Pioneer DJ XDJ-RX3 - All New Features!
Posted on: 31st March 2022
The XDJ-RX3 is Pioneer DJ’s brand new all in one DJ system, following on from its predecessor, the XDJ-RX2, and it looks amazing. The RX3 boasts flexibility and practicality and is packed with a host of features that come straight from the club standard CDJ-3000 multi player and the DJM-900NX2 Mixer.
In this video we’ll be giving you a look into the brand-new features on the Pioneer DJ XDJ-RX3 and compare it to other products in their extensive portfolio.
Player Section
Quantize
Focusing on the player part of the system, there’s lots of exciting new additions to the RX3.
Firstly, you now have Quantize on each deck, a feature that’ll be warmly welcomed by a wide range of DJ’s. This was originally a hardware button to the left of the screen on the RX2 that enabled quantize for both decks simultaneously. However, having it per deck allows you to have non-quantized hot-cues on one deck and active quantized loops on the other, giving you even more flexibility with your DJ sets.
Cue/Play
The Cue and Play buttons have also been revamped with new LEDs to help you locate the buttons in a dark nightclub and also give you the same feeling of the CDJ-3000 and XDJ-XZ. A small change that makes a big difference aesthetically and practically.
Jog Display
Something else that adds a lot to the RX3 are the 2.7-inch LCD on-jog displays which show the player head and cue precision more accurate than the RX2.
They also display loop length and track artwork as well as having the ability to display a custom logo, which means if you’re a hire company or venue you can have your branding front and centre for the DJ.
Vinyl Speed Adjust
Further up the unit we have the hardware Vinyl speed adjust on/off button and the jog adjust. The Vinyl speed adjust on/off allows you to add or remove the Vinyl break/release feature on each of the decks. You can then adjust the speed by jumping into the shortcut menu.
Jog Adjust
Jog adjust on the other hand, is a new addition to the jog wheel, which allows you to change the tension or ‘weight’ of each jog wheel to whatever suits you as a DJ (see the video above for a live demo).
By adjusting the weight to light, the jog wheel is a lot more sensitive and takes longer to come to a standstill. Changing the weight to heavy means the jog wheel stops more abruptly and can be used to make more precise adjustments.
Pad modes
Let’s talk about the pad modes now! The RX3 features 8 different pad modes, that’s 4 more than the RX2.
These secondary options can be easily be accessed by simply double tapping on the pad modes, and if this wasn’t enough, we welcome two new pad modes to the RX3; Gate Cue and Release FX.
Gate Cue, allows you to experiment with your pad play by playing the music from the chosen hot cue. Take your finger off the pad and the music stops instantly, and snaps back to the cue point (see the video above for a live demo).
With Release FX you can instantly change the energy of your performance, whether you want to add drama to a section of the track, or create an exciting moment before transitioning in to another song, the release FX is perfect for this. Check out our video at the top of this blog for a live demo of all the new Pad Modes.
Mixer Section
Moving onto the mixer section you’ll notice a difference in texture and finish giving the feel of having a separate CDJ and Mixer. This also makes it easier and more familiar to switch between a mobile all-in-one unit to a large-scale club setup.
14 beat effects/ 6 sound colour effects
Looking at the new functions of the mixer compared to its predecessor, the RX3 includes the full range of effects from the DJM-900NXS2 professional mixer, that’s 14 beat effects plus 6 sound colour effects.
Included in this are two new additions to the sound colour effects, called Space and Crush, giving you the full range of the 900NXS2 sound colour effects.
Improved AUX Strip
Another amazing upgrade Pioneer DJ have introduced on the RX3 is a switch board for line and portable. Line is for an extra CDJ and portable is to connect a phone or tablet. Portable mode has an additional 12dB boost and is assisted with a mini jack on the back of the unit. There’s also a signal path indication light just under the switch showing you at a glance which source you’re connected to.
Screen Features
Screen
The first thing that jumps out at you when unboxing the RX3 is the sheer size of the screen. The 10.1-inch display is Pioneer’s biggest screen on a multiplayer, with the XDJ-RX2 featuring a 7-inch screen. Taking a closer look, a fresh GUI design and a host of new features means you’ll enjoy easy navigation for quick browsing and accurate mixing, just like the flagship CDJ 3000.
