Controllers vs CDJs are CDJs on the way out?

One of the major advantages of Digital (Controller) DJ-ing is that it has opened up many, many new and creative ways of doing things. This includes (finally) a host of new sorts of gear. If you play CD’s, pretty much every player has to to do the same things whether it’s a CDJ, a Gemini rip-off, a Numark NDX, an American Audio/DAP/Behringer low end player does not really matter. Pioneer were the “pioneer” of the current CDJ form factor and have managed to become the defacto standard. There was no real alternative and by the time the alternatives showed up, the gear was there already. More importantly, it is hard to become a contender if the same basic functions need to be there.

So, at some point in time, if a club bought VERY expensive Pioneer gear, it would be in that club forever. And if there were Pioneer CDJs in a club, you’d have no reason to bring your own brand X, Y, Z players as they added nothing new, play is play, cue is cue and setting loops and cue points wasn’t rocket science on them either. But now, more and more DJs want to bring their own gear, because it DOES add something that the CDJs don’t have. And they want to use it with the software of their choice. I don’t think we will go back to a situation where a single brand dictates what software and hardware we have to use if we go play at a venue.

That ghost, to me, seems to be out of the bottle forever.

With (now) the major SIX (6!) PC/Mac DJ software packages and a lot of controller manufacturers around, creating your personal favorite DJ tool has become easy and fun. There is really no reason to have to adhere to some kind of standard if you can have your own best solution that you can carry around in a backpack.

This time around Pioneer is all but a pioneer on the controller/DJ software front. They are followers at best. Relatively late to the market with a full spectrum of controllers, very late to the market with their own DJ software.

We have seen the “buff” they gave to their CDJ/DJM combo in order to keep them relevant for festivals (Tour-series) where they have added iPad-like screens to all units.

In short, I think we will not see a resurgence of venues willing to invest between 6 and 8k for gear that a growing part of their DJs would not like to play on because they prefer to use their own.

And the competition is fierce. A single look at something like the Denon MCX8000 shows you what potential can be had. There is currently nothing in the marketplace that compares to it. But even that will only appeal to a part of the DJs and not become a standard for whatever reason. It does show that the DJ Booth is no longer a one-brand place anymore.

Just my usual 3 cents. Look forward to hearing other(‘s) views.

I think ANALOG AUDIO is on the way out.

I still see the Pioneer CDJs used like crazy, but only now to play digital files, not analog music.

I think the “standard” for clubs and events will be Pioneer CDJs and a mixer…but mainly to use Rekordbox-oriented music files. I can’t see someone strolling in with a book of CDs anymore.

Honestly Peter those scenarios you painted do not exist.
Big clubs have techs, that will phone you (or you them) prior to the gig and they will only accept “good” controllers and will know how to hook you up and how to check it via their monitoring system even before you turn over.
Smaller Clubs now have prepared cables, so you put your controller up, connect and immediately see if you are good to go. You can always fallback on your USB stick, but I never had to do it yet. Except one time, but it was no equipment fault, I was already packed up and the DJ working had to throw up, so I had to take over in a seconds notice…

Also premium controller gear and good laptops are reliable. Yes I have a backup (pre-recorded mix on mp3 player) as backup and in clubs with CDJs also bring a USB stick prepared. But I never had to use it. I never had a piece of gear not working. Of course you have to upkeep your gear and I always re-test it all before I leave the house.

Honestly all those issues that some people paint in their head or that some CDJ DJs tell you are not in the real world in my experiance. I exclusively DJ with my controller now for quite some time (unless someone pays me to do it on CDJs) and my experience has been positve 100%.
Have I seen others have problems? Sure if you are expecting to DJ in a Beach Club, even in indirect sunlight with 40-45°C and decide to show up with a 300 bucks chinese laptop… yes I saw those crap out and flat out die. But I was there and took over since my MacBook was working fine.
So get good gear (still way cheaper than CDJs) I also recommend to overspec your laptop (it will run cooler if the CPU is used less) and buy a premium laptop like a MacBook, HP EliteBook Folio, Dell XPS, Alienware,… and a controller from a good brand like reloop, Numark, Pioneer or of course a tank from Denon.

Controllers generally are lighter, more mobile and can be most importantly, used to practice at home (being less expensive as well). This means people are comfortable with their equipment when it comes to the gig.

It also comes all in one piece there fore quicker to set up and generally takes less space. All these are pluses especially for mobile DJs.

Ipad touch screens can be used on their own as back up (headphone out/airplay out to powered speakers), if the controller dies!