TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro 0:15 Episode overview 1:23 Five issues AlphaTheta needs to deal with 20:10 DJing with four channels (demystified) 30:38 Three simple ways to DJ livestream
Ive been debating heavily between the RX3 and the AZ. The 2 vs 4 channel debate in my head wasnt coming to a conclusion. But after watching your video, im much more comfortable going with the RX3 now Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge 🙏
To be honest, Im used to broadcast DJing where there are um dozens of channels. BUT the main reason I use at LEAST 3 channels is to -- deck A - the track being played -- deck B - the track that mix will segue in to -- deck C - I use this to "cue" an alternate deck B - this way I dont have to re set up the cue points / loops and can "change my mind at the second" in the mix
Plenty pioneer dj stickers to put on decks off ali express 😂.....joking aside I'm happy with name change and won't put me off getting the xdj az ....thanks again for your 100% professional vlogs your simply the best 👏👏👏👏👏
AlphaTheta, the Bang and Olufson of DJ`ing. Usually interseting to see what they come up with but too pricey for what you get... Honestly I am far more interested to see what InMusic has got in development as it seems Pioneer handed over the part about exciting innovation over to the competition... Is really hard to see it any other way at this point (Any news?) About 4 channels - Its what I also would want, but as you lay it out, it might just be a throwback to mixing with vinyl where a third turntable often can be really useful for various reasons that digital looping and sampling mostly makes obsolete... Livestreaming seems like a lot of fun that I am not sure I have enough bandwidth to do (yet)
Really really good review, especially of Rekordbox. I'm switching from Traktor to CDJs. And I'm really happy I still have Traktor, because for analysis (much much better the RB) and hotcues i can work much faster. Then when I'm ready I use DJCU and Xto6, and have my smart playlists in RB that put the tunes in the right place, and just stick it on USB. As a Dj Software i did consider it but stuck with Traktor until it was time for CDJs. The one thing i love about RB is the library system. It's filtering options, related track and TAG options are superb.
Also regarding market dominance and being the “club standard” is people wanting to start a DJ or club night at a bar or venue that doesn’t have CDJs, and needing to provide those themselves. Starting your own DJ night and booking locals is a good way to get more exposure and bookings in a city, but they’ll expect to be playing on CDJs, and if the venue doesn’t have them, you need to provide them by renting or owning
I have an rx3 and i love it but due to space i cant have it set up all the time only for my twice weekly twitch streams. I wanted something to practice on so i got myself a denon prime go the other day for a really good price and im completely blown away with engine 4 .0 its light years ahead of my rx3 . Was so suprised . Im keeping the rx3 for the pioneer feel so im club ready but denon is absolutely killing it
Great advice on livestreaming! I'm a few months new into DJing and I was wondering about livestreaming just to share some mixes with decent sound quality to friends on social media. Cheers!! 🤩
And were within affordable reach of most if not everyone. The fact it costs about 7 grand to get an "industry standard" setup these days is absurd. I havent used a cdj 3000, but how much more does it really do than a xdj1000 mk2? Even when you look at the 700/1000, nothing that costs 700/1300 quid should be made of plastic and feel cheap. Theyre just at it.
Rane + Virtual DJ Infiniti :) thats my go to for now...maybe i am not "pro" enough. I feel like they make better stuff with 12s and performer/four That is my current setup, rane 12---rane four--plx1000. works really well as a 4channel setup and robust.
My first Pioneer DJ gear was a pair of Pioneer CDJ-100S. My next (and last for many years) gear will be a Pioneer FLX10. I don’t think I will have “AlphaTheta” branded gear in the next 10 years so I will call it still Pioneer for the next 10 years.
For me personally, 4 decks are essential for my flow. I like to land on a solid possibility, park it in deck 2, then keep looking on deck 4 to see if I can come up with something even better (or to maybe play a bit later or already have a choice when I come back to that side).
@@digitaldjtips another excellent podcast, Phil. I enjoy pretty much everything you share on DDJT as we have a similar trajectory (old skool vinyl, to CDJ's to digital). You're saving us a ton of time with your valuable tips, and the sharing of audiences responses keeps things lively and interactive. The presentations are well thought out, well articulated points on specific themes of interest (with the occasional twist or wry comment bringing a smile to my day). I can only imagine how much work it must be to put this all together on a regular basis, and encourage you to keep it coming!
What i think that is need in the competition scene of DJ gear is homogeneous layout and features through out the brands. You can buy any guitar from any brand and they all work the same. Dj gear should be like that for real competition to exist.
Maybe an unpopular opinion. I think that 3 channel faders should be a thing. The only reason to play with 4 channels that I see is if I am mixing electronic music, doing mashups or playing samples. but considering that some devices now allow streaming, it would be ideal to have a 3rd channel to download a track to and while it loads, you can continue mixing on the first two channels. It would create a nice buffer zone.
I am of the age (I think) where I have grown up through the better decades of music. I generally DJ at parties of my "era". So I look at it "if Like it , they probably will".doesn't always work 😂 I watch the feet and hands tapping, heads nodding and mouth moving to the music. I try and change genre and in a 4-5 HR gig I prob change 6-7 times. Some times going back to already played genres. Give them a little of what I see reactions to then go back to it.
