Second Spin Audio

Buying a used Pioneer CDJ-2000NXS2

A big touch screen, lossless playback and eight hot cues in a club-format player. Here's how to put a used CDJ-2000NXS2 through its paces, what it plays, and what to ask the seller.

Updated

Pioneer CDJ-2000NXS2 players with a DJM-900NXS2 mixer set up at an event
Photo: 加蛋不加價, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

At a glance

Announced
January 2016
Display
7-inch full-colour touch screen
Sources
USB devices, SD cards, discs (CD/DVD), computers via USB
File formats
MP3, AAC, WAV, AIFF, FLAC, ALAC, audio CD
High-resolution playback
Up to 96 kHz / 24-bit (WAV, AIFF, FLAC, ALAC)
Hot cues
8, in two banks of four
Connections
Analogue RCA out, coaxial digital out, LAN (Pro DJ Link), USB A and USB B
Weight
5.7 kg

What to check before you pay

  1. Firmware. Ask which firmware version is installed (you'll find it in the unit's settings). An out-of-date version is a quick update and nothing to worry about. A player that refuses to update, or won't boot properly, is a different story and needs looking at.
  2. Screen. Tap every corner of the touch screen, the edges and the on-screen keyboard. You're looking for dead zones, missed touches, lines or dark patches. The screen is how you browse and navigate, so it has to respond everywhere.
  3. Jog wheel. Play a track and work the jog wheel in both vinyl and normal mode. Touch detection should be instant, and the display in the centre of the jog should track the wheel without skipping. This is where club wear shows first.
  4. Buttons. Press play, cue, the hot cues and the loop buttons several times each. Tired buttons need a hard press or fire twice, and that's the last thing you want mid-set.
  5. Pitch fader and tempo range. Move the tempo fader through its full travel while a track plays. Tempo should change smoothly, with no jumps or dead spots.
  6. USB, SD and disc. Load a track from a USB stick and from an SD card. If you still play CDs, load one, play it and eject it to check the drive.
  7. Outputs and Pro DJ Link. Check both channels of the analogue output on headphones or through a mixer. If you'll link players, test the LAN port with a second player or a computer running rekordbox.

Reported faults

Problems reported in the sources listed with each item. Not every unit has them, but they are worth asking about.

E-7010 DSP Device Error
What you notice
The player shows error E-7010; on one reported unit Needle Search could not be used, and a firmware update and power cycle did not clear it.
What the source says
Pioneer DJ's official reply says the error means the unit needs servicing, that it may still work for MIDI use but with limited audio playback, and that the problem is not typical.
What to check
Power the player on and watch for any error code during start-up and while loading and playing tracks. A unit showing E-7010 needs a service, so price that in or walk away.

Manufacturer: Pioneer DJ Community, "CDJ-2000NXS2 E-7010 DSP Device Error" (official Pioneer DJ reply)

Jog wheel turns but does not move the track
What you notice
The jog wheel spins but has no effect on playback.
What the source says
A repair shop fixed one NXS2 with this fault by reseating an internal ribbon cable. On the CDJ-2000 family, touch is detected by a pressure switch sheet under the platter and rotation by a sensor on the jog board. Touch to stop and scratching only work with JOG MODE set to VINYL.
What to check
Set JOG MODE to VINYL, then check that touching the top stops the track and turning it scrubs both ways; in CDJ mode, check that it bends the pitch. Ask whether the player has been in for repair.

Repair article: Turntable Trader, "Jog Wheel Not Working on a CDJ or DDJ: Causes and Fixes" (October 2026)

What makes the NXS2 tick

Pioneer DJ announced the CDJ-2000NXS2 in January 2016, and the feature list still reads like a wishlist for anyone who plays digital files: a 7-inch full-colour touch screen, lossless FLAC and ALAC playback up to 96 kHz / 24-bit, eight hot cues in two banks, and Pro DJ Link over LAN so several players can share one music source. It reads from USB, SD and discs, and links up with a computer over USB too.

What that means for you as a buyer: if you prepare your music in rekordbox and want to play lossless files on a club-layout player, this one covers it. The flip side is that a feature-packed player has more to check. A screen, a jog wheel and a lot of buttons all need to be working properly.

Check the model name

Listings sometimes slap “NXS2” on older players. Check the model name printed on the unit and on its rear label rather than trusting the listing title, especially if the price looks too good to be true.

Ex-club or home use?

Players from clubs and hire companies can have had an extremely busy life, while home-studio units may have barely broken a sweat. Ask where the player has been used, and look closely at the jog wheel surface, the play and cue buttons and the top plate. Worn-shiny buttons and a scuffed jog tell you a lot about the miles on the clock.

What to ask the seller

  • Which firmware version is installed?
  • Has the unit ever been repaired, and was the screen or jog wheel replaced?
  • Is the power cable included? A LAN cable and the original box are useful extras.

Manuals

Links open external manual archives or the manufacturer's site. We don't host these files.

Sources