Pioneer DJ DJM-A9 in review

The Pioneer DJ DJM-A9 is a worthy successor to the very popular DJM-900NXS2 (the current "industry standard"). This is a case of "evolution, not revolution", and the layout will of course also be instantly familiar to anyone who has used such mixers for decades.

But modern connections, better customization options, new effects and higher sound quality pay tribute to the development work and the higher price. If you use it for even a while, you dont want to go back to the DJM-900NXS2, not least because it sounds significantly better.

First impressions

The unit looks like a usual Pioneer DJ club mixer at first glance. It has the usual depth and height, the same black metal design with a large logo on the front, and the expected four channels, effects on the right, mic channels, etc. on the left.

It's a bit wider, though (which could cause problems in some setups), and from there it doesn't take long to spot changes: a mysterious new "center lock" button on the Sound Color FX, Bluetooth, an additional set of headphone controls, a spiffy new display, modern USB-C inputs alongside the older USB-B type.

The closer you look, the more you realize that pretty much everything has been redesigned, albeit subtly in many places.

Setup

As with the previous models, this is a mixer - you just plug it in to set it up. It still needs to be connected to an Ethernet router to be used with Pioneer DJ's Pro DJ Link ecosystem (although it also has WiFi - more on that later), and it still has a selection of digital and analog inputs and outputs, but everything is as you'd expect when it comes to getting it up and running.

Everything here is straightforward and no surprises await you, but no stumbling blocks either.

In use

We'll go over the biggest changes from the DJM-900NXS2 and then talk a bit about sound quality before we get to our conclusion about this new mixer.

Center Lock feature for Sound Color FX

Pioneer DJ DJM-A9 Center LockThere is a new switch that applies a mechanical lock to the Sound Color FX knobs. It's designed to allow DJs with a lot of dexterity to quickly turn effects (such as a filter) in and out of the mix without "missing" the 12 o'clock "effect off" click point on the knob. It literally locks the knob in place so that it cannot be turned any further.

That means if you wiggle or turn it hard enough, it will go past 12 o'clock position - but you have to be very determined and use force to make that happen.

At first, we didn't particularly like this feature-it felt strange to force it, and we couldn't understand why Pioneer DJ didn't just put in a software "lock" (where the effect stops working even if the knob is turned too far)-but the more we got used to it, the more we liked it. For DJs who tend to get carried away, I'm sure this feature will be just as well received.

New Beat-FX

Pioneer DJ DJM-A9 beat FX sectionTo the already wide range of great sounding beat effects, Pioneer DJ has added the Mobius effect from the DDJ-1000/DDJ-1000SRT (a great sounding effect), but also two "Thirds" effects, Triple Filter and Triplet Roll.

Using thirds/triplets in straight 4/4 dance music can sound fantastic, so it's good to see two such options in a club DJ mixer; usually they're only hidden in the effects of certain software.

Buttons instead of knobs for Beat FX assignment

While we're talking about the effects, we should also talk about the new knobs. This is a small improvement but with a big impact, because the old knob that let you assign the desired beat effect to, say, the channel, the crossfader page, or just the master, was awkward to use and prone to error.

Now all the options have push buttons, which works much better. There are still lights on the unit itself to show you which channel or routing the effect is working on, but this way switching between them has been greatly improved.

Much better display

Pioneer DJ DJM-A9 DisplayNot only for displaying effect settings, but also for navigating through the extensive "Utility" settings menu, the new display above the effects section is a big improvement over the one on the DJM-900NXS2. It's larger, colorful, has a higher resolution, and can display and play back much more information.

This means, for example, that the X-Pad can be adjusted much more finely and you get instant feedback on the screen as to how it is currently set. It also means that DJs are given an easy way to customize their specific settings (especially for effects) and simply load them onto any DJM-A9 when they arrive at a venue.

This is one of the main things you'll really miss when you switch from the DJM-A9 to the DJM-900NXS2.

Dual Headphone Feature

The A9 has two independent headphone systems. For this, the additional cue buttons are located on the front - the "B" headphone replacement, so to speak. Each DJ can choose what he wants to listen to. This makes back-to-back playing, switching between DJs, or playing as part of a DJ duo much easier.

