream controller has arrived, who need a car when he can have this

[@IcemanTheDj]

Some don’t need a car…😂

[@HarryBawse]

there is no car worth driving at $3200 it isn't 1998 anymore lol $3200 doesn't buy you shit car wise.

[@IcemanTheDj]

​@@HarryBawse it depends where you live bro! 😉

[@eddieramos19]

Awesome gear

[@markstephenson9280]

No replaceable fader, no Magvel, break once break everything.

[@djihsansiral]

I have opus. I think I will stick with it

[@digitaldjtips]

Yeah no reason why not

[@maestrofedora3548]

Something that I was really hoping for was easy changeover between two laptops by having two USB-C ports. Sad they didn’t do it despite the price tag. There are clubs that still rock computer software as standard vs standalone with USBs.

[@digitaldjtips]

Yeah, but I guess this is mainly meant to be a standalone. Lots of people wish it did have this though.

[@HarryBawse]

no one and I mean no one wants to watch people dj with a laptop lmao 2010 type shit

[@SteveAldous]

Great video as always Phil appreciate the hard work it took to make this. All we need now is a replacement for the RMX 1000 🫶

[@dave808turner]

What the fader like on it? Was hopping they would have a magvel that would make it even more desirable. It will cost us here in Australia probably $5700 crazy money I better start saving. Still happy with my rx3 for now.

[@digitaldjtips]

It’s fine. It not Magvel unless I missed that, though

[@chrisrioux6436]

Just found out if you have a CDJ plugged into DJ Link on one side, it disables the internal deck select on the other side. Ruins any chance of me upgrading from my XZ.

[@digitaldjtips]

Yes, you need to engage Pro DJ Link mode which covers decks 3 and 4 together

[@RLATR]

At that price they should include the headphones, and that would make it a truly unique set-up on the market. Otherwise, the Prime 4+ is probably a better deal.

[@digitaldjtips]

Interesting idea

[@jimbo9030]

Glad I went to that Pioneer DJ night 6 months ago where they spent an hour categorically denying that the Pioneer DJ name is being phased out with AlphaTheta 🤣

[@gavsmith1980]

Strange, I’m sure they’ve been saying it’s being phased out for about a year now

[@OfficialDJTazer]

Having the ability to ignore the mic in the recording is good. Does it ignore the ducking applied when you press ‘push to talk’ in the recording though? Does it support Hot Cue Bank list?

[@ezekielswiss4347]

can you show how one would dj with 4 decks with this setup?

[@digitaldjtips]

Several ways, we may do in the future

[@adampozek]

Is there an ETA on the in-depth tutorial video?

[@digitaldjtips]

We're working on it, so... soon!

[@fouaddarwishjr]

I have an opus quad is it worth it to switch from the opus to this not because its any different from this they both do the exact same thing but this one is the industry standard

[@andrevdw747]

Thanks for the review Phil 👍🏻. Does it unlock serato dj pro freely?

[@andrewk9241]

FINALLY I can justify getting one of these vs piece by piece setups. Going for the prime is something only home djs should do. This here will keep you in sync with modern club setups. Pioneer will always be the top tier for this. Sure the competition is something to be heard however until they take over the professional world it just isnt worth it. If you can work on a pioneer you can work on everything. It does not seem to be the case the other way around. Just food for thought. Lastly the downside, WHY DONT THE DECKS SPIN ARRRRRGGG!!!!!

[@digitaldjtips]

The deck don’t spin for the same reason they don’t spin on CDJs, because there’s no need. And you’re quite right about Pioneer/AT being closest to the club, that’s just the truth.

[@dyztructive]

They could have added q send return for effects units on thw back, there is plenty of space for it

[@avgazz7423]

Would be sweet if they had the option to use the wave 8s with this.

[@jplatt83]

Hey Phil, is there a way to touch the small waveform and skip forward in a track that’s loaded? I know there is sound preview but wondering about skipping. I do realize you have the back/forward physical buttons but would be nice to skip forward with a tap of the finger.

[@digitaldjtips]

Yes, if it isn't playing (I think, anyway)

[@Willempopeye]

I didn't hear the word "stems" once in this review. No dedicated buttons or functionalities. I guess we have to work around and have fun mapping again.

