Looking at major clubs and festivals around the world, the setup most often found in the DJ booth or on stage are Pioneer CDJ 2000s and a Pioneer DJM 900. This is paradise for Rekordbox DJs, they show up, plug in their USB sticks and they’re good to go.
Imagine being a Traktor DJ and having the ability to show up at a club and get the same setup convenience. Today Ryan Dejaegher is going to show you how by using the CDJ 2000s in HID mode with Traktor. No more soundcards or timecode CDs, just USB cables.
The biggest advantage of using HID mode with the CDJs is the ease of setup and convenience. Lots of venues will have CDJ 2000s setup in the booth, so it’s a huge plus when DJs don’t have to bring their own gear and they can use what’s already at the club. For CDJ users it’s always been a pretty easy setup: bring your CDs or USB stick, plug and play. For Traktor users that use timecode CDs or controllers, it’s a little more complicated. They have to deal with making room in the booth, setting up their soundcard/controller, and plugging CDJs into the soundcard. It’s a bit of a pain.
Using the CDJs in HID mode with Traktor allows for more of a plug and play experience. There’s no need for a Traktor soundcard like the Audio 6 or for timecode CDs, and using HID mode doesn’t even require Traktor Scratch Pro. All DJs need to do is plug USB cables into the CDJs and fire up Traktor. This also makes DJ transitions easier since there isn’t any extra gear that needs to be setup or soundcards to connect. If you’ve connected the USB cables to your laptop in advance, just toggle the “Link” button on the CDJs and you’re set.
Further reading: Traktor + Serato DJs: Switching DJs on 1 Soundcard
Which CDJ models are HID compatible?
At this time Traktor only supports advanced HID mode for the CDJ 2000 Nexus, CDJ 2000, and CDJ 900. For those with CDJ 850s don’t hold your breathe, people have been asking a long time and it hasn’t happened, so the only option is using the CDJ 850 Traktor mapping or timecode CDs. There is also no support for the CDJ-900 Nexus and the brand new XDJ-1000 (check out our review!). These are newer models and they’re supported in Serato DJ so hopefully Traktor gets support for them in the future.
****UPDATE: Traktor Pro 2.8 now supports the Pioneer CDJ 900 Nexus and XDJ-1000 in HID mode
Pioneer CDJ 2000 HID Setup
There are a few things that initially need to be done to make the setup truly plug and play. First, DJs will want to make sure the CDJs are running the latest firmware. If the CDJs aren’t running the latest firmware, follow this guide to update the firmware on your CDJ 2000s. Once the firmware has been updated, DJs will need to setup an aggregate soundcard for the CDJs.
Pioneer CDJ Aggregate Soundcard Setup
The CDJs have soundcards built in, however Traktor is only capable of reading one soundcard at a time. To solve this problem, Pioneer has created a simple tool that creates an aggregate soundcard from multiple CDJs in one click.
The CDJ/XDJ aggregator tool will merge multiple CDJs to appear as one soundcard so DJs can assign Traktors decks outputs to multiple CDJs. To setup an aggregate soundcard, connect the CDJs via USB, then open the CDJ/XDJ Aggregate tool. The tool will display all the connected CDJs.
Leave the tool open, then open Traktor, go to “Audio Setup” in Traktors Preferences and choose “Pioneer CDJ/XDJ” for your “Audio Device”. Once that’s been done, go to “Output Routings” and assign each Traktor deck output to the CDJs.
Traktor HID Setup
The last step is to assign the CDJs to decks in Traktor. Make sure the CDJs are connected by USB and that the HID setting is set to “Advanced” on each CDJ, this can be done from the Menu/Utility on the CDJ 2000s.
Now click “Link” on the CDJs and select “USB MIDI”, a Traktor icon should be displayed. Rotate the encoder to choose a deck, once you’ve selected the correct deck, press the encoder and the CDJ will automatically be setup with Traktor, nothing to map or configure. DJs can now view the track waveform, browse/load tracks from their Traktor collection, and control all of Traktor’s main functions such as tempo, sync, and hot cues.
