A sign of the times – Pioneer‘s new model of CDJ doesn’t have a CD slot.

The XDJ-1000 is “the first in a new line-up of digitally-focused, USB only, rekordbox-ready players”, and also features a full-colour LCD touch screen.

As a press release explains, “many features are inherited from the top-flight CDJ-2000NXS, including 206 mm jog wheels, Slip Mode, Quantize and Beat Sync. Plus the brand new Quantized Beat Jump/Loop Move feature means DJs can spontaneously move 1, 2 or 4 beats backwards or forwards within a loop.”

“The XDJ-1000 revolutionises browsing; DJs can use the Qwerty touch-screen keyboard to search for keywords, then scroll on-screen or with the large rotary dial. DJs can analyse and prepare their tracks in rekordbox (PC/Mac) or the rekordbox app (iOS/Android), and the XDJ-1000 will display at-a-glance information such as Wave Zoom, Beat Counter, Phase Meter and Key Analysis – as well as provide instant access to their pre-prepared cues, loop and customised settings. Plus DJs can colour code their playlists and the illuminated USB port will reflect that colour so they instantly know what’s on each USB key.”

According to Pioneer there’s growing demand for a USB-only player. When current CDJ-2000s cater for both USBs and CDs, this might seem odd, but the XDJ-1000 will retail for less than a CDJ-2000, retailing around the £820 mark.

As you’d expect, the XDJ-1000 is also fully compatible with KUVO, Pioneer’s setlist tracker tool. Watch it in action above, and check out some photos below. It’s worth remembering that while Pioneer are catering to the future here, they’ve also got one eye on the past, this year announcing a new back-to-basics turntable.