The main reason I switched to Denon 5+ years ago is the way Pioneer feature gate functions on their players for example there are 3 players A, B and C A being the top of the range B being middle and C being lower end, I don't want to pay for A and I don't need all the features, B would probably be the best fit however there are many features I want that are on on the more expensive A and the cheaper C, but not the B WHY! this used to drive me mad, im sure they are still doing it, another thing that annoyed me with them is the lack of bug fixes and feature updates, once something has been out 6 months its like they write it off and move on to the next thing. Couldn't be happier with Denon, I have the Prime 4+, Prime 2, Go and full SC6000 X1850 setup and love them all.
Stems on a pioneer branded standalone? Not a chance. If that were to come, you would only get it on the Alpha theta products. And given they haven't even managed to add in streaming services yet, I'd say you've got a wait time measured in years.
i use Rane hardware and Serato software.I have some old Pioneer cdjs.They are pretty good but they are backups..Rane may have subscription services but you have a choice .As long as that continues i will stick with them.Personally when it comes to dj software i would rather burn my Macbook computer than be forced to use subs if every dj software went that way.I would go back to vinyl and cds
It seems the company is segmenting its branding: "Alpha Theta" will likely target the consumer market-private DJs (weddings, small bars, bedroom DJs), while "PioneerDJ" will be reserved for pro-level DJs and festival promoters.
Remember when Twix was named Raider.... It's just a name... I don't care AT ALL about the name.... Or if cdj3000 don't contain a a CD drive, with the cdc name... I just want great equipment! And I love the Pioneer / Alpha Theta Equipment.
I have not live-streamed since the lockdown, but at that time, I was live-streaming using the broadcast option on virtual DJ and my laptop and controller. I noticed that you have not mentioned this option and wondered why?
Hi , The dj program on Twitch has allowed more discovery in both ways , for me and people finding me thru the new genre , viewers hi to lo browsing options
You know what. When I was on a DDJ 400 - all I wanted was the same controller but with the best quality knobs/pots and faders. I'd pay £100 more for a "DDJ FLX4 plus" - which has the best quality knobs and faders.
@@trancevoyagesessions I am gonna order the 5 knobs/POTS I need while I still can and have a go at fixing my old DDJ 400. Honestly - I just mix DnB for myself. 2 channels with hi/mid/low and filter is enough for me 🙏
@@digitaldjtips I put a lot of mileage on my decks. I knew straight away with the DDJ 400 that it's lifespan was gonna be limited by the knobs - and 2 years later 3 knobs stopped working within a week of each other. Honestly - for the money and the amount of use it got - 2 years isn't bad. I just wish it had higher end POTs and had lived for 10 years. I liked the DDJ 400.
My issue is the lack of new affordable standalone players. I want to use my own mixer but and would like to use players but the xdj700/1000mk2 are 8 years old yet still cost a significant sum.
Hi there @digitaldjtips...do you have any videos where you show how to install audio cables etc to do livestreaming? I have a Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 MK3 DJ Controller and want to know where I would have the audio out coming from, to go into an iphone...I have 2 speakers coming out of the main audio out, to listen to the music...would i use the booth option? Sorry, a bit confused...
I was watching James Hype channel and he had 2 or 3 of his sets recently where the cdj3000 malfunctioned on him. One bad that he had to joke about it to the crowed. So while they are the club/festival standard they still not reliable enough for their price and lack on features.
@@Chris...S The 3000s can be a little bit laggy, which for most normal humans doesn't make any difference. Ive also heard they are prone to overheating in sweaty environments. James Hype's style of mixing can't tolerate these small lags, which why he is still on Nexus 2s. Alpha theta seem to be having a real nightmare with the 3000s. I do wonder why.
I was worried that i made the wrong decision by getting a pair of xdj 1000mk2 just to be in the pioneer eco system, i think they do enough to do what i need them to do, my true toys for fun, music exploration and overall every day use is the denon gear
The biggest thing AlphaTheta is not doing right in my eyes is community work - coming from Algoriddim's djay I was won over by the better library management but I'm missing all of the community stuff. In the Algoriddim forum, it is easy to get an overview over which features users want most and it is easy to vote yourself on these features or to suggest new ones. In AlphaTheta/Pioneer DJ's forum, it is hard to impossible to even log in but the forum software also is unbearably clunky so it's hard to post comments or new topics or even get an overview over what others are interested in. I hope they can improve upon this.
This is Denon's (and the other brands) chance. The Alpha Theta thing is really not going well if you talk to DJs. The next steps will be crucial. Literally all Denon would have to do to get those players more accepted would be to enable you to see the other waveform from the second player on the first player (instead of that stupid bar thing). We have been asking for this since launch basically. The second is a beat jump like the CDJ. Just take those two minor features from the CDJs and I think you would see a lot more DJs using the Denon players. I would even start using them over my CDJs (since they have those touch fx installed). I would be careful with this if I was Pioneer, you already have a lot of alt brands coming forward and the tech is getting cheaper to produce, you can even DJ on a phone now (solidly), the market is changing.
I hear this but Laidback like left his partnership with Denon because they also stopped innovating. As cool as some features on the denons are they’re not as reliable as the pioneer products. Competition is good and this is a good opportunity for Denon but I’m skeptical at the moment if they can properly overtake Pioneer
ive been mixing mostly techno and dnb, and god, i wish i had 4 channels, but getting another controller, also given how big the ones id like are(my ddj400 fits in my ikea drawer perfectly), i dont know if its worth it since i dont dj that often and the price point is higher... and ive used my ex boyfriends xdj r2, and now my little ddj 400 feels way cheaper and i miss the knobs and responsiveness on his gear, so id idealy go for a ddj flx10 or something, but yea... thats easily 4-5x of what i paid for my 400 ^^ and the flx6 is eh, if im upgrading might aswell go a step up perhaps i can look into getting something secondhand.
