DJ controller Roland DJ-202 for Serato DJ Lite - 2 channels, 4 decks, sequencer and TR sounds

Roland DJ-202 · Reference DJ-202

Mix, scratch
and lay down the beat.

The DJ-202 controls Serato DJ Lite with two large jog wheels, two mixing channels that command four decks and sixteen backlit pads. It adds a Roland drum machine with its sequencer, and a mic input with its own effects.

• 4decks on 2 channels
• 16pads, 4 modes
• 4TR drum kits
• 2.1 kgUSB powered

Jog wheels built for scratching

Each jog wheel combines two zones: the central platter and the outer ring. With the Vinyl button lit, the platter is handled like a record to scratch; with it off, it speeds up or slows down playback to line a track up by ear. Turned with Shift, it scrolls through the track at high speed. The Tempo fader sets the speed, Key Lock preserves the key when you change it, and Sync lines up the tempo of two tracks on its own.

The platter and its outer ring, with Sync and Shift within thumb's reach.

Four decks on two channels

The central section mixes two channels at once, each with its gain, three-band EQ, filter and fader. The Deck 3 and Deck 4 buttons switch each side to a second track: four decks in all. The crossfader moves from one side to the other, and headphone monitoring is prepared with each channel's Cue button and the Mixing control, which balances the cue against the master.

Filters, Cue buttons, channel faders and Master level meter.

Sixteen pads, four uses

Under each jog wheel, eight pads change role depending on the chosen mode: Hot Cue to jump to the cue points set in the track, Loop for loops and roll effects, Sampler to trigger Serato samples, Sequencer to program the drums. The two Param buttons, to the right of the pads, adjust the value driven by the current mode.

Hot Cue, Loop, Sequencer and Sampler above the eight pads.

A TR drum machine inside the controller

The DJ-202 carries the sounds of the TR-909, TR-808, TR-707 and TR-606, recreated with Roland's ACB technology, with eight instruments per kit. The sixteen-step sequencer programs them note by note, or live in Inst-Rec mode, and locks to the Serato tempo. The MIDI OUT port sends this clock to an external drum machine or synthesizer, which then follows the mix.

A voice over the mix

A microphone plugs into a 6.35 mm jack on the rear, with its own sensitivity set by the MIC SENS knob. The controller applies a gate against background noise, a low-cut filter, a reverb or an echo, chosen in its system settings: enough to announce a track or sing over an instrumental.

All the connections on the rear

From left to right: the USB port that connects and powers the controller, the MIDI output, the RCA Master outputs for active speakers or an amplifier, then the mic input and its sensitivity control. The headphones plug in on the front, into a stereo 6.35 mm jack. Audio conversion at 24-bit and 48 kHz happens inside the DJ-202: no sound card to add between the computer and the speakers.

USB, MIDI OUT, RCA Master L/R, mic input and MIC SENS.

Roland reference

DJ-202

Decks on the left

1 and 3

Decks on the right

2 and 4

With Serato DJ Pro

32 samples over 4 banks

The Roland audio driver and Serato DJ Lite are downloaded: install the driver before connecting the DJ-202 for the first time, then launch the software.

To complete the setup: headphones for cueing among our headphones and earphones, the other MIDI and DJ controllers, and the whole studio, podcast and music production range.

Specifications taken from the Roland DJ-202 specification sheet and owner's manual.