Pioneer Electronics has left an indelible mark on the DJ community during the past decade. Much of what the company has brought to market has been so profoundly successful that many of its products have either set benchmarks for the rest of the industry or have become standard equipment in DJ booths worldwide. In October 1994, Pioneer released the CDJ-500, the first CD player to feature a digital pitch-correction feature called Master Tempo. April 1996 saw the release of the DJM-500, which brought the world of bpm-synched effects to DJs in a compact and extremely user-friendly mixing board and later saw an update in the form of the DJM-600 in August 1998. The CDJ-1000 burst onto the scene in July 2001, bringing the realm of DJ CD players even closer to the tried-and-true feel of vinyl turntables. Although Pioneer has released other DJ products, these have made the most substantial difference in how professional DJs work and play.

The Pioneer DJM-909 and DJM-707 mixing boards not only mark Pioneer's first specific foray into the turntablist/battle segment of the DJ market but also include another string of innovations that have yet to be seen on DJ mixers. Both units have the most customizable and configurable crossfader and fader sections I've seen to date, including the ability to vary the resistance (or lack thereof) of the crossfader. The most recognizable feature, however, is the 909's effects section, which is controlled by a touch screen. For the purpose of this review, I'll refer mostly to the Pioneer DJM-909 because the 707 model is virtually identical to the 909. The 707 lacks the effects section and its touch screen, and it is presented with a silver and gray face instead of the 909's dark-gray color scheme.

BETTER WET THAN DRY

I'm sure that you are dying to know about the 909's touch-screen effects, so here's the info: The amber-colored touch screen is located at the top of the board, front and center between the two faders' EQ sections. Measuring 2.25 by 3 inches high, the screen is clear, bright, easy to read and just the right size to provide manageable control of its parameters. With a dedicated brightness and contrast knob just above the screen on the back of the board, you can dial in just the right settings to suit your taste and lighting conditions, and the touch sensitivity is extremely responsive and quick.

The display has a parallel operation and view, with the left side of the screen controlling channel fader 1 and the right side controlling channel fader 2. Adjacent to each side of the screen are dedicated buttons: Preset 1, Preset 2, Preset 3, FX Adjustment and Fader Curve/Bank Edit. More controls are placed below the screen, including Time/Search and Mix/Depth knobs; three-position Effect Lock On/Off switches; and Tap buttons for manually entering bpm. All of the controls are logically placed, and because they are duplicated for each of the two channels, you don't have to fumble with another toggle or selection switch to access the exact parameter you want for either channel. In addition, instead of having access to only one of a handful of effects at a time, like on the DJM-500 and 600 models, the DJM-909 allows you to choose among 50 built-in effects with a different (or the same) effect for each channel with their own unique settings.

You can also customize the effects section of the DJM-909. There are three banks, each with three preset slots per bank. By holding down the Bank Edit button for a couple of seconds, the corresponding screen allows you to select which effect preset is stored in which bank and in which slot. Say that your three favorite effects are Delay, Flanging and Low Pass Filter. The Bank Edit function allows you to place all three of these in any order and in any bank you desire. Additionally, it's possible to have three copies of the same effect in one bank, each with a different time division or parameter — very flexible, indeed.
The mixer contains 35 Beat (bpm or time-based) effects, including various delays, echoes, pans, reverbs, pitch shifters, vibratos, tremolos, choruses, automated transformers, phasers, filters, a compressor and the most wonderful effect ever: the venerable flanger (insert cynical expression here). Effects such as these usually sound best when they are used rhythmically, so based upon the bpm of the input signal, the time division used for the particular effect can be changed from one of several values. For the Delay effect, you can select eighth, quarter, half, three-quarter or whole notes, as well as 2/1 (two notes, or half measure), 4/1 (four notes, or one measure) or 8/1 (eight notes, or two measures). Do this by first touching the desired effect and then pushing the FX Adjustment button, showing the appropriate screen in which these particular time divisions are represented by their own touch buttons.

