There are many aspiring DJs out there, and thanks to Pioneer DJ, they now have an inexpensive option to practice their skills: feast your eyes on the new DDJ-FLX4 2-channel DJ controller, which is packed with brand-new features allowing for easy track mixing and even applying pro-sounding effects. Perfect timing, too, as Christmas is just around the corner, and this controller could make an excellent present.
The Pioneer DDJ-FLX4 unit adapts the key traits from the professional layout of the DDJ-400 to make it more beginner-friendly. For example, it has rekordbox and Serato DJ Lite integrations, enabling you to play music files stored on your device and tracks from TIDAL, Beatport Streaming, Beatsource Streaming, and SoundCloud Go+ (paid subscriptions may be required).
The controller also includes two brand-new Smart Mixing features to help you get started. Switch on Smart Fader, and you can effortlessly transition between two tracks by simply moving the crossfader or channel faders, even if you want to go from one musical genre to another – indeed, a difficult skill to master without this feature.
Simply moving the fader makes the BPM, volume, bass volume, and other aspects of the music automatically adjust to create a smooth transition, and you don’t even need to have the sync function turned on. Plus, there is Smart CFX, which applies complicated combinations of effects to the music with the turn of a single knob. Mixing up your DJ game has never been easier.
The Pioneer DDJ-FLX4 has a USB audio output, so the sound from the microphone is output from the controller along with the music, making it easier to share your set via a stream from a single computer. The DDJ-FLX4 is now available to buy for $299/£279/AU$495 directly from Pioneer DJ US, Pioneer DJ UK and Pioneer DJ AU.
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Matt Kollat is a journalist and content creator who works for T3.com and its magazine counterpart as an Active Editor. His areas of expertise include wearables, drones, fitness equipment, nutrition and outdoor gear. He joined T3 in 2019. His byline appears in several publications, including Techradar and Fit&Well, and more. Matt also collaborated with other content creators (e.g. Garage Gym Reviews) and judged many awards, such as the European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance's ESSNawards. When he isn't working out, running or cycling, you'll find him roaming the countryside and trying out new podcasting and content creation equipment.