Plug and Play at a Club
If there are CDJs at the club but you haven’t played there before, there’s a few ways to ensure you can plug and play with their CDJs. Get in touch with the manager/promoter and see if you can come before opening hours to check out the gear. If there’s a resident DJ, contact them and see what they normally use and ask if they can find out the firmware on the CDJ. If you’re unable to find out the firmware or test the setup before the gig, then it’d be best to bring a Traktor soundcard and timecode CDs in case the CDJ firmware isn’t up to date.
Now Traktor DJs can have the same plug and play experience that Rekordbox users have had. They can leave their soundcards and timecode CDs at home, plug the CDJs into their laptop, and be ready to go. Just don’t forgot to bring USB cables!
Check out the Pioneer CDJ 2000 Nexus in the DJTT Store!
ok, i have a question, explain to be where the set up for the mixer goes
What about the new XDJ 1000MK2? Can you get them to work on traktor too?
can i play a b2b session with a friend when hes playing one deck with traktor and me with a usb stick in the other player?
Would love to see another one of these now with traktor 2.11
I’ve had problems lately with this method, set up the CDJs with the aggregator, select ‘Pioneer CDJ’ in traktor soundcard settings and assign decks A and B but then load a track on either deck and it plays but it’s fuzzy/muffled.
I’ve tried doing some of the steps in different order, using both USB inputs on my laptop for each cable and also tried with a USB port into one input, checked that CDJ firmware is up to date but no luck! Been using traktor on one CDJ and USB on other CDJ which is less than ideal!
I’m using traktor scratch pro 2.11 and macbook pro with yosemite.
Any tips appreciated! Cheers!
Why isnt it working with the CDJ 850? And where can i get the mapping?
Just tried using my CDJ 2000s in HID mode I noticed a lag in platter performance when scratching. My laptop is relatively old, about 5 years (Windows OS, I3 processor), and I’m assuming this is the issue. I’m curious to know if anyone else has this issue?
Need help!
I have macbook pro with 2 usb ports.I use one for the usb hub where i connect players for HID mode and i use other usb port for X1 and everything works.Since i do a lot of live remixing and mashuping,i like to use also F1,but when i connect it on the usb hub,i dont have sound coming out.What should i do.Change something in the settings menu,like outpot or something else?
Tnx and sorry for my bad english
Is your hub powered?
Yes it is
[…] Plug them in: If you need to use the XDJ soundcards, make an aggregate device with these instructions […]
[…] CDJ / XDJ Aggregator und HID / DJ Tech Tools […]
[…] Plug and Play Pioneer CDJs with Traktor … – Plug and Play at a Club. If there are CDJs at the club but you haven’t played there before, there’s a few ways to ensure you can plug and play with … […]
Does it make any difference in the procedure to connect cdj 2000 and cdj 2000nexus?
I am personally a Mac user, does anything differ in the Mac version and Traktor version?
I already use traktor in my cdj 2000, would i have any problem connecting the new cdj 2000nexus?
Thanks
No.
Is There is anyway to connect F1 to control Remix Deck in HID without soundcard???
I was hoping to find that answer here too
The F1 and Remix deckswill always operate as they should when connected however you still need a sound source unless you’re using your laptop as your soundcard/output/source. The F1 always works as it should as well in Native Instruments HID proprietary format called NHL unless you switch it to MIDI using a custom made mapping.
The fact that they haven’t integrated support for the CDJ-850 at this point is downright shameful. NI has terrible hardware and increasingly lagging software.
What about the quality of the audio while using HID with the mixer’s sound card in comparison with a NI sound card?
Quality is always best if you use the spdif Outs of your cdjs. if the cdjs only have analog Outs or the mixer has no spdif Inputs i’d prefer the Mixers internal soundcard. important for me is to have no unecessary d/a a/d conversion.
has anyone had trouble doing this when the previous dj is using a usb stick with network cable? when i hit the link button it wont change modes, it gets stuck in network link.
the previous dj should finish his set on the cdj player where the usb sitck is plugged in. so other dj can continue to setup on the other cdj player.
Does anybody know if it is possible to do this with cdj400s and a S8? Would the waveforms for the tracks on the cdjs be displayed on the s8 screens?
Do you have to be using Traktor Scratch Pro or can you use Traktor Pro for this?
Either version works in this manner.
