Huge props for these videos. I went with a full Denon Prime setup, with two SC5000's and the X1800, because of your reviews. Not regretted it one bit, amazing kit and I got it all for half the price of the NXS2 setup.
@subsonic Yep! Still absolutely love it. I play on them daily and haven't had any major issues. One firmware update earlier this year wasn't ideal, but they fixed it quickly.
I'm thrilled to see just how much Denon have put into the development of the prime. Yes Pioneer have produced some outstanding equipment over the years, but Denon really have done it with style. Can't wait to have a play with these.
I resisted going back to digital deejaying - I moved back to all records in like 08 or so - but I got a pair of these based on your review. Thanks so much, dude. I'm loving finally doing the drum n bass + footwork sets I've been wanting to do for ages!
No pressure but your review will be the deciding factor on whether I sale my cdj 2000s and make the switch. Laidback Luke has made a compelling case on his vlog, but I trust your opinion more because its historically unbiased.
Tre Valentine Actually I think Laidback Luke's recent video from Tomorrowland should be enough to sell anyone on these. Denon DJ could not have scored a better ambassador.
MojaxxVDJ got to try them out at a DJ store and they felt less well built than cdjs. another thing was idk if it was just me was the beatgrid dosent show on the waveform
watching this for the first time in 2021 makes me smile owning the prime 4 trying to decide what type of real setup i should go with....... really fucking hard decision
Great review. Your absolutely right on in terms of Denon making all in one and budget controllers. We DJs need to see more competition out in the market, Pioneer has bin eating it up for to long.
Engine Prime & the 'limited tracks per media source over a network' limitation was the Achilles Heel for me......once those are sorted out, as well as Denon getting a grip on their forum moderation, I will be purchasing a few. I was all set to buy (3) SC5000s, but the moderators over at the forum soiled my opinion of how customer/developer/manufacturer relations were going to be handled once I owned the units. Many forum users (window shoppers & actual owners alike) have had their posting privelages revoked for challenging the moderators. That's not gonna' fly if they hope to become the industry standard. @Mojaxx - this is why I continue to value your opinion regarding hardware reviews. You told it EXACTLY how it is!! Great players, but with a lot of issues to sort out. I was already aware of these issues, but was curious if you were going to address them, or be like many other reviewers and tow the line for Denon. Bravo, man! Honest & critical reviews are what's needed when making such HUGE investments in this kind of gear. You reassured me that you are a trustworthy reviewer. Thank you!
Yes, same with me. DJ Boothe is way over the top on the moderation and they are sadly only hiding the facts from themselves. Not listening to customer criticism (and calling them out as trolls) is suicidal.
The real issue is the forum is an unofficial forum not ran by Denon. I agree though, the mods there are ridiculous and I hate posting there. For instance I want to ask what Denon's support for the new Engine prime software is going to be as of the time of this writing (it will be 2018 in 2 days) the software hasn't received a single update. It needs things such as higher BPM ranges because I'm a D&B and Hardcore DJ and it thinks like 40% of my tracks are half their actual BPM value. I have Denon gear right now (sc2900s and an x1600) but their software support for these in the past has been absolutely dire and it's scaring me from pulling the trigger. It's kind of like watching history repeat itself. The sc2900s had tons of great features at a solid price point and this new engine software was with it. Positive reviews from all major outlets, then basically dead silence from Denon in terms of support.
Their software support is garbage. Native Instruments supports Traktor MUCH better than Denon DJ supports Engine, and that's saying something. Their software support (and their support in general) is the main reason why I am still thinking about Pioneer hardware even if the SC5000's are better in almost every way vs the 2000NXS2.
I respect your reviews very much and I'm pretty sure I watched all of them... It's been almost two years since this review and I think it's time to make another one and speak about experience with these players and setup ! Compare them to Pioneers and be honest about Denon failing to change anything...
Man I watch u EVERY TIME when I'm thinking of getting some new gear. Ur just a cool, smart brother and I like how you break shit down. And I've been thinking about getting the new Pioneer shit or the Denon. Ive had MANY Denon gear in the past, since I was in the Navy back in the 80s and 90s, wayyy before they were making DJ equipment. Denon are committed AUDIOPHILES, except that...well....so is Pioneer. My Uncle brought Pioneer stereo components back home from Japan during the 70s. And I bought my first Pioneer stereo shit when I was stationed in Japan in 1981-82. So...my point is...these two companies are par excellence, no doubt. I've got thousands of dollars in Pioneer gear in my studio. I still have my first CDJ that I brought and my an original Pioneer RT-909 reel to reel player. Man, I got shit loads of Pioneer shit. But...I'm gonna give Denon a play with this one. I've been buying their stuff since the 80s and I trust their commitment. During the early to mid 2000s I brought some of the their CD players and some mixers and the shit was good. Denon makes great stuff. I'm very excited about the potential with their new stuff. Pioneer lately is still dope but they got soooooo many fanboys and superstar DJs in their camp. Their prices is reflecting it too! So I feel Denon wont let me down. Great vid brother, Peace! ✌🏾
What I am absolutely fascinated by and that is a win for all of us, is how will Pioneer DJ respond? They sure as heck are not going to sit back and handover the Booth without a serious competitive response. That I am really really interested to see!
