Pioneer CDJ-2000nexus Pro Grade Media Player
Submitted by Lead
on 05-09-2012 23:09This content is © 2012-2024 The DJResource
Pioneer DJ - Player Tabletop Overview
Gearbase product details : Pioneer DJ CDJ-2000NEXUS
Pioneer just raised the bar even further by launching it's CDJ-2000nxs, the successor of the Pioneer CDJ-2000 DJ Media Player. It does all the things that the previous CDJ-2000 would do and a lot more. Read the CDJ-2000 DJ Topic so you know the basics.
In fact the Nexus is a CDJ-2000 on steroids, matching it with all the features people are getting used to when using any mix platform. If it's either hardware based or software based mixing that you do, the most dominant features are now possible with the CDJ-2000nxs.
The CDJ-2000nexus is capable of handling 4 input types for media files: CD(also with MP3), USB and SD for Rekordbox exported devices. But new is a dedicated Rekordbox input that comes in handy when you connect your computer to the ProDJ Link, this enables browsing your complete Rekordbox collection with the CDJ, without browsing all the way back.
This DJ Topic is mainly about the differences of the new CDJ-2000nexus in comparison with the CDJ2000.
Pioneer Rekordbox (Music Management Software)
The CDJ-2000nexus needs more data from your tracks than the regular CDJ-2000. So to get all this information you need to re-analyze your tracks so Rekordbox can collect all new info it needs (Waveform, extended Beat grid info). The new version of Rekordbox also enables you to let Rekordbox determine he key of the tracks in your collection (and write the info to ID3 tag), so no need for external tools anymore.
Another new feature in Rekordbox is the setting of the first beat (Beat 1 of every 4), the CDJ will display this as a red Beat grid marker and also uses this to indicate the 1-2-3-4 bars at the top of the display. When multiple players are linked with the ProDJ Link you can see the counting of the Master deck on all connected players.
The features marked with this icon have have benefits from usage of Rekordbox software. As Rekordbox will be compatible with all future Pioneer decks this might be a reason to start using it. Rekordbox software will be supplied with each compatible decks.
Pioneer Pro
DJ Link
Via a RJ45 connector on the back, a network cable can be used to hook up multiple CDJs that support the ProDJ Link's so they can share their music collections (on inserted USB/SD devices). It's possible to connect 2 CDJs directly to each other with a network cable. You can connect 3-4 CDJs with a network switch/hub. All music on inserted SD cards/USB devices will be shared amongst all connected players. This enables you to play from the same huge music collection on all decks.
Rekordbox Mobile App
If you launch the Rekordbox App on your phone or tablet (iOS or Android) and connect the phone you are able to use your phone as device. So when your phone is connected to your computer with Rekordbox (WiFi) you can export tracks to your phone just like to any USB/SD device. The tracks will be exported to the Rekordbox App and don't appear in your iTunes.
When the CDJ-2000nexus is connected (by wire) to a router with WiFi, and you can also connect your phone with Rekordbox app running) to the WiFi network, the CDJ will recognize your phone as device. Your phone can also be used when connected by USB wire to the CDJ-2000nexus and the Rekordbox app is running (preferred by me). You can send tracks from your phone to the CDJ or browse the tracks on your phone with the CDJ browse panel. As a bonus your phone will be charged when connected with USB cable.
I wouldn't suggest that you use your phone as main device, but instead better put a few recent playlists on there just in case something is wrong with one of your devices.
Make sure to activate Airplane Mode on your phone when using it as a device... you do not want to get a call during your performance...
Waveform Display
On the 6.1inch LCD screen you get to see the waveform of the playing track scrolling during playback and following your moves when doing scratches, loops etc.
With the rotary dial on the right side of the screen you can zoom in and out for a closer look or more overview.
Above the Waveform are a red dot followed by 3 white ones, these are the Beatgrid markers. In Rekordbox you can set the first beat of a track so the CDJ-2000nxs will show the red dot on the right place. 
When you zoom out all the way you have lots more overview on what's coming, the memory Cue and Loop point are indicated on the waveform by a little triangle. Below the Waveform you see a red triangle at the position where the Cue point is. The red triangle above the waveform show you memory Loop/Cue points.
The white triangle shows you the next Memory point. The white triangle is also the point where the Beat Countdown reached 0.0 bars.
The Phase Meter is the blue bar indicator (bottom), the four squares represent the beats, the countdown counter on the right of it counts down to the next memory point. The top bar/countdown is showing this information from the Master deck (2 or more decks in ProDJ Link required)
Beat Sync
Probably one of the most dominant new feature on the next CDJ is the Beat Sync function. For this function to work you need at least 2 CDJs that support Beat Sync connected to the same ProDJ Link. You can either connect 2 CDJs directly to each other by a LAN cable, or when you use more than 2 decks (up to 4 are supported), you can use a network switch (preferred) or network hub for this.
