Pioneer DDJ-400 Review - What Can the New Pioneer DJ Controller Do?
The Pioneer DDJ-400 is a portable 2-channel Rekordbox DJ controller for beginners and intermediate DJs. It features two jogwheels, loop controls akin to a CDJ-2000NXS2 media player, three-band EQs and a filter per channel, eight performance pads per deck, and a Beat-FX section in DJM style.
Pioneer's DJ controller DDJ 400 is a solid first controller for anyone looking to get into DJing. Despite being an entry-level controller, it grants access to many features, unlocks Rekordbox DJ, and condenses Pioneer DJ's high-end mixer and players into a smaller, more compact form, making it a useful tool even for professional DJs who want to prepare/test selections, playlists, hot cues, and samples at home.
Note:
The DDJ-400 has been discontinued by Pioneer. The official successor is the DDJ-FLX4. For more information on the FLX4, check out the review HERE.
First Impressions / Setup
The Pioneer DDJ-400 is a two-channel controller for Rekordbox DJ, which is also included in the package. It features three-band EQs, trim potentiometers, filter volume controls, and a crossfader in the mixer section, along with the necessary browse and track load buttons.
The controller has two decks, each with a 5-inch jogwheel, eight small performance pads with pad mode buttons offering the following functions:
- Hot Cue
- Beat Loop
- Beat Jump
- Sampler
- Keyboard
- Pad FX1
- Pad FX2
- Key Shift
There's also a Pitch Fader and a loop section resembling a CDJ or XDJ media player, present.
Those who have used Pioneer controllers before will notice that the decks don't have dedicated FX sections, which usually consist of some knobs and buttons above the jogwheel. Instead, there's now a Beat FX section on the right side of the mixer.
On the rear, there's a RCA master output, a 6.3mm jack microphone input with level control, and a USB port. On the front of the unit, there's a 3.5mm headphone output jack.
Quality and Unlocking
The DDJ-400 is solidly built and practically 100% plastic. However, the feel of the material is not cheap - there are no squeaks or wobbles. The buttons, pads, faders, and knobs are of good quality and respond well.
Aside from the quality, one of the biggest advantages of this controller is that it unlocks Rekordbox DJ, which normally comes at a cost of €9.99 per month (Core version).
With the DDJ-400, simply plug the USB cable into the computer and you can enjoy Rekordbox DJ without any monthly fee. However, if you wish to access music from the cloud via Algoriddim or Tidal, a subscription is required.
The Jogwheels
The jogs of the DDJ-400 resemble those of the DDJ-RB. They are capacitive, like all other DDJ controllers, and they are not mechanical like those of the DDJ-1000 or the CDJ/XDJ media players. They are lightly responsive and we liked the feeling - they have a nice weight, similar to what you would expect from other DDJ controllers.
The main difference of the DDJ-400's jogwheels is the appearance - they have a shiny surface that provides more traction when hands are on the jogwheels, and a rubberized coating like that of a CDJ or XDJ for a grippier pitch bending experience when nudging tracks forwards or backwards.
Scratch DJs will be reassured to know how responsive these smaller wheels are - sure, they lack a bit of the full traction and inertia of a "big" jogwheel, but they still feel great and scratching is indeed quite possible.
The tempo faders of the DDJ-400 have also been improved and are now longer than those of the DDJ-RB, which were really short-throw faders. This allows for more precise BPM adjustments when syncing tempo across two tracks.
Loop Section
One of the major layout changes on the DDJ-400 is the looping controls. Instead of the usual auto-loop buttons on older DDJ controllers or the loop in/loop out controls on the DDJ-RB, there is now a loop section akin to that of a CDJ or XDJ media player. It consists of a loop in button, which also serves as a four-beat auto-loop button, a loop out button, a reloop/exit button for exiting or re-entering the loop area, and cue/loop call buttons with which you can navigate through memory cues and loops. These cue/loop call buttons also function as half-loop or double-loop buttons, just like on a CDJ or XDJ.
The reason for the change is that Pioneer DJ once again wants to standardize the control of its devices, whether they are club or home DJ controller devices. We find it smart because we've always found loop controls confusing transitioning from a DDJ-RZ to a pair of CDJs. This way, looping becomes embedded in one's workflow, regardless of whether working with the DDJ-400 or not.
The deck section contains the most commonly used functions of CDJs, such as the traditional round CUE and PLAY buttons or LOOP IN/OUT (the two yellow standard buttons); pressing the left button sets the start point (IN) of the loop, the right button the end (OUT).
It's important that the QUANTIZE mode in Rekordbox is enabled so that the loop can seamlessly connect to the previous beat. Using EXIT exits the loop, and using RELOOP jumps back to the previous loop.