Hello Phil, unfortunately Pioneer just become a business and that all, they don't listen users are coming out with plastic equipment's, technology is years behind Denon and software also years behind Algoriddim Djay, I just hope Denon will not waiting again how was happened in 92-93 after they release the first cd player for DJs and left the door open to Pioneer. About the 4 channels, when i play techno I always use 4 channels if the dj booth are installed 4 cdjs that works well, using one channel for sampler or a cdj with drums or tops that keep going over and over for all the set time, and other 3 just playing the tracks of my set. About live streaming I think the best is Traktor for the audio part because the broadcasting features.
Thanks for sharing all of this! Personally I feel there is a push-pull between the DJs/innovators at AlphaTheta and the business side of it, as with most big companies.
I have to say Phil that it's an omission to not point out that the alpha theta brand was brought in alongside the Pioneer brand to allow them to release new products outside of the pioneer family which don't adhere to the pioneer club standard. What's caused the confusion is that Alpha Theta failed to make this distinction from the get-go. They initially released the opus quad under the pioneer brand, and only when they realised the problems that was causing with the pioneer brands perception in the marketplace, did they bring in the alpha theta brand name. Everyone whines about the brand name and ignores this fundamental point. The Pioneer brand is going nowhere. It's simply been augmented with a second product line for products that don't follow the club standard. Pioneer got this distinction right in the end, they simply fumbled the execution.
@@digitaldjtips So you think Alpha Theta abandoning the market leading brand name, after 30 years of dominating the industry makes any kind of sense? That not only defies basic common sense, it signals an act of corporate suicide by the leadership of the Alpha Theta Marketing group.
On the point on Pioneer's lack of innovation, they eventually adopt the competition's cool features and then charge a huge premium for something that has been on market for years! At this point Pioneer Dj has a cult following, not because of anything substantial that they are doing. As you know cults usually crumble under their on illusions sooner or later.
Actually I disagree, I think their hardware is solid and dependable and while they do indeed sometimes mess up (silly features nobody wants, non consumer-friendly business practices, poor comms), they have developed much of how DJing is done today, tech-wise, and many DJs are happy to continue to buy their gear because of that. Truth is, it's great to have choices.
@@digitaldjtips I wouldn't fault Pioneer Dj on their hardware, it is indeed solid. I have both Pioneer Dj and Denon Dj gear. Much of the innovation that I'm referring to happens on the software side. On this day in October 2024, how do you justify that the XDJ-XZ is still quite pricier than the Denon Prime 4+ even though the Pioneer offers less when you compare these devices?
Twitch’s new DJ Category seems to be going well enough. It’s nice to be separated from all the non dj musical streamers. A bit more easy to find us djs now
The name change seems to waste years of branding as Pioneer DJ and the loyalty and good will the brand had. The name had value and they’re basically throwing that away.
ne pint t raise also is that when you buy the true end gear for home, you don't get any license for rekordbox, i started with a DJM A9 and xdj 1000Mk2, and i didn't get any License to use with it, which is a terrible point, there for, i'm using traktor in HID mode, on pioneer gear....
If alpha theta was a monopoly they would have to compete with themselves cos people could just use their older gear. And they would have more money to do r and d with. And we would have less blue and green leds (shots fired at Denon)
AIpha lost my support with their dodgy subscription model , making hardware obsolete unless you pay for a sub , however you twist that, its a bit crappy ..Im happy using Traktor pro 4 now , never looking back !
No, we don't have to accept the name change. The Pioneer DJ name brand had value itself. They chose to throw that value out of the window. DJs buy gear for brand name just as much as anything else. No one wants to be on stage with a pair of AlphaTheta shoes. Same goes for the logo on their DJ gear.
Disagree pretty strongly. DJing is an art. It's nothing to do with the name on the piece of gear you're using. If it is, then you're fetishizing something which should be creative. Just my view!
@@digitaldjtips That's fair but, like most things, its not that black and white. You can hold both of these ideas in your head. DJing is an art, and everything you do from practicing, to building your sets, to performing you can treat it as such. You can also not like the brand name change and be bothered by it because it messes with the aesthetic. The name can be part of your artistic expression the same way old school DJs took so much pride in putting a pair of Technics on the table. In fact, it's a little weird to me that people hold up the "DJing is an art" mantra based mostly in tradition (even though technology proves daily that this is changing) - but changing something as deeply traditional as the Pioneer DJ name is nothing. I don't think its fetishizing. It's just a preference. I don't mind if most people don't agree with me.
ITS 2025 AND THE ddJ1000 SRT STILL WORKS. PIONEER WAITED TILL THEY SOLD ENOUGH JANK NEW CONTROLLERS THEN THEY UPDATED THE FIRMWARE AND DRIVERS. PIONEER HAS TO MAKE MONEY, BUT IM NOT YOUR SUCKER HOMIE
@@digitaldjtips It's the core reason that I use a combination of Engine DJ, DJPro AI and Mixxx on three separate Controllers running through an Allen and Heath Zed 10 and BitWig studio 5 running through a virtual Rack on Ubuntu Studio on my custom made ATX production tower
I think Pioneer DJ products dominate the market, not Alphatheta. How many Omni Duo or Rotary mixer they sold? I can bet very few. Alphatheta is a useless new brand, which started in the worst way possible, and may even destroy the value of Pioneer DJ brand. Typical example of stupid management handling their business the wrong way. btw, I've a DJM S11 and I think it's one of the last ever great devices they produced (in addition to A9).
