DDJ-FLX4 vs. The Best Beginner DJ Gear

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DDJ-FLX4 Review Summary

RESUMEN

Overview

This video reviews the Pioneer DJ DDJ-FLX4, comparing it to other beginner DJ controllers in a similar price range. The reviewer, after using the FLX4 for a couple of months, highlights both its strengths and weaknesses.

Strengths

  • Works well with Rekordbox DJ: The FLX4 integrates seamlessly with Rekordbox DJ, offering a fully unlocked experience.
  • Improves upon the DDJ-400: It builds on the positive aspects of its predecessor, enhancing the look, feel, connectivity, and functionality.
  • Innovative Features: Includes Smart CFX and Smart Fader, features designed to make DJing more accessible and fun for beginners.

Weaknesses

  • USB-C Port Issues: The USB-C port, while modern, is less secure than the USB-B port of the DDJ-400, potentially leading to disconnections.
  • Lack of Dotted Visual Guides: The absence of dotted visual guides on the EQ and trim knobs makes precise adjustments difficult, especially in low-light conditions.
  • Matte Jog Wheel Finish: The reviewer, who enjoys scratching, finds the matte finish less grippy than the DDJ-400's jog wheels.
  • Poorly Positioned Buttons: The proximity of the Smart Fader and effect buttons to the crossfader can lead to accidental triggering during scratching.

Competitor Comparison

The video compares the DDJ-FLX4 to the Hercules DJ Impulse 500, Numark Mixtrack Platinum FX, and the discontinued DDJ-400. Each is evaluated based on features, strengths, and weaknesses, helping viewers determine which controller best aligns with their needs and preferences. The Impulse 500 is praised for its RGB pads and value, while the Numark Mixtrack Platinum FX is highlighted for its unique paddle effects. The DDJ-400 is considered a strong contender due to its robust build but is limited by its discontinued status and higher resale prices.

Conclusion

The reviewer concludes that the DDJ-FLX4 is a great beginner controller, offering significant improvements over the DDJ-400, and incorporating innovative features. However, potential buyers should consider the USB-C port's potential for instability and the lack of visual guides on the EQ and trim knobs. The best choice ultimately depends on individual needs and priorities, particularly regarding scratching and software preferences.

IDEAS

The video provides several key ideas for beginner DJs:

  • Intro/Outro Mixing: A simple and effective mixing technique for beginners.
  • DJ Record Pools: Emphasizes the use of DJ record pools as resources for high-quality tracks with intros and outros.
  • Controller Selection: Thoroughly guides viewers trough the process of selecting a controller based on their individual needs and preferences, taking into account various features and software compatibilities.

INSIGHTS

The review offers several insights:

  • Balance of Innovation and Practicality: The FLX4 successfully introduces innovative features while maintaining core functionalities.
  • Importance of Software Integration: Highlights the importance of selecting a controller that fully integrates with the DJ software user prefer.
  • Subjectivity of Preferences: The review acknowledges the subjective nature of preferences, with some weaknesses (e.g., jog wheel grip) being more relevant to certain DJing styles.

🎯 Sabiduría

RESUMEN

DJ Carlo compara el controlador DJ DDJ-FLX4 con otros equipos para principiantes, destacando sus fortalezas y debilidades, y recomendando Rekordbox DJ para una experiencia óptima.

