Denon DJ
Review: Denon DJ VL12 Prime Turntable
Mojaxx‘s long-awaited review of Denon DJ’s VL12 Prime turntable has finally arrived. The device, which debuted in 2017, is a professional turntable that competes with models by Technics, Pioneer DJ, Reloop, and Stanton.
But given the popularity and durability of competing models, is the VL12 different enough to gain ground in the market? Find out on this week’s episode of Tips and Tricks.
Denon DJ’s MCX8000 Gets Engine Prime Software
Denon DJ’s MCX8000 is both the company’s flagship Serato DJ controller and a standalone all-in-one device. It was a very capable unit on release, but some users were disappointed when Denon launched their Engine Prime software in 2017 to support their new Prime series hardware, and the MCX8000 wasn’t compatible with it.
Now, the company has announced a public beta testing program for a new version 2.0 firmware, which enables the MCX8000 to read data from USB drives prepared using Engine Prime. The version also adds a host of other new features and bug fixes.
They include:
– Support for Engine Prime prepared USB drives
– Beat Grid support for Engine Prime prepared USB drives
– Beat Grid slide feature
– Quantize feature
– Quantize options 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1-beat and off for setting/triggering hot cues and loops
– Beat Sync feature
– 12 o’clock platter LED reset for cues
– BPM sorting when browsing songs through BPM Filter
Users can apply to join the beta at the Denon DJ forum now.
Check out Mojaxx’s review of the MCX8000 below.
Related: Denon DJ Improves SC5000 Player and X1800 Mixer With Firmware Updates
Denon DJ Improves SC5000 Player and X1800 Mixer With Firmware Updates
Whenever you’re working with digital DJ equipment, you should make sure you have the latest firmware update. New firmware cannot only fix bugs, but it can add new features.
Denon DJ’s recent firmware updates for their SC5000 Prime player and X1800 Prime mixer have both (bug fixes and new features). On this week’s Tips and Tricks episode, Mojaxx takes a look at the updates and discusses the improvements that come with them.
Related: Review: Denon DJ SC5000 Prime Player
Review: Denon DJ SC5000 Prime Player
On this week’s Tips and Tricks, Mojaxx continues his look at Denon DJ’s Prime series with thorough, and we mean thorough, review of the SC5000 player.
Unveiled in January, the SC5000 has become the most anticipated DJ product of 2017. It competes directly with Pioneer DJ’s CDJ series, aiming to replace it as the go-to player at clubs and festivals.
But does the SC5000 live up to the hype? Watch above to find out.
Related: Review: Denon DJ X1800 Prime Mixer
Review: Denon DJ X1800 Prime Mixer
On this week’s Tips and Tricks, Mojaxx begins his look at Denon DJ’s Prime series with a review of the X1800 mixer.
Announced in January, the X1800 is a four-channel club mixer designed with the company’s SC5000 player in mind. It retails for around $1,900.
Watch Mo’s review above and stay tuned for his review of the SC5000.
Watch DJ Cable and DJ Complexion Perform with Denon’s MC7000
DJ Cable, a three-time DMC UK Team Champion, and DJ Complexion, the founder of Future Beats Records, have showcased Denon DJ’s MC7000 controller in a new routine.
The performance, which was filmed at The Hyman Archive in London, consists of grime, trap, and UK house tracks.
Cable is a DJcity UK team member and resident on BBC Radio 1Xtra’s Sixty Minutes show. Complexion is a mixer on London’s Westside 89.6 FM.
Watch their routine above.
Tracklist:
1. Sh?m – Slap
2. DJ Rectangle – Well Trained Cuts & Scratches
3. Priceless – They Know – Instrumental
4. Jason Jules – Acetate
5. Milo Mills – Bad Bitches By The Pool
Related: Review: Denon DJ MCX8000 Controller
Denon DJ Names Laidback Luke as Brand Ambassador
In January, Denon DJ made headlines when it unveiled its new Prime series of equipment. On Thursday, the company kept the momentum going by naming legendary house DJ/producer Laidback Luke as a brand ambassador.
With his addition, Denon continues its push toward becoming a serious player among DJ gear manufacturers.
In a video announcement on Facebook (see below), the Dutch legend said he will also serve as a product development consultant.
Going forward, Luke will be swapping out his usual live setup. Instead, his gear of choice will now be Denon’s pro-level SC5000 Prime media player and X1800 Prime mixer.
The move is in line with the company’s recent “Change Your Rider” campaign, which urges DJs to change their rider to include Denon equipment.
In the press release, Luke explained why he chose to partner with Denon: “The Denon Prime Series is an organic fit for my DJ sets. Its functionality is extremely intuitive and it’s [sic] performance delivers exactly the quality that I need.”
Denon DJ’s Brand Manager, Paul Dakeyne, also commented on the partnership:
“As one of the world’s most creative and expressive live DJ’s [sic], Laidback Luke is constantly setting the standard, raising the bar. He needs equipment that is a natural extension of his thoughts, equipment that instantly transforms his inner feelings and spontaneity into sound. The Denon DJ SC5000 and X1800 Prime units remove all performance obstacles and pushes new boundaries for Laidback Luke to explore.”