I dunno, as soon as the "AlphaTheta CDJ4000" or whatever it will be called comes out, they'll just replace the Pioneer DJ CDJ3000s, in my opinion, seamlessly.
Why should it be that releasing a second distinct product line will destroy an existing established brand? They are clearly separate brands addressing different segments of the market.
@@digitaldjtipsThe next CDJ will be branded Pioneer. Once the Pioneer XDJ-AZ is released, sitting alongside the Alpha Theta Opus Quad, hopefully the penny will drop.
Well, if it were as you say, I would be all for it. However, they seem to be doing everything they can to blur the lines between the brands: 1) Alphatheta products are featured on the Pioneer DJ website, but not the other way around. 2) The target market for Alphatheta is unclear (what do Omnis-Duo and Euphonia have in common aside from being overpriced?). 3) The brand's scope is vague. Take a look at the Alphatheta subtitle, "One through music"-it doesn't convey anything specific. Personally, I think this is an entirely unnecessary move. I hope, for their sake (and ours, as Pioneer DJ customers), that I’m wrong.
I want to complain about inmusic for a second, buttons don’t feel good. Colors not nice. Cheapest plastic in existence on some parts of the 6000s. Ugly font on the Denon logo. Don’t innovate like Alpha theta do with the awesome 64 bit dacs adding effects on stems. Inmusic make e waste in comparison to alpha theta reliability and usability … let’s be accurate let’s not hold djay pro above them i mean what a retarded platform. DJing on iPhones what a waste of time if you are trying to be a professional on any level. DJing on Apple Watch? VR DJing?
Used Rekordbox at a house party a few weeks ago. It crashed a good 5 or 6 times in as many hours. There are crackheads in the world more reliable than this software! 😂
There's definitely an issue there because it doesn't crash if it's on a laptop installed properly where the laptop can cope with the software. So I'd look into whether your laptop has got the right spec to run it.
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro
0:15 Episode overview
1:23 Five issues AlphaTheta needs to deal with
20:10 DJing with four channels (demystified)
30:38 Three simple ways to DJ livestream
Another Great Video 👍🏻 . I Love the way You present Things and how You motivate people to do what they Like 🎉👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻💯
Thank you!
Ive been debating heavily between the RX3 and the AZ.
The 2 vs 4 channel debate in my head wasnt coming to a conclusion. But after watching your video, im much more comfortable going with the RX3 now
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge 🙏
So glad the video helped! Remember no key shifting on the RX3.
@ is that something thats needed? If so, is there a work around for that?
Sorry if thats a silly question
To be honest, Im used to broadcast DJing where there are um dozens of channels. BUT the main reason I use at LEAST 3 channels is to
-- deck A - the track being played
-- deck B - the track that mix will segue in to
-- deck C - I use this to "cue" an alternate deck B - this way I dont have to re set up the cue points / loops and can "change my mind at the second" in the mix
Thanks for sharing!
Plenty pioneer dj stickers to put on decks off ali express 😂.....joking aside I'm happy with name change and won't put me off getting the xdj az ....thanks again for your 100% professional vlogs your simply the best 👏👏👏👏👏
Why didn't I think of that too? Of course you can buy them on AliExpress!
AlphaTheta sounds like a big pharma company to me. Maybe they are developing a new generation of "supplement" for partying😛
Ha ha!
😅
Now I'll be thinking that every time 🤭
AlphaTheta, the Bang and Olufson of DJ`ing. Usually interseting to see what they come up with but too pricey for what you get... Honestly I am far more interested to see what InMusic has got in development as it seems Pioneer handed over the part about exciting innovation over to the competition... Is really hard to see it any other way at this point
(Any news?)
About 4 channels - Its what I also would want, but as you lay it out, it might just be a throwback to mixing with vinyl where a third turntable often can be really useful for various reasons that digital looping and sampling mostly makes obsolete...
Livestreaming seems like a lot of fun that I am not sure I have enough bandwidth to do (yet)
Thanks for sharing your thought on all of these topics, I appreciate it.
Really really good review, especially of Rekordbox. I'm switching from Traktor to CDJs.
And I'm really happy I still have Traktor, because for analysis (much much better the RB) and hotcues i can work much faster. Then when I'm ready I use DJCU and Xto6, and have my smart playlists in RB that put the tunes in the right place, and just stick it on USB.
As a Dj Software i did consider it but stuck with Traktor until it was time for CDJs. The one thing i love about RB is the library system. It's filtering options, related track and TAG options are superb.
You'd expect that, as it started as a library system.
Also regarding market dominance and being the “club standard” is people wanting to start a DJ or club night at a bar or venue that doesn’t have CDJs, and needing to provide those themselves.
