Pioneer Ditching Laptops With New XDJ-RX Controller

DJ equipment giant Pioneer has been in the process of revolutionizing its controller equipment over the past several months. The end of 2014 saw the controversial announcement of their new brand of controller, the XDJ, which ditches the CD (hence why it is no longer called a CDJ) and relies solely on other sources like USB sticks. Pioneer has announced that it will be rolling out a new type of XDJ, the XDJ-RX all-in-one equipped with rekordbox that is not compatible with laptops.

The new model from Pioneer comes as a welcome relief to many old school DJs who turn their noses up at DJs who bring a laptop on stage, but could also widen the gulf between Traktor, Pioner's main hardware competitor, and Pioneer since most Traktor hardware uses software that comes from a computer.

The XDJ-RX has many of the same features that the XDJ-1000 has. It keeps the CDJ jog wheel that lets you adjust the time in a song or scratch if you so choose and has a 7-inch flatscreen display to view waveforms, BPM, beat grids and select songs, according to a Pioneer press release. It is the first DJ controller to have one screen display information from two players simultaneously. Popular FX like pitch, roll and flanger have been improved upon from previous designs.

The new set up is driven by rekordbox, which allows for a DJ to record a set and upload preset loops and cued from the rekordbox app plugged in via a USB.

The XDJ-RX will run you anywhere from $1,500 to $1,800 and will be released in late February.

Watch the video below to get a better look at how this differs from past Pioneer models and the changes that are coming with the upcoming XDJ-RX.