Pioneer XDJ-RX2 Review - What Can the Pioneer 2 Deck Controller Do?
With the XDJ-RX2 2-deck DJ controller, Pioneer DJ combines the advantages of the universal CDJ-2000NXS2 player and the DJM-900NXS2 mixer. Furthermore, it interacts with the in-house rekordbox DJ software but also listens to externally connected peripheral devices to ultimately keep all input options open. The appearance of a professional must be convincing. This applies to the DJ themselves but also to their work material. Robust, tidy, yet equipped with many features - that's what matters!
At only 73 centimeters wide and 44 centimeters high, the Pioneer DJ XDJ-RX2 leaves no doubt about its professional stance. Its weight of nine kilograms emphasizes the robust and solid construction of the housing, which is still made of plastic. Since the console runs only on two stereo channels in the mixer, this benefits the arrangement of the functions. Plenty of space pays off, especially in the mixer, where the freedom of movement between the 13.5-centimeter jog wheels on the decks is very easy to handle, even in vinyl mode.
Prepared for all connections
As a standalone DJ controller, the XDJ-RX2 allows playing music via the connected stick, laptop, and rekordbox DJ software beyond. Accordingly, Pioneer DJ equips this flagship with two gold-plated RCA jacks to connect both external DJ players and turntables. Two additional Aux RCA jacks await the input of another player. Two microphones can also be connected via a combined XLR-jack connector. There's a USB port for the laptop. Even in the outputs, Pioneer DJ considers all eventualities: two master outputs, one on XLR basis, the other via RCA. The monitor box is connected to the two corresponding sockets via 6.3mm jack plugs.
The XDJ-RX2 is also suitable for those who have already gained experience with Pioneer DJ equipment, even without a user manual and thus almost blindly. The mixer is traditionally defined with the two channels and controls for Sound Color FX, three-band EQs, and Gain on top, but with a remarkable degree of finger freedom. The crossfader, which can be activated and adjusted in two curve steps, slides very easily over its path and invites to quick cuts.
The upfaders, on the other hand, are smooth and dampened - designed for smooth transitions. On the effects side, the controller offers four Sound Color FX (Dub Echo, Sweep, Noise, Filter) and a section with eight effects adjustable in beat and intensity. Pioneer DJ opts not to include a separate display for visual confirmation. As mentioned earlier, the two decks not only include the layout but also some of the features of Pioneer DJ flagships. Particularly noticeable are the large jogwheels with vinyl sensitivity adjustment, ten-centimeter pitch control, and eight multicolored performance pads for triggering Hot Cues, Beat Loop, Slip Loop, and Beat Jump. Surprisingly, the volume and EQ element for the two connectable microphones is located above the left deck.
The CDJ-2000NXS2 also features the 7-inch full-color touchscreen, the multifunctional rotary control, and the four navigation pads (Browse, Tag List, Info, Menu). This provides a visual overview of the included tracks. Touch the display to enlarge the waveform and search for level peaks, dropouts, or interesting mixing phrases. In the lower third, the two loaded tracks are displayed with key mix information.
Plug in cables, power on, dock one or two decks, and you're ready to go!
Even in the user manual, there are no big words needed to understand the operation. It's self-explanatory. The folder structure of the tracks on the stick is adopted by the display as an explorer view. Browse, click, and load tracks without background knowledge. If you prefer to play tracks directly from your laptop and thus without the stick, import these tracks from the connected notebook with link export in rekordbox, and then edit them with cues, loops, and comments.
Since the XDJ-RX2 houses the heart of a sound card with a sampling rate of 44.1 kHz and 24-bit converters, the DJ controller sounds very fat, which also applies to its onboard effects and benefits externally connected players. To use the controller and its audio interface beyond standalone mode, i.e., for rekordbox DJ in performance mode, switch to MIDI. The mixer mode is opened. The advantage: even audio and video formats not supported by the hardware can be played. However, since the controller is exclusively tailored to the proprietary software rekordbox DJ, Serato DJ Pro and Traktor users are not included.
Conclusion
With the XDJ-RX2, Pioneer DJ successfully bridges the gap between standalone and supported DJ software. Thanks to its generous input options and excellent audio characteristics, the 7-inch touchscreen also invites DJing beyond the laptop. Paired with the features of the DJ player and DJM flagship segment, the XDJ-RX2 is truly all-in-one!
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