This March, Pioneer DJ unveiled a brand new controller which would break the mould from all of their previous standalone units. Enter, the Opus Quad. Having released an update to their popular RX series controller – the XDJ-RX3 in only November 2021, the Opus Quad came as a bit of a surprise to many in the DJing community. However, this unit is a very different beast entirely.
Price: £2,899
Available: Now, since March 2023
Closest competitor: Denon Prime 4 (£2,149)
Oveview
From the outset you can see this piece of kit differs to virtually anything Pioneer DJ has released. The sloping top plate finished in matte black with rose gold detailing on filter and rotary knobs being the most notable changes at first glance. Upon closer inspection, earth coloured slits on the front and side panels finished with a curved edge complete the new sophisticated look which is designed with comfort and intuitive operation in mind.
Alongside the unique design, the Opus Quad is packed with new features which will no doubt turn heads and ears. One of the long-awaited updates DJs have yearned for from Pioneer is the ability to have 4 deck playback from a standalone unit. The Opus Quad can do just that. Assign 4 different tracks, which can be cued in advanced and played simultaneously for the first time ever on a Pioneer controller.
Just like the RX3, the Opus Quad features Pioneer’s biggest ever 10.1 inch touch screen display, combined with a refreshed user-friendly interface and new smart rotary selector which makes track selection a breeze. When it comes to connectivity and media sources, there are plenty of options to choose from. Those who prefer the more traditional routes have 3 USB ports, an SSD drive or you can connect a PC/Mac running DJ software. If you’d prefer a wireless connection, you can stream your entire collection via Cloud Library Sync or simply hook up your smartphone through Wi-FI or bluetooth and use the Rekordbox for iOS/Android app.
Pioneer’s popular suite of effects can all be found on the Opus Quad and controlled either with the onboard knobs or via the touch screen display’s XY-Pad, enabling DJs to blend the FX bank with high and low pass filters using just a finger. Looking on the back, an additional output allows users to really take advantage of the 4 deck playback. By hooking up a separate sound system via the Zone out, you can play music in room 1, whilst playing an entirely different track in room 2 all controlled by the same Opus Quad. Mind = blown.
In use
So, what’s it actually like to use all of those fancy new gadgets and features? Out of the box it’s quite simply stunning. It’s also bloody massive, so I’d recommend having someone with you to help with unboxing and getting set up in your desired spot, as trying to handle it with just two hands isn’t easy.
Once you’re powered up and ready to go, STOP. As first you’ll need to make sure your library is in the correct format before you plug in any USBs. To do this, simply follow these steps. There have been reports of people not doing this and having their USBs either wiped or causing faults to the port itself, so hopefully these issues are addressed in a firmware update. Having this initial hurdle before we could get cracking with using the controller was a tad annoying, however relatively easily fixed once we knew how.
Hands on with the unit, it feels amazing. the jog wheels and play/cue buttons have a silky smooth rubber-like feel to them which are really tactile and a dream to use. There are two additional smaller displays on each deck which replace the graphics previously squeezed into the jog wheel screen. This made important information such as the BPM and time remaining easier to view. However when first using these two displays, the large touch screen in the middle and having the former habit of looking at the jog wheel, it took a minute to know which one to look at.
One of my favourite features of the Opus Quad is certainly the 4 deck playback. This upgrade is also easy to use as you’re able to switch decks with a press of a button and assign colour-changing jog wheels to your own personal preference in the settings menu. This made it quick to know what deck was currently active at a glance.
Having previously used the RX series controllers and DJM mixers, the FX on the Opus took a little getting used to, as many of the knobs have been moved into the touch screen display. For example, to assign FX to a single track you can only do this on the touch screen by selecting the desired channel in the FX section.
That said, once I’d worked out the layout and got to grips with the interface, everything fell into place and I found a rhythm. The XY-Pad is especially fun to use and frees up your other hand for different tasks as you can blend the filter with another FX using just one finger. The Smooth Echo is also a really cool feature. With the touch of a button you can echo out from the current deck playing, an ideal get out of trouble card if you need a quick transition. You can also tweak the parameters of this effect in the settings depending on your preference.
Summary
In summary, the Opus Quad has definitely redefined what we would expect from a Pioneer DJ all in one unit, with some great new features. Some of those updates have been a long time coming, such as the 4 deck compatibility but nonetheless this controller ticks a lot of boxes which previously were not available. The slick new design with a super satisfying tactile feel is something to behold and we hope this same look is rolled out in other Pioneer products. While it may be a bit pricey for some, those who are serious about their craft will appreciate the quality and versatility that the Opus Quad provides with a range of connectivity options and creative functions which are becoming ever-essential for modern DJing.
Order the Opus Quad here.
Words: Ben Lovejoy
ratemyrave.com 