To give its immensely popular CDJ range a new budget-minded option, Pioneer DJ has released a new cut down version that incorporates much of the hardware of the club-standard CDJs, but comes in at an unheard of price point. Called the XDJ-WeGO, the new device retains the actual look and feel of the flagship CDJs, but, instead of using an expensive built-in internal processor, features a smartphone dock where the CDJ screen would normally go. The smartphone runs a Pioneer CDJ app that allows users to play and manipulate music on the iPhone physically on the unit. Keep reading for the absurd details.
Processing on a Smartphone
Using a smartphone or tablet to control a MIDI controller is nothing new. Brands like Numark, Reloop, Native Instruments, and even Pioneer themselves all have controllers that use a smartphone as the processing unit. However, there isn’t a media player that uses a smartphone on the market right now. This seems like a smart move, because the price of the unit can go down dramatically as all the expensive internal computer elements have been removed in favor of the phone. All the user has to do is download Pioneer’s new XDJ app, which inherits much of the functionality of the CDJ screens
Giving the CDJ a new market
The XDJ-WeGo seems aimed at DJs who want the CDJ feel for a home setup but might not want to spend several thousand dollars for a flagship setup. The WeGO offers much of the playback functionality seen on the larger CDJs but comes in at a fraction of the price. This then opens up the CDJ range to DJs who previously never had access to CDJs. This would seem like a smart brand move given more DJs are adopting the Denon Prime series of players, including big names like Laidback Luke and Tiesto.
By offering a CDJ at this price, Pioneer can now welcome DJs into the CDJ range, who are now less likely to use competitors because they’ve started on CDJs.
Two Is Better Than One
One of the best parts about this new design is that to have multiple decks each with their own screen, you’ll need a second phone. Why not pick one up for cheap at the Apple Store – it’s still less than a CDJ-2000NXS2, right? Alternately, invite a friend over every time you want to play a set. Perfect!
Editor’s Note: Today is April 1st. If you enjoyed this article, you might also enjoy reading about how Ableton 10 will incorporate a brand new smell-based synthesis engine.