[@_leoreignsmusic]

This is the comment I was looking for 🤦‍♂️

[@pudlah]

I agree. All this wait for the xdj-xz replacement and yet no stems! Very disappointing! Why did AlphaTheta bother.

[@critchee]

Maybe they will allow us (again) to use the eq pots to manipulate the 3 Stem layers that Rekord box allows. For us Serato users. Just out of luck.

[@joevillan892]

He said coming soon to serato. Meaning the UNIT it not compatible with serato yet ONLY recordbox.

[@Ghost.uppercut]

buddy no one uses stems. Stem's are still wishy washy. Only tik tok DJ's want to use stem seperation.

[@Kingkavoon]

The updated all in one cdj-3000 (Az) looks great finally it’s here .I love how it still displays the artwork .I definitely would like to have one of my own .

[@digitaldjtips]

Fingers crossed!

[@skatman8556]

The only thing that i feel is missing is the inscription “PIONEER DJ” behind the screen and on the sides. I feel Alpha Theta logo at the back doesn’t give the feel of a professional tagline.

[@digitaldjtips]

Just a though, this really ought not matter

[@HartogLeon]

Phil, in the video you talk about future support for more streaming services. Did they tell you anything about Tidal yet?

[@adriangriffiths4051]

Hi Phil I bought the XDJ RX3, and the reason it was sold was because you couldn't play offline tracks from Beatport or Beatsource via pro link, cutting my flexibility down massively. Does this unit have that ability? , for 3k I'd expect the tech to be complete and totally flexible for offline tracks.

[@digitaldjtips]

Beatport but no offline, unless used with a laptop

[@adriangriffiths4051]

I won't be selling my DDJ1000 or 800 then.

[@Punks1nSandals]

I just don't understand why they left the pads on the bottom but the Opus and the Grv6 has the 3000s style 🤔

[@digitaldjtips]

Yeah, I guess because they are trying to make an all in one universal unit appealing to everyone. It's fine though, XZ lovers didn't seem to mind.

[@allentastic]

I’m waiting for stems to be supported before I ever buy a standalone

[@digitaldjtips]

Lots of people saying this

[@naimbitar88]

When are you going to do the in-depth tutorial?

[@digitaldjtips]

In the next few weeks hopefully

[@jackmasterfil]

4TB SSD Hard Drive? Prime 4!

[@digitaldjtips]

Yup

[@theaverageguy3884]

I might swap out my XZ now 🎧

[@digitaldjtips]

It’s time!

[@DUSTYUK]

3 questions… 1 No stems yet? I guess no? 2 Does the 2nd usb port have the ability to record like on the RX3? I guess no? 3 is this suitable to take to a club to use with a void or function1 sound system or are all in one systems still a bit lacking in quality over a dedicated mixer like the 900 nexus 2 or the newer A9?

[@digitaldjtips]

1. no 2. yes, you can choose 3. yes, 32-bit ESS

[@DUSTYUK]

@@digitaldjtips re 2. I can’t see any record buttons like on the rx3 to record direct to usb unless they have moved the record button into the software?

[@kadooks]

Hi Phill, tks for the review! Can the master eq on the top right cornet be set to isolator in the settings?

[@digitaldjtips]

Good question and not sure but I don’t think so

[@DavidJamesInTheMix]

Have never used a DJ controller. Possibly looking at selling my DJM-900 nexus to replace with one of these. Would just like to know one thing. Do these controllers have an onboard soundcard like the DJM900 so I could output the audio to my own recording software? Thanks

[@digitaldjtips]

Yes

[@Unite_the_Kingdom_Sean]

Is there a way to use Stems with this ? I didn't hear anything ?

[@mrbishi634]

You need to use a laptop if you want stems, i.e. Rekordbox performance mode or Serato. Stems technology is evolving too fast for it to be on standalones yet, so for everyone who cares about stems your money is probably better spent on a top end controller that's built for them.

[@aaronjp413]

Hey Phil, any chance you could give us the measurements between the feet specifically the depth of the unit? It says 504 mm or 19.85 inches in the specs but I’m sure they’re taking the screen into account with these measurements.

[@MVPHawaiiDJs]

Will there be firmware updates in the future for more streaming services like tidal, beatsource? What I really wish they had was other storage drive ports like Sd card & SSD Sata disc drives,?

[@davebowman1982]

Taking away any brand loyalty (of which I have none)... is there a genuine reason why I should spend £1000 more on this instead of a Prime 4+?

