Pioneer DJM 850

Home :: Reviews of DJ equipment :: Pioneer DJM 850Reply
Pioneer DJM 850
Posted on: 23.02.2012 by Brigitte Hertzfeld
just received this in my mail

what do you believe...

im looking very much forward to the price..

http://pioneerdj.com/index_f.html#/e...ts/djm850/more

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...v=FrteMx4l-IQ#!
Ok Moroski
24.04.2012
Originally Posted by Weststar
Here's the catch, I don't use CDJs at home, so digital inputs aren't much of a concern for me. Although the xpad is nice, I don't believe it's worth $200 extra dollars. Also, with the 850, you get the beat color effects, which honestly seem pretty nice as far as I can tell.



While I completely agree with you in regards to the price possibly dropping, I'm somewhat in need of a new mixer now, and the 850 just seems like the most attractive option to me at the moment. My Vestax has served me well for the last 5 years, but it's starting to show it's age more and more everyday.
If you're set on getting it, we probably won't convince you otherwise. However, here are the reasons I wouldn't buy an 850:

1) Rekordbox is huge as far as potential club use is concerned. You may not use it, but if you want to set your mixer up at a club and other DJs are going to need to use it before/after you, this could be a deal-breaker. Not the biggest deal, but it is a concern.

2) The x-pad isn't just for tweaking effect values while being able to skip over beat values. For one, sliproll is phenomenally more useful with the x-pad for momentary triggers than the yellow button. For another, the x-pad adjusts values like reverb filter cutoff and the secondary LFO on the flanger/phaser/filter so it's kind of a big deal. The beat effects look okay, but they probably aren't going to work as advertised or reliably if the gate/comp on the 900 is any indication.

3) Spiral. It's one of my favorite effects on the 900. The up echo on the 850 might compare, but only for using the spiral for builds, not breakdowns.

4) Loss of space/dub echo. Not a big deal (they don't sound amazing) but the can be used creatively. Bigger deal here is that they're the only post-fader color effects. So if you want anything post fader on the 850, it's going to have to come from the beat effects section - meaning either the echo or the reverb that's kind of gimped without a filter cutoff. I'm not sure if any of the "beat color effects" become post-fader, so this point may be off though - you may want to double-check on that.

5) Digital inputs. While they may not matter to you now, they may very well matter to you in the future. Whether it's that you get CDJs, or someone wants to use them on your mixer and you don't have them available, or you get too much noise on your RCA connections.

6) Selector switches (phono/line/usb). It's a small detail, but the ones on the 900 are much nicer.


Really, I don't care what you decide; but it's worth believeing those points over.
Tommy Bazyk
23.04.2012
Originally Posted by wampaone
For anothr 200 or so id go for the 900day man, i love mine!! The xpad and difital inputs are well worth it.
Here's the catch, I don't use CDJs at home, so digital inputs aren't much of a concern for me. Although the xpad is nice, I don't believe it's worth $200 extra dollars. Also, with the 850, you get the beat color effects, which honestly seem pretty nice as far as I can tell.

Originally Posted by manchild
Right now this mixer seems like it's in a weird price range, but I believe that's only because it just came out. Wait a few months for it to settle to it's real street price. I'm betting Pioneer built this mixer specifically just to kick Denon in the balls. When the 850 settles in at around 1100-1200 street value I'm guessing, people arent gonna want spend the extra money on the x1700 and for a couple hundred more they'll choose it over the x1600
While I completely agree with you in regards to the price possibly dropping, I'm somewhat in need of a new mixer now, and the 850 just seems like the most attractive option to me at the moment. My Vestax has served me well for the last 5 years, but it's starting to show it's age more and more everyday.
Ok Moroski
01.03.2012
Originally Posted by wampaone
all it's missing from the Nexus is Quantize, digital inputs, 2 color FX, and an xpad...heck the 850 even has the new beat color fx, something i believe we got ripped off from the 900 unless the quantizing would make that feature obsolete but i doubt it.

xpad - something that allows you to add another level of tweaking (another LFO, frequency cutoff on the reverb, changing the frequency of melodic's repetition...) to several of the effects as well as instant switching from say, 1/1 to 1/2 without having to hit 3/4. It seems like a small thing but it's actually pretty damn huge in actual usage.