MojaxxVDJ agree. Great review. They are going to be furiously working away on a response it has to be such a big jump it will be 3000 Nexus. Let's see. I'm sitting tight for the time being. I'm happy in the Serato, controller, nexus CDJ and HID ecosystem for now all linked by Rekordbuddy. Still use Serato as my go to first software and RB and RB DJ as my secondary just so you can play on as many different players as you are likely to come across.
Toby Joll I've got a feeling that we might end up looking back and seeing that Rekord Buddy was the most important innovation in DJ gear this decade. Being tied to one platform feels like a relic at this point.
We're finally going to get the XDJ-2000nxs that we've all been waiting for. But will it be comparable to to an SC5000 in terms of quality? That remains to be seen. Perhaps, Denon, have finally forced Pioneer's hand to release quality construction along with quality features. I certainly hope so!! Because, whatever qualms I may have about Prime software, there is NO DOUBT that the Denon hardware faaaar surpasses that of my current (and former) Nexus gear......and it's cheaper to boot. I hope Pioneer DJ are paying attention. Because Denon's lackluster software isn't going to be that way for long. The clock is ticking, Pioneer.
Hey Mojaxx: You have THE best reviews out there, no competition. I think most professionals agree. Now, a question I think is very important for many, especially DJ's who also doubles as mangers and promoters. After many years in clubs I'm very skeptic to any kind of buttons below the jog. I know when they are new, they will be treated like they're made of gold. But, as I see how the even more expensive CDJ-2000's are treated in clubs all over when the WOW period is over, I'm pretty sure that the sticky junk that I have too clean off the Pio's will have a very negative effect on the new Denons. Those pads are essential for this player to work properly, and unlike the Pio's, the SC5000 does not have a performance screen. Only the largest clubs and festivals has sound engineers that runs the booths, but for the rest those are only called when there's something very wrong. For daily use and maintenance the resident DJ's are usually trusted with that, which is ridiculous because they can only react if they know there's something wrong. That sugary drink that was spilled last night by some VIP, or even the guest DJ, will not be discovered until next time a DJ try to use the gear, half an hour before opening at best. After so many years, there's a reason why Pio keep their players clean below the jog. I'd also like to know how the cue, play, pads and pitch are mounted in the players. In the 2000's, if you have the spares, 50 quid each, it's a 30 minute job to swap them, and all you need is a screw driver and a little know-how. Essential when sh*t happens. How's that gonna work with the Denons. Special tools or soldering needed? Cost?
I’ve always loved denon products. I really hope they are successful in getting into clubs. I feel that a tabletop player should have all the functionality of a controller hooked up to a laptop. It’s wonderfully convenient to bring just a flash drive and headphones to a club with cdjs already installed, but there has always been a sacrifice. If you are in serato, for example, you’d still need a side controller to take full advantage of the software capabilities. These denons seem to close that gap. Denon and pioneer have always made great products. I still have multiple products form both companies that are over 10 years old and still function well.
SC5000 early adopter here. Been using a single player for the last few months. Playing off one deck is fine, especially sandwiched between two turntables and a 4 channel mixer. This review is dead on. Players are amazing, but Engine Prime is get's a D+. V 2.0 can't get here fast enough. No ability to drag and drop crates. No ability to sync crates to USB sticks. iTunes integration is so bad, still can't figure out the logic behind the random order that playlists appear. Also it takes nearly 15min to refresh my library and they also need to add the ability to have a non standard iTunes library location. The list goes on and on... I'd love to be able to customize the track info that shows up on the players as well. Lastly the Denon Dj forums are HEAVILY censored, which is a bummer.
HI Mythinpaperwings. Saw your remark about "random order". Actually I just adressed this issue with a new update to the Denon Conversion Utility. Engine Prime's crates can only be sorted by things like artist, title etc. but they can not have a fixed track order. EP's playlists can however. So if you happen to have your track collection in Rekordbox maybe DeCU can bring you some help. And for any question EP related feel free to ask :)
Mythinpaperwings since your comment.... has the grade gone up from D+? Do you still have the decks? I purchased Traktor 3 as I have an S8. It was not reliable in my last event and had to go back to Traktor 2 again. I’m considering the Denon’s. Thanks!
very good review as per usual, as Mojaxx states, the software is poor compared to rekordbox however give it time and it should be a lot better (the only thing putting me off these at the moment) i also agree i would have to have 3 players..
Got them bitches two weeks ago and love them! I've got the reloop rmx90dvs coming tomorrow for them. I'll have the x1800 prime in a couple of months cause 1899 was steep after I just dropped 4k for the players lol. Love your channel. I bought the denons cause of this review and I also bought the rmx90 cause of your review on that one also. Keep it up bro!
Antoine isn't a flame with you, absolutely ;) ..but I read too many people who care about what's the standard on festival and clubs..for sure you are a resident dj or play in festival (so my thought doesn't apply to you) but most DJs play in bedroom and go out with their gears to play in parties..so, why it's so important to own same gears as festival or clubs?
You are 100% correct. The overpriced and overrated CDJs are the "Club" standard - but the S9 or Rane 72 are made for everyone else. Made for the underground DJ world - House parties, garage/bedroom DJ, scratch tournaments, etc.
