AlphaTheta CDJ-3000X evaluation: Larger, sharper, and cloud-ready

Worth: €2,799/£2,399/$2,999

DJ tech doesn’t transfer on the breakneck tempo of synths, plugins, or studio gear. In reality, most advances really feel like refinements fairly than revolutions. It’s this evolution, fairly than revolution, that we’re seeing once more right here in AlphaTheta’s CDJ-3000X.

The unique CDJ-3000 had the misfortune of arriving in 2020, throughout a worldwide pandemic that shuttered golf equipment worldwide. Since then, Pioneer DJ has rebranded many merchandise below the AlphaTheta identify, whereas aiming to proceed its dominance as the worldwide trade normal.

Within the CDJ-3000X, small tweaks and enhancements add as much as an enhanced expertise with out jeopardising the acquainted format DJs have adopted and grown accustomed to.

The headline change? A ten.1-inch high-res touchscreen, elevated from 9 inches on the CDJ-3000. It appears extra like a pill bolted on high of the deck, which isn’t the prettiest design transfer, however perform beats vogue right here. Plus, there’s nonetheless sufficient slick enhancements within the general look with a brand new matte black anodised end and delicate LED tweaks give it a stealthier, extra premium really feel.

With such upgrades, AlphaTheta is seemingly futureproofing the CDJ-3000X for an additional 5 years within the sales space. Can the model maintain onto its crown in golf equipment, venues, festivals and home events all over the world in that point? You’ll be able to rely on it.

Nonetheless, with such a hefty price ticket, is the CDJ-3000X actually that spectacular?

AlphaTheta CDJ-3000X, photo by press — Picture: Press

Shopping, Playlists, and Cloud

The CDJ-3000X’s bigger display makes looking vastly extra intuitive: as much as 16 tracks seen directly versus 12 on the 3000. Lengthy-pressing on textual content enables you to copy and paste for quick searches, and now you can edit and reorder playlists on the fly. AlphaTheta tells us that extra playlist enhancing, resembling monitor add and transferring tracks between playlists, will are available in future firmware updates.

A small however slick contact: rekordbox’s USB color preferences now translate to extra {hardware}. Set your follow inexperienced in rekordbox preferences, and the monitor selector knob glows inexperienced when that supply is energetic.

Constructed-in Wi-Fi is a giant step ahead, lastly eradicating the necessity for LAN cables to entry rekordbox CloudDirectPlay or streaming providers like Tidal and Beatport. However bear in mind: you’ll nonetheless want a rekordbox Artistic/Skilled subscription.

Connecting to the cloud is less complicated too: both use an authenticated USB, or just faucet your telephone over the outdated CD slot (because of NFC), or scan an on-screen QR code. Loading appeared somewhat sluggish per monitor until you do that pre-tagging initially of your set, and we had been on a gigabit fibre connection too. Tagging cloud tracks in a playlist auto-downloads the tracks for faster loading occasions, with at the moment 16GB of reminiscence for downloaded tracks, however the variety of tracks in fact, will range with file sizes, codecs and monitor lengths. You’ll be able to tag a whole playlist additionally, to hurry this course of up. However, annoyingly, you may’t “untag” a playlist in a single go. A bit irritating for those who by accident tag a playlist and find yourself combining these tracks together with your current tag listing. Your solely resolution is to clear the entire tag listing or manually delete tracks individually.

It appears AlphaTheta isn’t anticipating DJs to point out as much as play with none USBs or media fairly but. So, as is turning into increasingly the DJ’s job (except for making lip-sync and dancing content material for TikTok), preparation remains to be key right here when utilizing cloud-based music for a {smooth} stream.

The CDJ-3000X, photo by press — Picture: Press

Options DJs Truly Requested For

As is normally the case with top-of-the-line CDJ updates, lots of the extra options implement what professional customers referred to as for from the final CDJ.. Particularly necessary for the reason that competitors heated up from Denon DJ, which launched merchandise years in the past with web connectivity, streaming, and even dual-layer mode, permitting two separate tracks to play concurrently.

There’s no dual-layer mode right here, nevertheless it’s not one thing that’s ever appeared totally sensible for me as a function anyway. However, alongside the beforehand talked about addition of Wi-FI, the extra USB-C port is welcome, sitting just under the basic USB-A. It’s future-proof, sooner, and ideal for contemporary laptops and gadgets.

An simply missed however new function, an “eye” icon, hides monitor names on-screen, defending gatekeeping DJs who wish to hold their secret weapons… secret.

The Playlist Financial institution (lifted from the XDJ-AZ and XDJ-RX3) offers fast entry to 4 playlists on the facet after hitting the primary Playlist button above the display. Nevertheless, AlphaTheta has the display actual property to simply develop this to 6, and add playlist photos, or customized textual content for faster playlist ID. Once more, hopefully, a firmware replace will unlock a few of that potential.

After which there’s Contact Cue. It is a game-changer: now you can drop scorching cues whereas previewing a monitor in real-time, then leap to them completely quantised to the combination. The addition of having the ability to shortly change monitor BPM readings to double or half-time on the deck is a large aid. Any DJs that play drum and bass, reggae, or hip hop might be used to seeing their tracks analysed at double or half BPM speeds, and now they will right that shortly on the deck. An enormous aid for Grimes, for certain.

Sizzling Cues can now even be switched into Gate Cue mode by a easy on-screen button within the waveform view mode. This implies Sizzling Cues will solely play when the button is held down, one other much-requested DJ efficiency function.

The CDJ-3000X jog wheel, photo by press — Picture: Press

Construct & Really feel

As you’d count on, the 3000X is constructed like a tank. The jog wheels really feel tighter and extra buttery-smooth than ever, with a wider vary of pressure adjustment for ultra-precise management. The Play/Cue buttons have additionally been refined, with AlphaTheta claiming they’re now examined to face up to over 500,000 extra presses in comparison with the CDJ-3000.

On the audio facet, AlphaTheta has upgraded the DAC to a brand new ESS unit, with a signal-to-noise ratio of 115dB. A brand new energy provide additionally guarantees deeper bass and cleaner highs. In apply? These gamers sound immaculate, although the distinction might solely be clear in an enormous membership system, which AlphaTheta has examined with seasoned sound engineers.

Verdict? A dominant Alpha

The CDJ-3000X could be very clearly aimed on the professional membership, rent, and competition market. For that goal, it’s virtually faultless — rock-solid, acquainted, and forward-looking with out alienating DJs who reside by muscle reminiscence.

That mentioned, the value, though unsurprising, is eye-watering, and there’s nonetheless no stems performance, no over-the-air firmware updates, and restricted streaming service choices at launch. You’ll additionally want new flightcases because of the additional width.

Nonetheless, DJs who need cutting-edge with out surprises will really feel proper at residence. We’re assured that these enhancements will lastly persuade any DJs who haven’t up to date their tech riders from the 2000NXS2. The underside line is that utilizing these decks is an absolute pleasure for those who encounter them within the sales space.