IDEAS

  • El DDJ-FLX4 tiene excelentes características innovadoras, pero también inconvenientes.
  • Las ruedas jog del FLX4 son livianas y sensibles, pero menos adherentes que las del DDJ-400.
  • Las almohadillas de rendimiento del FLX4 no son RGB, a diferencia de algunos competidores.
  • La falta de guías visuales en los controles de EQ y Trim del FLX4 dificulta la mezcla precisa.
  • La proximidad de los botones Smart Fader y Effect al crossfader causa activaciones accidentales.
  • El puerto USB-C del FLX4, aunque moderno, es menos seguro que el USB-B del DDJ-400.
  • El Smart Fader del FLX4 facilita la mezcla de canciones con diferencias significativas de BPM.
  • El Smart CFX del FLX4 aplica combinaciones de efectos para añadir dramatismo a las mezclas.
  • Rekordbox DJ ofrece la mejor compatibilidad con el DDJ-FLX4, desbloqueando todas las funciones.
  • Serato DJ Lite, incluido con el FLX4, tiene funciones limitadas que requieren una actualización de pago.
  • El FLX4 mejora las cualidades del DDJ-400 en diseño, funcionalidad y conectividad.
  • Mezclar con pistas de calidad, con intros y outros, facilita y hace más divertida la mezcla.
  • Los record pools ofrecen una gran biblioteca de música para DJs, incluyendo intros y outros.
  • El Hercules DJ Impulse 500 es un competidor del FLX4 con pads RGB y salidas PL, pero sin sección de efectos dedicada.
  • El Numark Mixtrack Platinum FX ofrece faders de tempo largos, pads de rendimiento y efectos de patrón.
  • El DDJ-REV1 está orientado a DJs que usan tocadiscos, con jog wheels grandes y efectos de patrón.
  • El DDJ-400, aunque descontinuado, ofrece una experiencia fiable y estable, pero a un precio mayor en el mercado de segunda mano.
  • La elección entre el FLX4 y sus competidores depende de las preferencias y necesidades del DJ.
  • El FLX4 es un excelente controlador para principiantes, pero no es perfecto.
  • El FLX4 ofrece todo lo que un DJ principiante necesita en su primer controlador.
  • Aprender a usar los intros y outros facilitará considerablemente la mezcla para principiantes.
  • Utilizar un record pool como Create Connect proporciona acceso a una amplia gama de música para DJ.
  • El código de cupón DJCarlo ofrece descuento en los servicios de Create Connect.
  • Considerar cuidadosamente las necesidades y preferencias antes de comprar un controlador DJ.

INSIGHTS

  • La innovación tecnológica debe complementarse con la experiencia del usuario.
  • La elección del software DJ influye en la experiencia general con el controlador.
  • La ergonomía y la intuición son cruciales en el diseño de equipos DJ.
  • La práctica y la adaptación son claves para superar las limitaciones del equipo.
  • La calidad de las pistas musicales impacta significativamente en el proceso de mezcla.
  • Recursos online como los record pools facilitan el acceso a material de calidad para DJs.
  • La mejor opción depende de las preferencias personales y las necesidades del DJ.
  • Un controlador DJ ideal balancea innovación, funcionalidad y facilidad de uso.
  • Invertir en recursos adicionales, como record pools, mejora la experiencia.
  • La curva de aprendizaje es importante considerar al comprar un controlador.

CITAS

  • "el DDJ flx4 fue diseñado para ser el mejor controlador digital para principiantes que Pioneer DJ haya hecho hasta ahora"
  • "para mí, el Smart Fader es solo otra herramienta y, al igual que la sincronización, habrá detractores"
  • "la mejor opción realmente es usarla con rekordbox DJ"
  • "el FLX4 funciona mejor con rekordbox DJ"
  • "el Smart Fader y las funciones CFX no funcionan mejor en Serato DJ Pro"
  • "si eres un DJ principiante ansioso que quiere aprovechar al máximo su nuevo FX4 desde el primer momento"
  • "para mí, la única forma real de hacer que pinchar sea divertido y fácil es pinchando con pistas de calidad con intros y outros"
  • "puedes pensar en los pools de discos de video como bibliotecas enormes de música de todos los géneros donde simplemente puedes descargar todas las canciones que podrías necesitar"
  • "el DDJ FX4 es finalmente el mejor controlador digital para principiantes"
  • "mejora casi todos los aspectos del ddj-400 y es mucho más de lo que se esperaba cuando se trata de sus nuevas funciones innovadoras"
  • "si estás dispuesto a pasar por alto mis problemas menores con esta unidad, entonces el FX4 puede ser el controlador para ti"
  • "esta es la única controladora del grupo con algo más que salidas RCA"
  • "es simplemente irritante. La ausencia de guías visuales para marcar los mini-knobs EQ puede dificultar que un DJ equilibre con precisión sus niveles y ecualizaciones"
  • "si valoras la estabilidad, no te importa la innovación y usar otros programas que no sean rekordbox DJ y simplemente quieres un controlador probado y comprobado, entonces consigue el 400"

HÁBITOS

  • Utilizar pistas de calidad con intros y outros para facilitar la mezcla.
  • Suscribirse a un record pool para acceder a una gran variedad de música.
  • Adaptarse a las nuevas tecnologías y herramientas para mejorar la experiencia de mezcla.
  • Priorizar la práctica y la experiencia para superar inconvenientes con el equipo.
  • Practicar para contrarrestar problemas con la ubicación de botones en el controlador.