Great review! I totally agree that if Denon drags ass as they are notorious for with updates to the software this will be the end of the brand. I bought a pair and love them but the prime software needs alot of work. The nailed the hardware as they mostly always do but the software needs to evolve quickly as well. We'll see...
Great review as always. Pioneer seem like a brand in crisis at the moment with the release of the DJM-750k Mk2 with far too many products currently on release and an erratic pricing structure. Denon seem to have focused everything in to 1 mixer & 1 media deck and it already looks like they're leagues ahead in having a stable vision of their future. No doubt the software & firmware updates will be coming to improve this set up all round but if i had the money, i would be choosing this over Pioneer. The duel layer is the winning ticket for me as you can now have 4 Denon decks for less than 2 Pioneer decks - crazy!! Pioneer seem to be releasing new bits of kit 2 or 3 times a year which are just slightly tweaked versions of the previous model, yet can either be more expensive or less depending on the model - example - the DJM750k Mk2 is £250 less than the DJM850k but seems to be (technologically speaking) a much better mixer. So why have Pioneer just made their own DJM850k product obsolete? A few years ago i changed my set up and 1 CDJ-2000 was £1,300 but the brand new (at the time) XDJ-1000 was £850 but has the same functionality but with a touch screen. So does the CD lazer section of the CDJ alone REALLY cost £400????? Seemed crazy stupid to me so the XDJ's won. rant over - Denon for the win
Hey, been a Pio owner/user since the the first 500-series, and back then there was only one setup to chose. Now, this is 23 years ago, and Pio has released several generations since, and also since early 2000, series for different users. They are also several generations in development and about 10 years ago, Pio changed the way the release new features, by implementing them in home- or semi pro series first. Like the touch screen on the XDJ-1000, while the CDJ-2000 Nexus was twice the price and were stuck with a traditional screen. This has all to do with what professionals always has as number one priority: Reliability! Now you can perfect any possible flaws or minor issues that the users of course will react upon, but not create havoc. A minor issue detected in your home or in a smaller venue, is not the same as a failure on a main stage and 1000's of people. This, of course, has al lot to do with software development, which is a never ending business. Ask any programmer in any environment where software runs anything. But you need to get as close to perfection as possible before release, and then get even better. So, the whole business of looking at features and compare prizing, is usually what newbies and the not so experienced DJ's do and it's just the wrong way to think. Just like any premium build tool for professionals, the testing, better construction, and high quality components are a big part of the extra cost. That said, if just keeping your gear in one place at home and just occasionally bring your gear out, any gear from Pio will last pretty good, but you can not compare the XDJ-1000 series to the NXS-series except for the features, because they are two very different machines, created for different use under different conditions, yet has similar capabilities. I bet, that the next high end player from Pio, will have some of the features the new Denon introduced, but it will be the XDJ-XXXX, not the CDJ-2000XXX. Again, that will be a somewhat awkward situation for all the NXS2-users, but understanding the tactics and reasons, makes it OK. 12-18 months later I know there will be something new I can rely on for the next 5-6 years of daily use. It will be another 4-5 year before I make any changes with my personal hardware and I hope there's more to chose from next time around.
Sorry, didn't mean to offend you. You're obviously not the usual ones then. That was more of a referral to how important it is for you that your gear works perfect every day, for years, while moving it around to and from gigs, and still being used in between gigs for practice and preparation. You can be doing this for many years, but on a level where minor hardware failures are accepted as long as it's not a regular problem. More a personal embarrassment than anything else. If I bring faulty gear to a club for me and perhaps others to use, I'd be liable for any cost the club have during a failure. I could never afford that in a club with 1500 people or more. No insurances will cover that if it's something that could be avoided. Even a short break could half my pay or worse. Before, when the kids were growing up, I just played in smaller events a couple of times every month, and I managed fine with a couple of cdj-500II's and later the cdj-800's. No failures during that period. When the kids could manage themselves for a while I started to play more, and then a lot more. I got the CDJ-900's but soon got the 2000 Nexus's because of the more tear and wear. Now, my Nexus's work just fine and still look almost new after more than 4 years of use. I've used them on more than 300 gigs and a lot of hours in between, and they continue to be what I bring if I'm going somewhere I know the gear might be below standard. The NXS2's are in my studio and they will stay there unless I get paid to bring them. As most venues now have the one or the other, I expect my gear to last me a very long time. When I go back to play less, I'd be happy with a couple of XDJ-700, or whatever is out there when that day comes. The point was to be clear about what's most important and and why, to different people, as it is the foundation for every model that comes out.
Hi Mojaxx, Steve from New Zealand here :) Fantastic review on both the SC5000 and X1800! I ended up buying the complete kit after a ton of research and watching this review about a dozen times! They really are "dope" :) I have found that the update procedure seems rediculously complicated though :( Any chance you could do a wee firmware update tutorial, or know where any are? Cheers bruv!