[@PunchineloPow]

This is what I'm thinking. I have been with pioneer in the past but atm I have 2x technics and a pioneer djm 450 and I'm looking to add a digital all in one to the set up and I've been eyeing the 4+

[@davebowman1982]

@PunchineloPow sounds like you're in the same position as me then. I love my Technics obviously but I've been really slow getting into the digital age so an all in 1 that could accommodate the Technics makes sense to me. Pioneer/Rekordbox is industry standard so with this new controller of course I'm getting access to that ecosystem but I'm under no illusions I'm getting booked for festivals anytime soon so it's not a deal breaker for me. All the reviews I've seen speak highly of the Engine DJ software and the hardware of the Prime 4+ seems to have all the same functionality of the new Pioneer gear... so do I pay an extra £1000 just for Rekordbox? Seems a tall order to me I've not used either system so I'm completely open to any input to help my decision

[@PunchineloPow]

@davebowman1982 Yeah, it's a very similar situation. I don't plan on playing out or anything, so having a club standard isn't a big issue for me. I'm just so used to the layout of pioneer mixers and their effects. As silly as it sounds, the main thing putting me off is the fx workflow of the 4+ and the smaller jogs. But from what I've heard, the engine software is solid, and the 4+ also has stems, I believe. 🤷‍♂️

[@IcemanTheDj]

Denon prime don’t have stems… and I don’t know if the quality of the faders and buttons that pioneer uses in az is the same as in the cdjs and djm a9 (I guess not) but the components used in prime standalone units of Denon are bad. The faders are so bad quality. And I am not a fan of any brand, I have players form Denon (SC6000) and mixer from Pioneer (DJM A9) so I am not against one or another.

[@digitaldjtips]

If you prefer the feature set, if you want Rekordbox ecosystem compatibility, if you play on similar gear in clubs and want something compatible at home, if you want bigger jogwheels.

[@MadelnMachines]

To practice for clubs and have fun at home would you get this for £2700 or 2 x CDJ 3000s for £4300 and use your existing mixer (Xone 92 for me)? I could sell the Xone for a DJM-750MK2 later if I wanted all pioneer. Also can I use my 1210s with this unit as a timecode for decks 3 and 4? Can you control stems with eq or the pads when plugging into a laptop? Thanks

[@DJWoody714]

I would keep the Xone. BTW, there's a new Xone 92 out! Check it out. It has some minor upgrades and a new refined color scheme.

[@digitaldjtips]

Yes you can use your decks for DVS. I’d get this.

[@MadelnMachines]

@@DJWoody714 I love the 92s filters but don’t really like the faders on the xone or the fader curve and I’m interested to try and start playing with pioneers effects even though a most of them sound very cheesy to me. I remember the feeling of the DJM800 faders in the store - they felt like a rolls Royce. Perfect smooth resistance. I wonder if they are still the same on the controllers A9 or v10. I did see the new Xone but it’s expensive for pretty much the same mixer as I have.

[@MadelnMachines]

@@digitaldjtips I think I will - every club go to and would want to play at uses V10 and CDJ3000s. With this I can easily transition from vinyl to digital and learn the pioneer effects and CDJ decks. Play DVS if I want. Plus really I’d want more than 2 CDJs or at least 2CDJs and a sampler that syncs perfectly. I’d be curious to see how stems is in implemented when the az is plugged into a laptop - is there Stem EQ / stems on the pads. I’m still very tempted by the FLX but I really like the idea of playing without a laptop and having a proper CDJ screen

[@Stalkermatrixx]

Hello very nice videos what you produce. Very informative I would have a question for a professional. I released x years ago with vinyl. Now I would like to hang up again. Practice at home and later again at events if it arises. My questions is enough here an rx3 or would the Az be the better choice?thank you best regards from Austria

[@digitaldjtips]

AZ if you can afford it

[@leehu1971]

wow, for that kind of price I'd expect a swept mid eq

[@SherwinBajao]

What was the issue with the layer setup?

[@MikeNovelli]

Is this basically the DDJ-SZ upgraded? Or what is the closest upgrade from a DDJ-SZ to its modern equivalent?