HECHOS

  • El DDJ-FLX4 cuesta 299 dólares.
  • El Hercules DJ Impulse 500 también cuesta 299 dólares.
  • El Numark Mixtrack Platinum FX cuesta 279 dólares.
  • El DDJ-REV1 cuesta 279 dólares.
  • El DDJ-400 se vende entre 300 y 400 dólares en eBay.
  • El DDJ-FLX4 utiliza puertos USB-C en lugar de USB-B.
  • El DDJ-FLX4 incluye Serato DJ Lite.
  • El Hercules DJ Impulse 500 incluye salidas PL.
  • El DDJ-FLX4 ofrece funciones Smart Fader y Smart CFX.
  • Rekordbox DJ ofrece la mejor compatibilidad con el DDJ-FLX4.
  • Serato DJ Lite tiene funciones limitadas.
  • El DDJ-FLX4 tiene 8 pads de rendimiento.
  • El DDJ-FLX4 funciona con Rekordbox DJ y Serato DJ.

REFERENCIAS

  • DDJ-FLX4
  • DDJ-400
  • Hercules DJ Impulse 500
  • Numark Mixtrack Platinum FX
  • DDJ-REV1
  • Rekordbox DJ
  • Serato DJ Lite
  • Serato DJ Pro
  • Create Connect

CONCLUSIÓN EN UNA FRASE

El DDJ-FLX4 es un excelente controlador para principiantes, a pesar de pequeños inconvenientes.

RECOMENDACIONES

  • Considera tus necesidades y preferencias al elegir un controlador DJ.
  • Utiliza Rekordbox DJ para aprovechar al máximo el DDJ-FLX4.
  • Practica la mezcla con pistas de calidad que tengan intros y outros.
  • Considera suscribirte a un record pool para una mayor variedad de música.
  • Adapta tu estilo de mezcla a las características del controlador.
  • Investiga las alternativas disponibles antes de comprar un controlador.
  • Prioriza la ergonomía y la facilidad de uso del equipo.
  • Recuerda que la práctica perfecciona la técnica.
  • No te desanimes por los inconvenientes menores del equipo.
  • Aprovecha recursos adicionales, como tutoriales, para aprender mejor.