Because automatic bpm detection is far from perfect, you can enter bpm values by using the manual Tap buttons to achieve the correct timing, or you can turn the Time/Search knob to make adjustments in 1 ms increments. This allows you to get just the right timing for your effects or to be creative by dialing in your own settings. The FX Adjustment menu page will differ according to the selected effect. For instance, the Phaser 1 and Low Pass Filter effects have time divisions ranging from quarter notes to 32nd notes and refer to how often the effect modulates over time. Additionally, with certain effects, it's possible to select which frequency band is affected. Three frequencies (low, mid and high) can be selected independently or in any combination, giving even more user control and variation, and the wet/balance is controlled by the knob below. Unfortunately, there are no presets for 16th-note or or dotted-eighth-note time divisions, but if you have access to a delay calculator, these values can be dialed in manually. Furthermore, effects cannot be stacked or layered. (I merely point that out as an observation, not necessarily a flaw.)

The remaining 15 effect presets are fader effects, meaning that when activated, the corresponding channel's volume fader controls an additional parameter beyond the ones previously listed. For example, when using the Low Pass Filter preset and the Effect switch is engaged to the Lock On position, the volume fader changes the cutoff frequency of the highpass filter and can be used in combination with the Mix/Depth knob for ultimate control. These 15 fader effects include Roll, Multi Tap Delay, Transform Pan, Pitch Shifter, Ring, Vocoder 1 and 2, Low Pass Filter, Hi Pass Filter and Band-Pass Filter.

Space and practicality do not permit the description of each effect and its operation. So suffice it to say that the DJM-909 is loaded with a wide variety of effects, all of which are easily accessible and controlled with a variety of parameters through an easy-to-use touch-screen interface that doesn't take long to get used to.

ONE-TOUCH ACCESS

The touch screen also doubles as a readout for fader and crossfader status and curve shapes. Although shapes cannot be drawn in by touching the screen, it gives a handy visual representation of the fader controls located on the front of the mixer, which is the DJM-909 and 707's other strong suit. It offers the most fader and crossfader control that I've ever seen. Not only are there separate reverse (hamster) switches for each channel fader and the crossfader, but each of these has its own fader curve knob, with an engaged indicator light on the face. This means that the curve for each fader can be precisely adjusted between a value of 0 to 32, independently of all the others, and are shown on the touch screen when in Fader Curve mode.

Furthermore, there's a small Fader Cut Lag knob in the center that adjusts the amount of physical space that the crossfader is required to move before the actual curve setting comes into play, between a value of 1 to 6 mm in tenth-of-a-millimeter increments. This means that with a setting of 1, the crossfader will almost immediately take action (according to its curve setting) when moved. Alternatively, the maximum setting of 6 mm will create a lag, or delay, before the crossfader does what it's supposed to. What's more, a small opening to the right of the optical crossfader allows you to control the feel or resistance of its movement. Using the supplied mini hex driver, the crossfader can be adjusted to respond as light as a feather, as a moderately snug action or anything in between. I wish the hex driver had a key-chain hole or there was a storage clip for it on the board itself, so be careful not to lose it. Otherwise, a strategically placed piece of tape should suffice to keep it handy.

All of these features add up to an extremely flexible fader section, furnishing turntablists with a wealth of options when customizing the control and feel of the DJM-909. Besides a standard ¼-inch headphone output and the master power switch, the front panel of the board also hosts Fader Start switches to be used with supported CD players for automatic fader-start play. (Control cords plug into the back of the unit.) Fader-start operation can be switched between crossfader or channel-fader modes, with separate engage buttons on the face. Another industry first for DJ mixers is the presence of an input for an optional footswitch to allow the quick on-and-off control of effects (909 only).

