Second-generation flagship Serato DJ control

As a company that's committed to taking care of our customers, all of us here at Music Experience take special note when a manufacturer responds to customer feedback by improving their products, and the DDJ-SZ2 is an exceptional example of that. It's the follow-up to the original DDJ-SZ, which many consider the industry standard in Serato DJ controllers already, so Pioneer decided to kick it up a notch. The DDJ-SZ2 adds powerful Key Shift, Key Sync, Pitch Play, and Serato Flip controls to the layout, all of which provide you with greater performance options than ever. They've also updated the jog wheel, tightening up the latency to make scratching more precise than ever.

All the essential functions done really, really well

Some of the most basic functions you'd expect from any DJ controller aren't necessarily the most exciting ones, but they matter more than you realize. With the DDJ-SZ2, Pioneer ensures that you get direct, low-latency control over Serato DJ. For most setups, that means the only part of your computer you'll ever need is the screen — there's no need to touch your mouse or keyboard. It even maps to Serato DJ Pro right out of the box, so there's no tedious setup time before you can get started. Browsing and searching tracks are major functions you want to have covered, and while Pioneer's browsing setup has always made it easy to navigate your song library, Music Experience DJs love the Needle Search function, which makes finding the perfect drop-in point easy. Top it off with insanely robust Magvel faders, and all your critical functions are covered. Browsing and searching tracks are major functions you want to have on tap, and while Pioneer's browsing setup has always made it easy to navigate your song library, Music Experience DJs love the Needle Search function, which makes finding the perfect drop-in point easy. Top it off with insanely robust Magvel faders, and all your critical functions are covered.

Turn Serato DJ into an instrument

Taking the plunge into Serato DJ for the first time? This is the way to do it. The DDJ-SZ2 starts you off with full licenses for Serato DJ Pro plus the Pitch 'n Time, and Flip expansion packs, so you're good to go. Now that that's out of the way, check out what you can do with this beast. Any seasoned DJ knows that your controller (or decks) are more than a connection to the music, they're instruments in their own right. When you start playing around with Pitch Play, you'll experience this on a whole new level. Pitch Play lets you re-pitch your cues, allowing you to add melodic elements to the rhythm of your hot cue performances.

Set up killer sequences with Serato Flip

If you look down at the lower right corner of its jog wheels, you'll find the DDJ-SZ2's Flip controls. Activate them, and it's game on! Serato Flip lets you record and play back hot cues, censor actions, and virtually any other parameter on your DDJ-SZ2. Looping Flips makes it easy to lay down breaks and cuts that totally remix your tracks on the fly, while control quantization lets you lock Flip to the beat for totally clean performances — a real lifesaver when you want to improvise in front of an audience. With up to six Flips per track and total hands-on control at your fingertips, you can imagine the sheer creative power a DDJ-SZ2 has to offer.

The jog wheels and performance pads you crave

With the possible exception of the faders, your hands spend most of the time DJing on the performance pads and the jog wheels. Any DJ controller claiming the title of flagship had better deliver in those departments, and the DDJ-SZ2 certainly does. It's hard to describe the feel of these large aluminum jog wheels, other than to say they feel satisfyingly hefty and the texture is fantastic. As for the feel of them, that's totally adjustable, so you're sure to get the resistance you want. Mini displays with cue point markers and countdown timers add an extra element of feedback that any scratch artist can appreciate. Multicolored performance pads provide you with cue references, plus you can easily tell which mode you're in at a glance. On that note, whether you're juggling cues or tearing it up vinyl style, Slip Mode can be your best friend. This mode keeps the track advancing in the background as you work your magic, so no matter how crazy you get (or how deeply you flub), you'll always land on the beat.

Tap into killer effects to create epic transitions

Between Pioneer's acclaimed Sound Color FX and the DDJ-SZ2's latest addition, the Oscillator section, you're in for a world of killer effects that go far beyond the already amazing iZotope effects in Serato DJ Pro. Sound Color FX options include classic Echo, Pitch, and Filter modes, as well as an exciting Jet effect that's a staple of buildups and transitions for DJs around the world. Pioneer decided to expand on that when they introduced the Oscillator section, which lets you energize your music with Noise, Drop, Laser, and Siren sounds, each with its own adjustable modulation parameters. Add them to channels three or four, or toss them into the master mix for maximum chaos.

Studio-quality digital audio and connections for two

Equipped with Cirrus Logic digital converters, the DDJ-SZ2 delivers impeccable 24-bit audio quality via USB. These low-jitter converters ensure you get the high-impact, club-ready sound you need. Speaking of the club, the Pioneer DDJ-SZ2 is an ideal club controller, thanks to its dual USB ports. This lets two DJs hook up their computers at the same time, making seamless changeovers easy.

Includes Serato DJ Pro software license (Mac/Windows)

Serato DJ Pro's customizable layout and comprehensive tool set provide the best in-the-box DJing experience you could ask for. Here are just some of the latest features:

• Clean, intuitive interface— Serato DJ Pro's four Virtual Decks provide all the key track information you need: BPM, track progress, pitch info, and more. Large animated jog dials provide reference points for scratching and beat juggling.
• Cue, loop, sync, and quantize — Serato DJ Pro displays up to eight cue points, each with unique names, at once. The same goes for loops and auto loops. If manual beat matching isn't your thing, Serato's Sync function saves you from fiddling with the pitch slider. Quantize mode automatically triggers cue points and loops in time to the beat.
• Onboard sampler and iZotope effects — Serato DJ Pro's onboard SP-6 sample player and integrated iZotope effects (delays, reverb, flanger, distortion, filters, and more) offer more creative flexibility than a table covered with expensive DJ hardware.
• Powerful iOS apps — Load up the Serato Remote app on your iOS device, and you can control nearly any Serato DJ Pro function without reaching for your mouse or your DJ controller.
• Practice Mode — In Practice Mode, you can mix two tracks together without hardware connected.
• 64-bit support — Now with 64-bit support, Serato DJ Pro performs better than ever, with virtually no limit on library size.
• Performance Pad Mode — This mode streamlines planning and performing by displaying your cue points in a new but familiar layout.