What Beat Sync actually does is matching the Beat grid (from Rekordbox) from the current deck to the Master deck. So once you've set your Beat grids right for your tracks in Rekordbox, the CDJ can match the tempo of the new track to the one already playing. There is hardly any need to manually switch the Master, as the CDJ follows the DJM-900nxs fader movement (if DJM-900nxs is connected to the ProDJ Link).
A nice trick to do is getting Hot Cue's/Loops ready from whatever track you want, sync the system en hitting the (Hot)Loop buttons, the CDJ will auto sync the Hot Cues with the tempo of the Master Deck. If you got your Beat grids right, it's hard to get out-of-sync and you will have tons of new ways to be creative.
(Harmonic) Mixing in Key
DJs that are mixing in key use the key a track is made in to determine if a next track will fit. Two tracks must not be the same key but one up or one down in respect of the playing track. There is a traffic-light kind of system that indicates which tracks could be played next when you do harmonic mixing (mixing in key) to help you select the next track.
Master Tempo Improved
To keep your tracks not only at the right speed but also at the right key you can use the improved Master Tempo. When activated it keeps the key of the track as if it was played at 0% pitch. It is now able to play track up to 16% pitch without adding artifacts.
Quantize
Quantize snaps all your actions to the Beat grid (whole beats) when using (Hot)Cue, (Hot)Loop, normal Cue, Reverse, etc. The Quantize basically waits with performing the requested action until the next Beat grid marker, so when pressing Loop-In and Loop-Out it will be hard to get it out of sync.
The quantize feature now has it's own dedicated button to toggle it on and off (this was an option in the Utility Menu on CDJ2000). As the Quantize has now more power there will be more situations where you need to toggle it swiftly.
A lot of actions you perform can be Quantized like the normal Cue, Hot Cue/Loops, Loop In, Loop Out, Loop Mode also in combination with the Slip Mode. When used in combination with Sync you have a huge extra bag of tricks if you use a 3rd deck with loops and acapella's.
New Loop Features
There are a few changes to the navigation when using loops, there is now a button to toggle the display of the Loop Mode on/off and some functions have changed. To make a 4-beat loop you now need to hold the Loop In button for 2 seconds. 
The Loop Mode button is below the Loop In and Out buttons, (on the place where you might expect the 4-beat Loop). This button toggle the visibility of the Loop Menu on and off instead of the Waveform. This menu normally showed when you adjusted the Loop Out point.
You can set the loop length by tapping on the Needle Search strip below the timing you would like to use. You can also use the Next/Previous Cue Point recall buttons (
and 
) to shorten or lengthen the loop a step (little red bar below the orange square marks the selected length).
There is also something new that is called Active Loop, this enables you to set a loop and the CDJ will start the loop when it passes the Loop In point. Now you can lengthen a track as long as you want by looping a straight set of beats at any point in the track.
Emergency Loop
The Auto 4 beat loop of the CDJ-2000 could be used as emergency loop if you need to extend a track to mix it with the next one. This function is still there off course, but the CDJ make an emergency loop automatically when the source got disconnected (by accident?). You can scratch/reverse with this loop as long as needed to make that next mix.
Slip Mode
When Slip Mode is activated, during special performance (Hot Cue, Loop, Scratching, Reverse) the CDJ-2000nexus keeps track of the position of the track so when you stop the special function, the CDJ will continue playing the track like nothing happened.
If the Slip Mode is activated there will be a blue Loop Menu shown instead of the Waveform. This menu gives you access, select via the Needle Search, to short loop settings. These ranges from 1/8 tot 2 beats and can be set by touching the Needle Search strip below the desired length. 
Slip Mode In combination with the Quantize function lets you really start freaking out as the CDJ2000nexus will keep your moves in sync with the track as it will continue like no interruption has happened once you stop the special performance.
The Jog Display will show you what's happening. The white grid shows you the current playing position and what you are doing like scratching or looping.
The red ring shows you the activation point and the motion of the track that continuous and where playback will resume when slip gets deactivated (you release the Reverse or Jog platter).
Hot Cue/Loop Auto load
The Hot Loop/Cue is expanded with a feature to auto load them once a track is loaded to prevent using Hot Cue/Loops you've set for the previous track. Off course you can still recall them the way you used to but can also enable auto loading of the Hot Cue/Loops.
Needle Search
Needle SearchThe Needle search strip is now illuminated so it can be easily found in darker club environments. It also features some markers so you can feel where you are, the Needle search strip has 10 little markers. This works a lot more intuitive and precise once you get used to them, you'll soon start to find your position a lot faster than in the past without them.