[…] Further reading: Traktor + Serato DJs: Switching DJs on 1 Soundcard […]
What is this, 2012?? LOL
This came out in like, late 2012 early 2013. If you don’t know how to take advantage of HID mode with traktor and CDJ’s by now, I suggest you quit while you’re ahead…
Hey Jake, yes you’re right this has been around a while but we felt it was worth refreshing peoples memory.
There is a broad spectrum of DJs. There are DJs that love using the latest tools and gear and then there some DJs that are fine using the gear the way they always have, as long as it works for them they see no need to change anything.
To illustrate this point the DJ that lent me these CDJs uses Serato timecode CDs and is using Scratch Live instead of Serato DJ. Does this make him a bad DJ because he’s not using the latest tools/software? Should he quit? Absolutely not, he’s one of the best guys in town. That setup works for him and he can do the job with it. He’s aware of Serato DJ and HID but he doesn’t necessarily need it.
HID or timecode it doesn’t really matter, if people are having a good time that’s the most important part.
hmm. in my case, DJM-900NXS, CDJ-2000NXS, I just need 3 usb cables, one for the mixer, and 2x CDJs.. HID is “true” plug and play. and I never used aggregator because I’m using the soundcard from DJM-900. so.. I guess this video is useful if the mixer isn’t HID plus if you dont have A6. (I always carry A6 just in case.. even though I barely use it after HID came out)
This article just goes to show how Traktor-centric DJTT is
Serato and Mixvibes have kickass HID support and you don’t even mention them.
+1
Traktor hasn’t had any mentionable update for such a long time now but DJTT is still acting like they have any “news” while Serato and Atomix – the most vibrant DJ software companies – are getting ignored totally.
Wake up Traktor fanboys.
I really wish NI would step up and do what they were famous for: Innovate.
But up until then DJTT just is beating a dead horse now.
Hey Serkan, we just recently posted a Serato Flip tutorial from DJ Kue: http://www.djtechtools.com/2015/02/24/make-your-own-edits-with-serato-flip/
While this tutorial isn’t new (it’s been supported since Traktor Pro 2.5), there are always new DJs and people that may not have been exposed to this so we felt it was worth doing an update and the benefits of using HID over timecode CDs.
I’d be worried with what happens if one of the players shuts off or its USB is disconnected.
I tried USB control at a gig with 350s and traktor and it was a disaster. Setup during soundcheck worked great, but the switch from the previous DJ playing off USB sticks is where it fell apart. Apparently the 350s disable their soundcard when switching modes. So I set up one CDJ, launch Traktor, set its output to the Aggregate Device and that deck works. I launch a track and change the other CDJ to USB control mode, but Traktor doesn’t receive MIDI or send Audio through it. Luckily I brought 2 USB sticks as backup. Tried playingone track off usb and other through Traktor while troubleshooting, but the only option would have been to quit Traktor, set both players to USB control and start Traktor again, but that would mean killing the music for a bit. Ended up playing the whole set off USB sticks.
After that for me it’s either simple (USB) or tried and true (A6 plus control CDs), otherwise don’t bother.
Scroling through the comments, I’m glad you mentioned this. I caught that issue a few years ago with pioneer CDJ’s, they all switch off the soundcard when going from LINK to USB modes. But I found a small work-around that doesn’t drop your soundcard. Try going from LINK to DISC modes before going to USB mode. So your final track will have to be on CD before the next DJ comes in. I found this working on the latest firmware for all the CDJ’s. The only thing I haven’t tried is the switch over on XDJ-1000’s to see if it the USB mode drops out your soundcard.
I’m reading this and thinking wow so many hoops to jump through in a live dj setting,to be honest I really would not want to be bothered and to run the risk of a cock up,I mean updating the cdj to the latest firmware in a live situation is just a receipt for disaster.I would either use traktor with x1 or bring usb sticks,so much simpler.
i use the ni x1 because i hate cdjs . why should i work with two big cdjs with a dated layout and massive jog wheels i dont need when i can do everything a cdj can on one x1 with one hand at a very small room? i also use nis sound cards but sometimes i use the build in soundcard of the pioneer 900 mix desk
i personally have my tracks setup both in traktor and recordbox just to make things easier 😀
I’m a Traktor DVS DJ, but I only use this when I have to bring my own gear. Also when I’m playing events where you don’t know what music they will want or private parties. But general club gigs I just bring a USB and headphones. Recordbox is free and just plugging in a USB is the most hassle free you can get. Why would you mess around with all this other stress, over complicating things! ??????
