Hit the decks
The not-so-snappily named DDJ-WeGO-r (the
‘r’ stands for ‘red’) is Pioneer’s latest entry-level DJ controller. Primarily
aimed at aspiring bedroom twiddles, it has all the controls and sliders you’d
expect from any other decent missing hardware. All the knobs and buttons are
nicely arranged to make it easy to use for beginners, and despite its
entry-level status they all have a high-quality feel about them, taking it a
satisfying piece of kit to use.
Pioneer
DDJ-WeGO
The WeGO certainly looks impressive. Its
sleek but colorful design will appeal to serious DJs and powers alike. There’s
a real sense of occasion when you power it up, especially in a dark room, with
strobe lights circling the two decks and various buttons flashing. It also
comes in a choice of five colors, which, if our red test model is anything to
go by, will all look great as well.
Setting it up was simple. It comes bundled
with a copy of Virtual DJ LE, which is the standard Virtual DJ Home Edition
with a skin mapped out to look like the WeGO on your screen. The only downside
is the ugly installer interface, which is clearly designed for Windows. Once
installed, however, it was simply a case of plugging the controller into the Mac
via USB and hooking it into an amplifier with the cables provided. Then we were
up and running.
Once
installed, however, it was simply a case of plugging the controller into the
Mac via USB and hooking it into an amplifier with the cables provided.
Virtual DJ links directly with your iTunes
library, which makes finding tracks to mix a simple task. The twin decks show
different lights and pulsing patterns depending on what you’re doing, including
when beast match and which effects are in use. This is extremely helpful for
beginners, and it does also cool pretty cool. There’s a slight lack of
precision when using the decks for very fine adjustments in timing, although
this could be party to do with the software.
The twin decks show different lights and
pulsing patterns depending on what you’re doing
One problem with Virtual DJ LE is that in
order to output sound using your Mac’s built-in speakers, you need to upgrade
to Virtual DJ Pro. This will cost you $48 (sold in US dollars at $73.5),
although it does add some other features. Pioneer has assured us, however, that
the hardware is compatible with other DJ software, including Algoriddim’s Djay
and Native Instruments’ highly respected Traktor 2 Pro.
The DDJ-WeGO’s main selling point is its
portability. Pioneer has managed to find just the right balance between being
lightweight and sturdy, achieving a solid construction that doesn’t feel like
it would break if given a bit of punishment. Despite the device’s small size,
the controls don’t feel cramped and are still easy to use. The WeGO should fit
comfortably into most backpacks or laptop bags without weighing you down too
much.
Another plus is that eth WeGO is USB
bus-powered, so you don’t need to carry around extra power cable. That said, it
did prove to be a bit of a power drain on our MacBook Pro. This could prove to
be a problem if there isn’t a power source immediately available.
Good
vibe: The DDJ-WeGo gets on great with a MacBook Pro
The WeGO looks great, has a high-quality
feel, and comes bundled with a great piece of software. But it’s not perfect.
Despite being marketed as an entry-level DJ controller, it costs $373.5. There
are cheaper products on the market that can do everything the WeGO can – the
Numark Mixtrack Pro is one example, and it even comes bundled with the same
Virtual DJ software.
Despite its attractive looks and good
performance, we’re not sure the WeGO’s flashing lights and portability would be
enough for us to recommend spending the extra money.
|
Pioneer
DDJ-WeGO specs
§ Pro:
Looks great – Portable – Easy to use – High-quality feel
§ Con:
Expensive compared with similar products
§ Price:
$373.5 inc VAT
§ Verdict:
3 stars
§ Bundled
software: Virtual DJ Limited Edition
§ Input
terminals: MIC×1 (1/4 inch PHONE
§ Output
terminals: MASTER OUT×1 (RCA), HEADPHONE MONITOR OUT×2 (1/4 inch PHONE,
MiniPin)
§ Other
terminals: USB B port ×1
§ Frequency
range: 20 Hz ~ 20 kHz
§ Total
harmonic distortion: Max. 0.006%
§ S/N
ratio: 101 dB
§ External
dimensions: 14.96 inches (wide) x 8.21 inches (deep) x 2.56 inches (high)
§ Weight:
3.53 pounds
|