🔮 Sabiduría PRO

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the iPhone X4 has a huge problem<br>[Music]<br>[Applause]<br>the DDJ flx4 was designed to be the best<br>beginner Digi controller Pioneer DG has<br>ever made so far but from using this<br>controller for a couple of months now I<br>experienced four problems that could<br>potentially be Troublesome for DJs who<br>plan to use this unit for the long term<br>so is the DDJ Flex 4 with its two new<br>Innovative yet controversial features<br>and its ability to work with rexbox TJ<br>and Serato DJ natively worth its price<br>tag of 299 dollars and is the iPhone X4<br>really the best beginner Digi controller<br>you can buy right now third problem with<br>Netflix 4 is this this is the biggest<br>well let's find out by first breaking<br>down each component on the FX4 followed<br>by comparing it to every rival<br>controller in its price range starting<br>off with the jog Wheels the flx4<br>features a pair of medium-sized platters<br>with some good resistance on them<br>they're light enough to scratch on but<br>with enough resistance so that your<br>tracks don't go flying off the handle if<br>you get a bit too rough with them<br>they're also covered in a nice matte<br>finish like the rest of the controller<br>giving them a unique texture but this<br>texture for me is not a good thing<br>though the jog Wheels looks leak the top<br>of the jog Wheels aren't as grippy as<br>the 400s which feature a more<br>traditional coating similar to every<br>Pioneer DJ controller in the months I've<br>had this controller I honestly found<br>myself exerting more effort to grip the<br>jog Wheels when doing technical<br>scratching now don't get me wrong the<br>flx 4's jog wheels are as light and as<br>responsive as ever and you can totally<br>scratch on them but for me as a scratch<br>nerd I just prefer the old surface<br>coating on the ddj-400 anyway if you're<br>not into scratching then this minor<br>gripe shouldn't bother you at all and<br>honestly this is just my problem moving<br>on to the performance pads with the flx4<br>we got eight performance pads all<br>appropriately sized and solved to the<br>touch Unfortunately they aren't RGB pads<br>so they only come with the default<br>yellow orange color this doesn't really<br>affect performance though but for 299<br>dollars I was expecting more since<br>impulse 500 cost 299 as well and has RGB<br>pads what I do appreciate on the flx4<br>though are the performance modes<br>available unlike the 400 on the flx4 we<br>have hot q that effects one B job and<br>sampler besides the pads we have Pioneer<br>DJ standard circular plate and Q buttons<br>while on the other side we have the<br>tempo fader on the top side you've got<br>the loop reference as well as the beat<br>sink master and Tempo range buttons the<br>main mixture section on the iPhone X4 is<br>where the party's at with the addition<br>of a few Innovative features exclusive<br>to this controller so far on the right<br>side you have the master volume knob the<br>beat effect switch the effects select<br>button beat buttons effects level knob<br>and of course the effects button itself<br>the central portion has your standard EQ<br>section including cfx knobs and this<br>section is pretty uniform in terms of<br>looks with every other Pioneer DJ<br>controller what's this appointing though<br>is that unlike the 400 which has dotted<br>visual guides around the EQ and trim<br>knobs the flx4 strangely does not so<br>setting your trim and EQ knobs to be at<br>a specific level can be difficult<br>without those handy dotted visual guides<br>and this lack is especially exacerbated<br>when you DJ live and need to have your<br>trims be at a specific level without the<br>12 o'clock marker sitting both your<br>chips accurately is tricky especially in<br>the dark moving on the volume faders on<br>this unit feel decent to slide around<br>and are honestly pretty standard and<br>that goes for the crossfader as well<br>though the overall mixture section looks<br>aesthetically pleasing with its<br>symmetrical nature the problem here is<br>that the smart fader and effect button<br>are adjacent to the Cross feeder so when<br>doing technical scratches and DJ<br>routines I tend to accidentally hit him<br>this was a big problem for me in the<br>beginning but as I use the unit more and<br>more I adjusted eventually now the left<br>side is where the magic really is other<br>than the mic and headphone controls we<br>have two new buttons the smart cfx and<br>smart fader let's start with the least<br>controversial one smart cfx so<br>activating smart cfx and turning the cfx<br>knob will apply a combination of effects<br>that will add drama and tension to your<br>sound now depending on the smart cfx<br>selected you can either cut the music or<br>enhance it and for the most part they're<br>all pretty fun to use<br>[Music]<br>moving on to the main device of feature<br>smart fader now this is an amazing<br>Innovative tool which is sure to help<br>beginners massively in the way they mix<br>especially when they transition huge BPM<br>differences so when smart fader is<br>activated crossfading from one deck to<br>the other transitions