Pioneer DJ XDJ RX3: What Makes it the Best?
Calling all Pioneer fans! Your much-awaited Pioneer DJ XDJ RX3 is finally here – the latest of this brand’s XDJ-RX series. In case you’re still living under the rock, Pioneer is among the leading brands of DJ equipment and their newly-released controller is worth its hype. Do you want to know why? Check out its specifications and why it’s already been considered by many as the “best DJ gear in the world.”
What the Experts Say…
It’s rare to find a controller as great as XDJ RX3 – this equipment alone is top-notch. The XDJ RX3 is a complete DJ setup that has been updated from the XDJ-RX2 with a ton of new features and enhancements. In addition to such, the system now includes some nifty extras like the Pioneer DJ CDJ-3000 turntables and DJM-900NXS2 mixer. It’s all of the great things that Pioneer had built to various controllers, assembled them into one entity, and thus the XDJ RX3 is born.
Like its predecessor the XDJ-RX2, the Rekordbox DJ software’s Performance Mode allows users to play pre-analyzed tracks from USB hardware drives or a connected laptop. But if you’re more inclined toward Serato software, XDJ RX3 also caters to that, leaving you with a lot of options in case you want to switch software for practicality matters. With its brand-new audio design and deck customization, along with its 10.1-inch touch LCD screen compatibility with Serato DJ Pro and Rekordbox DJ software solutions, one could argue that it is the ideal DJ setup for DJs everywhere.
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Specifications:
Mixer
Let’s talk about the mixer. It is a collection of the useful features found in the DJM-900NXS2 mixer section. There may only be two channels available in this, but you get all the fantastic features such as Beat FX and Sound Color FX, excellent metering for cues and the master, and a touchscreen that lets you preview songs without even loading them. What’s more, both the crossfader and the volume faders are excellent which guarantees spot-on consistency.
Size
The larger LCD screen is one of the first things you’ll notice when you get your hands on this top-tier piece of DJ equipment. The XDJ RX3 has the largest display of any Pioneer DJ all-in-one system, measuring in at 10.1 inches. This 10-inch display looks gigantic when compared to the 7-inch display of its predecessor. Also, the Browse section of the UI now supports 12 tracks, up from 8 on the Rx2, making it much easier to quickly scroll through your entire playlist library.
Screen
The higher resolution screen, in addition to its enormous size and brand-new interface, also features a high-res display layout and a significantly increased frame rate. This will facilitate easier navigation, a more comprehensive visual understanding, and more precise mixing. Moreover, XDJ RX3’s Color Jog Display allows users to quickly view track information or art on the LCD jog display screen located in the center of each jog wheel. A built-in X-Pad is included with the touchscreen interface which is unique to these all-in-one setups. An X-Pad, in case you don’t know lets DJs quickly and easily insert a wide variety of audio effects from their collection. This is a great innovative piece from Pioneer.
Jog Wheels
The jog wheel features’ responsiveness has been reworked and is a big step up from the XDJ-RX2 jog wheels. Adjusting the ‘weight’ of each jog wheel to your preference is done via the Feeling Adjust knob. Each jog wheel has an LCD jog display screen in the middle of it to show where the play head is in the track. Such trait is great for smooth transitions.
3Band Waveform
Not only that, but they also removed the popular 3Band Waveform function from the Pioneer CDJ-3000. Using the 3-Band Waveform, creators can see how the relative strengths of different frequencies impart distinctive hues. For instance, high-volume frequencies will show up as very different colors compared to mid- and low-volume ones. Unfortunately, this function requires a fully operational installation of the Rekordbox DJ software to analyze the frequencies.
Output and Input
As you’d expect from a high-end gadget, it comes with a full complement of inputs, outputs, and USB ports. In the front, you can see the headphone jacks in 1/8″ and 1/4″ sizes. While at the back, two XLR/TS stereo mini jack outputs, two RCA phono/line/aux inputs, two RCA line inputs, one auxiliary input, a 1/8″ input, an earth pole, master XLR and RCA outputs, booth TRS output, and computer USB ports can all be found in the mixer.
Display
For those who regularly use the LCD screen’s track viewing and analysis functions, the RX3’s array of waveform viewing options is a welcome addition. Moreover, the Phrase display is among the first in the XD series. This display option utilizes actual audio waveforms to illustrate the various segments of a track’s structure. This can be helpful for a musician or DJ in identifying the chorus, intro, and bridge of a song.
Other Relevant Features
Release FX
We do like the release of FX mode. Using Release FX mode is a fun and unexpected way to spice up any performance. In Release FX mode, 8 separate effects can be triggered via the Performance Pads, and then the track can be resumed without skipping a beat.
Countdown Timer
One of these primary new additions is a countdown timer. Once again, it’s something that seems so obvious that you might be forgiven for overlooking it. Nonetheless, it makes all the difference in the world to a creative person who must keep track of many different elements at once. For an anticipated moment in the DJ set, a countdown timer can be generated using the Countdown Timer function. This is especially great for DJs who previously had to constantly keep one eye on the clock to properly time a particular event with the track.
Takeaway
Whether or not you consider Pioneer DJ XDJ RX3 to be the best in the world in terms of looks and specifications, it’s up to you to decide. The XDJ RX3 has a long list of positive features and a few negative ones, but in the end, it does live up to its billing as an “all-in-one system” in every aspect. Take note that your controller may not be the most expensive there is in the market, but the best DJ controller is the one that can fit your needs as a DJ artist.