Great review as always! Did Denon mention a rough time line on the next FW for the 5000? I had one and returned it, Features missing I use a lot compared to the NXS2 and am hoping they add in future updates for me to maybe buy again. I loved the deck, just wasn't ready to change over until a few updates
13:45 caching tracks seems like a good choice for streaming playlists from SoundCloud or Metapop as a pose to using traditional USB sticks. Hopefully Denon does that soon.
Nice review ! But for Pete’s sake, why don’t you align the players and the mixer? And what’s up with the gap between mixer and player? ^^ All jokes aside, very nice review, as usual!
Great video thanks ! As of the player, I've been to store to check ti out. They had them side by side with the pioneer cdj (which is overpriced) but still the denon doesn't feel the same quality. The screen si out of this world, like it a lot, (pioneer is behind, having this sat nav feel of the screen) the 8 hot cue and loop buttons is a nice touch. The knobs feel cheap, so does the platter and the tension adjust is not very precise. The prime engine software is ok, basic, but does what you need it to. Also it has camelot key analyse system in ;) My history goes from useing cdj200, cdj800, cdj1000mk3, cdj2000 to xdj-rx. All units felt better quality. Oh and since everyone talks of LL, he wouldn't say but I belive he got paid by denon and got paid very well for the change.
Thnx Mojaxx for mentioning the Denon Conversion Utility. I totally agree with your conclusion, I won't swap my Denon rig back for a Pioneer. [edit] Try before you buy. The Denon Conversion Utility now has a free trial version. The trial is identical to the full release but limited to only 1 playlist and a maximum of 10 tracks. www.dropbox.com/s/b1w5wup0cvrbaeg/Denon%20Conversion%20Utility%20Trial%201.37.zip?dl=1
I really hope Denon more affordable Gear and the stand alone mc 8000 Denon will take some benefit from the must have improvement of this profesional gear on the prime software. What do you think?. Because prime software ...mm .. . well you have said it very clear.
These players are about 1000 bucks right now...considering the price drop I have to ask - are they better choice than CDJ 2000 Nexus (one) ? I guess they didn't sell as good as Denon planned...
Industry standard doesn't mean Pioneer is better though. If I were to buy a gear set for personal mixing at home, right now I'd choose Denon because they're offering more for less money. But yes, it's a drag that, for the moment, you probably can't find Denon gear at clubs all over the world, which is a shame imo because I don't think monopolies are good for anyone...
Great review MojaxxVDJ, wondering if Denons could get linked with CDJs via USB hub , reading files of the USB stick regardless of in which player the USB is placed?
Right this review is fine from a product description point view but in no way shows it in proper use. I ended up watching it because a fellow dj who is currently using a Serato TCV set up with his Technics SL's asked what CDj's I have(2x Denon SC2900) as now thinking wants to be able to play real records as well as Digi media as I do and what should he buy when I searched Denon CDJ's. But the reason for my comment is some of the comments below, from those that say they have purchased to a couple saying the usual best stick with Pioneer as industry standard blah blah(If you can and actually do DJ especially if you use Traktor/Serato brand of CDJ irrelevant), yet after clicking on several of the commenters not one of them had a video on their You Tube channel showing the kit or DJing? Click on me n you'll see kind of channel n content(vids of mix sets using my Denon DNX1700 and SC2900''s) I thought they'd have. Anyone out there wanna post vid of these being used as intended?
I have a pair along with the mixer. The biggest negative I've noticed so far is that you CANNOT organize a playlist in the players based off of BPM, date added, genre, key, artist, track title, etc like you can on the CDJs. The songs in playlists are in the order you sync them. And thats how they stay. Horrible and never thought they would miss on that. 2nd biggest problem is the Engine prime 1.1 software. Takes Hours to load just a few playlists and doesn't tell you if your adding doubles in the same playlist like rekordbox does. If I use rekordbox to sync my tracks each track I load to play has to be analyzed to see the waveform and it takes 15sec each. That's not good when playing live. there should be a way to PRE-analyze all the files on a USB that were synced from rekordbox. Whenever I sync with engine prime the tracks freeze, don't load correctly, and the players freeze. So I am left in dust with these problems because Its messed up in every direction.
I really want to buy 2 of those... but when i read this negative comments.. they could fix this in a month... why arent they fixin it ? we should all start sending them mails an call on support.... wtf is wrong with them
I can't get mine to work :( , it does not find my computer what am I doing wrong ? install engine prime what am I missing ? I wanna use it as controller.
Any chance you can make a vid on exporting playlists? I followed all directions, at least I think I did, but my playlists don’t show up on the sc5000’s; however, my music does show up under individual artist folders.
DJ Whyte Nite On anything digital like this, scratching is keylock is all about software algorithms, so definitely has the potential to change and improve. Serato DJ support is definitely on the way, that's a question of when, not if.
Have you tried it with the Serato control tone? I've noticed that it acts a little "wobbly" with the song going up and down (slightly, but noticeably to a dj) while playing. It could have been the vibration in the booth that I was playing in. Or it may be because the hardware automatically analyzes the control tone, but I wanted to know what you found. Also, there's not a way to "lock" a track in the software so that the software doesn't analyze it or change the information that it already has. Standalone mode is awesome, of course. I understand that HID is on the way, but wanted to know what if you've tried with a control tone and what you thought. Thanks for the video!