With the CUE/LOOP buttons, you can divide or multiply the length of loops. Pressing SHIFT + right arrow allows you to set a CUE save point in Rekordbox (while the track is playing). Once you've saved multiple cue points, you can use the arrow keys to select which one to trigger.
Additionally, you can save loops here. Once the loop area is set, you can save it with SHIFT + right arrow and then activate it with SHIFT + EXIT LOOP.
Also worth noting is the pitch fader, which is almost twice as long as that of its predecessor DDJ-RB, allowing for more precise tempo control during beatmatching by ear.
Monitoring
A wonderful addition to the DDJ-400 is the headphone mix control, allowing you to adjust what you hear from the speakers between the master output and the headphone cue. This was missing in the DDJ-RB, which was a bit annoying because it meant there was no way to refine the mix from the speakers.
Mixer Section
The FX controls for both decks of the DDJ-400 are in the Beat FX section, directly next to the mixer, grouped together. There's an FX selection button that allows you to scroll through the list of available FX downward (or upward, using the shift key).
There are also two Beat buttons with which you can shorten or lengthen the length or time of the effect's beat, and there's an FX deck selection button - this way you can add effects to Deck 1, Deck 2, or anything coming out of the master output.
Everything is rounded off with a level/depth control and an effect on/off switch. With the LEVEL/DEPTH control, you can adjust the strength of the applied effects. With SHIFT + ON/OFF, you can end the effect with a RELEASE EFFECT (like Vinyl Brake) that you can select in Rekordbox.
The controls and layout are similar to those of the DJM-450 or the DJM-900NXS2, with the controls reduced to the absolute minimum. A FX select knob would have been better than a button, as it allows for quicker switching between effects.
The faders and EQ/filter controls respond very well, there are no delays in instant cuts, and the crossfader is great for learning some scratching basics.
Of course, you can also simply click on the laptop's trackpad and select the effect, so it's not a dealbreaker. We do miss some of the flexibility of the Pro deck FX section on the DDJ-RB, but on the other hand, they're of no use if you're standing with CDJs in a club. So those with club or pro DJ aspirations are better off getting used to the Beat FX layout.
Performance Pads
As with most controllers, the controller features 8 Performance Pads. Unlike the Traktor S2 MK3 pads, these are not RGB pads, but rather simple red illuminated pads. This could be a bit inconvenient if you use many Hot Cues or the sampler section.
There are 4 modes for using the pads:
HOT CUE - This allows you to define 8 points to which the track should jump while mixing; if the Hot Cue slots are not loaded, pressing a pad stores a Hot Cue; SHIFT + PAD clears the stored Hot Cue.
BEAT LOOP - Use the pads to set the loop length (PAD 1: ¼ beat LOOP; PAD 8: 32 beat loop, and all other pads trigger loop lengths in between).
BEAT JUMP - when activated, the Rekordbox display shows 4 options: 1; 2; 4; 8 beat jumps forward or backward, these are assigned to the pads, while SHIFT + the last two pad buttons activate further options in this area, such as skipping 16 or more beats in either direction.
SAMPLER - in this mode, you can load one-shots or any other samples into Rekordbox Sampler slots and drop them by pressing the pads while the track is playing.
The performance pads are doubly functional. Pressing the SHIFT key allows you to control the following functions.
SHIFT + HOT CUE - Keyboard Mode: here you can select any stored Hot Cue and change its pitch.
SHIFT + BEAT LOOP - Activates PAD FX: you can assign an effect to each pad button and use them simultaneously.
SHIFT + BEAT JUMP - Next page of PAD FX.
SHIFT + SAMPLER - Direct Keyboard Mode: enables immediate pitch change for the playing track.
Tutorial Mode
The DDJ-400 also offers a special tutorial area for inexperienced DJs to quickly familiarize themselves with setting up the DDJ-400. It also includes some basic mixing tutorials and a link to an archive of other Pioneer DJ tutorials for other kits in the Pioneer DJ product line.
Conclusion
The DDJ-400 is a solidcontroller for those looking to get into DJing - it features all the modern digital DJ controls and performance features found on more expensive devices and is of the right size for small DJ setups. There's not much innovation on board as the controller is more an evolution of how Pioneer DJ manufactures beginner-oriented equipment.
Pioneer DJ continues to make strides with its Rekordbox and Rekordbox DJ software, and it's starting to stand out from other popular DJ programs. The replication of the layout of a club-standard CDJ/DJM setup in the most affordable gear means the transition from the bedroom to professional for new DJs and those who don't know how a CDJ/DJM setup works will be smoother.
This also means that club and pro DJs looking for a small, affordable controller they can take on holiday and travel with might also find the DDJ-400 quite appealing.
Overall, a good entry-level deck full of professional features at an attractive price.
Now available HERE in the shop.