The two color FX it's missing happen to be post-fader. Not everybody loves them, but they're a nice way to add an effect trail without relying on the beat effects.

Digital inputs are pretty nice if you're using CDJs; you skip a DAC step, lower latency, increase quality, reduce interference... Not such a small thing, really.

"Beat Color FX" is Pio's way of *trying* to replace the x-pad with what looks like a terrible workaround. As I understand it, it takes the knob from usage for color effects and uses it to adjust what the x-pad does on the 900, but only for two (?) of the effects. Even if you still get control over the color effects, you're using one knob for two purposes - something that I'm happy to avoid since switching away from my midi-only setup.

Quantizing makes little difference if you don't use it, obviously. However, having the feature on the mixer allows you to actually use Rekordbox to its fullest - not having to adjust BPM manually on the beat effects section anymore, and having on-air status rings show up with CDJ 2000s. It's not huge now, but I'm glad my mixer has it for down the road when Pioneer adds features to it instead of saying "pfft, I don't need that" and realizing how much I actually do want it later on.

The xpad alone is enough to make me glad I bought the 900 before hearing about the 850. I may even still be within my return period, but I'm not about to give up my 900 for an 850 which will cost nearly as much and will have lost several of the features I quite enjoy on the 900.
Danae Dumler
25.02.2012
Originally Posted by mostapha
Multicores only work if there are enough inputs
Regine Hulme
24.02.2012
that is why i still prefer a xone 4d
A lot of inputs, semi matrix select. At any input you can select line level, phono level, soundcard without disconect anything. you can have plug 4 cd
Rhona Naron
24.02.2012


Originally Posted by Michielygil
What the deuce? I never noticed that before, but the lack of inputs on the db's is just plain ridiculous! haha

bahahaha. wtf! I didn't really clue in or care about this till Mostapha mentioned it. Jesus monkey balls, that's utter shite.
Tatum Ansaldo
24.04.2012
As far as I'm concerned, if you're going to be dropping that much cash on a Pio mixer you might as well go for the TOTR. I've convinced myself I don't want certain features before, and regretted it not long after.
Ok Moroski
24.04.2012
Originally Posted by Weststar
Here's the catch, I don't use CDJs at home, so digital inputs aren't much of a concern for me. Although the xpad is nice, I don't believe it's worth $200 extra dollars. Also, with the 850, you get the beat color effects, which honestly seem pretty nice as far as I can tell.



While I completely agree with you in regards to the price possibly dropping, I'm somewhat in need of a new mixer now, and the 850 just seems like the most attractive option to me at the moment. My Vestax has served me well for the last 5 years, but it's starting to show it's age more and more everyday.
If you're set on getting it, we probably won't convince you otherwise. However, here are the reasons I wouldn't buy an 850:

1) Rekordbox is huge as far as potential club use is concerned. You may not use it, but if you want to set your mixer up at a club and other DJs are going to need to use it before/after you, this could be a deal-breaker. Not the biggest deal, but it is a concern.

2) The x-pad isn't just for tweaking effect values while being able to skip over beat values. For one, sliproll is phenomenally more useful with the x-pad for momentary triggers than the yellow button. For another, the x-pad adjusts values like reverb filter cutoff and the secondary LFO on the flanger/phaser/filter so it's kind of a big deal. The beat effects look okay, but they probably aren't going to work as advertised or reliably if the gate/comp on the 900 is any indication.

3) Spiral. It's one of my favorite effects on the 900. The up echo on the 850 might compare, but only for using the spiral for builds, not breakdowns.

4) Loss of space/dub echo. Not a big deal (they don't sound amazing) but the can be used creatively. Bigger deal here is that they're the only post-fader color effects. So if you want anything post fader on the 850, it's going to have to come from the beat effects section - meaning either the echo or the reverb that's kind of gimped without a filter cutoff. I'm not sure if any of the "beat color effects" become post-fader, so this point may be off though - you may want to double-check on that.

5) Digital inputs. While they may not matter to you now, they may very well matter to you in the future. Whether it's that you get CDJs, or someone wants to use them on your mixer and you don't have them available, or you get too much noise on your RCA connections.

6) Selector switches (phono/line/usb). It's a small detail, but the ones on the 900 are much nicer.


