The Lowdown
The Pioneer DJ DDJ-REV1 is a bold new entry-level DJ controller for Serato DJ (it comes with the Lite version of that software), that for the first time takes the “battle layout”, of two turntables turned through 90 degrees and a modern scratch mixer, and shrinks it into a beginner controller. It does most things right, but the pads may be a bit small for some fingers. Recommended.
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Video Review
First Impressions / Setting up
The DDJ-REV1 is an entry-level device, so it’s all plastic, but the build quality is fine – many pro DJs are happy to use these types of controllers as portable, secondary units, including our own tutor Jazzy Jeff (see his demo mix on this very device here).
The first thing you notice is that the “decks” are laid out with the play/pause button (and an honorary little “cue” button) bottom right, and the pitch sliders are horizontal at the top – just as if you turned two traditional turntables through 90 degrees as battle/scratch DJs tend to do. No DJ controller has ever done this before – and once you see it, you do wonder: Why not? It makes sense!
Next, you notice that the mixer section is like a shrunken battle mixer – it has the same clean, simple lower third (for uncluttered access to the crossfader), then the performance pads above that, then the EQ controls laid out in the Pioneer DJ DJM-S7/S9 format.
So overall, we’ve got a battle layout… in an all-in-one DJ controller. It is only a controller – no Aux inputs or anything like that. It works with Serato DJ Lite, but would also work with Serato DJ Pro if you already owned it, or upgraded to that software.
Read this next: When To Upgrade Your Gear (And When To Wait)
How to set up the DDJ-REV1
To get going, you download the Serato DJ Lite software from Serato’s website, and plug the unit in to your computer – you then plug in headphones, a microphone if you want to use one, and powered speakers – you don’t even need to do that if you don’t want to, as it can play through your laptop if you wish.
As is the case with most software nowadays, Serato will work with your own music files, but can also work with streaming services so you can play from TIDAL, Beatport Streaming, Beatsource Streaming and SoundCloud Go+, too.