GUI Graphically Improved
The complete user interface have been modernized giving a fresh look to the browse screens. It all seems to react a bit more 'spot on' than before.
One of the biggest improvements is that the track listings now show you part of the album art (if added to the track). A lot of DJs have more recognition to images than name and this brings the visual aspect back.
My Settings
When you insert a Device that has been exported from Rekordbox V2+ and you access it, you will see a notification to load your settings. With Rekordbox you can now set a number of settings that can be set in the player within 2 button presses. So no more need to adjust Master Tempo, Pitch scale etc before your set, just load them from your Device.
The settings that can be set on your Device are :
| Function | Options | Remarks |
| Play Mode Eject/Load Lock Auto Cue Level Slip Flashing On Air Display Jog Brightness Jog Indicator Disc Slot Illumination Language LCD Brightness Time Mode Auto Cue Jog Mode Tempo Range Master Tempo Quantize Sync |
Continue / Single Unlock / Lock -36/-42/-48/-54/-60/-66/-72/-78/1st Cue Off / On Off / On Off/ Dark / Bright Off / On Off / Dark / Bright your language 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 Elapsed / Remaining Off / On CDJ / Vinyl 6% / 10% / 16% / Wide Off / On Off / On Off / On |
What to do after track finishes Prevent accidental loading of tracks -78 is most sensitive, New: 1st Cue Player indicates when activated Red Jog light when fader up Level of LEDs in Jog Jog flashes at end of track Light above disc slot Set your language Brightness of main display Display Time Mode Turn Auto Cue on and off Vinyl activates touch sensor Max Pitch setting + and - Turn Master Tempo on and off Turn Quantize on and off Turn Sync on and off |
Differences on the outside
The CDJ-2000nexus has minor cosmetical changes on the outside, the Play/Cue buttons are silver (was black), the top layer round the jogwheel is now more glossy with a metal brushed look background.
Also there are 5 additional buttons, 4 buttons changes function and the Needle Search strip now has ribs and is illuminated.
Additional Buttons
- Dedicated Rekordbox input button
- Quantize on/off button (was setting in menu)
- Slip Mode on/off
- Sync & Master for use when syncing decks
Changed Function Buttons
- Beat Loop display now where auto 4-beat loop was
- Hold Loop In 2 sec for a 4-beat loop
- Next/Prev Memo steps Loop Length (instead of Needle strip)
Faster Searching using the Jog
When you are holding the Track Search button 
/
and rotate the Jog you will scroll very fast through the discs index. 1 Rotation skips about 30 tracks.
When you hold down the regular Search button 
/
and rotate the Jog dial, you will search at a faster speed. Fast Search is performed in the direction of which the jog is rotated so it can also be done backwards.
In both cases (track or regular search), it doesn't matter which direction of the Search Buttons you press (/or/), the direction of the rotation of the Jog determines the direction how to skip.
Cue Stutter Continue
Just like on any CDJ you can use the Cue Button to sample play from your Cue Point. As long as you hold the Cue Button the CDJ plays the track from the Cue Point onwards. When the cue Button is released the CDJ instantly returns to the Cue point and is ready for a restart.
The CDJ-2000 also provides a way to continue playing. When you are holding the Cue Button and the CDJ is playing, you can continue by simultaneously pressing the Play Button
once. When you now release the Cue Button playback will continue.
Eject Canceling & Auto Resume Play
When you press the EJECT button 
, playback will stop and the player prepares for the Eject. Before it shows you 'EJECT' (about 1 second), you can cancel the Eject by pressing the Play Button . This will not prevent the sound from stopping, but it continuous playing a lot faster than when it would perform a full Eject.
When the disc does get ejected and is inserted it again, playback will continue from the point where it was ejected (track number and time is remembered). This point is being stored in the memory of the CDJ for as long as no other CD is inserted, or the power has been turned down.
Real Time Seamless Loop
Set a loop quickly and simple, while a track is play. Once set, it can be looped continuously until the Reloop/Exit button is used. When released, the track continues without a pause. To create a loop you press Loop-In and Loop-Out on the desired position on the CD.You can do this on-the-fly in real time, or you can use the jog/pause mode to get the exact position. Remember the the CUE point you set is the same as the Loop-In point. You can also use the Loop-In button to set a CUE point on-the-fly.