Starting your own DJ night and booking locals is a good way to get more exposure and bookings in a city, but they’ll expect to be playing on CDJs, and if the venue doesn’t have them, you need to provide them by renting or owning
Yeah, renting is your friend here.
good insight
I have an rx3 and i love it but due to space i cant have it set up all the time only for my twice weekly twitch streams. I wanted something to practice on so i got myself a denon prime go the other day for a really good price and im completely blown away with engine 4 .0 its light years ahead of my rx3 . Was so suprised . Im keeping the rx3 for the pioneer feel so im club ready but denon is absolutely killing it
Yeah feature wise they definitely smash it
if i would upgrade to "pro" equipment today i choose Allen & Heath xone 96, 2 Denon sc6000 and 2 record players technics or audio technica
Fair enough!
Great advice on livestreaming! I'm a few months new into DJing and I was wondering about livestreaming just to share some mixes with decent sound quality to friends on social media. Cheers!! 🤩
Happy to help!
I remember when Technics turntables were the MUST HAVE EQUIPMENT
Yes
Still are actually
And were within affordable reach of most if not everyone. The fact it costs about 7 grand to get an "industry standard" setup these days is absurd. I havent used a cdj 3000, but how much more does it really do than a xdj1000 mk2? Even when you look at the 700/1000, nothing that costs 700/1300 quid should be made of plastic and feel cheap. Theyre just at it.
We all know Phil’s hiding a cheeky XDJ-AZ somewhere in the room
Can categorically say no!
@@digitaldjtips10 days later it was revealed
Well said
Thanks
Alphatheta, do betta.
Rane + Virtual DJ Infiniti :) thats my go to for now...maybe i am not "pro" enough. I feel like they make better stuff with 12s and performer/four
That is my current setup, rane 12---rane four--plx1000. works really well as a 4channel setup and robust.
Cool!
My first Pioneer DJ gear was a pair of Pioneer CDJ-100S.
My next (and last for many years) gear will be a Pioneer FLX10.
I don’t think I will have “AlphaTheta” branded gear in the next 10 years so I will call it still Pioneer for the next 10 years.
Fair enough!
For me personally, 4 decks are essential for my flow. I like to land on a solid possibility, park it in deck 2, then keep looking on deck 4 to see if I can come up with something even better (or to maybe play a bit later or already have a choice when I come back to that side).
Yeah, as "back up" decks they can be great, agreed.
@@digitaldjtips another excellent podcast, Phil. I enjoy pretty much everything you share on DDJT as we have a similar trajectory (old skool vinyl, to CDJ's to digital). You're saving us a ton of time with your valuable tips, and the sharing of audiences responses keeps things lively and interactive. The presentations are well thought out, well articulated points on specific themes of interest (with the occasional twist or wry comment bringing a smile to my day). I can only imagine how much work it must be to put this all together on a regular basis, and encourage you to keep it coming!
Thank you, Phil!
you're welcome
#Opalfruits
Some of us will never forget, Phil!
Ah, Opal Fruits!
What i think that is need in the competition scene of DJ gear is homogeneous layout and features through out the brands. You can buy any guitar from any brand and they all work the same. Dj gear should be like that for real competition to exist.
It is kind of close though, but yes good point
Maybe an unpopular opinion. I think that 3 channel faders should be a thing. The only reason to play with 4 channels that I see is if I am mixing electronic music, doing mashups or playing samples. but considering that some devices now allow streaming, it would be ideal to have a 3rd channel to download a track to and while it loads, you can continue mixing on the first two channels. It would create a nice buffer zone.
Reloop has a couple of three-channel mixers
@@digitaldjtips You guys sure know how to bring joy don't you? I'm gonna check Reloop out right now. Thanks! 🙌
Used Rekordbox for many years, but when they cancelled my controller, switched to Traktor (had an s4 lying around).
Hope it worked out for you!
I am of the age (I think) where I have grown up through the better decades of music.
I generally DJ at parties of my "era".
So I look at it "if Like it , they probably will".doesn't always work 😂
I watch the feet and hands tapping, heads nodding and mouth moving to the music.
I try and change genre and in a 4-5 HR gig I prob change 6-7 times. Some times going back to already played genres.
Give them a little of what I see reactions to then go back to it.
Yes, it's a good move to test the waters, so to speak, and then go back if it's working. I like that.
A lot of mixers don’t work if laptop crashes if in HID mode. The best backup is a secondary analog mixer.
Which ones do you mean? Pioneer pro mixers work fine with all inputs
The main reason I switched to Denon 5+ years ago is the way Pioneer feature gate functions on their players for example there are 3 players A, B and C A being the top of the range B being middle and C being lower end, I don't want to pay for A and I don't need all the features, B would probably be the best fit however there are many features I want that are on on the more expensive A and the cheaper C, but not the B WHY! this used to drive me mad, im sure they are still doing it, another thing that annoyed me with them is the lack of bug fixes and feature updates, once something has been out 6 months its like they write it off and move on to the next thing. Couldn't be happier with Denon, I have the Prime 4+, Prime 2, Go and full SC6000 X1850 setup and love them all.
Yes, Denon DJ has a very different approach to this, as you have identified.
RX4 with FLX10 functionality would make us happy.
Would be cool!
Stems on a pioneer branded standalone? Not a chance. If that were to come, you would only get it on the Alpha theta products. And given they haven't even managed to add in streaming services yet, I'd say you've got a wait time measured in years.
Seems like a cool controller
i use Rane hardware and Serato software.I have some old Pioneer cdjs.They are pretty good but they are backups..Rane may have subscription services but you have a choice .As long as that continues i will stick with them.Personally when it comes to dj software i would rather burn my Macbook computer than be forced to use subs if every dj software went that way.I would go back to vinyl and cds
What do you mean "Rane may have subscription services"?