IT(SERATO CONTROL TONE) WORKS FINE FOR ME AND YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR SETTING TO STOP ANALYZING FILES AUTOMATICALLY. ANOTHER THING @MojaxxVDJ you can not use hot cue when the unit is busy analysing a file. anyway i love the unit, it is awesome. nice video
15'00'' shows that a lot of cover art is missing in your library. In my practical experience EP software has problems with cover art for Flac files. Can you confirm this? I like your idea that it should default to DJ logo when no cover art is available.
Sheik Yerbouti I play mostly MP3 and AAC files, and I've had no issues with missing artwork. The files in that playlist are mostly older files I don't have artwork for - until a couple of years ago I didn't have artwork on any of my music.
Thx Mojaxx. I recently went through the hassle of flacing +800 CDs to have the best audio quality and all metadata in place. EP software doesnt show any artwork for my Flac files. However, It does so with my compressed files of these Flacs (MP3 320kbit). It appears EP software has an issue with Flac (Win10). Perhaps someone else can confirm. Which certainly would help speeding up a support case.
Curious what the current state of affairs are given they're giving away this gear for almost half off - is it a marketing ploy, or a sign of desperation? I already lived in a world where I was managing two different software for my mobile and club gigs and hated it - very happy now that I got a DDJ-1000 for my mobiles and am exclusive to Rekordbox. The price cut is definitely tempting though but the software has to be on point and as good as Pioneer or even at 1/2 off... it's a no-go for me.
Buy a duo/trio of NXS2s for now....add a single SC5000 in 6 months to a year for now. Eventually buy a second SC5000. I imagine in the next year or two (before Pioneer's next update) peeps will be requesting SC50000s in booths. Then you'll have both platforms covered.
Huge props for these videos. I went with a full Denon Prime setup, with two SC5000's and the X1800, because of your reviews. Not regretted it one bit, amazing kit and I got it all for half the price of the NXS2 setup.
@subsonic Yep! Still absolutely love it. I play on them daily and haven't had any major issues. One firmware update earlier this year wasn't ideal, but they fixed it quickly.
I'm thrilled to see just how much Denon have put into the development of the prime. Yes Pioneer have produced some outstanding equipment over the years, but Denon really have done it with style. Can't wait to have a play with these.
I resisted going back to digital deejaying - I moved back to all records in like 08 or so - but I got a pair of these based on your review. Thanks so much, dude. I'm loving finally doing the drum n bass + footwork sets I've been wanting to do for ages!
EPIC Review Mojaxx! Respect...
No pressure but your review will be the deciding factor on whether I sale my cdj 2000s and make the switch. Laidback Luke has made a compelling case on his vlog, but I trust your opinion more because its historically unbiased.
Tre Valentine Actually I think Laidback Luke's recent video from Tomorrowland should be enough to sell anyone on these. Denon DJ could not have scored a better ambassador.
MojaxxVDJ got to try them out at a DJ store and they felt less well built than cdjs. another thing was idk if it was just me was the beatgrid dosent show on the waveform
MojaxxVDJ agree getting Luke was a HUGE score for team Denon DJ
not really, never plays at qdance or anything art of dance, another world which runs on if you not a dj, don't step up
for_all_those qdance is nothing compared to Tomorrowland ultra and eDC all of which like played this year with the demons
watching this for the first time in 2021 makes me smile owning the prime 4 trying to decide what type of real setup i should go with....... really fucking hard decision
As always the best Dj equipment reviews on UA-cam.
Great review. Your absolutely right on in terms of Denon making all in one and budget controllers. We DJs need to see more competition out in the market, Pioneer has bin eating it up for to long.
I might get a used pair of these as my first decks
Been Waiting Months For this Video! So Hyped when I Saw the Notification!
Engine Prime & the 'limited tracks per media source over a network' limitation was the Achilles Heel for me......once those are sorted out, as well as Denon getting a grip on their forum moderation, I will be purchasing a few. I was all set to buy (3) SC5000s, but the moderators over at the forum soiled my opinion of how customer/developer/manufacturer relations were going to be handled once I owned the units. Many forum users (window shoppers & actual owners alike) have had their posting privelages revoked for challenging the moderators. That's not gonna' fly if they hope to become the industry standard.
@Mojaxx - this is why I continue to value your opinion regarding hardware reviews. You told it EXACTLY how it is!! Great players, but with a lot of issues to sort out. I was already aware of these issues, but was curious if you were going to address them, or be like many other reviewers and tow the line for Denon. Bravo, man! Honest & critical reviews are what's needed when making such HUGE investments in this kind of gear. You reassured me that you are a trustworthy reviewer. Thank you!
Yes, same with me. DJ Boothe is way over the top on the moderation and they are sadly only hiding the facts from themselves. Not listening to customer criticism (and calling them out as trolls) is suicidal.
The real issue is the forum is an unofficial forum not ran by Denon. I agree though, the mods there are ridiculous and I hate posting there.
For instance I want to ask what Denon's support for the new Engine prime software is going to be as of the time of this writing (it will be 2018 in 2 days) the software hasn't received a single update.
It needs things such as higher BPM ranges because I'm a D&B and Hardcore DJ and it thinks like 40% of my tracks are half their actual BPM value.