For all of you looking for CDJ decks on a budget with HID capability look no further than the discontinued however still awesome Pioneer CDJ-400’s. These guys are a distant relative to the current lineup of CDJ’s as they were the first CDJ’s to have USB ports on top. I love mine and they work flawlessly. You can pick up a pair quite reasonably as well. They’re not as large as the CDJ-900’s and CDJ-2000’s however this can be an advantage as they take up less space and are easier to transport.
<3 ? Pioneer CDJ-400 ? <3 #CDJ400 <3
Here’s how it works at a local club to me.
Cdj2000s and a djm2000. Process would be the same for other djms with internal soundcard.
Previous dj uses external soundcard and serato.
Uses cdjs in hid for control
Say he finishes on right cdj, on fader 3 ( which is coming in via cd in)
I turn up, plug my laptop into the djm as I use its internal soundcard. All of this while he’s playing ( first time I done this I had to set traktor to external mixer, make sure the output routing is correct ( traktor deck a output to usb 3/4 (fader 2 on djm), deck b output to 5/6 (fader 3 on djm) (1/2 is 1, 7/8 is 4))
Now I switch the toggle at the top of the mixer for fader 2 too usb 3/4. Now anything I play on my laptop on deck a on my traktor will output through the fader 2. (Whether that be clicking play with the mouse or even using my Native instruments X1 if I wanted) normally though I just unlink the left cdj from his serato, plug into my laptop and put the cdj in HID advanced mode, select deck A and I have full traktor deck control from the CDJ.
Once I’m playing from traktor, unplug the right cdj from his, plug into mine, select hid advanced controlling deck b, switch fader 3 on djm to usb. Whoila. Full control. I can even shut my laptop lid as every traktor control is available from the cdj. (Make sure windows not set too shutdown on closing laptop lid!)
We have even gone back to back, me using traktor/djm usb internal sound card/left deck in HID mode & him using serato/external sound card and right deck in HID mode.
Who needs controllers anyway when you got moola baby
With a 900, you can just plug into the 900 and use the cards onboard and use the CDJ’s as your control surface. No aggregated soundcard needed. I like running this better because you can use all 4 decks! I also carry an F1 to run the c and d decks. The idea behind this article was the whole reason I bought the 200 Nexus/DJM 900 setup…..walk into club, plug in…go! Running with the DJM 900 soundcard makes it that much simpler!
I also have the aggregated setup in my traktor, in case they don’t have a DJM 900, or in case something goes wrong with it. Same reason I carry all my music on a harddrive to just run the CDJ’s in case of issues.
There are some disadvantages to using the CDJS as the sound card vs bringing your own sound card.
1. You have to aggregate them which you have to do at the club. If you aggregated your own CDJs at home, OS X won’t recognize the club’s CDJs the same way. You have to create a new aggreagate decive and then select that device in Traktor. That’s a lot of time
2. If one USB cable comes out, the aggregate device dies. Worst case it crashes Traktor, best case the music stops completely.
3. More cables. You can just use the ethernet cables between the CDJs and then use 1 USB cable to go to the computer if you’re only using HID mode, but not as sound cards. If the cable comes out, it’s OK. The music will keep playing with your own external soundcard.
4. If the DJ before/after you also needs to use the CDJs at sound cards you need a 3rd player way of playing music such has some tracks on a USB, a CDJ or something you can beat sync in order to do the change over since it’ll take a few minutes to get the aggregate device setup and running in Traktor, During this time the other DJ can’t be wired in anymore.
The single advantage would be that the CDJs are most likely already correctly plugged into the mixer so you don’t have to mess with RCA cables. Still, I think swapping RCA cables is safer and easier between DJs than configuring sound cards and stealing the HID connection from the other DJ while doing so.
When 2 CDJ 2000 nexus(es) exist there is a pretty high chance, that they also have a DJM 900 nexus. Why not use this as a soundcard.