Really, I don't care what you decide; but it's worth believeing those points over.
Tommy Bazyk
23.04.2012
Originally Posted by wampaone
For anothr 200 or so id go for the 900day man, i love mine!! The xpad and difital inputs are well worth it.
Here's the catch, I don't use CDJs at home, so digital inputs aren't much of a concern for me. Although the xpad is nice, I don't believe it's worth $200 extra dollars. Also, with the 850, you get the beat color effects, which honestly seem pretty nice as far as I can tell.

Originally Posted by manchild
Right now this mixer seems like it's in a weird price range, but I believe that's only because it just came out. Wait a few months for it to settle to it's real street price. I'm betting Pioneer built this mixer specifically just to kick Denon in the balls. When the 850 settles in at around 1100-1200 street value I'm guessing, people arent gonna want spend the extra money on the x1700 and for a couple hundred more they'll choose it over the x1600
While I completely agree with you in regards to the price possibly dropping, I'm somewhat in need of a new mixer now, and the 850 just seems like the most attractive option to me at the moment. My Vestax has served me well for the last 5 years, but it's starting to show it's age more and more everyday.
Addie Engbrecht
22.04.2012
Right now this mixer seems like it's in a weird price range, but I believe that's only because it just came out. Wait a few months for it to settle to it's real street price. I'm betting Pioneer built this mixer specifically just to kick Denon in the balls. When the 850 settles in at around 1100-1200 street value I'm guessing, people arent gonna want spend the extra money on the x1700 and for a couple hundred more they'll choose it over the x1600
Hyman Werness
22.04.2012
For anothr 200 or so id go for the 900day man, i love mine!! The xpad and difital inputs are well worth it.
Tommy Bazyk
22.04.2012
Anyone get a chance to play with this bad boy? My tax return is coming, and I'd like to hear some opinions.
Ok Moroski
01.03.2012
Originally Posted by wampaone
all it's missing from the Nexus is Quantize, digital inputs, 2 color FX, and an xpad...heck the 850 even has the new beat color fx, something i believe we got ripped off from the 900 unless the quantizing would make that feature obsolete but i doubt it.

xpad - something that allows you to add another level of tweaking (another LFO, frequency cutoff on the reverb, changing the frequency of melodic's repetition...) to several of the effects as well as instant switching from say, 1/1 to 1/2 without having to hit 3/4. It seems like a small thing but it's actually pretty damn huge in actual usage.

The two color FX it's missing happen to be post-fader. Not everybody loves them, but they're a nice way to add an effect trail without relying on the beat effects.

Digital inputs are pretty nice if you're using CDJs; you skip a DAC step, lower latency, increase quality, reduce interference... Not such a small thing, really.

"Beat Color FX" is Pio's way of *trying* to replace the x-pad with what looks like a terrible workaround. As I understand it, it takes the knob from usage for color effects and uses it to adjust what the x-pad does on the 900, but only for two (?) of the effects. Even if you still get control over the color effects, you're using one knob for two purposes - something that I'm happy to avoid since switching away from my midi-only setup.

Quantizing makes little difference if you don't use it, obviously. However, having the feature on the mixer allows you to actually use Rekordbox to its fullest - not having to adjust BPM manually on the beat effects section anymore, and having on-air status rings show up with CDJ 2000s. It's not huge now, but I'm glad my mixer has it for down the road when Pioneer adds features to it instead of saying "pfft, I don't need that" and realizing how much I actually do want it later on.