Watch Luke’s announcement below.
First Look: Denon DJ SC5000 Prime Player
Denon DJ made headlines on Monday when it revealed the details of its new SC5000 Prime player. Now, just two days later, Mojaxx has gotten his hands on a pre-production unit. Watch above to see a first look in advance of his in-depth review.
Related: Denon DJ Reveals Details of X1800 Mixer and VL12 Turntable
Denon DJ Reveals Details of X1800 Mixer and VL12 Turntable
The announcement of the SC5000 media player was Denon DJ’s big story on Monday, but the company also revealed details of the other products in their pro-level Prime series.
X1800 Prime Mixer
First up is the new X1800, a four-channel club mixer with high-quality 24bit 96kHz audio output. It has a four-port LAN hub, enabling the mixer to communicate directly with the SC5000 player. That makes it possible to share Beatgrid information between devices for synchronized FX. Speaking of which, each channel has a dedicated set of Sweep FX such as dub, noise, and reverb. There is also a full BPM FX unit featuring 12 high-quality FX with a quantized touch strip control and OLED display.
The X1800 also features dual USB connections to link with third-party software for easy changeovers. However, support for Traktor Scratch and Serato DJ as well as digital inputs and outputs have not yet been announced. The suggested retail price for the mixer is $1,899, putting it firmly in the pro-level price bracket.
VL12 Prime Turntable
Denon also announced that their VL12 Prime turntable will ship in the first quarter of 2017, which means it should be hitting stores in the next three months.
Debuted at the 2016 NAMM show, the VL12 caused a stir because it is the first DJ-specific turntable in years that is not based on Hanpin’s Super OEM design (used for Stanton’s ST-150, Pioneer DJ’s PLX-1000, etc.).
Instead, Denon has designed the VL12 from the ground up with the unusual focus of function above all else. It features all-metal construction with feet designed specifically to resist vibration. That means the deck will perform great even in loud environments with a lot of vibration.
The platter edge is a departure from the traditional Technics dot design, and according to Denon, offers improved performance when nudging or dragging the platter in the mix. And for a dash of extra style, the edge features RGB lighting, which can be customized in both intensity and color.
The VL12 has been a long time coming, but with Technics confirming that they are not interested in the DJ market, it will be the turntable to watch in 2017.
Denon DJ Reveals Details of SC5000 Player
After months of teases and speculation, Denon DJ has finally revealed the details of what their “Change Your Rider” slogan really means.
The company announced today a pair of equipment designed to compete with Pioneer DJ’s Nexus range, which is currently the closest thing to a club standard in the digital age.
The products include a new pro-level mixer, the X1800, but the headline act is unquestionably its new SC5000 Prime media player. The latter brings a host of innovations to the table, as well as including features that DJs have come to expect from a pro-level player.
Below are the SC5000’s key features:
Beatgrid and Key Analysis
While Denon enables DJs to prepare music in advance with its Engine Prime software, the SC5000 can also analyze track information on the fly. That means that new, unprepared songs can be used in a performance without sacrificing any of the player’s features.
Serato DJ HID Support
Engine Prime can import playlists from Serato DJ and iTunes without third party software, which should make for easy adoption by Serato DJ users. But Denon has also announced that the SC5000 Prime will support HID control for Serato DJ in a forthcoming version of the software. That is fantastic news for DJs who want to combine the player with their existing software of choice.
Multiple USB Inputs
With three USB inputs and an SD card slot, there are plenty of ways to accommodate multiple DJs on the same unit or allow a single DJ to connect a variety of media simultaneously. Also, up to four players can be linked together over a LAN with media shared between them all.
Layer Select
Similar to Denon’s Alpha Track functions on previous players, the SC5000 has a layer switch that enables DJs to play two tracks at once on the same player or four decks when using a pair, with dedicated outputs for each layer. That could well be the killer function of the SC5000, as it enables DJs to start out with just one player at first, but still enjoy all the benefits of standalone playback with two decks.
8 Multi-Function Pads
The player’s RGB pads, which are placed at the front of the unit for easy access, go beyond just regular hot-cues by adding looping, roll, and slicer functionality
7-Inch Multi-Touch Screen
The combination of multi-touch capability and a large display enables DJs to use gestures and swiping to sort and select music, which hasn’t been found on a standalone player before. It should add a level of control, which will be immediately intuitive to anyone who uses a smartphone or tablet.
8-Inch Platter With Customizable Lighting
The full-size aluminum platter includes a full-color display in its center to display track artwork and RGB lighting, which can be set to any color. The tension of the jog wheel is also adjustable.
Priced at $1,899 per player, the SC5000 is targeted to professional DJs, including those who might want to “change their rider.” But for $300 less than their closest competitor, and considering that a single unit can function as two decks, the SC5000 looks like a good value.
Stay tuned for an exclusive walkthrough on DJcityTV this week, with a full review to follow.
For more information on the SC5000, visit Denon DJ’s website.
Related: Denon DJ MCX8000 Controller Review
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