Q’s home in No Time To Die gives us a rare look at how he spends his own time, and the music table is the best of it. Among the cables and the modular synthesiser sits a small, unshowy piece of kit: the Pioneer DJ DDJ-200, a two-channel smart DJ controller made for people learning to mix. It is, in our view, a sensible way in: compact, inexpensive for what it does, and not trying to be anything it isn’t.
In the film
Ben Whishaw’s Q has the DDJ-200 on the music table in front of his modular synthesiser, part of the elaborate sound system in his home in No Time To Die (2021), with Daniel Craig’s Bond. The controller was new when Q’s scenes were filmed in 2019. It is a background detail rather than a plot point, and a modest one.
The details of the Pioneer DJ DDJ-200
A pro-style layout, kept small. Pioneer DJ describes the DDJ-200 as lightweight and compact, with the arrangement of a professional controller. The idea is a sound footing for anyone who wants to take DJing further.
It works with what you already own. It connects to a smartphone, tablet, or PC or Mac by USB. Compatible software includes rekordbox, WeDJ for iPhone, djay and edjing Mix, on selected devices. You also get free use of everything in WeDJ for iPhone that would normally need in-app payments.
Streaming, with a caveat. Depending on the app and device, you can mix from Beatport, SoundCloud, TIDAL and Beatsource. WeDJ for Android is not compatible with streaming services, so check the pairing before you commit.
Built to teach. In WeDJ for iPhone, Tutorial and Pop-Hint explain the controls and the vocabulary as you go. Transition FX has 11 effect styles that smooth the move from one track to the next, and Phrase Sync aligns two tracks so the change sounds natural.
Light enough to move. Power comes over USB, from an adapter or an external battery, so it can sit on a kitchen table as easily as a desk. A split cable is included, which lets guests hear the main mix through speakers while you cue the next track in headphones.
Owning it now
This is the controller for a man who wants to learn to mix rather than to perform. It makes sense for evenings at home, a dinner that turns into a party, or a first step before spending seriously on club-standard decks. It asks for little space and little ceremony.
Choosing the setup. If you want the simplest route, an iPhone with WeDJ is the one Pioneer DJ builds its tutorials around. If you want the fuller software, a laptop with rekordbox is the other. Streaming access depends on the app, so pick the app first.
Its limits. It is an entry-level unit, and anyone who outgrows it will want more physical controls. That is the nature of the category, not a fault.
This one or its successor? Pioneer DJ now lists the DDJ-200 as archived and names the DDJ-FLX2 as its next-generation model. If you want the controller from Q’s table, buy the DDJ-200 while stock lasts. If you simply want to learn to DJ, we would look at the FLX2 as well.
Specifications
| Model | Pioneer DJ DDJ-200 |
|---|---|
| Type | 2-channel smart DJ controller |
| Works with | iPhone, Android, PC and Mac, depending on app |
| Software | rekordbox, WeDJ for iPhone, djay, edjing Mix (selected devices) |
| Streaming | Beatport, SoundCloud, TIDAL, Beatsource (depends on app and device) |
| Power | USB, from a power adapter or external battery |
| Cables | USB cable and split cable included |
| Status | Archived by Pioneer DJ; successor is the DDJ-FLX2 |
| Price | £139 at launch, according to Pioneer DJ’s launch material; now archived, so there is no current RRP and retail prices vary |
Full details are on Pioneer DJ’s own page for the DDJ-200.
Questions
Is this the DJ controller Q has in No Time To Die?
Yes. The Pioneer DJ DDJ-200 sits on Q’s music table in front of his modular synthesiser at his home in the film.
Do I need a computer to use the DDJ-200?
No. It works with a smartphone, tablet, or PC or Mac, depending on the app. WeDJ for iPhone is the app Pioneer DJ builds its beginner tutorials around.
Can the DDJ-200 stream music?
Yes, depending on the app and device. Pioneer DJ names Beatport, SoundCloud, TIDAL and Beatsource as compatible services. WeDJ for Android does not support streaming.
Is the DDJ-200 still made?
Pioneer DJ lists it as archived and points to the DDJ-FLX2 as the next-generation model. It can still be found at some retailers.
More of Q’s world sits in our gadgets and electronics guide, and the film itself is on our No Time To Die page.
