Pioneer CDJ-2000 and CDJ-900 Digital Turntables

Photo: Pioneer CDJ-2000

Enable DJs to Access Their Music Directly from the Players

Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. Professional Sound and Visual Division today launched two multi-format digital turntables, the CDJ-2000 and CDJ-900, with features that put the performance back into the art of DJing and reduce the need for laptops to access music files. DJs of all experience levels can enhance their mixing and scratching capabilities using proprietary technologies such as rekordbox™¹ music management, Pro DJ Link, Needle Search and USB and SD card connectivity.

“Understanding the expanding needs of today’s evolving DJs, Pioneer’s new multi-format digital turntables allow DJs to access, search and control their content directly from the player itself,” said Matt Dever, Vice President, Professional Sound and Visual Division. “The new CDJ players provide the same legendary quality standards and playability of the CDJ-1000/800 with the added convenience of native playback of key digital media file formats accessed through a multitude of compatible media, whether it’s on CD, DVD, portable hard drive or flash memory device. In addition, both models are HID compatible with today’s top DJ performance software, making these players the natural selection for any performance DJ.”

Prepared For Any Performance
Adapting to today’s variety of media formats, the CDJ-2000 and CDJ-900 enable playback of MP3, AAC, WAV and AIFF audio files from CDs and USB memory devices, and from DVDs and SD cards as well on the CDJ-2000. A USB port located on top of the turntable enables users to quickly connect an external storage device such as a Tonium Pacemaker™² or a hard drive packed with music files, minimizing the need to bring a laptop computer to performances.

Both the CDJ-2000 and CDJ-900 turntables include rekordbox™, Pioneer’s proprietary music management software that organizes and catalogs a DJ’s entire music library. When music files are imported to rekordbox, the software analyzes each file and prepares them for use specifically with the new CDJ turntables. Key elements of Pioneer’s rekordbox software:

Analyze:

• Beats Per Minute (BPM) Data — BPM / Tempo information for each song is identified and processed into rekordbox for use by the DJ in preparing and performing a set.
• Waveform Data — The waveform of each song is identified and then displayed on the bottom screen for quick data visualization and for use with the needle search function on the CDJ-2000 turntable.

Customize:

• Tag Info & Artwork — Edit and customize the file information to performance needs.
• Hot Cues, Cue Points, and Loops — Prepare and customize cues and loops as well as create and manage hot cue banks.
• Playlists — Create, edit and manage customized playlists for various performances.
• Beatgrid — Utilizing the new Quantizing feature, cue points and loops can be set perfectly on-beat. The Quantize feature ensures cue points are set accurately and automatically, correcting and synching beats during manual looping or a real-time cueing, preventing off beat mistakes.

Users can then transfer analyzed music files to their preferred storage media and play them directly from the new CDJ turntables. The software offers song information that can be viewed easily during performances on the CDJs’ large displays to quickly search and access content by genre, title, BPM, etc. Also, as analyzed tracks are played through the CDJ products, the turntables automatically create and save a play history enabling users to review past performances on their PCs.

Pro DJ Link
The new turntables feature Pioneer’s Pro DJ Link that enables up to four CDJ-2000/900s to be connected via the Link Port to share a single music source, whether it is a hard drive, USB and/or SD memory card. Once linked, users have the ability to quickly find, display and choose the music file from a connected source through the CDJ’s built-in display and control knobs. A quick turn of the knob lets users scroll through created files and folders and a push of the knob confirms the song choice.

Advanced Connectivity
The new turntables feature a 24-bit/48 kHz sound card and HID and MIDI control compatibility via USB port. Up to 35 controls on the surface of each player can be used to trigger other devices, such as DJ effecters and software by way of HID and/or MIDI.

The HID controls were implemented into the players for superior interfacing with software, faster communication speed over MIDI, audio/visual streaming and two-way information on displays. HID enables easy, precise and native control of DVS systems such as Serato™ Scratch Live³, Native Instruments’ Traktor⁴ series and MixVibes Cross⁵ without the need for time-coded discs.

CDJ-2000 Enhancements

• LCD panel and Graphic User Interface — The flagship CDJ-2000 features a large WQVGA 6.1-inch full-color 480 x 234 LCD panel for displaying song titles and jacket art as well as detailed track information so DJs can select songs at a glance. The wave data of each song is also illustrated on screen, showing high and low amplitude to further assist DJs.
• Needle Search — Helps DJs instantaneously get to a specific part of a song with a simple touch of the Needle Search pad. Found directly below the CDJ-2000’s high resolution LCD panel, the touchpad lets the DJ “place the needle” and jump quickly to a specific part of a music track.
• Jog Dial — Adjustments for tension were enhanced from previous models allowing the DJ to further customize the feel of the jog dial from a light to heavy sensitivity. Four illuminated areas on the sides of the Jog Dial aid the DJ in finding the desired spot on the plate in dim lighting environments.

CDJ-900 Enhancements

• Slip Mode — When activated, Slip Mode silently continues song playback during a loop, reverse or scratch and continues audible playback at the exact time when the loop, reverse or scratch is ended creating smoother transitions.
• Advanced Auto Beat Loop — The CDJ-900 generates a four-beat loop at a touch of a button creating a customized sound to provide more time for DJs to blend in transitioning music.

The Extras
For more accurate tempo control while mixing, each player is enhanced with increased frame increments of 0.5 frames that allow the DJ to set a cue point or loop point with more precision.

To achieve the highest sound quality, both the CDJ-2000 and CDJ-900 were equipped with the audio industry’s highly respected Wolfson DAC processors, delivering a very transparent, accurate audio signal resulting in a highly improved signal-to-noise ratio and increased headroom.

• The CDJ-2000 will be available in November 2009 with a suggested retail price of $2,150.
• The CDJ-900 will be available in December 2009 with a suggested retail price of $1,600.

¹ rekordbox is music file management software developed by Pioneer in cooperation with MixVibes for use in combination with Pioneer products.
² For more information on the version that improves compatibility when connected with the CDJ-2000/900, please see the Tonium’s website at tonium.com.
³ For more information on the version that improves compatibility when connected with the CDJ-2000/900, please see the Serato Audio Research’s website at serato.com.
⁴ For more information on the version that improves compatibility when connected with the CDJ-2000/900, please see the Native Instrument’s website at native-instruments.com.
⁵ For more information on the version that improves compatibility when connected with the CDJ-2000, please see the MixVibes website at mixvibes.com.