The xpad alone is enough to make me glad I bought the 900 before hearing about the 850. I may even still be within my return period, but I'm not about to give up my 900 for an 850 which will cost nearly as much and will have lost several of the features I quite enjoy on the 900.
Alla Bluemke
02.03.2012
well they do want to get rid of the 700 for sure.
Ruthanne Heiman
02.03.2012
i paid 1500$ flat for my djm-900. i dont get how there is any room for a dumbed down djm-850 for $2k msrp, even at $1400 retail for the 850 the djm-900 is still a far better value. maybe they just want a matching mixer for the cdj-850k and get rid of the 700 line
Hyman Werness
28.02.2012
you guys need to learn how to negotiate your prices... an MSRP is just what it is... a Managers Suggested Retail Price. I recently purchased the DJM-900 Nexus, which has an MSRP of $2400, Most retailers advertised it for $2k but if you shop around and do your homework for an hour or two, you'll get it for a lot cheaper... I paid $1650 out the door no sales tax from Guitar Center, found an online retailor selling it for 1700, and GC will price match and up to 10% of the difference. heck they gave me another $20 on top of the difference. So with the DJM-850, An MSRP of $2k, after sales price, and shopping around i woiuldn't be surprised if you could walk away paying no more than $1300... all it's missing from the Nexus is Quantize, digital inputs, 2 color FX, and an xpad...heck the 850 even has the new beat color fx, something i believe we got ripped off from the 900 unless the quantizing would make that feature obsolete but i doubt it.
Danae Dumler
25.02.2012
Originally Posted by mostapha
Multicores only work if there are enough inputs
Ok Moroski
25.02.2012
I agree with pretty much everything in this thread aside from "pioneer mixers have shitty effects." 1) That's subjective and 2) If the effects are really so shitty then why wouldn't more touring DJs use another mixer since they can specify whatever they want in their riders? Pioneer gear is overpriced, but it's not nearly as shitty in quality as half the people on this community make it out to be; my opinions are based on the 900, so it's possible that the effects on that are just leaps and bounds better than the previous Pio mixers... but I doubt that.

As for the USB input on the front of the mixer - at first it did kind of annoy me. However, it's nice to have the green status LED right there to let you know you have a good connection. More importantly, having it on the front makes it easier for DJs to plug their laptops into it when it's installed; granted you could just leave a USB cable plugged into the back, but I believe this is where Pioneer was coming from. I wouldn't trust a USB cable left plugged into a mixer for my sets though - you never know what kind of abuse that cable has seen and I'd rather avoid audio dropouts due to a bad cable.

There are two main reasons I went with the 900 over the DB4. 1) The DB4 was a solid $600 more when I looked. 2) Even if I don't see a 900 in a club any time soon (though I've already seen one in a few different clubs), I'm now used to Pio effects and workflow. Had I picked up a DB4, I'd have an awesome mixer for... my bedroom. Unless I bring it out with me I can't take advantage of the effects, and what's the point of having great effects on a mixer if you can only use them at home? I'd also spend time getting used to the workflow/effects on the DB4 and then not be able to use it out the majority of the time. Unfortunately, "industry standard" does make a big difference in this context. I looked at the DB4 for a long time and always thought it would be the mixer I'd buy, but when it came down to it that just didn't seem to be a practical choice. Still an amazing looking/sounding mixer though, and if I had disgusting amounts of extra disposable income I'd get one just to play around with.
Regine Hulme
24.02.2012
that is why i still prefer a xone 4d
A lot of inputs, semi matrix select. At any input you can select line level, phono level, soundcard without disconect anything. you can have plug 4 cd
Alla Bluemke
24.02.2012
provided you are using cdjs with digital outputs. But it sucks for someone who has turntables and cdjs with no digi out.

I don't know very many people who use digital input or outputs. But hey maybe they are trying to change things up.
Logan Lassey
24.02.2012
Notice there are 4 digital inputs at the bottom as well.
I guess that are assuming you'll be using this with CD players that have digital outputs, which seems pretty reasonable.
Alla Bluemke
24.02.2012
didn't even realize that. So no line and phono inputs? Means switching back and forth constantly or use those 4 decks and thats it. Damn thats lame.
Rhona Naron
24.02.2012


Originally Posted by Michielygil
What the deuce? I never noticed that before, but the lack of inputs on the db's is just plain ridiculous! haha

bahahaha. wtf! I didn't really clue in or care about this till Mostapha mentioned it. Jesus monkey balls, that's utter shite.
Kiyoko Wellisch
24.02.2012
Yeah seriously. Who decided that was a good idea....?
Corey Tronchin
24.02.2012
What the deuce? I never noticed that before, but the lack of inputs on the db's is just plain ridiculous! haha
Palma Hanslip
24.02.2012
Mostapha you have been on a right good rant lately.. It has been really good to read. Thanks
Kiyoko Wellisch
24.02.2012
... What the hell
Dorie Scelzo
24.02.2012
No seriously
Dorie Scelzo
24.02.2012
Originally Posted by djproben
Unplugging and plugging soundcards to switch between vinyl and DVS is a pain. And multicore cables only work if there are enough inputs to connect them to. That's not happening on the Allen and Heath DB2 or DB4. It's probably not an issue for this pioneer but for other gear it makes a difference. And if you are gigging with your soundcard that means you're plugging and unplugging whenever you go to a gig, unless you buy two soundcards. So, yeah, it's more of a pain.
This makes absolutely no sense to me.