BACK TO BASICS

As for the core features of the DJM-909 and 707, the back panels of both units offer four device inputs, two phono inputs and two line inputs. The phono inputs can be switched to line inputs, and there is a ground post below each set. A balanced pair of XLR Master outputs are mirrored by a second pair of unbalanced RCA outputs, as well as separate RCA Booth outputs that double as a Session Out for cascading multiple boards together for session performances. A separate RCA Session In is also supplied, and it is controlled by its own knob on the face. Additionally, the mixers sport ¼-inch stereo Send and Return loops for external effects processing, along with a Mic input that accepts either ¼-inch or XLR connectors.

Each fader channel features Low, Mid and Hi EQ knobs with a separate on/off switch, as well as independent gain knobs. The Low EQ operates at a frequency of 70 Hz, the Mid EQ operates at 1 kHz, and the Hi EQ operates at 13 kHz, all with a healthy adjustment range of -26 to +6 dB. Volume levels for each channel are displayed on 12-position LEDs between the channel faders, with a sensitivity of -22 to +14 dB. A switch just above the LEDs switches the meters to the stereo master level. And just above that are the independent Transform switches. The microphone level is controlled with a rotary knob featuring separate Hi and Low EQs that operate from -12 to +12 dB. The headphone-cue section offers a volume knob; a Master/Effect/Cue selection switch; and a cue fader, allowing for a headphone blend or an isolated cue.

WAY PAST O dB

My biggest gripes about Pioneer's previous DJM-500 and 600 models were the seeming lack of construction and sound quality. Those units had somewhat of a cheap, plastic feel, and I wasn't the only one who thought the boards could have performed much better sonically, especially when hooked up to large rigs. Although the 909 and 707 weigh in at a hefty 14 pounds (approximately) and feel much more solidly constructed than their predecessors, my sound-quality tests proved to be disappointing. As with the DJM-500 and 600 models, the DJM-909 and 707 introduce noticeable distortion at levels over +3 dB. Prior to that threshold, they sound fine, but I've always disagreed with Pioneer's practice of dedicating almost half of the meter section to values higher than 0 dB. I tried several gain-structure variations with phono and line inputs, like low input trim/high master volume and high input trim/low master volume, and I'm sorry to report that both boards were markedly distorted way before reaching their maximum meter levels, sometimes below 0 dB on the master meter. Unlike the 500 and 600, the 909 and 707 do not have a main output trim on the back, which allows users to calibrate not only the overall output level of the board but also the relationship of the output level to the meters.

Sound-quality issues aside, these two boards are fantastic scratch and turntablist mixers packed with features and innovations that are the first of their kind. For the DJM-909, the sheer flexibility and customization of the 50 effects and banks opens a whole new avenue for experimentation and possibilities. The optional footswitch has the potential to take the performance and scratch DJ segments to another level entirely. If effects are not important to you, then choose the DJM-707. Just like the 909, it has an unbelievable fader-curve knob control section, independent reverse switches, session in and out, effects loop, a mic input and transform switches, not to mention the crossfader adjustment screw. Even the transform switches can be rotated in 45-degree increments for further customization. If you are looking for a high-end 2-channel mixing board that's specifically tailored for scratch, trick or battle DJs and that also boasts a solid core of features and other enhancements that can't be found anywhere else, the DJM-909 and the DJM-707 are definitely worth investigating.
For those of you out there who are considering buying either of these models, please don't let the MSRP listed in this review scare you away. Because of Pioneer's relationship with its distributors and retailers, the MSRP is the only price that can be published. “Call for best price” in gear catalogs depicts a similar situation. Just be aware that the actual street prices for the DJM-909 and the DJM-707 are much less than the MSRP, so make sure to check with your local dealer or online for the best prices, and as of this writing, you can get a $200 rebate on the DJM-707.

Product Summary

Pros: Fifty effects available to either channel simultaneously and independently (909 only). Touch-screen interface (909 only). Fantastic fader-curve adjustment controls with separate fader-reverse switches.

Cons: Noticeable distortion at levels higher than 0 dB. Effects cannot be stacked or layered (909 only).