AlphaTheta Care – it’s a mouthful of a name, and it sounds familiar on first glance (hello, Apple Care?). It’s the new gear protection program for Pioneer DJ products that its parent company announced yesterday – an additional layer of security available on top of the brand’s standard one-year warranty offering.
Choose your plan: Pro and Pro+
The service is available in the US only, and has two package options: AlphaTheta Care Pro and AlphaTheta Care Pro+. The Pro program covers three years of damages and wear and tear like broken or cracked screens, damaged jog wheels, worn out knobs, switches, and faders, and damages to the gear’s chassis. Pro+ adds on liquid spills.
Eligible gear
Regardless of what package you’re willing to pay for, it’s worth noting that the warranty is only available for a specific list of Pioneer DJ items. You won’t be able to add your much-loved-but-maybe-outdated CDJ-900s or that mixer you’ve had for years to the program. It doesn’t cover Pioneer DJ headphones or speakers either.
But if you’re in the market for new decks – or if you’ve gotten them recently – it might be worth considering. You need to register for the program within six months of purchasing the product.
Here’s the current list of eligible items:
If you sell the gear, the warranty can be transferred to the new owner (for a $25 fee) as well.
A solid safety net – but how well will it work?
We’re left with quite a few questions here, though. No details have been shared about how long the repairs will take, and we’re curious to see how that timeline will play out. Will it cover gear damaged from playa dust at Burning Man? At what amount of liquid will it be too much to repair, and what’ll be the deal for a replacement if so? What happens when the replacement items are out of stock, and how long will you end up waiting?
It’s a start for Pioneer DJ, although we’d stepping in with caution. At least you’ll feel better about using your CDJs, mixer, XDJ, etc. out knowing that you have a we’ll-fix-it guarantee from the company that built it. We’re all overly familiar with that gut feeling you get when watching someone accidentally splash a drink across a deck mid-set. No one wants to be that guy, and dealing with it sucks. Maybe this warranty will make nights a bit smoother – we’ll see.
The other big question: what about actual parts and availability? DJs around the world have seen how absolutely impossible it has been to get a piece of Pioneer DJ hardware in the last 24 months. Everything is always on low supply – if your unit needs a warranty-covered replacement, will there even be units available?
Finally – who doesn’t want a voicemail in their inbox asking: “We’ve been trying to reach you about your CDJ’s extended warranty”?
The program’s pricing starts at $160 USD. You’ll need to fill out this form on Pioneer DJ’s website and upload receipts of your purchases to join.