Pioneer on Monday introduced the DJM-5000 DJ mixer made for portable use. Apart from newfound multi-zone support that lets users send two audio sources to a separate area, the DJM-5000 has three microphone inputs, 96kHz/24-bit sampling, a built-in sound card and a MIDI mapping capability. The mixer is designed to be rack-mounted.

An exclusive feature to Pioneer called Advanced Talk Over attenuates the mid-range or vocal frequencies in music when the microphone is being used to make DJs heard without completely stopping the music; the mic's volume is adjustable through a control knob. In addition, two of the three microphone inputs are independent balanced inputs with a dedicated volume control and 3-band equalizer. DJs get to adjust reverb, echo plus verb, octaver and pitch effects of the microphone in the mixer section of the DJM-5000.

The 96kHz/24-bit analog to digital converter and 32-bit digital signal processor (DSP) ensures high-quality audio output. Noise in the system was reduced by reducing the length of the signal path, using a high-performance power supply and shielding the dual RCA inputs. Quality in compressed audio files is improved thanks to a Sound Maximizer feature that enhances low- and high-frequency ranges. A Dynamics function ups lower frequency range by up to eight decibels for more punch, while a Clarity mode adds as much as four decibels in mid-high frequencies for a clearer overall sound.

A six-channel USB audio interface lets notebook computers be connected to the DJM-5000. The mixer's 61 of 73 controls can be assigned to send a MIDI signal to a notebook via the USB port, as long as it's running MIDI-compatible DJ software. Each of the four channels has a peak level meter that includes a multi-color, 10-segment LED meter. Two digital inputs also let users connect digital sources without deteriorating signal quality.

The DJM-5000 will ship in October, priced at $1,275.