It seems the company is segmenting its branding: "Alpha Theta" will likely target the consumer market-private DJs (weddings, small bars, bedroom DJs), while "PioneerDJ" will be reserved for pro-level DJs and festival promoters.
Nah, we don't think so - all its gear is now coming as AlphaTheta we think.
I like and use virtual dj. I have a ddjsz and a ddj sb3 gold as a backup
Good to hear
I bought SC4 because for an extra £200 it gave me jog displays the SC2 didn't and having the 2 extra channels allows me to load up samples etc.
Thanks for sharing, yes sometimes the 4-channel devices do have extra features.
Remember when Twix was named Raider.... It's just a name... I don't care AT ALL about the name.... Or if cdj3000 don't contain a a CD drive, with the cdc name... I just want great equipment! And I love the Pioneer / Alpha Theta Equipment.
Nah, neither should you, I don’t really understand people who are worried by that
I have not live-streamed since the lockdown, but at that time, I was live-streaming using the broadcast option on virtual DJ and my laptop and controller. I noticed that you have not mentioned this option and wondered why?
Because it relies on a particular piece of DJ software, it's a good option though.
Hi , The dj program on Twitch has allowed more discovery in both ways , for me and people finding me thru the new genre , viewers hi to lo browsing options
Great to hear!
A marathon was twice the size of a modern day snickers and cost a fraction of the price.😜
Haha
After using all of the softwares, I am firmly and shamelessly back with traktor.....
Nothing wrong with that!
👍👍👍👍👍
You know what. When I was on a DDJ 400 - all I wanted was the same controller but with the best quality knobs/pots and faders.
I'd pay £100 more for a "DDJ FLX4 plus" - which has the best quality knobs and faders.
To be fair, those things are pretty well built - they do seem to go on forever just as they are.
@@trancevoyagesessions I am gonna order the 5 knobs/POTS I need while I still can and have a go at fixing my old DDJ 400. Honestly - I just mix DnB for myself. 2 channels with hi/mid/low and filter is enough for me 🙏
@@digitaldjtips I put a lot of mileage on my decks. I knew straight away with the DDJ 400 that it's lifespan was gonna be limited by the knobs - and 2 years later 3 knobs stopped working within a week of each other. Honestly - for the money and the amount of use it got - 2 years isn't bad. I just wish it had higher end POTs and had lived for 10 years. I liked the DDJ 400.
My issue is the lack of new affordable standalone players. I want to use my own mixer but and would like to use players but the xdj700/1000mk2 are 8 years old yet still cost a significant sum.
I don't think there is much call for them, to be honest.
The serato acquisition was a pitty buyout, buying a partner to help them survive because inmusic were being stingy with the license fee
Hi there @digitaldjtips...do you have any videos where you show how to install audio cables etc to do livestreaming? I have a Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 MK3 DJ Controller and want to know where I would have the audio out coming from, to go into an iphone...I have 2 speakers coming out of the main audio out, to listen to the music...would i use the booth option? Sorry, a bit confused...
I,d say yes use yr booth out sockets to yr phone if yr using an "I rig" input to phone , have fun.
👆This
@@earlwhiff2012 cheers 😁
@@digitaldjtips cheers 😁
It would be nice if a HW company bought Serato. Like Yamaha, Roland or Apple.
That's what we wanted to see happen
Truth is more innovation need to be done in the field of DJing for the amount of money gear is being sold
As I say, innovation is often correlated with price, but I am not sure how important that is for many (most?) DJs.
I was watching James Hype channel and he had 2 or 3 of his sets recently where the cdj3000 malfunctioned on him. One bad that he had to joke about it to the crowed. So while they are the club/festival standard they still not reliable enough for their price and lack on features.
He has always been able to "break" CDJ3000s, he often insists on 2000s at his gigs.
@@Chris...S The 3000s can be a little bit laggy, which for most normal humans doesn't make any difference. Ive also heard they are prone to overheating in sweaty environments. James Hype's style of mixing can't tolerate these small lags, which why he is still on Nexus 2s.
Alpha theta seem to be having a real nightmare with the 3000s. I do wonder why.
I was worried that i made the wrong decision by getting a pair of xdj 1000mk2 just to be in the pioneer eco system, i think they do enough to do what i need them to do, my true toys for fun, music exploration and overall every day use is the denon gear
Yeah they do plenty!
😮😮😮
FYI: Aiaiai uses recycled plastic for their packaging and label it quite prominently
They still ship with an awful lot of it, which feels unnecessary.
they provide modular parts which need to be packed individually, not sure what you would consider to be an acceptable alternative
The biggest thing AlphaTheta is not doing right in my eyes is community work - coming from Algoriddim's djay I was won over by the better library management but I'm missing all of the community stuff. In the Algoriddim forum, it is easy to get an overview over which features users want most and it is easy to vote yourself on these features or to suggest new ones. In AlphaTheta/Pioneer DJ's forum, it is hard to impossible to even log in but the forum software also is unbearably clunky so it's hard to post comments or new topics or even get an overview over what others are interested in. I hope they can improve upon this.