Multicores only work if there are enough inputs
Danae Dumler
24.02.2012
Unplugging and plugging soundcards to switch between vinyl and DVS is a pain. And multicore cables only work if there are enough inputs to connect them to. That's not happening on the Allen and Heath DB2 or DB4. It's probably not an issue for this pioneer but for other gear it makes a difference. And if you are gigging with your soundcard that means you're plugging and unplugging whenever you go to a gig, unless you buy two soundcards. So, yeah, it's more of a pain. And it's totally unnecessary; this basically only hurts legitimate TSP users who mostly already own the interface. Illegitimate users will use cracked copies anyway so they don't care whether their sound card is certified.

I agree with you on USB; hopefully thunderbolt will be a future savior. In the meantime, Firewire is an inadequate substitute; the ports are too flaky. I have had several problems with music over firewire that I traced to bad Firewire ports. In one case it was a port in a brand new computer. I love my firewire soundcard but it is very particular about the port it's plugged into.

Originally Posted by mostapha
I guess I forgot that the newer DVS cards only do that stupid software pass through thing. But, well, multicore cables exist. And it's always possible to just build your own.

I just don't understand how it's the least bit more convenient when you have to own a sound card anyway to take to gigs.

The only one of the "issues" you mentioned that's the least bit of an issue is the fact that too many sound cards are coming out as USB instead of FW. USB sucks for sound cards. I mean
Hipolito Scionti
25.02.2012
So Korg, Pioneer and Denon get TSP cert but A&H DBs don't... Odd

Also the Xone 4D did... now no love for Xone from NI.

It's all odd. I can see if NI had the choice why they would go for Pioneer for reasons already stated and why Pio would probably pay extra bucks for them just not to sell license to A&H.

At this price it smacks a little of the DB2. Still so expensive you may as well plump for the daddy DB4.

And in Pioneers case you may as well plump for DJM900
Corey Tronchin
24.02.2012
I abaolutely love it. I upgraded half a year ago after believeing I needed the extra 2 channels. And I do. Plus the capabilities are way more divers. Fx are nicer layed out, usb channel possibilities are more divers. Even if you don't need the 2 extra channels it's worth considering the benefits.
Kiyoko Wellisch
24.02.2012
Hey you got a 1600? I thought you had a 600? How do you like it?
Corey Tronchin
24.02.2012
Having an internal soundcard, Matrix input would really be a necessity to get the most out of it. I never fully understood it's benefits, but since I have the X1600, I can't live without. Three people djing seperately on 1 mixer? why not thanks to matrix.
Jonathan Lokey
24.02.2012
The other thing to believe about is that what is the point of buying a mixer with a really nice audio interface when you are just going to replace it with a NI interface for a DVS solution.
Logan Lassey
24.02.2012
Originally Posted by Bamfs01
This article is over a year old but gives me hope on the TSP certification thing.
That article is from 2010! Makes me believe it's never going to happen...
Dorie Scelzo
24.02.2012
I guess I forgot that the newer DVS cards only do that stupid software pass through thing. But, well, multicore cables exist. And it's always possible to just build your own.

I just don't understand how it's the least bit more convenient when you have to own a sound card anyway to take to gigs.

The only one of the "issues" you mentioned that's the least bit of an issue is the fact that too many sound cards are coming out as USB instead of FW. USB sucks for sound cards. I mean
Danae Dumler
24.02.2012
Originally Posted by mostapha
No offense, but if you ever want to gig, that's stupid. You'll have to buy an interface anyway or bring your mixer out
Tommy Bazyk
23.02.2012
Originally Posted by mostapha
No offense, but if you ever want to gig, that's stupid. You'll have to buy an interface anyway or bring your mixer out
Alla Bluemke
23.02.2012
Originally Posted by hrtbrkd
I'll stick to my DJM900. Cool mixer but my 900NXS new cost me 1499$ in California
WHERE. I need that price for one.

<< Back to Reviews of DJ equipment Reply

Copyright 2012-2023
DJRANKINGS.ORG n.g.o.
Chuo-ku, Osaka, Japan

Created by Ajaxel CMS

Terms & Privacy