The hybrid DJ setup

The new breed of DJ gear is also at home in the studio

> Since separating from their parent company a few years ago, Pioneer DJ have stepped out of the DJ booth and set their sights on the studio. The result is their Toraiz range – launched with the SP-16 sampler, and expanded with the excellent AS-1 monosynth and recent DJS-1000 sample deck.

The 16-track SP-16 is another excellent tool for laptop-free performance and production; it lacks a little of the depth and flexibility of the Octatrack or current gen MPCs, but beats both of those machines in terms of immediacy and intuitiveness. With 16 channels for looping, live sampling or external MIDI sequencing, it’s equipped with enough features to create full tracks. A decent crop of built-in effects and performance tools – plus a gorgeous Dave Smith-sourced master filter – offer up plenty of options for build-ups, break-downs and other hands-on manipulation.

However, the Toraiz range is still best when paired with Pioneer’s DJ gear to create a hybrid performance/ production rig. The inclusion of the company’s Pro DJ Link lets the SP-16 connect to the company’s Nexus range CDJs and mixers via LAN, for tight synchronisation controlled by the BPM of a selectable master CDJ/player.

Try adding hardware drum machines, MIDI-equipped synths or vinyl turntables into this setup, running either into the SP-16’s inputs for sampling/processing or directly into a DJ mixer. The combo creates a setup that spans both DJ and studio realms, letting you live edit, remix and build beats on the fly while mixing tracks from other artists.

Pioneer DJ’s own AS-1 synth is an inspirational hardware tool too. With an easy-to-use sequencer/arp, simplified performance controls and gorgeous sound courtesy of its Prophet-6 inspired innards, it’s one of the most underrated monosynths on the market.