your tracks<br>[Music]<br>foreign<br>[Music]<br>[Music]<br>DJ mixing is bypassed because this<br>feature automatically beat matches eqs<br>and even Echoes your track as you<br>Crossfade for me smart fader is just<br>another tool and just like sync there<br>will be detractors I just feel that we<br>can't fight Technologies March forward<br>so we either adapt to the times and use<br>this tool to our advantage or we don't<br>now enough DJ philosophy let's get back<br>to the review the flx4 was designed to<br>work with rekordbox TJ and siraldo DJ<br>but other solvers like Virtual DJ and<br>algorithm DJ will be workable with this<br>controller in due time plus we have<br>record box DJ for IOS and Android coming<br>in soon but from using this unit<br>extensively I can honestly say that the<br>flex 4 works the best with rekordbox DJ<br>and that's for one reason since the flx4<br>comes in Serato DJ Lite you are<br>essentially getting a strip back version<br>of Serato DJ Pro yes you can DJ<br>perfectly fine until J light but<br>important features like the ability to<br>make playlists use AQ points detect the<br>key of your track use a bunch of effects<br>Etc are all locked behind the paywall<br>that essentially means you won't be able<br>to use flex 4 to its full potential with<br>Serato DJ light unless you pay and<br>upgrade to Serato DJ Pro but even if you<br>do upgrade and get all those Pro<br>features and functionalities<br>unfortunately the smart fader and cfx<br>features don't function the best at<br>Gerardo DJ Pro<br>foreign<br>[Music]<br>[Music]<br>foreign<br>[Music]<br>but perhaps that's just for now maybe in<br>the future that'll change so if you're<br>an eager beginner DJ who wants to take<br>full advantage of their brand new FX4<br>right out of the box the best option<br>really is to use it for their XBox TJ<br>because with rekordbox TJ everything is<br>unlocked and everything works the way<br>they intended to as you've noticed this<br>unit has been switched to USBC ports<br>from the usual USB B ports and Now<br>features two ports one for powering the<br>unit and another for connecting to your<br>laptop or mobile device now this<br>Innovative change sounds good on paper<br>but for me an application I honestly<br>much prefer the usbb ports simply<br>because they stay plugged in no matter<br>what a simple tug on the USBC cable can<br>mean a disaster so DJs who use it for X4<br>just have to be extra careful and<br>Vigilant when they DJ now besides the<br>USBC ports we also have an Android<br>switch for mono or stereo outputs RCA<br>outputs and a micro your phone input on<br>the front we have our standard 3.5<br>millimeter headphone jack with all that<br>said let's summarize the strengths and<br>weaknesses of the flx4 so we have three<br>strengths and four weaknesses two of<br>which I don't think will bother you but<br>let's see anyway let's start with the<br>flex 4 strengths works with the best DJ<br>software and will work with more in the<br>future inherits the best aspects and<br>qualities of the DDJ 400 and improves on<br>them that goes for the look feel<br>connectivity and overall functionality<br>has smart cfx and smart fader which are<br>Innovative features that will make DJing<br>more accessible and fun to any beginner<br>and speaking of fun for me the one true<br>way to really make DJing fun and easy is<br>by DJing with quality tracks with intros<br>and outros you see most Pro DJs do intro<br>Ultra mixing which is when they mix the<br>next song's intersection with the<br>current songs outro section and that<br>type of mixing is perfect for any<br>beginner trying out DJing because it's<br>the easiest and most reliable way to<br>make songs together<br>[Music]<br>and so prodigies like myself download<br>these types of tracks and more from DJ<br>record pools and you can think of video<br>record pools as huge libraries of music<br>of all genres where they just can<br>download all the songs they could ever<br>need from DJ friendly tracks to radio<br>edits to remixes to instrumentals to<br>acapellas Etc rocket tools just have<br>everything and so the DJ record pool I<br>subscribe to and get all my music from<br>is create connect and you can get a huge<br>discount on their services by using the<br>coupon code DJ Carlo when you sign up on<br>their site anyway let's now move on to<br>the fx4's weaknesses so the number one<br>weakness of the ddgflex 4 is its USBC<br>Port though USBC is the right step<br>forward the fact is compared to its<br>predecessor the DDJ 400 the flex Force<br>USB C Port simply does that hold on to a<br>cable as strong as a 400s USB B Port but<br>I'm sure if you secure your f1x4 and<br>make sure everything is plugged in right<br>and tight you'll be fine next my second<br>problem with the flex 4 is its lack of<br>dotted visual guides for its EQ and trim<br>section finally DJ's Club grade mixers<br>all have dotted visual guides for their<br>eqs and trim knobs so to see that the<br>flex 4 lacks this is just irritating the<br>absence of dotted visual guides to<br>marker the true mini Q knobs are can<br>hamper a Digi from accurately balancing<br>their levels and eqs and I personally<br>know this because when DJ in