I have Denon gear right now (sc2900s and an x1600) but their software support for these in the past has been absolutely dire and it's scaring me from pulling the trigger. It's kind of like watching history repeat itself. The sc2900s had tons of great features at a solid price point and this new engine software was with it. Positive reviews from all major outlets, then basically dead silence from Denon in terms of support.
Their software support is garbage. Native Instruments supports Traktor MUCH better than Denon DJ supports Engine, and that's saying something. Their software support (and their support in general) is the main reason why I am still thinking about Pioneer hardware even if the SC5000's are better in almost every way vs the 2000NXS2.
The new v1.2 firmware removes the database size limitation 👍
the key thats displayed changing as you move the pitch up or down !!!!!!!!! excellent
I respect your reviews very much and I'm pretty sure I watched all of them... It's been almost two years since this review and I think it's time to make another one and speak about experience with these players and setup ! Compare them to Pioneers and be honest about Denon failing to change anything...
Agree 1000% with the instant double feature that is missing and the budget options needed for home before club.
Knew you were a good guy, Mojaxx -- Drop Bear and Odyssey VIP in the collection, D&B hell yeah.
Paul Skalleberg Soooo much good D&B coming out this year!
im being tempted out of retirement ....these reviews dont help hahaha thanks bro keep up the good work!!!!
Man I watch u EVERY TIME when I'm thinking of getting some new gear. Ur just a cool, smart brother and I like how you break shit down. And I've been thinking about getting the new Pioneer shit or the Denon. Ive had MANY Denon gear in the past, since I was in the Navy back in the 80s and 90s, wayyy before they were making DJ equipment. Denon are committed AUDIOPHILES, except that...well....so is Pioneer. My Uncle brought Pioneer stereo components back home from Japan during the 70s. And I bought my first Pioneer stereo shit when I was stationed in Japan in 1981-82. So...my point is...these two companies are par excellence, no doubt. I've got thousands of dollars in Pioneer gear in my studio. I still have my first CDJ that I brought and my an original Pioneer RT-909 reel to reel player. Man, I got shit loads of Pioneer shit. But...I'm gonna give Denon a play with this one. I've been buying their stuff since the 80s and I trust their commitment. During the early to mid 2000s I brought some of the their CD players and some mixers and the shit was good. Denon makes great stuff. I'm very excited about the potential with their new stuff. Pioneer lately is still dope but they got soooooo many fanboys and superstar DJs in their camp. Their prices is reflecting it too! So I feel Denon wont let me down. Great vid brother, Peace! ✌🏾
The price dropped in Belgium from €1799 to €1525. So now I own my first player. Hoping to complete the set. Same price here for the x1800 mixer.
What I am absolutely fascinated by and that is a win for all of us, is how will Pioneer DJ respond? They sure as heck are not going to sit back and handover the Booth without a serious competitive response. That I am really really interested to see!
Toby Joll That's another reason I'm excited by these. Competition pushes everyone to produce better things.
MojaxxVDJ agree. Great review. They are going to be furiously working away on a response it has to be such a big jump it will be 3000 Nexus. Let's see. I'm sitting tight for the time being. I'm happy in the Serato, controller, nexus CDJ and HID ecosystem for now all linked by Rekordbuddy. Still use Serato as my go to first software and RB and RB DJ as my secondary just so you can play on as many different players as you are likely to come across.
Toby Joll I've got a feeling that we might end up looking back and seeing that Rekord Buddy was the most important innovation in DJ gear this decade. Being tied to one platform feels like a relic at this point.
MojaxxVDJ agree. It's a bit fiddly to start with but I absolutely rely on it
We're finally going to get the XDJ-2000nxs that we've all been waiting for. But will it be comparable to to an SC5000 in terms of quality? That remains to be seen. Perhaps, Denon, have finally forced Pioneer's hand to release quality construction along with quality features. I certainly hope so!! Because, whatever qualms I may have about Prime software, there is NO DOUBT that the Denon hardware faaaar surpasses that of my current (and former) Nexus gear......and it's cheaper to boot.
I hope Pioneer DJ are paying attention. Because Denon's lackluster software isn't going to be that way for long. The clock is ticking, Pioneer.
best review of the sc5000 to date thanks mojaxx once again!
Hey Mojaxx: You have THE best reviews out there, no competition. I think most professionals agree. Now, a question I think is very important for many, especially DJ's who also doubles as mangers and promoters. After many years in clubs I'm very skeptic to any kind of buttons below the jog. I know when they are new, they will be treated like they're made of gold. But, as I see how the even more expensive CDJ-2000's are treated in clubs all over when the WOW period is over, I'm pretty sure that the sticky junk that I have too clean off the Pio's will have a very negative effect on the new Denons. Those pads are essential for this player to work properly, and unlike the Pio's, the SC5000 does not have a performance screen. Only the largest clubs and festivals has sound engineers that runs the booths, but for the rest those are only called when there's something very wrong. For daily use and maintenance the resident DJ's are usually trusted with that, which is ridiculous because they can only react if they know there's something wrong. That sugary drink that was spilled last night by some VIP, or even the guest DJ, will not be discovered until next time a DJ try to use the gear, half an hour before opening at best. After so many years, there's a reason why Pio keep their players clean below the jog. I'd also like to know how the cue, play, pads and pitch are mounted in the players. In the 2000's, if you have the spares, 50 quid each, it's a 30 minute job to swap them, and all you need is a screw driver and a little know-how. Essential when sh*t happens. How's that gonna work with the Denons. Special tools or soldering needed? Cost?
