Pioneer DJ Return With The Ultimate DJ Mixer

Pioneer DJ has long been the industry standard when it comes to DJ mixers. Their flagship nexus range of mixers can be found in clubs all around the world, being a firm favourite with most commercial DJ’s. For those who like to shape their sound further though, Pioneer DJ hasn’t released a relevant mixer since the DJM 2000. That’s ten long years ago!

With Allen and Heath and Play Differently offering high-quality mixers built around the use of external effect units. Pioneer DJ has lost out even though the majority of these mixers are used with Pioneer own CDJs. Enter the Pioneer DJM V-10, a six-channel monster mixer, built without compromise.

The Build

Departing from the look of previous Pioneer mixers, the brand new V-10 brings with it a modern design philosophy. The filter knobs, cue buttons and displays are all unique to the V-10 and make it feel a special mixer indeed.

The six channels now feature a four-band EQ, while retaining the familiar Pioneer DJ feel with the same knobs and faders found on the regular nexus series of mixers.

Unlike the traditional mixers, the filters don’t zero and turn off in the 12 o clock position. Instead, they zero fully to the left at eight o clock. Anyone who played with the old DJM 2000 will be familiar with this change. It’s a small one, but it’s worth remembering before being caught out.

The Inputs

Being a six-channel mixer built for the DJ’s who want to craft their sound, the Pioneer DJM V-10 has a vast array of input connections. With the connections directly behind the channels, it’s easy to wire into the V-10 even in dark environments. The V-10 features two phono preamps, six line-level inputs and two send and return loops, complete with a built-in effects unit.

Laptop DJ’s can connect via the two USB B ports on the top of the mixer with Serato, Traktor and Rekordbox.

• Ch1  – USB-A, USB-B, Digital, Line, Phono, Built-In, Ext 1, Built-In +Ext1 & Ext 2
• Ch2 – USB-A, USB-B, Digital, Line, Multi I/O, Built-In, Ext 1, Ext 2
• Ch3 – USB-A, USB-B, Digital, Line, Phono, Built-In, Ext 1, Ext 2
• Ch4- USB-A, USB-B, Digital, Line, Multi I/O, Built-In, Ext 1, Ext 2
• Ch5 – USB-A, USB-B, Digital, Line, Multi I/O, Built-In, Ext 1, Ext 2
• Ch6 – USB-A, USB-B, Digital, Line, Phono, Built-In, Ext 1, Built-In +Ext1 & Ext 2

The V-10 features two microphone inputs. Mic one is a combo XLR/TRS jack, and mic two is a TRS jack. They share a two-band EQ and beat effects.

The All New Compressor

All of the six channels feature a compression knob next to the trim. This compressor helps boost the levels of older tracks or acapellas, to match the levels of modern music played on the other channels.

This method of beefing up the quieter tracks helps avoid unwanted distortion and is a great feature to have included on the mixer!

The Outputs

The DJM-V10’s wealth of connectivity doesn’t stop when it comes to the outputs. The mixer outputs the master via balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA connections, while the booth is on balanced TRS jacks.

It’s worth pointing out that the booth monitor features a two-band EQ. An excellent feature for DJ’s who need to focus on mixing one set of frequencies. A single XLR outputs the digital, an odd choice but clever due to the XLR’s locking ability.

A record out is handled by unbalanced RCA’s. Alternatively, you can use the DJM REC app on any compatible device with the USB port found on top of the mixer.

There are two headphone outputs, each featuring both a 1/4 and 1/8 inch jack connection. All of the channels feature independent cueing for both headphones, great for DJ duos or going back to back.

Headphones A can be used to listen to the LINK channel should you have a laptop plugged in using Rekordbox export mode. You can also select to listen to the mix pre-EQ to hear the original sound of the channels cued.

The Effects

The Pioneer DJM V-10 features two separate effect banks assignable to any of the six channels. The inbuilt send and return has four effect modes, customised by dedicated size, time, tone and mix level controls. These effects are Short Delay, Long Delay, Dub Echo and Reverb.

You can send any of the six channels to this unit by turning up the send dial, or select either of the two send and return loops for external sounds. The effect can then be sent to the master mix or to an empty channel where you can further change the EQ or combine it with the beat effects unit.

The beat effects unit is similar to that found on most professional Pioneer mixers, with 14 effects applied to any of the six channels via the beat effect button. The black and white touchscreen displays the effect information and settings menu.

The effects are all post-fader and you can toggle which frequencies are affected by the dedicated Low, Mid and High buttons. The touchscreen also allows further control over the effect sounds, via a large X pad you can shape the parameters of each effect to customise the sound.

Sound Quality

When building a mixer this focused on sound design; it’s almost a given that it’s going to sound amazing. Pioneer DJ has taken extra measures to ensure world-class sound performance. From the addition of a compressor on the input channels to the three-band isolator on the master out. This level of control allows DJ’s to tweak the sound of the V-10, something we imagine producers will use to tremendous advantage.

The V-10 uses 96-kHz/64-bit mixing and dithering processing within the DSP as well as 32-bit high-quality A/D and D/A converters.
Add this to the low-jitter clock circuit and with a mixer that sounds glorious, both in the smaller DJ boxes and on the festival scene.

In Conclusion

The Pioneer DJM V-10 is a masterpiece mixer that will quickly be adopted by the producer DJ community. The vast array of inputs and effects, combined with the familiar Pioneer DJ layout, means that whether you’re a resident club DJ or an FX pedal wizard, you will feel at home with the V-10.

The new knobs and aesthetic help set this mixer apart from the standard nexus line up. At the same time, the improved sound quality will undoubtedly appeal to the sound engineers working on more significant events.

With an RRP of €3,299 it’s certainly not a cheap product, but given its niche target market, we doubt they will be concerned about the price. Not a mixer for your local club DJ booths, expect to see the V-10 at the centre of big festivals and touring DJ riders very soon!

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