Good points thanks for sharing
This is Denon's (and the other brands) chance. The Alpha Theta thing is really not going well if you talk to DJs. The next steps will be crucial. Literally all Denon would have to do to get those players more accepted would be to enable you to see the other waveform from the second player on the first player (instead of that stupid bar thing). We have been asking for this since launch basically. The second is a beat jump like the CDJ. Just take those two minor features from the CDJs and I think you would see a lot more DJs using the Denon players. I would even start using them over my CDJs (since they have those touch fx installed). I would be careful with this if I was Pioneer, you already have a lot of alt brands coming forward and the tech is getting cheaper to produce, you can even DJ on a phone now (solidly), the market is changing.
Well on thing is true - the market is ALWAYS changing! Thanks for your thoughts Kenneth, always appreciated.
I hear this but Laidback like left his partnership with Denon because they also stopped innovating.
As cool as some features on the denons are they’re not as reliable as the pioneer products.
Competition is good and this is a good opportunity for Denon but I’m skeptical at the moment if they can properly overtake Pioneer
ive been mixing mostly techno and dnb, and god, i wish i had 4 channels, but getting another controller, also given how big the ones id like are(my ddj400 fits in my ikea drawer perfectly), i dont know if its worth it since i dont dj that often and the price point is higher... and ive used my ex boyfriends xdj r2, and now my little ddj 400 feels way cheaper and i miss the knobs and responsiveness on his gear, so id idealy go for a ddj flx10 or something, but yea... thats easily 4-5x of what i paid for my 400 ^^ and the flx6 is eh, if im upgrading might aswell go a step up
perhaps i can look into getting something secondhand.
Secondhand might work!
For a livestream, can I play multiple genres? Is that considered not consistent?
No rules!
@digitaldjtips the comment was in response to that the music genre needs to be consistent to grow your audience.
Hello Phil, unfortunately Pioneer just become a business and that all, they don't listen users are coming out with plastic equipment's, technology is years behind Denon and software also years behind Algoriddim Djay, I just hope Denon will not waiting again how was happened in 92-93 after they release the first cd player for DJs and left the door open to Pioneer. About the 4 channels, when i play techno I always use 4 channels if the dj booth are installed 4 cdjs that works well, using one channel for sampler or a cdj with drums or tops that keep going over and over for all the set time, and other 3 just playing the tracks of my set. About live streaming I think the best is Traktor for the audio part because the broadcasting features.
Thanks for sharing all of this! Personally I feel there is a push-pull between the DJs/innovators at AlphaTheta and the business side of it, as with most big companies.
I have to say Phil that it's an omission to not point out that the alpha theta brand was brought in alongside the Pioneer brand to allow them to release new products outside of the pioneer family which don't adhere to the pioneer club standard.
What's caused the confusion is that Alpha Theta failed to make this distinction from the get-go. They initially released the opus quad under the pioneer brand, and only when they realised the problems that was causing with the pioneer brands perception in the marketplace, did they bring in the alpha theta brand name.
Everyone whines about the brand name and ignores this fundamental point. The Pioneer brand is going nowhere. It's simply been augmented with a second product line for products that don't follow the club standard. Pioneer got this distinction right in the end, they simply fumbled the execution.
You’re wrong, Pioneer DJ is history - watch how it unfolds
@@digitaldjtips So you think Alpha Theta abandoning the market leading brand name, after 30 years of dominating the industry makes any kind of sense? That not only defies basic common sense, it signals an act of corporate suicide by the leadership of the Alpha Theta Marketing group.
On the point on Pioneer's lack of innovation, they eventually adopt the competition's cool features and then charge a huge premium for something that has been on market for years! At this point Pioneer Dj has a cult following, not because of anything substantial that they are doing. As you know cults usually crumble under their on illusions sooner or later.
Actually I disagree, I think their hardware is solid and dependable and while they do indeed sometimes mess up (silly features nobody wants, non consumer-friendly business practices, poor comms), they have developed much of how DJing is done today, tech-wise, and many DJs are happy to continue to buy their gear because of that. Truth is, it's great to have choices.
@@digitaldjtips I wouldn't fault Pioneer Dj on their hardware, it is indeed solid. I have both Pioneer Dj and Denon Dj gear. Much of the innovation that I'm referring to happens on the software side.
On this day in October 2024, how do you justify that the XDJ-XZ is still quite pricier than the Denon Prime 4+ even though the Pioneer offers less when you compare these devices?
Twitch’s new DJ Category seems to be going well enough. It’s nice to be separated from all the non dj musical streamers. A bit more easy to find us djs now
Yeah we are hearing mixed reports, which means many good as well as bad.
The name change seems to waste years of branding as Pioneer DJ and the loyalty and good will the brand had. The name had value and they’re basically throwing that away.
Its definitely a high risk strategy
Alphatheta is falling behind
ne pint t raise also is that when you buy the true end gear for home, you don't get any license for rekordbox, i started with a DJM A9 and xdj 1000Mk2, and i didn't get any License to use with it, which is a terrible point, there for, i'm using traktor in HID mode, on pioneer gear....
As I said, I think their whole licensing/subscription side is a mess. I agree.
Had 1210’s since 1998. Just had to google what alphatheta was and ended up here after looking to upgrade my 2008 djm800. What’s going on?? Lol
times are a-changin'
@@digitaldjtips should I need to have to google a market leading rebrand? Not sure I should
Did anyone else get an email survey from AlphaTheta - Title: A quick question from AlphaTheta - your feedback can make a difference
Noooo....
@@digitaldjtips Sorry I can't forward it on but it was basically asking about brand awareness etc.