I’ve always loved denon products. I really hope they are successful in getting into clubs. I feel that a tabletop player should have all the functionality of a controller hooked up to a laptop. It’s wonderfully convenient to bring just a flash drive and headphones to a club with cdjs already installed, but there has always been a sacrifice. If you are in serato, for example, you’d still need a side controller to take full advantage of the software capabilities. These denons seem to close that gap. Denon and pioneer have always made great products. I still have multiple products form both companies that are over 10 years old and still function well.
Another solid review Mo!
SC5000 early adopter here. Been using a single player for the last few months. Playing off one deck is fine, especially sandwiched between two turntables and a 4 channel mixer. This review is dead on. Players are amazing, but Engine Prime is get's a D+. V 2.0 can't get here fast enough. No ability to drag and drop crates. No ability to sync crates to USB sticks. iTunes integration is so bad, still can't figure out the logic behind the random order that playlists appear. Also it takes nearly 15min to refresh my library and they also need to add the ability to have a non standard iTunes library location. The list goes on and on... I'd love to be able to customize the track info that shows up on the players as well. Lastly the Denon Dj forums are HEAVILY censored, which is a bummer.
HI Mythinpaperwings. Saw your remark about "random order". Actually I just adressed this issue with a new update to the Denon Conversion Utility. Engine Prime's crates can only be sorted by things like artist, title etc. but they can not have a fixed track order. EP's playlists can however. So if you happen to have your track collection in Rekordbox maybe DeCU can bring you some help. And for any question EP related feel free to ask :)
This comment explains why I would never pick Denon Prime over Pioneer.
Mythinpaperwings since your comment.... has the grade gone up from D+? Do you still have the decks? I purchased Traktor 3 as I have an S8. It was not reliable in my last event and had to go back to Traktor 2 again. I’m considering the Denon’s. Thanks!
very good review as per usual, as Mojaxx states, the software is poor compared to rekordbox however give it time and it should be a lot better (the only thing putting me off these at the moment) i also agree i would have to have 3 players..
so the denon is defoes not record box compatible??? oh well thats that then another nxs2 it shall be
Got them bitches two weeks ago and love them! I've got the reloop rmx90dvs coming tomorrow for them. I'll have the x1800 prime in a couple of months cause 1899 was steep after I just dropped 4k for the players lol. Love your channel. I bought the denons cause of this review and I also bought the rmx90 cause of your review on that one also. Keep it up bro!
About a year later, how do they hold up?
Just received my sc5000s. Thanks for the review!
The NXS2 is the standard DJ system for clubs and festvials worldwide. I don't see that changing anytime soon.
Antoine isn't a flame with you, absolutely ;) ..but I read too many people who care about what's the standard on festival and clubs..for sure you are a resident dj or play in festival (so my thought doesn't apply to you) but most DJs play in bedroom and go out with their gears to play in parties..so, why it's so important to own same gears as festival or clubs?
You are 100% correct. The overpriced and overrated CDJs are the "Club" standard - but the S9 or Rane 72 are made for everyone else. Made for the underground DJ world - House parties, garage/bedroom DJ, scratch tournaments, etc.
Great honest review Mo
Can i use DJM 2000 nexus with Denon SC5000 ??
Great review! I totally agree that if Denon drags ass as they are notorious for with updates to the software this will be the end of the brand. I bought a pair and love them but the prime software needs alot of work.
The nailed the hardware as they mostly always do but the software needs to evolve quickly as well. We'll see...
Excellent review mo! Huge thanks bro!
So many good points, hopefully Denon heard it )) Thank you!!!
They did, the video is 4 years old by now, many things added and improved since then!
Great review as always. Pioneer seem like a brand in crisis at the moment with the release of the DJM-750k Mk2 with far too many products currently on release and an erratic pricing structure. Denon seem to have focused everything in to 1 mixer & 1 media deck and it already looks like they're leagues ahead in having a stable vision of their future. No doubt the software & firmware updates will be coming to improve this set up all round but if i had the money, i would be choosing this over Pioneer. The duel layer is the winning ticket for me as you can now have 4 Denon decks for less than 2 Pioneer decks - crazy!!
Pioneer seem to be releasing new bits of kit 2 or 3 times a year which are just slightly tweaked versions of the previous model, yet can either be more expensive or less depending on the model - example - the DJM750k Mk2 is £250 less than the DJM850k but seems to be (technologically speaking) a much better mixer. So why have Pioneer just made their own DJM850k product obsolete? A few years ago i changed my set up and 1 CDJ-2000 was £1,300 but the brand new (at the time) XDJ-1000 was £850 but has the same functionality but with a touch screen. So does the CD lazer section of the CDJ alone REALLY cost £400????? Seemed crazy stupid to me so the XDJ's won.
rant over - Denon for the win
Agree. Hope Pioneer discontinue CDJ. and keep on the fight with better xdj´s.
