AlphaTheta have just announced the CDJ-3000X, the next evolution of their flagship DJ player. Building on the legacy of the CDJ-3000, the new X model introduces a host of next-generation enhancements designed for today’s performance needs, including Wi-Fi connectivity, cloud-based workflows, enhanced browsing, and improved sound quality. It’s also undergone some physical refinements for a more modern DJing experience, along with a range of new performance-focused firmware updates. If you’re wondering what’s new, here’s everything you need to know.
From the Top
The first thing you might notice are some subtle design changes. The CDJ-3000X now features an aluminium base plate with an anodised brushed finish, making it both more wear-resistant and sleeker in appearance. Some of the stickers have been removed—anything that would already be obvious to a pro DJ using CDJs. Overall, it gives the unit a more modern, streamlined look, making it feel more at home in the booth than ever before.
Cloud & Streaming Access
The CDJ-3000X now includes built-in Wi-Fi, allowing for a direct wireless internet connection. With the rekordbox Creative or Professional plan, CloudDirectPlay lets you instantly access your rekordbox music library stored in the cloud, as well as streaming services like TIDAL and Beatport. You can even manage playlists directly from the player, and any changes will update your cloud library automatically. A caching feature also bridges drops in Wi-Fi connection, ensuring that your set continues uninterrupted.
NFC Tap-In
NFC Tap-In lets you link rekordbox by simply hovering your phone over the NFC touch point - no need to type in your password. If your device doesn’t have NFC or you don’t use the rekordbox mobile app, you can still log in easily with a single sign-on via QR code.
Improved USB Connection
The CDJ-3000X now includes a second USB storage port with USB Type-C support. This can be used simultaneously with the standard USB Type-A, allowing you to play from both libraries at once. The laptop USB connector on the back has also been upgraded to USB-C, modernising the unit for today’s workflows.
Bigger, Brighter, and More Responsive Touchscreen
The player now boasts a 10.1” capacitive touchscreen - the largest ever fitted to a CDJ. It’s ultra-responsive and more precise, making it easier to type on the touch keyboard and browse for tracks. The larger screen allows you to view up to 16 tracks in the browsing screen, or up to 12 tracks with medium and large text settings.
Copy and Paste Track Information
A new feature allows you to copy and paste track information by simply holding a track and pasting it into the search field. This saves time when searching for tracks with long titles or special punctuation. For example, if an artist is listed as E.D.M, you can simply copy their name from a track and paste it into search, rather than switching between letter and number keyboards.
Edit Playlists On the Player
For the first time on a CDJ, you can now reorder or delete tracks directly from the unit. Hold the Edit button to activate Edit Mode, then drag your tracks into order or swipe from the right to delete. When using Cloud Library Sync, these changes will update across all of your devices automatically.
Grid Adjust – Double/Half Time BPM
DJs will be familiar with this issue: when importing tracks, a song at 70 BPM or 140 BPM can sometimes be analysed at half or double speed, causing sync issues. Previously, this could only be corrected in rekordbox. Now, the CDJ-3000X lets you correct BPM values directly on the player via the Grid Adjust feature, with changes automatically synced back to your rekordbox library.
Bank 4 Playlists Per CDJ
Each CDJ-3000X can now bank up to four playlists for quick access during a set. Each player has its own bank, which is particularly useful for back-to-back sets, as DJs can quickly return to their own playlists without hassle.
Global Tag List
Global Tag List allows you to tag tracks from multiple sources - USB, cloud storage, and streaming services - and compile them into a single list. This not only makes it easier to organise your favourites but also speeds up track loading, as tagged tracks are cached into the player’s local storage. Caching to the local player storage also ensures you can continue playing a track even if Wi-Fi drops. Note: cache data is tied to your login session, so it clears if the player loses power or you log out of rekordbox.
Hide Track Info
A handy new option lets you hide track info and artwork, ideal for club DJs performing with the crowd behind them or underneath an overhead camera. Tap the track title in the top-left corner, and the eye icon will switch to “hidden.” This setting carries over to your next track, so you don’t have to toggle it every time.
Waveform Touch Cue Enhancements
The CDJ-3000X introduces some great improvements to the waveform touch cue feature, which allows you to preview any part of a track in your headphones:
- Preview Hot Cue – Create hot cues directly while holding the waveform.
- Smart Cue – Overrides the main Cue button with the last hot cue you selected, matching its colour for quick reference.
- Gate Cue – Temporarily trigger hot cues when holding the button while paused, opening new creative options for cue play, vocals, or rhythm parts.
Rebuilt Cue and Play Buttons
The Cue and Play buttons have been redesigned to withstand 500,000 more presses than their predecessors. The base mould now wraps around the full circumference of the button rather than just two points, making them more resistant to wear and slightly more responsive to touch. This is great news for DJ hire companies and clubs as it extends the product lifespan and reduces repair costs.
Improved Jog Wheel with Expanded Tension
Feedback on previous jog wheels was that they could occasionally slip when nudging tracks. The new jog wheel offers a much wider tension range: the heavy setting is firmer than before, while the light setting is looser, giving DJs more creative control and precision.
Locking IEC Cable
The CDJ-3000X features a locking IEC cable! An obvious yet important feature that minimises the risk of accidental power disconnection during a set.
Improved Sound Quality
As the industry standard DJ player across the world, the CDJ must sound as good as it performs. With its new high-performance ESS digital-to-analogue (DAC) converter, the CDJ-3000X boasts better audio quality than ever before. It achieves a better signal-to-noise ratio, which results in a cleaner and more refined sound reproduction. A newly designed power unit also reduces unwanted noise and enhances low-frequency power, making it perform better in club environments and easier on the ears during long sets.
BeatPort and Tidal Streaming
At launch, the CDJ-3000X supports two streaming platforms: BeatPort and Tidal, with Tidal supporting NFC single sign-on, or sign-in via QR code.
To conclude
The AlphaTheta CDJ-3000X makes a significant step forward for the industry-standard DJ player, combining future-proof connectivity with powerful new performance tools and refined hardware. From Wi-Fi and cloud access to the enhanced jog wheel, redesigned buttons, and improved sound engine, every detail has been engineered to give DJs more freedom, reliability, and creative potential. Whether you’re a professional playing to packed clubs and festivals, or a venue investing in the very best for your booth, the CDJ-3000X is designed to keep you at the cutting edge of DJ technology for years to come.
If you're a hire company looking to bolster your hire stock or an installer looking to future-proof your DJ projects, call us on 01525 850085 to discuss your pro audio requirements.
