The Pioneer DDJ-400 is a portable 2-channel rekordbox DJ controller for beginners and advanced DJs. It features two jog wheels, CDJ-2000NXS2-style loop controls, three-band EQs and a filter per channel, eight performance pads per deck, and a DJM-style beat FX section.
Pioneer's DJ Controller DDJ 400 is a solid first controller for those getting into DJing and for club and professional DJs looking for a compact setup to use at home or on the road. Although it's an entry-level controller, it provides access to many features, unlocks Rekordbox DJ, and brings 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.
First impressions / Setup
The DDJ-400 is a two-channel controller for Rekordbox DJ, which is also included. 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 offers two decks, with each deck featuring a 5-inch jog wheel, eight small performance pads with pad mode buttons that provide the following functions:
- Hot Cue
- Beat Loop
- Beat Jump
- Sampler
- Keyboard
- Pad FX1
- Pad FX2
- Key Shift
There is also a pitch fader and a loop section that looks similar to a CDJ or XDJ media player
Those who have used Pioneer controllers before will notice that the decks do not have their own FX sections, which usually consist of a few knobs and buttons above the jog wheel. Instead, there is now a Beat FX section on the right side of the mixer.
On the rear panel there is a RCA master output, a 6.3 jack microphone input with level control and a USB jack. On the front of the unit is a 3.5 jack output jack for headphones.
Quality and unlocking
The DDJ-400 is built solidly and is practically 100% plastic. However, the feel of the material is not cheap - There is no squeaking or wobbling. The buttons, pads, faders and knobs are of good quality and respond well.
Apart from the quality, one of the biggest advantages of this controller is that it unlocks Rekordbox DJ, which normally costs €9.99 per month (Core version).
With the DDJ-400, you simply connect the USB cable to your computer and you can enjoy Rekordbox DJ without paying a monthly fee. However, if you want to access music from the cloud via Algoriddim or Tidal, a subscription is required.
The Jogwheels
The jogs of the DDJ-400 are similar to 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 slightly responsive and we liked the feel - they have a nice weight, similar to what you would expect from other DDJ controllers.
The main difference of the DDJ-400's jog wheels is the look - they have a shiny surface that provides more traction when you have your hands on the jog wheels and a rubber tire like a CDJ or XDJ for a more grippy pitch-bending experience when you spin tracks forward or backward.
Scratch DJs will be reassured to know how responsive these smaller wheels are - they may lack the full traction and inertia of a "big" jog wheel, but they still feel great and scratching is indeed 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 the tempo is set on two tracks.
Loop-section
One of the major layout changes on the DDJ-400 are the looping controls. Instead of the usual Auto-Loop buttons on older DDJ controllers or the Loop-In / Loop-Out controls in the DDJ-RB, there is now a Loop section similar to that of a CDJ or XDJ media player. It consists of a Loop-In button, which also serves as a four-bar Auto-Loop button, a Loop-Out button, a Reloop/Exit button for leaving or re-entering the loop section as well as Cue/Loop Call buttons to scroll through memory cues and loops. These Cue / Loop call buttons also serve as loop half or loop double buttons, just like a CDJ or XDJ.
The reason for the change is that Pioneer DJ wants to standardize the control of its equipment again, whether it is club or controller DJ equipment for home use. We think it's smart because we've always found loop controls confusing to switch from a DDJ-RZ to a pair of CDJs. This way, looping is anchored in your workflow, whether you're 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 standard yellow buttons); pressing the left button sets the starting point (IN) of the loop, the right button the end (OUT).
It is important that the QUANTIZE mode is activated in Rekordbox so that the loop can seamlessly follow the previous beat. EXIT exits the loop, RELOOP returns to the previous loop.
The CUE/LOOP buttons can be used to 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 running). Once you have multiple cue points saved, you can use the arrow keys to select which one to trigger.
You can also save loops here. Once the loop range is set, you can save it with SHIFT + right arrow and then activate it with SHIFT + EXIT LOOP.
Also worth mentioning is the pitch fader, which is almost twice as long as its predecessor DDJ-RB, so you can control the tempo more precisely when beatmatching by ear.
Monitoring
A wonderful addition to the DDJ-400 is the headphone mix control, which lets you adjust what you hear from the speakers between the master output and the headphone cue. This was missing from the DDJ-RB, which was a bit annoying because it meant there was no way to refine the mix from the speakers.
Beat FX
The FX controls for both decks of the DDJ-400 are grouped in the Beat FX section, right next to the mixer. There is an FX select button that allows you to move the list of available FXs down (or up, using the shift key).
There are also two Beat buttons that let you shorten or lengthen the beat length or time of the effect, and there is an FX Deck Select button - so you can add effects to Deck 1, Deck 2, or anything coming out of the Master output.
Everything is rounded out with a level/depth control and an effect on/off switch. The LEVEL/DEPTH control adjusts the strength of the applied effects. SHIFT + ON/OFF can be used to end the effect with a RELEASE EFFECT (like Vinyl Brake) that can be selected in Rekordbox.
The controls and layout are similar to those of the DJM-450 or DJM-900NXS2, with the controls reduced to the absolute minimum. An FX Select knob would have been better than a button, as it allows you to switch through the effects more quickly. Of course you can also just click on the laptop's trackpad and select the effect, so it's not a deal breaker.
The faders and EQ/filter controls respond very well, there are no delays on instant cuts, and the crossfader is great for learning some scratching basics.
We miss a bit the flexibility of the Pro-Deck FX section on the DDJ-RB, but on the other hand it doesn't help when you're standing in the club with CDJs. So if you have club or pro DJ needs, you're better off getting used to the beat FX layout, adding effects to Deck 1, Deck 2 or anything that comes out of the master output. Everything is rounded out with a level/depth control and an effect on/off switch.
Performance Pads
As on most controllers, there are 8 performance pads. Unlike the ones on the Traktor S2 MK3, these aren't RGB pads, but simple red backlit pads. If you are using a lot of hot cues or the sampler section, this might be a little inconvenient.
You can use the pads in 4 modes:
HOT CUE - use it to define 8 points where the track should jump to while mixing; if the hot cue slots are not loaded, then when you press a pad, it will save a hot cue; SHIFT + PAD will delete the saved 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 will show 4 options: 1; 2; 4; 8 beat jumps forward or backward, these are mapped to the pads, while SHIFT + the last two pad buttons will enable more options in this section, like skipping 16 or more beats in any direction
SAMPLER - in this mode you can load One Shots or any other samples into the Rekordbox Sampler slots and drop them by pressing the pads while the track is playing
The performance pads also have deeper functions if you press SHIFT while selecting the mode:
SHIFT + HOT CUE - Keyboard mode: here you can select any saved 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: it allows you to change the pitch instantly for the track that is playing
Tutorial-Mode
The DDJ-400 also offers a special tutorial section for inexperienced DJs to quickly familiarize themselves with setting up the DDJ-400. It also contains 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 solid controller for those who want to get into DJing - it has all the modern digital DJ controls and features found on more expensive gear, and it's just the right size for small DJ setups. There's not much innovation on board, as the controller is more of an evolution of the way Pioneer DJs make beginner-oriented gear.
Pioneer DJ continues to make progress with its Rekordbox DJ software, and it is beginning to stand out from other popular DJ programs. Replicating the layout of a club standard CDJ/DJM setup in the most affordable equipment means a smoother transition from the bedroom to the professional for new DJs and those who don't know how a CDJ/DJM set works.
It also means that club and professional DJs looking for a small, inexpensive controller to take with them on vacation and travel may also find the DDJ-400 attractive.
All in all a good entry level deck full of professional features at an attractive price.
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