On the other hand I have to say, that I really prefer to use my own soundcard, as I have never, never, ever had a crash when using my own soundcard and cables.
The house clubs here (NYC) commonly have 2000s paired with a Xone 92. Which is super annoying, because as much as I love the Xone, using FX with CDJs (as sound source not Traktor controller) plus the Xone:92 is pretty much impossible due to the terrible send/return design of the Xone.
I know what you mean… Xone 92s are awesome and limiting at the same time. Unfortunately A&Hs new mixers (db4&db2) are a fucking joke.
I love my Soundcard & X1 setup paired with a Xone 92 though! If there are CDJs I use them as HID controllers, but still stick to the soundcard.
Why would the db range be considered a joke? Any deeper reads around to back your statement? Just wondering why the older mixer would be better.
For some reason no one person or clubs that use A&H mixers have upgraded since the 92. The Pioneer people have mostly all upgraded to the latest offerings on their side though. There must be a reason for that, the DBs have been out way longer than the Nexus mixers yet everyone sticks with the 92s. I never even thought about upgrading at home from my 92 because it’s still what the clubs use around me. Also I make heavy use of the 4 band EQ in my mixing style. I think if they just put 4 bands on the DB series you’d see more 92 users upgrade because they’d be “backwards compatible” with their mixing if they go somewhere with a 92 instead of a DB. But since they currently are only 3band, you would get used to using a 3 band at home and then go somewhere with a 4 band and it wouldn’t be the same.
Maybe not a big deal to some, but I do techno with live synths and drum machines so quickly knowing which band to adjust by ear is important to layer without having a wall of noise.
Doing a bit of reading for a new upgrade and ran across your hanging question. I don’t know if this will answer your question, but it might be part of it. Allen and Heath got sold off to Electra Holdings just over 2 years ago… something like that anyway. When a quality hardware company gets bought up from a profit margin stand point, one of the first thing that suffer is the quality of a build for the bottom line. New product lines become suspect.
Are you sure about that “You can just use the ethernet cables between the CDJs and then use 1 USB cable to go to the computer if you’re only using HID mode” I haven’t tried that yet.
you can actually do this with a pair of CDJ400!
Hi Guitierrez,can you explain me how you plug in a pair of cdj400 to traktor pls?
Basically you just need to create an aggregated device on mac which will allow traktor to see both CDJs at once. If you have a mac, follow the instructions of this guy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHtpIT4EhPI.
Let me know if it works
With Windows as long as you have the driver from Pioneer installed then the CDJ-400’s are plug and play.
Can anyone shed light on what it’s like using this set up when switching over from one DJ to another? As in, is it possible to configure all of this one deck at a time, to allow the other deck to continue playing from a different source (USBs or CDs). Can the sound card aggregation be done whilst one of the CDJs is connected to the laptop, but playing music from a different source?
You can switch back and forth from different sources by selecting the source choices from the top left of the CDJ. I would practice a couple of times, but the entire switch over is pretty easy. Just make sure you use the aggregator program before you start Traktor.
Cheers for the tips. Just to be clear, it is definitely possible to run the aggregator in the background whilst at least one of the CDJs is playing from another source, and is connected via the USB cable, but not linked to the computer (i.e. link button has not been pressed and its not showing the link icon with the laptop on the CDJ screen)?
Yes. I just verified it with the CDJs playing off one thumb drive. Just make sure you don’t switch the link to Traktor with the CDJ that is actively playing. That will stop the music. The CDJ will warn you though if you try to do that.
Yes this can be done. Another benefit of this setup is that you can easily switch to using CDs or a USB stick in the unfortunate event that Traktor or your laptop crashes.
Hey guys,
The functionality and the final result seems great, but I just don’t see where and how all these steps for setting HID control are much simpler and less stressful than just bringing your own soundcard and use timecode CDs.
1) Firmware must be up to date (usually up to the house)
2) You must select the outputs in traktor and test which one is what, since it does not tell in Traktor itself.
3) CDJ must be set to HID advanced (if not done before)
And some other stuff.
