If you’re eager to know whether or not the XDJ-XZ has something more to offer than the newer OPUS QUAD, read on. There are some important things to be said here. The short version is, the OPUS-QUAD is the stronger pick if you want true 4-deck standalone mixing, Wi-Fi and direct music streaming, while the XDJ-XZ still has the edge if Pro DJ Link, performance pads and more physical controls matter more to you. More details below.
You might also like: Pioneer DJ OPUS-QUAD Review – An Honest Take
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Pioneer DJ OPUS-QUAD vs. Pioneer XDJ-XZ – full specification comparison
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2 vs. 4 Decks Standalone Mixing
Keep in mind that the Pioneer XDJ-XZ, while having 4 physical mixer channels, only has 2 internal standalone decks. Channels 3 and 4 can still be used with external sources, including compatible players connected through Pro DJ Link.
When working in standalone mode, the XDJ-XZ lets you load tracks onto 2 internal decks. Only when connected to Rekordbox or Serato DJ Pro, all 4 software decks can be used.
The Pioneer DJ OPUS QUAD, on the other hand does let you use all 4 of its mixer channels when in standalone mode without any restrictions. In turn however, it doesn’t have support for the Pro DJ Link standard (more on that in a short while).
The conclusion is pretty straightforward here. If you need a 4-deck standalone DJ system and you’re choosing between these two – go with the OPUS QUAD.
Huge Touch Display Upgrade
The OPUS QUAD is equipped with a large 10.1-inch touch screen, which is a substantial upgrade from the small and rather outdated when it comes to the technology used, 7-inch display of the Pioneer XDJ-XZ.
The display of the OPUS QUAD lets you utilize instant track previews like on the CDJ-3000s, access the X-pad for additional FX control, access system settings, access and manage your music library and much more.
The general experience of using the touch display is in my own experience much better on the OPUS QUAD, simply because of the fact that the unit ditches the old and very much obsolete resistive touch screen technology used on the XDJ-XZ.
This brings in the smartphone-like smoothness and ease of use to the touch surface on the device, which in turn makes the display on the OPUS QUAD better suited for active use, and not just for simple data display and basic setting tweaks.
But that’s not all. The OPUS QUAD also has two additional displays, one over each deck. These displays pretty much are there instead of the jog wheel displays, showing additional waveform view for the loaded tracks, all the crucial track info alongside with some other important data. The two side displays do not have touch support.
No Jog Wheel Displays?
The new sleek design of the OPUS QUAD’s jog wheels doesn’t incorporate color jog wheel displays, as two helper screens on the decks pretty much display all the needed data in a more accurate manner. The device only gives you a digital needle indicator in the middle of each of the jog wheels.
Pioneer XDJ-XZ does have 2 built-in jog wheel screens on which you can display both the most important information about your current loaded tracks and the album artwork associated with the music playing.
By the way, on many other higher-end Pioneer DJ controllers you can also show your very own customized DJ logo on the jog wheel displays – a feature that is sadly missing from the XDJ-XZ. These controllers include the Pioneer DDJ-1000, or the DDJ-FLX10 (see my comparison of these two here).
Pro DJ Link Support
While the OPUS QUAD does not support Pro DJ Link, the Pioneer XDJ-XZ does. If you don’t yet know what it is, it’s basically a feature that gives you the possibility to connect two other Pioneer CDJ devices to your main DJ controller, and use them as additional decks 3 and 4, fully controllable from the device’s main mixer and the main display, with the possibility of library management and song selection from the master device.
This is also how you can bring compatible linked players into channels 3 and 4 while keeping Pro DJ Link features. The XDJ-XZ can also take regular line/phono sources on those channels, but it still only has 2 internal standalone decks. The external devices need to be compatible with the Pro DJ Link standard, and connected to the main unit using network cables for this setup to work.
The OPUS-QUAD cannot link external CDJ or DJM units through Pro DJ Link, so the XDJ-XZ is the clear winner here if that kind of external-player integration matters to you.
No Classic Controller-Style Performance Pads
While this can upset many of you, the “classic” performance pads are also gone from the OPUS QUAD, now replaced with a standard hot-cue strip under the side displays akin to the one which you might already know from the main line of the Pioneer DJ CDJ players.
While I do understand the need to make the layout of the device more CDJ-like, in the very end the Pioneer XDJ-XZ (at least in my book) emulates the feel of the club setup much better than the OPUS QUAD, even with the classic performance pads present on the bottom of each deck. I’m still more of a controller guy, so for me the XDJ-XZ has the upper hand here.
Zone Output Access
Zone output is a feature that lets you put on a music playlist and play it on a different PA system placed in another room, controlling it from your DJ device alongside your main mix. This is available only on the Pioneer DJ OPUS QUAD, as the XDJ-XZ does not have a zone output on board.
If you’re interested in other devices with this feature, you might want to check out the Denon DJ Prime 4 – which is another standalone system with a Zone Output on board.
Physical Master EQ and Microphone Controls
The Pioneer XDJ-XZ also has two sets of physical controls I really miss on the OPUS QUAD. One of them is the main master 3-band equalizer allowing you to correct sound coming out of the device, which is a godsend when compensating for the sound system shortcomings in a live situation.
Another one is the neat section for microphone physical input controls on the front panel including 3-band EQ for each of the two mics, and a feedback reducer feature which can come in handy in certain situations (looking at you wedding DJs).
While the OPUS QUAD also does have access to the mic EQ and the feedback reducer, alongside with the master EQ, they are only accessible via the device’s touch screen which I find a little bit less convenient in a live setting.
Software Compatibility
As I’ve already touched upon the topic of the compatible DJ software, it’s also important to point out that the Pioneer XDJ-XZ does support Serato DJ Pro and Rekordbox for wired mixing. Note that before you use any audio files on it in the standalone mode, you have to export them using the Rekordbox software.
The OPUS QUAD also does support both Rekordbox and Serato DJ Pro, and it unlocks both of them when plugged into your computer with the software installed. What is important to mention here is that the OPUS-QUAD uses the newer OneLibrary format, previously called Device Library Plus, while the XDJ-XZ uses the older Device Library format.
Current versions of Rekordbox can generate both library formats on the same USB export, so using the same drive across compatible newer and older gear is much less of a headache than it used to be. The OPUS-QUAD can also play tracks from Rekordbox for iOS/Android.
Cloud Library Sync And Built-In Wi-Fi
Compared to the XDJ-XZ, the OPUS-QUAD has built-in Wi-Fi, which it can use for Rekordbox connectivity, CloudDirectPlay and its current streaming features. CloudDirectPlay now supports both Dropbox and Google Drive.
The OPUS-QUAD supports StreamingDirectPlay for Beatport Streaming, TIDAL and Apple Music directly on the unit.
So, In The End…
So, the OPUS QUAD is a great device with quite a few new features, giving you a lot of creative freedom in your mixes, but in a way, so is the now dated XDJ-XZ. Most importantly, the OPUS QUAD introduces true 4-deck standalone playback, Wi-Fi and direct streaming, which are all missing from the older XDJ-XZ. If you feel like the features that are exclusive to one of the devices are important to you, this should be your main decision factor when making your final choice.