I did
We buy 4 cannel gear just in case. lol
If alpha theta was a monopoly they would have to compete with themselves cos people could just use their older gear. And they would have more money to do r and d with. And we would have less blue and green leds (shots fired at Denon)
I do not ever agree with monopolies, prices would rise and innovation would slow.
AIpha lost my support with their dodgy subscription model , making hardware obsolete unless you pay for a sub , however you twist that, its a bit crappy ..Im happy using Traktor pro 4 now , never looking back !
We agree that they shot themselves in the foot with that one, doubt they'll do it again!
No, we don't have to accept the name change. The Pioneer DJ name brand had value itself. They chose to throw that value out of the window. DJs buy gear for brand name just as much as anything else. No one wants to be on stage with a pair of AlphaTheta shoes. Same goes for the logo on their DJ gear.
Disagree pretty strongly. DJing is an art. It's nothing to do with the name on the piece of gear you're using. If it is, then you're fetishizing something which should be creative. Just my view!
@@digitaldjtips That's fair but, like most things, its not that black and white. You can hold both of these ideas in your head. DJing is an art, and everything you do from practicing, to building your sets, to performing you can treat it as such. You can also not like the brand name change and be bothered by it because it messes with the aesthetic. The name can be part of your artistic expression the same way old school DJs took so much pride in putting a pair of Technics on the table.
In fact, it's a little weird to me that people hold up the "DJing is an art" mantra based mostly in tradition (even though technology proves daily that this is changing) - but changing something as deeply traditional as the Pioneer DJ name is nothing.
I don't think its fetishizing. It's just a preference. I don't mind if most people don't agree with me.
ITS 2025 AND THE ddJ1000 SRT STILL WORKS. PIONEER WAITED TILL THEY SOLD ENOUGH JANK NEW CONTROLLERS THEN THEY UPDATED THE FIRMWARE AND DRIVERS. PIONEER HAS TO MAKE MONEY, BUT IM NOT YOUR SUCKER HOMIE
Serato still cant have play button in sync and quantize in 2024, can you believe it? Try cue,cue,cue and play, and boom, it is out of SYNC. Terrible!
snickers is a lot more catchy than "alpha theta" though....
True!
Its like Google changing its name to Alphabet. Years later who the heck refers to it as that? It will always be Google!
Alphabet it's Googles parent company
Good point
NO SUBS
Alphatheta has failed with Software bugs and the reliability of their media players
As we said, the software especially is far from perfect in our view.
@@digitaldjtips It's the core reason that I use a combination of Engine DJ, DJPro AI and Mixxx on three separate Controllers running through an Allen and Heath Zed 10 and BitWig studio 5 running through a virtual Rack on Ubuntu Studio on my custom made ATX production tower
I think Pioneer DJ products dominate the market, not Alphatheta. How many Omni Duo or Rotary mixer they sold? I can bet very few. Alphatheta is a useless new brand, which started in the worst way possible, and may even destroy the value of Pioneer DJ brand. Typical example of stupid management handling their business the wrong way. btw, I've a DJM S11 and I think it's one of the last ever great devices they produced (in addition to A9).
I dunno, as soon as the "AlphaTheta CDJ4000" or whatever it will be called comes out, they'll just replace the Pioneer DJ CDJ3000s, in my opinion, seamlessly.
Why should it be that releasing a second distinct product line will destroy an existing established brand?
They are clearly separate brands addressing different segments of the market.
@@digitaldjtipsThe next CDJ will be branded Pioneer.
Once the Pioneer XDJ-AZ is released, sitting alongside the Alpha Theta Opus Quad, hopefully the penny will drop.
Well, if it were as you say, I would be all for it. However, they seem to be doing everything they can to blur the lines between the brands:
1) Alphatheta products are featured on the Pioneer DJ website, but not the other way around.
2) The target market for Alphatheta is unclear (what do Omnis-Duo and Euphonia have in common aside from being overpriced?).
3) The brand's scope is vague. Take a look at the Alphatheta subtitle, "One through music"-it doesn't convey anything specific.
Personally, I think this is an entirely unnecessary move. I hope, for their sake (and ours, as Pioneer DJ customers), that I’m wrong.
@@digitaldjtips In that case, Alphatheta and Pioneer DJ would effectively merge de facto.
I want to complain about inmusic for a second, buttons don’t feel good. Colors not nice. Cheapest plastic in existence on some parts of the 6000s. Ugly font on the Denon logo. Don’t innovate like Alpha theta do with the awesome 64 bit dacs adding effects on stems. Inmusic make e waste in comparison to alpha theta reliability and usability … let’s be accurate let’s not hold djay pro above them i mean what a retarded platform. DJing on iPhones what a waste of time if you are trying to be a professional on any level. DJing on Apple Watch? VR DJing?
Hold on there, I was talking about quality of software - the basics. Not VR, watch etc.
AplhaTheta is a horrible name. Just change to Alpha Dj, it sounds much better.
Kinda agree!
Alpha Theta - what the hell is a Theta ?? Big mistake i think
Used Rekordbox at a house party a few weeks ago. It crashed a good 5 or 6 times in as many hours. There are crackheads in the world more reliable than this software! 😂
There's definitely an issue there because it doesn't crash if it's on a laptop installed properly where the laptop can cope with the software. So I'd look into whether your laptop has got the right spec to run it.
The serato acquisition was a pitty buyout, buying a partner to help them survive because inmusic were being stingy with the license fee