Input on the XDJ AERO
Hey guys,
I’ve been looking into getting the XDJ AERO. I know that Pioneer just announced the RX, but that’s all ways outside of my price range. So after doing some research myself, I wanted to get your opinion of it. If you have it or have used it, please let me know what do you like and don’t like about it, which way do you use it (Rekordbox/wifi, USB, or as a controller), if you use it wirelessly how does that perform. Thank you!
MemorY
I have one and its a nice controller to have to play anything basically. It plays off a thumb drive, or traktor so it really does everything. I don’t really ever use the wifi because I don’t find it too reliable but everything else works great. Its a good piece to have but mine sits in a closet now unused because I moved to a djm 900 and mk2.
It is a very versatile controller though. The jogs feel alright, the built in effects are alright, but the sound samples are pretty cheesy, although the ahhhhh scratch noise is super useful. I used to put an echo at 1/4-1/8 beat over the ahhh noise and made a great scratch like effect.
I wrote a review for DJWORX that never got published (the controller got discontinued before we put it up). It’s a really nice little unit, and the wifi streaming works surprisingly well. The Aero basically caches the streaming track so even if there happens to be a dropout, you still have music playing. It also works fine as a basic controller for Traktor.
Ok. So would you recommend it? It’s going to be my first DJ controller. I have used a few others, but I’m wanting this to be more of a hobby and don’t want to drop more then $800 on a controller. One thing I wish that it had was dedicated buttons to cue points. What would you say could be better about the platters and any ideas on another controller that may have better ones? Thanks!
The platters are fine really. I mean there isn’t much weight to them but unless you are a heavy scratching expert I would really care too much. I personally really like the unit. Although of course I would go for the RX but its mad bucks, and the Aero can be had for a decent price. If your interested I might be selling mine, its been through the war but it still works great. PM me.
Hi I’ve got one of the white XDJ-Aeros and I think it’s a stunning and very underated bit of DJ kit.
It’s been succeeded (and how!) by the wonderful new RX with the fabulous waverform displays, but honestly I still love mine and am not looking to upgrade anytime yet, mainly as it’s so compact and VERY versatile.
For me, the key things are the hardware mixer (excellent sound quality), that it can record your sets straight to a USB, the small amount of useful Pio FX (great for getting to know your way around how these work like Trans and Roll for if you play in a club with a Pio hardware mixer), that you can play without any laptop (I did a few gigs last year in a small Manchester boutique and it was just on a keyboard stand, no laptop, and I used my iphone to browse tracks off the USB, and even used the wifi/phone streaming for one of the gigs when my usb failed!)
For laptop DJing it’s great as a controller too - I have it midi mapped to Mixvibes Cross, so can video mix with it, as well as Tractor Pro 2 and can DJ in 4 chanels using hotcues (no hotcues when using rekordbox tho - sadly one feature it never got)
Downsides - well, the very very basic 2 display screens, but tbh it’s not that much different to a pair of CDJ 350s. No send and return (I have an RMX and would have loved to have got to use it in a S / R way - but do sometimes use it on the master out but it’s quite limited).
I noticed Pioneer had dropped the price of the Aero a lot just after Xmas so was guessing there was something new around the corner (and the RX is just incredible!), but I would still very much recommend anyone who’s looking for a good solid high quality controller to check it out
Here’s me playing a short set I did when the update to iphone Rekordbox app dropped (which has the X Y effects touchscreen, and much improved loop control). I’m not using sync on this, but the Aero’s inbuilt sync is ok - but can be a bit erratic - so I tend not to use it and just match with the display (if I’m needing to get a beat match BPM real quick I hit sync once then hit it straight again to turn it off and usually the tracks are bang on)
How did you get it to use Hot Cues with Traktor? If I were to get one I’d primarily use it with Traktor since I always have my laptop with me. Nice mix by the way!
I would love to get the RX, but you’re right… Being in college, funds are (and quiet frequently) hard to build up to that. One day maybe… lol I’ll PM later today about your controller. 
Cheers and glad you liked the mix thanks
The hotcues are already setup with the Traktor mapping that you can download (I ‘think’ I got it from the Pioneer website - has been a while since I used Traktor with the unit - tbh I’m much more of a Mixvibes Cross user these days - but there’s no official Cross mapping for the Aero sadly - it was one I managed to cobble together of my own but works well)
I kind of think tho, even though Traktor works fine with the Aero, if you’re mainly wanting it to work with Traktor/Laptop, maybe consider getting a dedicated controller (most now have pads for loops/hotcues/greater control of FX) - tbh you can still control those with the Aero, and even more so with an Aero and an F1 or X1 - and the sound quality of the Aero is excellent - but maybe you’d be better off considering more dedicated controllers
The Aero is great for Recordbox playing and prep (and especially getting used to Pio way of doing things if you can’t afford a full CDJ/DJM setup), and is also great if you’re playing gigs which has limited space (I did a wedding once with mine, and there was this bizare archaic DJ booth all built with angled wood and dreadful inbuilt DJ gear with almost next to no place to rest anything - I just about managed with my Aero but there was no way I could’ve had a laptop in there) - it’s also handy if playing an extensive lineup gig and there’s 4 or 6 laptop DJs all got their setups hogging space (I’ve done a fair few of those!) - the Aero’s great for just setting up easy and also packing it down quick and getting out of the next DJs way
So I think def give the Aero a look - it’s strengths are def it’s versatility/quality/compact/USB Rekordbox/Controller options
cons - the very limited displays, not too many controls for DJ software mappings (though it does ok - the shift button is handy for some things) and only two channel in USB/Rekordbox mode
but yeh - it’s worth a look and tbh you can prob get them quite cheaply now the RX has been released (new and 2nd hand)
whatever you go for tho - best of luck and hope you have a great time with DJing (whatever model you eventually go for)
update: The official Pioneer Aero Traktor mapping
here’s the link to download the mapping.
I also dug out the PDF instructions to check on how it works with 4 channels (as mentioned, I haven’t used Traktor for a while now)
turns out it does use 4 channels, but A and B are for track decks, and C and D are mapped to the Remix Decks (using the 4 FX buttons as sample players - those same four buttons are Hotcues for A and B, but only for the first 4 - and uses shift to delete the hotcues)
I think if you wanted to use Decks C and D as track decks it’s poss, as it’s only a midi mapping not HID, but you’d have to rework the mapping in Traktor
tbh tho, even though this might sound a bit of a setback - if you’re planning to work with CDJs in a club with your laptop (I often used CDJ 2000s with Traktor) you only get three hotcues, so it’s actually good to get to know how to use traktor with Pio gear working with the Aero - the steps/workflow are very similar
Hey guys.
First off I want to thank you for all the help you’ve given me in my search for a DJ controller. I went with the SX2. I was able to get it at a discount and so as much as I liked the AERO, the SX2 was the original controller I was wanting. Thank you everyone for the info you provided!
MemorY
I’m also an Aero user and really love the unit I also use it with Mixvibes Cross and it works like a dream. I have a XDJ-SP1 for hot cues + FX my friend who DJ’s every week and the biggest places in my country also uses an Aero using only USB thumb drives and he totally loves it, He used to have 2 CDJ-2000 + DJM 900 but likes the Aero better (probable because of the weight)