a live dark<br>environment I had a hard time balancing<br>my levels out now the next two problems<br>are my personal drives to the unit as a<br>DJ who loves to scratch so these are<br>very Niche problems that most likely<br>won't affect you<br>maybe so my third problem with the flx4<br>are its matte finish jog Wheels compared<br>to the 400s jog Wheels the FX4 simply<br>aren't as grippy so now I have to exert<br>more effort in gripping the jog wheel<br>when scratching and as the guy who has<br>dry hands this is annoying and finally<br>my last problem with flex 4 are the<br>button positions of the smart fader and<br>effect button they're just too close to<br>the crossfader so having them there<br>makes them susceptible to Accidental<br>button triggering when scratching now<br>these two very Niche problems of mine<br>can be circumvented with enough practice<br>and effort but the fact that I still<br>have to do that though is just<br>bothersome overall the DDJ FX4 is<br>finally DJ's best beginner Digi<br>controller it improves almost every<br>aspect of the ddj-400 and is way more<br>than expected when its innovative new<br>features though it's not perfect the<br>flex 4 simply has everything a beginner<br>Digi could ever want and need from their<br>first controller so if you're willing to<br>look past my minor drives to this unit<br>then therefore X4 may be the controller<br>for you but how does it compare to other<br>controllers in this price range is it<br>really the best well that really depends<br>on what you want so let's check out<br>their Flex first top rivals in this<br>price bracket the biggest rival to the<br>flex 4 in terms of price and value is<br>the impulse 500 by Hercules DJ and this<br>unit works natively with Serato DJ and D<br>Juiced it features 8 RGB performance<br>pads a beat match guide system<br>well-sized jog Wheels pop-up stands for<br>stability and pl outputs this is the<br>only controller in the bunch with<br>anything but RCA outputs so this<br>automatically puts the impulse 500 on a<br>pedestal for me my only gripe with this<br>controller is that it lacks a dedicated<br>effects section so to activate an effect<br>you'll need to press a button for that<br>effect and use a filter knobs as a wet<br>slash dryer knob and that is honestly<br>kinda weird anyway I would choose this<br>controller over the flex 4 if you into<br>Serato DJ value RGB performance patch<br>and pl outputs if you want a good deal<br>this controller is for you but also keep<br>in mind that it comes throughout the DJ<br>lights so that may be a factor that you<br>may or may not want to consider next<br>coming in at 279 dollars we have the<br>Numark mixtrack Platinum effects it<br>features large quantity joggers or<br>digital displays long Tempo faders 8<br>performance pads and a mixture system<br>with pattern effects paddles are usually<br>only found on scratch oriented mixers<br>and having the option to toggle the<br>effects on or off or leave them on makes<br>a massive difference in software base<br>effects and to be honest final effects<br>are just more fun to use now the jog<br>wheels are pretty heavy so they aren't<br>ideal for scratching but if you're into<br>beat matching then these jog Wheels feel<br>great for that because of their heavy<br>weight and Jog displays so I would<br>choose this Rado DJ Focus controller<br>over the FX4 if you value paddle effects<br>long and smooth Tempo faders and heavy<br>jog Wheels focused on beat matching<br>moving into home-based territory we are<br>the 279 Dollars around the DJ focused<br>ddg rev one so the Rev one separated<br>stuff from the competition simply by<br>aiming at a specific Market Saturn table<br>lists this controller takes cues from<br>Pioneer DJ's s mixers and features large<br>strongest perfect for scratching pattern<br>effects and 8 centrally located<br>performance pads so I would choose this<br>controller over the FX4 if you see<br>yourself using turntables in the future<br>or if you're really into scratching and<br>turntableism and finally let's talk<br>about the DDJ 400 the goat of<br>entry-level controllers so like I said a<br>while ago the flex 4 trumps a 400 in<br>almost every aspect but there are<br>certain things the 400 has the FX4 does<br>not and they are the following jog<br>Wheels with a grippy surface an EQ and<br>trim section with dotted visual guides a<br>spacious crossfader section and an Ever<br>reliable USB D Port that'll hold and<br>secure cable no matter what the problem<br>though is that since the 400 is<br>discontinued your only source for this<br>product is on eBay and nowadays the 400<br>there sells between 300 to 400 dollars<br>so if you find the DDJ 400 between 200<br>to 300 consider yourself very lucky so<br>the big question is should you buy the<br>400 over the FX4 well if you value<br>stability don't care about Innovation<br>and using other programs either than<br>rekordbox DJ and simply want a tried and<br>tested controller then get the 400 but<br>let's say you want to spend more to get<br>that Digi controller perfect for you and<br>your budget then check this video over<br>here because DJ in this video are the<br>best that you controllers ever made so<br>far