While the first row of headphone jacks are located where you would expect them to be (i.e., on the top of the unit), this is the first time Pioneer has placed controls or functions on the front of a mixer of this type - a fact to be aware of if you want to plant the A9 flush in a setup.

Booth EQ

Directly on the top is a two-band EQ for the DJ monitoring system, which allows the DJ to take direct control if the supplied monitoring monitors are set too sharp, for example. This function was taken directly from the DJM-V10 (like so much else here).

Additional settings are possible not only for Booth, but also for the master outputs, headphones, microphones, etc., which are not available on the control panel - they are all located in the new, improved Utility menu.

Microphone channel improvements

Pioneer DJ DJM-A9 Mic SectionThe channel strip for the microphones has received many changes. It now has:

  • Phantom power for a condenser microphone at microphone 1
  • Separation of on/off and talkover
  • An additional set of effects (in addition to Reverb): Echo, Pitch and Megaphone, with its own parameter control
  • A "push-to-talk" function on the on/off button

This makes the use of the microphones more flexible, more fun and easier to handle.

Improved faders

The crossfader on the DJM-900NXS2, Pioneer's Magvel Gen 1 model, didn't really bother us and always served faithfully, but the DJM-A9's crossfader is a real gem. Apparently it's a Magvel Gen 3, but whatever the technical details, it feels wonderful.

The crossfader comes directly from the DJM-V10, as do the upfaders, and all in all they represent a noticeable upgrade over the DJM-900NXS2's perfectly serviceable models.

Bluetooth input

Pioneer DJ DJM-A9 usb bluetoothThis feature is widely used these days on portable PA speakers, live mixers, and even some DJ mixers, although the models that use it tend to be consumer models (so far).

Be that as it may, Pioneer DJ has obviously decided that this feature can work in the professional DJ environment, and we agree. The ability to turn on a Bluetooth source to play music from a phone in an emergency, for example, seems useful to us. Pairing is easy and everything works as it should- a good addition.

USB-C as well as USB-B

Pioneer DJ DJM-A9 Dual USB PortsWhile the DJM-A9 is mainly used in professional DJ setups with networked CDJ-3000s, many DJs also like to use such a setup with DJ software like Serato (with which, by the way, it works out of the box when used with a licensed version of Serato).

The DJM-A9 features modern USB-C ports, which join older USB-B ports, for DJs who want to connect laptops, making it totally future-proof.

The mixer thus also offers the possibility to work with two different PC/Mac sources. So DJ number 1 could be spinning on rekordbox while DJ number 2 is already preparing his Serato set.

 

Sound quality

The DJM-900NXS2 sounded pretty good... but not excellent. Against the best of the best (including Pioneer DJ's DJM-V10), it lost out.

Not anymore!

The DJM-A9 features 32-bit converters carried over from the DJM-V10, so it sounds just as good as its sister model.

DJM-A9 Mixer Rear View

The master output, the booth output, the two headphone outputs, even the phono inputs ... all have been circuit optimized and improved to make this a great sounding mixer, and it shows in operation. We tested the DJM-A9 in our studio with a pair of well-tuned speakers, and we found it really appealing.

Conclusion

The old DJM-900NXS2 feels, well, old, once you've been playing with it for a while. So the new A9 is clearly an evolution, not a revolution. This mixer is aimed at pro DJs who play big clubs or festivals.

It addresses some of the DJM-900NXS2's biggest shortcomings and is also future-proofed, for example with the new USB-C ports. The changes made are sensible throughout, and the new additions (especially the effects on the microphone and the new Beat FX, as well as additional headphones and the new Bluetooth input) are all great. We would have liked to see an integrated network router, though.

Overall, the A9 has more features, is easier to use and sounds better - a clear argument for buying... apart from the price.

At €2,799, it's more expensive than its predecessor and any other mixer.... but for all professional promoters this will probably not be a problem. After all, it is about to become the new industry standard, replacing the successful old industry standard from the same company. Especially since you should keep in mind that some components were taken from the DJM-V10 flagship, which is in a completely different price league.

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