Deliveries will be made subject to the terms and conditions of the courier company. djkit.com will not be held responsible for late deliveries. Out of the box, it’s immediately apparent that the build quality of the 800 is decent, if understandably not quite up to the standard of Pioneer’s range-topping gear. You can also see where features have been dropped from the DDJ-1000 to make a smaller, more affordable unit. It’s got a solid build but doesn’t quite meet the same grade as Pioneer’s top-tier controllers. Weighing in at 4.7kg, it doesn’t take much muscle to carry the DJ controller around with you from venue to venue. I’m sure you can find your unique style with an array of Pad FX performance modes. Best Alternatives to the DDJ-800

Finally, microphones can be connected to the two microphone inputs. Mic one features an XLR/TRS combo balanced input and Mic Two features a single TRS connection. In what can only be described as a very odd decision, absolutely none of the effects on the DDJ 800 work without Rekordbox plugged in. Rendering the standalone feature of this mixer, extremely basic. Add to that the fact you can’t disable the crossfader in stand alone mode and you might want to look elsewhere if you wanted to use the 800 as a just a mixer at anytime. By offloading the performance features to the computer to process and control, the 800 is rather dumb without it plugged in. Mic effects… If engaged, rekordbox DJ will time-adjust loops to fit with the tempo and proper beat placement. I’d recommend keeping the quantize button on while making your loops. Performance PadsThere are two mic inputs on the DDJ 800, which is somewhat uncommon for most DJ controller units. You can have an MC and a vocalist join in on your mix at the same time.

Although the DDJ-800 can be used as a standalone mixer without being plugged into a laptop, the mixer effects won’t function (presumably because they’re processed in the software rather than the hardware itself). There are, of course, decent rivals from other brands, but the premium you pay for going down the Pioneer DJ route is partly justified by the fact that it allows you to hone skills which transfer to other products in the brand’s industry-standard range. A very solid option indeed. Do I really need this?You can use the same cue/loop call buttons to select pre-set loops in the rekordbox DJ software. If you are a little OCD when it comes to mixing, then pre-set the loops beforehand. Unlike the older Pioneer controllers, the microphone channels are independent and don’t take over regular channels anymore which is great. The auxiliary input is another independent channel and is controlled by a simple volume control, sadly no EQ or effects here but will do for plugging in a phone or MP3 player. The mixer features a stand alone mode with switchable line/phono inputs on both channels. This also means the DDJ 800 is compatible with Rekordbox DVS but you will need an additional licence to use that feature and as you’ll find out later really doesn’t work very well! Performance Features The Pioneer DJ DDJ-800 is a Rekordbox dedicated 2-channel DJ controller that comes equipped with a wealth of professional DJ performance tools that allow you to take full control over your sound. The compact, portable body features a design inherited from the DDJ-1000, as well as the club-standard NXS2 set-up, and includes extensive effects, full-colour on-jog displays, and trigger pads with eight performance modes available. The DDJ-800 digital DJ controller is ideal for aspiring and intermediate DJs looking to get a feel for professional DJ performance systems and offers an authentic DJ experience that lets you hone in on your creativity.