![]() ![]() Overall, the DDJ-SX looks and feels as it should considering the pedigree. And as neatly laid out as everything is, this is at the break point of usability for me. There has to be a point at which an all in one struggles to remain portable, but still has everything you need. It’s not a criticism, but just drawing your attention to it.īy far my biggest problem is just how much has been shoehorned into the case. My preference is for a symmetrical layout on an all in one, but you may differ. The DDJ-SX is one of those rarer controllers where the symmetry has been kicked to the kerb in favour of having the same layout as a traditional setup. When controllers first came out, manufacturers tried to get clever with layouts, but soon realised that the standard format worked and had already been tried and tested for decades, even down to the basic principle of gluing a pair of media players to the outside of the mixer. Layout wise, it adopts the now standard 2 players and a mixer format, with strict lines of demarcation between them. Other than that, I’m pleased with the quality. ![]() After a couple of sessions, I found the fader stems needed to be straightened. I don’t know if they’re any different to any other off-the-shelf Alpha fader, but they seem to be made with softer metal stems than normal. The knobs are all solid and the buttons are all responsive and bright. The jog wheels feel wonderful and lend an air of class. In fact the more I look at this, the influence is clear, but the Pioneer DNA is still strong.Īs far as build goes, the whole unit has an overall feeling of quality. Speaking of the buttons, I’m not sure who started with the brightly illuminated hard plastic buttons, but these are right off of the Numark NS6, as are some of the knobs, and the strip search too. The rest is a wide and varied range of hard plastic and rubberised controls with the trademark metal transport buttons. The Pioneer DDJ-SX is a nice blend of both - a plastic chassis and trim topped off with a brushed metal upper (hence my Numark comment above). CDJs and their DDJ siblings are mainly plastic, whereas the DJM mixers are heavy metal. I’m greeted with such an array of features that I just want to dig in and form a valid opinion of the whole thing. I don’t have any other first impressions. It is at times a tad Numarkish, but details like the round transport buttons and illuminated centre display give it that familiar feel. Pioneer - while the WeGO and ERGO might eschew the classic Pioneer lines, the DDJ-SX is right back in familiar territory. Given the logo and the price, it’s actually possible that clubs might invest in one just to have around should anyone want one, which in the continuing controller-centric market is a real possibility. It is however as heavy as it should be - not artificially heavy or too light, but does thankfully have very useful finger recesses to help when shoehorning it into a booth. This is going in the hold and not the overhead locker.Īnd quite how this will sit in a cramped booth remains to be seen. But while this size might allow just enough room for all the controls, you can be sure that you’re going to need a solid case if you travel with it. Here we go with the first words that came into my head:īig - the DDJ-SX is a behemoth of a controller, which given the sheer volume of stuff crammed into it is quite understandable. But it also has the new stuff (multi-function pads) as well some new tricks like dual deck mode. It has generous scoops of all that is desirable in the digital DJ age, but is essentially a 4 channel controller with analog inputs, complete with effects, loops, cues etc all the usual stuff you’ve come to expect from high-end controllers. But having played with it for a while and letting the initial hoopla and dust settle, is it still the ultimate controller? In a NutshellĪlbeit a large nutshell, the Pioneer DDJ-SX is the first Serato DJ driven controller on the market. It was clearly a leap over anything else in the market - perhaps not mechanically but with the addition of Serato DJ, the DDJ-SX was (and at the time of writing still is) the most complete and advanced DJ controller in the market. When the news was broken about this unit, the entire DJ scene had a “shut up and take my money” moment. And after a couple of small but nonetheless cool controllers, Pioneer and Serato got together to bring forth the first controller made specifically for Serato DJ - the Pioneer DDJ-SX. So if Pioneer was to change the game again, it would have to be with something rather more befitting their premium status. Their first controllers, the DDJ-S1 and T1 (Serato ITCH and Traktor respectively), weren’t the expected game changers that everyone had hoped. While Pioneer changed the DJ game with the CDJs, they were somewhat late to the controller table.
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