Reloop
Hit the Reloop button for instant access to the beginning of the loop stored in internal memory. This can be done while the loop is playing, or at any time during the play out of the current track, allowing DJs to create amazing sample effects. The same loop is always stored in memory until replaced with a new loop.Loop In / Out Adjust
Fine-tune loops quickly and easily by adjusting both the In and Out points. The result can be save to MMC or internal memory.Tempo Control
This 100 mm linear high-precision slider is connected to a adjustment indicator on the display panel to give DJs total control and ensure that tempo adjustment is easy and accurate.The accuracy declines when a higher pitch scale is selected:
+/- 6% : 0.02%
+/- 10%: 0.05%
+/- 16%: 0.05%
+/- 100% (WIDE) : 0.5%
Tempo Control Reset
Resets the tempo to 0% or the original tempo of the track, regardless of the slider’s position. The button has been recessed to prevent accidental selection.Pitch Bend
Move the Jog Dial forwards or backwards to either speed up or slow down the tempo of a track. When the player is in Vinyl mode only the outer ring of the jog gives you this feature.Jog Mode
The CDJ-2000 can be set in either Vinyl or CDJ mode. In CDJ mode, the Jog Dial still functions, but without the touch sensitivity.'Wide' Pitch Control
The pitch control function has an incredible range of +100/- 100%. This means that you can use new sound effects from opposite ends of the sound spectrum and also match the BPM of their played track with virtually any other music. When combined with the Master Tempo functionality of the CDJ the digital effect can be used to uplift your performance even more.Master Tempo
This world-famous, Pioneer invented, function locks the pitch of a track, even when its speed is changed. DJs can speed up or slow down the beat, without any difference to the sound of the vocals and instruments. The pitch-bends that you do while cueing up your record will be unnoticeable for the audience.This function also makes it possible to mix-in an acapella tracks to a beat, you can pitch-bend the accapella live without anyone noticing it.
Play with this function in WIDE pitch range and using the Master Tempo with extreme low pitch (-90%).
Auto Cue
This is the fastest way for DJs to find the first beat of a track, although it can be turned off for manual cueing. Also new is that the level where the Auto-Cue sets its point can be adjusted in a wide range of positions.BPM Counter
Indicates BPM for the current track. The BPM counter also reads and displays the BPM when the player is in Pause. Without an headphone you can use it to cue up the tracks with an accuracy of 1 BPM, the rest is done with your headphone on your head.Fader Start / Back Cue Start
A track on the CDJ-2000 can be started by sliding the cross fader, if the deck is connected to any Pioneer mixer. Sliding the fader back will return theLegato Link Conversion
Pioneer’s wide range Legato Link Conversion technology delivers high quality audio by reproducing sound frequencies above 20 kHz, which are lost during normal CD-format playback. This not only delivers excellent audio reproduction, but also sounds closer to the original recording.Anti-Vibration
An oil-dampened floating suspension system prevents sound skipping, even when the player is subjected to impact during use or to vibrations generated by high volume music and low frequency bass.Disc Compatibility
The CDJ-2000 can be used to play music from lots of different media and in a lot of different formats. You can insert the discs that carry one of the following logo's and have these descriptions : CD-DA (audio CD), CD-R/-RW, DVD-R/RW, DVD+r/+RW,DVD-r DL (dual layer) and DVD+R DL (dual layer).
You cannot use video files stored on a disc (DVD) as such, only music files are recognized by the CDJ. Some Copyright protected CDs add stuff so the disc does not comply anymore with the Red Book CD standard so the CDJ might not read it. The player is CD-Text compatible so it displays this information in the display, when multiple tags are found the first one will show up.
File Compatibility
You can playback music files stored as MP3, WAV, AAC and AIFF files.
These files can be stored on any of the above discs or on an SD card, USB device, computer with Rekordbox Link running or a mobile device running Rekordbox App. A larger folder tree means more time is needed for the CDJ to read the folders, keep this as tidy as possible.
File limitations apply : 
Folder tree is max. 8 levels deep Max. number of folders on disc (CD/DVD) : 2.000 Max. files on disc (CD/DVD) : 3.000 Max. files per format (CD/DVD) : 999 Max. number of folders on media (SD/USB) : 10.000 Max. files on media per folder (SD/USB) : 10.000
Format Compatibility
CBR & VBR MP3 files [.mp3]MPEG-1
MPEG-2
AAC files [.aac .m4a .mp4]
MPEG-4 AAC LC
ID3 Tags : Versions 1.0 / 1.1 / 2.2 / 2.3 / 2.4. Display will show Title, Album , etc. JPEG image embedded in ID3 tag is displayed as jacket photo.
AIFF files [.aif .aiff]
What do you think about Pioneer CDJ-2000nexus ??
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There are 4 Comments
Alentus wrote on 13-10-2012 @ 08:52
Lead wrote on 03-01-2020 @ 19:03NXS2 is allready there but I didn't have any time to make topics about all the new gear. I try to keep up in the Gearbase.... but also there I have a backlog of info to add.
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