So, I haven’t used it myself, but I just wonder how much time and how nervous one can get when checking, setting and testing all that stuff a few minutes before the current DJ is about to finish playing, specially if he/she is also using HID.
It’s much easier to plug in a USB cable than unplugging and rerouting audio cables while someone is actually DJing.
I think it’s really beneficial if you’re playing in a multi DJ lineup. There’s nothing worse then trying to get a Traktor/Serato soundcard wired up in a dark DJ booth while another DJ is playing.
Again assuming you’ve tested the setup before performing, you can now show up anytime and plug n play with USB cables. With a soundcard you’ll need to set it up and connect it to the CDJs/mixer overtime.
“assuming you’ve tested the setup before performing”
Sometimes it is not possible to test before, so in these situations one never know if that will work or not when the time has come.
I know how stressful can be replacing audio cables while another DJ is playing. But, wouldn’t I still be disturbing the other DJ when plugging in USB cables (what if the DJ is also using HID?), setting HID advance mode and testing traktor output?
Thanks, guys!
the benefits far outweigh the risk IMO – HID mode means you have on-screen browsing and on-screen browsing on the CDJs, as well as functionality on all of the buttons and controls on the CDJ.
There’s almost no point in using fancy CDJ-2000 Nexus’ if you’re just going to pass audio through them – if that’s more your speed, just score some lower-end CDJs for way less cash.
Because, you can walk in, plug in 3 USB cables(all easily accessible), rather than messing with audio cables etc. and be done with it. So much easier!
I usually use my own soundcard + CDJs in HID mode. On the other hand I have to say, that the last few times I returned to using only my x1 + play a few tracks from USB sticks. The X1 + proper club mixer is still one of the most powerful setups around imo.
it seems kind of risky to rely on this working when you get to a venue
Hey noxxi, it would be bad to assume that all CDJs in clubs or at festivals are ready to go and have the latest firmware. If there’s any opportunity to test the setup before hand, take it, if not come prepared with back up solution.
I just wanted to say, that I love using my two CDJ 400 in HID mode with Traktor. 🙂
I’m right there with you man!
Werd!!
+1
<3 ? Heart my CDJ-400 ? <3
This one of the big reason I may switch to Serato, it support all CDJs with HID. Traktor doesn’t support the CD-850, CDJ-900NXS or the new XDJ-1000. Traktor seems to want to go more and more to a close system and only support their hardware and its very sad IMO
That and the lack of multi-core support is why I have been taking a very close look at Cross DVS from Mixvibe. It also has video (without buying it as an extra plug-in) and advanced audio routing for situations like the above article using the Wolfson DACs. The fact that Cross will use any soundcard (looking at you NI and Rane) could actually stir things up a little.
Why is everybody so sure that the reason behind the missing Traktor support of Pioneer gear is on the side of NI? I don’t know it either, but I just wonder why everybody is so sure that it’s NIs fault. Pioneer are the big player on the DJ market … I guess they dictate a lot whats happening in the DJ world.
Because if it’s Pioneer’s decision it would be strange to make their players HID compatible with all the major DJ sotfwares (Serato, Virtual DJ,Cross DJ) except traktor which have a huge part in the market. And on the NI side if it was really Pioneer’s decision to isolate them logically they would try to associate themselves with another hardware company but they don’t seem to give a shit
I don’t find any info on VDJ HID but:
Serato: Partnered up with Pioneer, Pioneer is (still) relying on SDJ as their primary DJ software
Mixvibes Cross: Mixvibes also partnered up with Pioneer on Rekordbox
NI are the only ones who have direct competitor products (and their own software) to Pioneer. I guess this is why they don’t talk to each other. As soon as Pioneer has their full software (something like Rekordbox Pro) the software only companies like Serato, VDJ and Mixvibes will have a very very hard time.
Good call, prophetic even.
Well let’s see and hope Serato have a good plan and some nice partnerships.
