OVERVIEW The DJM-909 Pioneer is the new high end standard for the fully featured 2 channel mixer category. For the 909, Pioneer has taken the 3 most popular features of the DJM600 dance mixer (effects, quality sound, strong EQs), unveiled some revolutionary features... (tension adjustable optical fader, touch screen), and added a powerful, built-in effects unit. In addition, Pioneer has introduced a new layout and controls, making it user-friendly across the board from house djs to hip-hop djs. This is a truly ground breaking mixer. The crossfader of the Pioneer features a new exclusive technology that allows you to tighten and loosen the tension of the fader without removing any parts. To make adjustments, just take the included tool, put it in the small hole next to the fader, and turn either way. This way, djs can put the tension at loose for scratching, then switch to a tighter tension for mixing, all on the fly. In addition, you can adjust the fader curve and crossfader cut lag (precise cut-in time control) using the control knobs with the curve displayed on the screen. The actual feel and construction of the crossfader is very solid, comparable to Rane's optical fader in the TTM-56. Touch Screen Control and Effects Unit This is a first for any mixer. The touch screen control is used to control the powerful effects unit of the 909. There are 50 different effects with BPM control (synch your effects to a beat), plus several effects that you can assign to the faders (click here for full list of effects). Each channel has 3 memory banks that can each hold up to 3 saved effects, all controllable through the touch screen. You can also adjust several individual aspects of each effect by pressing the FX ADJ button and using the touch screen. Additional effects controls include mix depth (effects intensity) knob, BPM tap buttons, and a spring loaded effects on/off switch with lock option. External effects can be controlled with an effects send/receive with effect depth controls. Any effect can be previewed in headphones by switching to EFFECT preview. The 909 also allows you to plug in a footswitch to control any of the effects. Quality Sound and Layout Pioneer mixers are most known for their club quality sound, and their strong, clean EQs. The 909 keeps these qualities intact with high quality sound processing (20hz-20khz response and low noise and distortion rate), powerful 3 band EQ (-26dB to +6dB), and both RCA and XLR outputs. The layout, although it may seem cluttered with features, is actually quite functional. The fader area is very clean, and the controls are laid out very intuitively. Like the DJM600, the feel of the rotary knobs is excellent, loose enough for quick kills, but with a solid feeling at the same time. Pioneer even got smaller details correct, like the mini-fader for cue control, and flash (spring loaded) switches for the effects on/off. Additional Features In addition to the revolutionary features mentioned above, the 909 has close to every useful feature we've seen in the mixer market: BPM counter, reinforced headphone jacks, master + channel LED display, mic channel with 2 band EQ, headphone master preview, fader reverse and curve adjustment for all 3 faders, trigger capabilities for Pioneer CDJ CD turntables, EQ on/off switch, session in/out, booth out with separate level, and more. Our Opinion This mixer comes at a hefty price tag, built for the consumer that truly wants it all. We can't justify the price or all the features here to every customer, but we can tell you that this mixer has the most features we've seen in one unit, it is well built, sounds great, and is very functional. It is potentially the best two channel mixer available. The effects unit is truly a key feature because it is fully integrated into the mixer and allows much more flexibility and control than using a Kaoss pad. The touch pad seems like overkill, but once you've used it, you'll realize how it makes using effects easier. The crossfader, at initial testing, is excellent in all aspects, however the volume faders feel like PCV rather than optical (the one apparent weakness). In conclusion, this is definitely for the high-end dj with a big budget. We think you'll be ultimately satisfied with the purchase, because the 909 looks and functions like it costs- and that's a good thing.
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