Well, we all saw it coming, but it appears as though Pioneer has finally pulled the plug on the CDJ format. Their new digital player, the XDJ-1000 was announced yesterday to the general public and appears to be the next step in their “CDJ style” players with one key difference; no CD player. The new addition to the family of Pioneer DJ products features a few new bells and whistles, the most notable, a larger display panel that includes a touchscreen and QWERTY keyboard for faster track searching on the fly.
With a suggested retail price tag of $999.99 it hovers around the current CDJ900 price point, but on the slightly less expensive side. This seems to be an ideal for the current generation of DJ. However, the touchscreen begs the question; will this new player be skipped over as the new ‘standard’ because of its new touchscreen feature?
As many will remember, the reason the DJM2000 mixer from Pioneer never made the jump to replace the DJM800 as the industry standard mixer. In fact, that honor went to the “lesser” DJM900. Many speculated it was due not only to cost, but the “touch screen in a club environment”. Any seasoned veteran can attest to accidents in the booth, guest DJs being rough with gear, and more, eventually leading to repairs needed. With something as sensitive as a touchscreen as the focal control point, I’m not so sure this is good fit for the clubs just yet. Only time will tell.
For full details and specs on the XDJ-1000, click here
Matthew is a well known and respected DJ and promoter based out of Houston, TX. Dunn has well over a decade behind the decks, played alongside some of the biggest names in dance music, and is a fixture in the EDM community both on local and international level.