Same here, tried Serato DJ for that reasons and we like it. NI eventually will loose Traktor’s dominant position in the market if they keep doing things like that, their DJ hardware sucks and Serato is shortening distances quickly by doing exactly the opposite: being everywhere and available for every single DJ device on earth… and their customer service is the opposite as NI’s as well 🙂
I feel the same way as the bars I’m looking to get gigs at tend to have 850 / 900 or 900 nexus CDJs. Unfortunately, since my controller is an S4 I can’t use Serato with it, but I’m looking at Mixvibes and VDJ as they both support CDJs in HID mode (according to their PR anyway). The downside is that they neither supports the S4 in HID afaik, and VDJ too expensive. Still, if NI continues to release shite updates to Traktor Pro 2.x.x and fail to deliver hardware compatibility with 3, then Mixvibes may be my next upgrade. It also claims to have Recordbox export to USB, which is another major plus. It doesn’t matter how many good features software has if you can’t even use it in club DJ booth. How much longer is NI going to try to ignore that?
This looks great, and I love Traktor, but why not simply load your tracks on a USB stick?
If the interface and “user experience” is the same, You just don’t have to carry the laptop and all the USB cables, or set everything up.
I’d rather just bring my laptop because all my playlists are already sorted in Traktor and porting everything over to a USB is a pain. Also, I haven’t had good luck with Rekordbox. If I was using CDJs more often, I would go USB but the article is good for DJs like me that are using controllers 90% and the other 10% we can just hop into a booth and use the CDJs with Traktor.
Traktor is a bit more than just a platform to play music. If I just wanted to play a track as it was written, I’d just use my 900’s, but I run them in HID mode with Traktor instead. It allows me to have so much more control over things like looping.
The CDJ900 uses 150 frames per second when it reads a track, this is a lot tighter than models like the 850 which only uses 75 “slices” of a track per second. The problem with this is that when setting a loop on your CDJ, the loop is never dead on the mark, do to how that second is chopped into pieces. When setting a loop in Traktor, quantize will always hit the mark and keep your loop in time, as well as functions like loop move, loop capture, the remix deck and all the effects make life that much easier.
It’s amazing to think that your laptop now replaces so many other things that used to crowd a DJ booth, like loop stations, drum machines and effect pedal setups. Not to mention playlist are easier to access and an almost unlimited amount of hard drive space that is easily searched for music.
For me its more convenient to do last minute adjustments to tracklists, cues etc and just plugin the laptop. Pulling everything on the USB stick is just another step in between. On the other hand looping and FX in Traktor are far better than on the pioneer gear itself.
If you use Traktor as your hub, you can keep your DJ experience consistent across multiple platforms. CDJs for an easy set-up in a club. Maybe a S2 for house parties. And on the big nights when you have an extended set you can bring the f1 and x1 out.
Ummm… your example of “the setup most often found in the DJ booth or on stage are Pioneer CDJ 2000s and a Pioneer DJM 900”. It confuses me a little as to why you would assign the Wolfson DACs in the CDJs for your outputs, it was my understanding that the DJM 850 and up have Traktor ready soundcards.
I use a pair of CDJ900’s every day in HID mode with a Z2 and have no need for audio routing through my CDJs, although this would come in handy for dealing with a DJM 750 or an analog mixer.
Here the same. I use a 2 pair CDJ 900 with a DJM2000. But I want to expert my set up by buying 2 CDJ nexus.
If you have a Traktor certified mixer like the Kontrol Z2 or DJM 900 Nexus then there’s no need to setup the CDJs as your soundcard, you can just use them to control Traktor in HID mode.
For people that don’t have a Traktor certified mixer, this comes in handy because it means they don’t need a Traktor soundcard or Traktor certified mixer, the CDJs can act as their soundcard.
The quote I used in my last comment of “…the setup most often found in the DJ booth or on stage are Pioneer CDJ 2000s and a Pioneer DJM 900.” The example given in the opening line of the article supplies a soundcard that is Traktor ready… just sayin’.
I use HID every weekend and love it! I just wish they’d put the USB slot in the same position for the 2000 and the 2000NEXUS.
can’t understand why the didn’t support cdj 900 nexus?!!!!
It took Traktor a while to support advanced HID mode with the CDJs so hopefully support is still coming.
CDJ aggregator is not required for Windows systems as the driver already does that. It would be beneficial to include differences like this in your articles.
I believe it’s also not needed anymore under OS X with the latest versions of Traktor and CDJ-2000 Nexus FW, both CDJs show up as separate channels and can be selected as such.