[@digitaldjtips]

There isn’t one but this is probably closest to

[@MikeNovelli]

@@digitaldjtips Do you mean because of the S for Serato? What would make one choose this over the DDJ-GRV6 and visa versa? .. personally I would like a GRV6 with pads. It seems like you have to compromise if you go with one or the other. I want them slammed together so I have all the knobs and switches... I want drum swap and drum roll and drum release with pads.. and why are there no longer FX knobs on each channel? ... What do you think is the upgrade path from the DDJ-SZ that shares as much of the original SZ DNA?

[@djtheob01]

I use Quantize values as a performance tool, 1/2 for finger drumming on the pads and then back to 1.0 for a drop. Having the values inside a settings menu isn't good for this trick! Same for the vinyl speed settings, bring back a dedicated knob for this! Especially as swapping the knob for a button doesn't really free up any space!

[@digitaldjtips]

I guess there was always the risk that this would upset some people, although you still get a quantize on/off button on this one.

[@StenGilles]

Does this mean The omnis duo gets the streaming Beatport?

[@digitaldjtips]

No, we are still waiting for it on the Opus Quad and it has been promised for that

[@Deejay-cassette]

I do have the pioneer opus quad so do you think it worth to switch to this guy or not?

[@digitaldjtips]

No

[@Ejshoe]

Thanks for the great review, I love using the "slip" function, on the XZ every time a new track is loaded this function is turned off, has the AZ got a workaround for this where the function is able to stay on even when loading a new track, I find it super annoying that it automatically turns off every time I load a new track, is there a way to keep this function permanently on or is it not possible?

[@digitaldjtips]

No, it hasn’t and it’s a very unusual use case to want slip mode on all the time, although I can see why you like it.

[@Ejshoe]

@@digitaldjtips thanks for letting me know, personally I find it a great feature and would appreciate an option within the settings where it can be left on permanently, maybe a hint for the developers ;)

[@remingtontufflips3623]

I like it ❤

[@kineticstringwell844]

can it run two channels of serrato or recordbox and two channels for ableton at same time ?

[@digitaldjtips]

No idea, it is not designed for Ableton at all

[@mrhipno]

Does it have sonic link to the wave eight speakers? Would be sweet if it did

[@djblakethesnake]

the one USB for laptop is a bummer, as well as hub for ethurnet.. Also the old unit didn't show all the serato info in the screen.. Is that different.. The same drawbacks on th XZ are still there..

[@digitaldjtips]

I guess they are thinking that this unit is designed to be used standalone rather than with laptops hence no need for two laptop sockets, as far as the lack of an ethernet switch again I guess they’re thinking so few people actually plug-in CDJs that if you did, you’d be prepared to spend the money on a switch There are so many improvements over the previous unit that all the old shortcomings are still there is slightly unfair, I think

[@esilvaits]

Hi Phil, how about stems? Is it also available on it, with easy access to select them? Cheers

[@digitaldjtips]

No stems on this (or any standalone at this time).

[@T-CAPSULE]

Where did u get those cool headphones?

[@TheChriscarr1210]

Do I need it? No. Do I want it? YES!

[@Mixwell55]

I’m using an older version of rekordbox that I can still use with the cdj3000… Am I going to be able to use my old version of rekordbox with the XDJ-AZ?

[@digitaldjtips]

No, you're not - you'd need to use the new version.

[@DocFUNKist]

This is it. CDJ-3000 x 2 + DJM-A9, and this… will sell like hotcakes!

[@digitaldjtips]

Agreed

[@rogmaster999]

Just was watching Mojaxx's djcity take on this new controller....and he started first with the stuff he didn't like👏🏽 anyway to pricy for me.. can't afford

[@critchee]

What about for switching DJs and back to back? They dropped 2 usb to laptops. Which may venues question getting this or waiting!

[@digitaldjtips]

That’s because this isn’t aimed at venues it is aimed at the general DJ venues will buy the separates

[@critchee]

@@digitaldjtips true, but like with the ethernet, they constantly seem to strip back features to maximize profit as they go forward. They seem to be solely profit focused. Strip features and functionality whilst the price rises considerably. What's the build quality like?

[@coreybramwell635]

finally what the Opus quad should have been. only thing they keep forgetting is Digital in's instead of just RCA's for the 2 extra channels if you run 2 other 3000's.

[@GoD_Quake]

Why no Magvel faders?

[@digitaldjtips]

No idea!