The touchscreen on the RX3 also has a higher resolution and frame rate than the RX2, making the overall experience smoother than the previous model.
Touch Preview
Touch Preview is another feature has been inherited from the CDJ 3000, letting you to listen to any part of a track by simply touching its waveform in the relevant place. This is all done without having to load up the track onto the deck, saving you previous time during sets.
Playlist Bank
Another feature that can save you plenty of time, and is brand-new for Pioneer DJ, is the Playlist Bank, which is located in the hardware playlist button.
This allows you to choose up to 4 playlists and add them straight to your playlist bank, allowing you to quickly select tracks from 4 specified playlists rapidly throughout your set, eliminating the need to trawl through multiple locations for a specific song.
3-Band Waveform
A popular feature from the CDJ 3000 is the new 3-band waveform, which helps DJs understand how a track sounds without even listing to it. The use of different colours indicates the volume of the high, mid and low frequency bands from files analysed in rekordbox. This is a fantastic way to know when a drop or breakdown is going to happen helping you plan your transitions way ahead of time.
Ins and Outs
The XDJ-RX3 also has all the ins and outs you need for a Pro DJ setup. The Master Out is an XLR and RCA and the Booth is a ¼ inch jack. For inputs there’s a USB-B for connecting to your laptop, a phono line for channels 1 and 2, RCA and mini-jack for AUX, and 2 combi-jacks for your mics.
More New Features
Next up, some brand-new features from Pioneer DJ. Pad Status Display gives you a visual representation of the performance pads on screen just below the waveforms, so you can keep an eye on the mode that the Performance Pads are set to and know which pad you’re hitting. This is really handy with the release effects.
Second is the Beat FX Bank, which allows you to register your 4 favourite Beat FX so you can turn them on with a single touch at any time. Your selections are even saved when the unit is switched off, meaning when the time comes, you’re ready to roll.
X-Pad
For the first time in an all-in-one DJ system, XDJ-RX3 integrates the Beat Parameters and X-Pad into the touchscreen. This gives you a quick and simple way to apply complex sounding effects, just by touching the beat parameter or swiping your fingers from side to side on X-Pad
Count Down Timer
Another brand-new feature is the built-in countdown timer. This allows you to set a specific amount of time to countdown (or up) to, letting you know how long you have before a certain point in your set. For example, midnight on NYE, the moment a vocalist is due to join your performance or when you’re meant to hand over to another DJ.
Phrase Display
If these new features weren’t enough then we have final one for you – Phase Display. Some may be thinking ‘this isn’t a new feature’ but this time it’s different. Phrase display allows the DJ to see how each track is structured, where the intro, chorus, or bridge can be. This is represented in different colours giving you a visual representation of the music’s progression.
This feature was exclusive found in rekordbox, but on the RX3 this information is shown below the overall waveform which is great to see in an all-in-one system. This means that after the tracks phrase is analysed in rekordbox, you’ll always have this information available on-the-go without the need for a laptop.
Compatible with rekordbox and Serato
You’ll be happy to know the RX3 can be used with rekordbox and Serato DJ pro. The RX3 can also play rekordbox analysed files from two different USB storage devices, where USB2 can record the mastered mix or you can connect a laptop to use link export or performance mode.
The RX3 is also hardware unlocked meaning you can use in performance mode for free, so no need for a subscription.
Sound Quality
And last but definitely not least, the new Audio design of the circuit board eliminates unwanted noise. Detailed tuning has been carried out to create a punchy low end and expressive mid/high frequencies, this means the unit delivers sound that is faithful to the original source so your audience can experience the music how it was intended to be heard.
And that covers all the new and exciting features of the XDJ-RX3, Pioneer’s DJ brand new all-in-one controller.
All in all, the XDJ-RX3 from Pioneer DJ is a strong choice for professional DJs, rental houses and production companies looking for a portable performance system that covers a range of applications and venues. It’s also super affordable, especially considering the host of new features taken straight from Pioneer DJ’s club standard products the CDJ-3000 and DJM-900NXS2.
If you’d like to know more about the powerful RX3, call our team on 01525 850085 or email sales@leisuretec.co.uk.
