Pioneer has created the perfect DJ controller for new and beginner DJs, say hello to the DDJ-400. The DDJ-400 has been created for dedicated use with Pioneer’s profession DJ application, Rekordbox DJ, and is designed to help you learn the basic DJ techniques and also features loads of functions and controls that will help you develop your skills. This DJ controller lets you get the most out of all the newest Rekordbox features such as the new tutorial feature which explains the essential equipment operations step by step; this means that even if you’ve never stepped behind the decks before you can start learning.

The DDJ 400 comes with two decks alongside a middle mixer section with all controls clearly laid out and labelled for easy operation and are all directly accessible so you do not need to enter the software to operate any of the controls. The controller features an intuitive club-style layout that is arranged in the same way as the professional NXS2 setup; this means you once you’ve learned all the basics techniques and manoeuvres you can step into the DJ booth with confidence.

The two decks are equipped with large jog wheels that let you quickly search through a track and even scratch your records, as well as eight performance pads that allow you to trigger hot cues, hot loops, beat jumps, and samples. There are also secondary functions to the pads which are accessed via the shift button and provides you with pad FX 1 and 2 alongside key shift and keyboard mode which lets you play a hot cue in various semitones.

The decks also come with an extensive looping section that lets you manually set a loop, or use the auto-loop function to automatically set a four-beat loop. A 60mm tempo fader means you can precisely set the correct BPM for smooth beat matching between tracks and NXS2-style transport controls let you play/pause and set a cue point.

The middle mixer section comes fitted with a 3-band EQ per channel as well as a dedicated filter that offers both high-pass and low-pass filtering options for smoothly fading out frequencies. There is also a beat FX section complete with an on/off button, dry/wet control, FX selector, level control and beat value controls for switching the timing of the time-based effects.

A VU level meter allows you to see when you’re overloading the mixer with too loud a signal and navigation controls at the top of the mixer let you search through your digital music collection within the Rekordbox software. A headphone section gives you a headphone level control as well as a monitor blend knob which allows you to blend the master channel with your monitored channel so you can clearly hear when your two tracks are perfectly matched up.

The DDJ-400 comes with a compact yet highly robust construction with a sleek black finish that looks professional and succinct. There is two convenient grab handles either side of the controller that let you easily carry it around and is compact enough to be slipped into a travel bag or flight case. On the rear of the controller, you’ll find the USB port, master output with RCA connections and a ¼-inch TRS jack microphone input with a level knob and a Kensington security lock while the front of the controller has a 1/8-inch headphone output. The DDJ 400 also works great as an audio interface so you can output your computers audio directly through the controller.