It is the question we get most often from people renting DJ gear for a Mykonos event: should I rent the Pioneer CDJ-3000 setup or the XDJ-RX3? Both are Pioneer DJ, both are professional, both play from a USB stick. But they are built for different nights and different people behind the decks. Here is an honest comparison from the people who deliver and set up both every week of the summer.
The short answer
- You have booked a professional DJ: rent the two CDJ-3000s + DJM-900NXS2. It is the club standard and the booth every working DJ expects.
- A friend, a hobbyist DJ or a playlist is running the music: rent the XDJ-RX3. One compact unit, nothing to connect, and it sounds great.
- Four decks, Serato, or turntables in the mix: look at the XDJ-XZ, the four-channel all-in-one with a club layout.
What the CDJ-3000 + DJM-900NXS2 setup is
This is three separate pieces of gear: two CDJ-3000 multi-players and a DJM-900NXS2 four-channel mixer, cabled together on a booth stand. The CDJ-3000 is Pioneer’s flagship player — a fast processor, a 9-inch touchscreen, a big accurate jog wheel, hot cues, loops and key sync, and it reads USB drives and SD cards. The DJM-900NXS2 is the mixer found in most clubs on the planet: four channels, a high-quality sound card, built-in beat and colour effects, and independent EQ and filters per channel.
Why DJs want it: it is what they practise on and play on everywhere else. A touring DJ steps up with a USB prepared in Rekordbox, plugs in, and is playing within a minute. It has the headroom, the outputs and the feel of a club booth, which matters when someone is paid to keep a 150-guest dancefloor moving until 4 am.
What the XDJ-RX3 is
The XDJ-RX3 is an all-in-one: two decks and a two-channel mixer in a single unit, with a 10.1-inch touchscreen in the middle. The layout deliberately mirrors the CDJ and DJM, so anyone who has used Pioneer gear feels at home, and the performance pads, effects and looping are genuinely capable. It plays from USB (Rekordbox-prepared or just folders of tracks) and can also be controlled from a laptop.
Why it is perfect for self-run events: it is one box. Our technician puts it on a stand, connects it to the speakers, line-checks it and shows whoever is running the music how to load a track and mix. It takes up a fraction of the space of a full booth, which is why it is also our first choice for yacht parties and small villa terraces.
Head to head
| CDJ-3000 (x2) + DJM-900NXS2 | XDJ-RX3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Hired / professional DJs, club-style parties, bigger dancefloors | Friends, hobbyists, playlists, compact venues |
| Channels | 4 (mixer), easily adds a laptop, mic or second source | 2, plus mic input |
| Screen | 9-inch on each player | One 10.1-inch touchscreen |
| Footprint | Full booth: three units on a stand | One unit, roughly the size of a large controller |
| Setup | Cabled and configured by our technician | Place, plug in, play |
| Media | USB, SD, Rekordbox link | USB, laptop control |
| Learning curve | Assumes you are a DJ | A non-DJ can run a night after a 10-minute walkthrough |
| Rental price | Higher (three flagship units) | Lower |
Three Mykonos scenarios
Villa party, 80 guests, a DJ flying in from London. CDJ-3000 + DJM-900NXS2, Funktion-One PSS-12 tops and a BR-115 for the low end. The DJ gets the booth they know; the terrace gets proper sound. More in our villa party planning guide.
Sunset cruise, 25 guests, the best man has a playlist. XDJ-RX3 and a pair of Electro-Voice ZLX-15BT. Compact, low power, and the best man looks like he knows what he is doing.
Wedding with a hired DJ for the party but a friend playing dinner music. We bring the CDJ-3000 booth for the dancefloor and an XDJ-RX3 for the dinner zone — two zones, two booths, one crew. See our wedding sound system rental page.
What about the XDJ-XZ?
The XDJ-XZ sits between the two. It is an all-in-one like the RX3, but with a four-channel mixer modelled on the DJM-900NXS2, large club-style jog wheels, Serato DJ Pro control and phono inputs for turntables. DJs who like the convenience of one unit but want four channels or a vinyl deck in the mix choose it; it takes more space than the RX3 and is a better fit for a bigger booth.
Whatever you rent, this is included
- Delivery anywhere in Mykonos, including yachts at the Old Port and New Marina
- Professional setup on a booth stand with clean power and tidy cabling
- A line-check, and a walkthrough for whoever is playing
- An on-site technician for the event, and breakdown afterwards
Still not sure which booth fits your night? Tell us who is playing and where on WhatsApp at +30 698 123 7777 or through the contact form, and we will recommend the right one. Full stock and specs on our DJ equipment rental in Mykonos page.