Pioneer felt too cosy milking old cow even when market moved forward and wanted more, they ignored it. Denon picked up the ball and it's play off!
Hey, been a Pio owner/user since the the first 500-series, and back then there was only one setup to chose. Now, this is 23 years ago, and Pio has released several generations since, and also since early 2000, series for different users. They are also several generations in development and about 10 years ago, Pio changed the way the release new features, by implementing them in home- or semi pro series first. Like the touch screen on the XDJ-1000, while the CDJ-2000 Nexus was twice the price and were stuck with a traditional screen.
This has all to do with what professionals always has as number one priority: Reliability! Now you can perfect any possible flaws or minor issues that the users of course will react upon, but not create havoc. A minor issue detected in your home or in a smaller venue, is not the same as a failure on a main stage and 1000's of people. This, of course, has al lot to do with software development, which is a never ending business. Ask any programmer in any environment where software runs anything. But you need to get as close to perfection as possible before release, and then get even better.
So, the whole business of looking at features and compare prizing, is usually what newbies and the not so experienced DJ's do and it's just the wrong way to think. Just like any premium build tool for professionals, the testing, better construction, and high quality components are a big part of the extra cost. That said, if just keeping your gear in one place at home and just occasionally bring your gear out, any gear from Pio will last pretty good, but you can not compare the XDJ-1000 series to the NXS-series except for the features, because they are two very different machines, created for different use under different conditions, yet has similar capabilities. I bet, that the next high end player from Pio, will have some of the features the new Denon introduced, but it will be the XDJ-XXXX, not the CDJ-2000XXX. Again, that will be a somewhat awkward situation for all the NXS2-users, but understanding the tactics and reasons, makes it OK. 12-18 months later I know there will be something new I can rely on for the next 5-6 years of daily use. It will be another 4-5 year before I make any changes with my personal hardware and I hope there's more to chose from next time around.
dj-peterofficial I've been DJing for 20 years so not a newbie - thanks
Sorry, didn't mean to offend you. You're obviously not the usual ones then. That was more of a referral to how important it is for you that your gear works perfect every day, for years, while moving it around to and from gigs, and still being used in between gigs for practice and preparation. You can be doing this for many years, but on a level where minor hardware failures are accepted as long as it's not a regular problem. More a personal embarrassment than anything else. If I bring faulty gear to a club for me and perhaps others to use, I'd be liable for any cost the club have during a failure. I could never afford that in a club with 1500 people or more. No insurances will cover that if it's something that could be avoided. Even a short break could half my pay or worse. Before, when the kids were growing up, I just played in smaller events a couple of times every month, and I managed fine with a couple of cdj-500II's and later the cdj-800's. No failures during that period. When the kids could manage themselves for a while I started to play more, and then a lot more. I got the CDJ-900's but soon got the 2000 Nexus's because of the more tear and wear. Now, my Nexus's work just fine and still look almost new after more than 4 years of use. I've used them on more than 300 gigs and a lot of hours in between, and they continue to be what I bring if I'm going somewhere I know the gear might be below standard. The NXS2's are in my studio and they will stay there unless I get paid to bring them. As most venues now have the one or the other, I expect my gear to last me a very long time. When I go back to play less, I'd be happy with a couple of XDJ-700, or whatever is out there when that day comes. The point was to be clear about what's most important and and why, to different people, as it is the foundation for every model that comes out.
thx. great review. tried out the denons already and love them
Man you were born to do this.
Thanks for the boss review mate. You've sold it for me.
Thanks for the great review!
Has the software improved since it was made?
I am going to use the key change tracking feature to help me mix in key in my vinyl sets.
Great Review Mojaxx!
Hi Mojaxx, Steve from New Zealand here :) Fantastic review on both the SC5000 and X1800! I ended up buying the complete kit after a ton of research and watching this review about a dozen times!
They really are "dope" :) I have found that the update procedure seems rediculously complicated though :( Any chance you could do a wee firmware update tutorial, or know where any are?
Cheers bruv!
Great review as always! Did Denon mention a rough time line on the next FW for the 5000? I had one and returned it, Features missing I use a lot compared to the NXS2 and am hoping they add in future updates for me to maybe buy again. I loved the deck, just wasn't ready to change over until a few updates
Same here.......loved the idea of them, but they're not ready for "Prime"-time. just yet!
Great review as always!
13:45 caching tracks seems like a good choice for streaming playlists from SoundCloud or Metapop as a pose to using traditional USB sticks. Hopefully Denon does that soon.
nice insight i am thinking of buying one unit to add to my nx2s 🤔🤔🤔
I went in for the sc6000 because of the reviews on sc50000
Nice review !
But for Pete’s sake, why don’t you align the players and the mixer? And what’s up with the gap between mixer and player? ^^
All jokes aside, very nice review, as usual!
I like the dual layer idea but what happens when you switch layers with regard to the tempo fader?
Great review
Great video thanks ! As of the player, I've been to store to check ti out. They had them side by side with the pioneer cdj (which is overpriced) but still the denon doesn't feel the same quality. The screen si out of this world, like it a lot, (pioneer is behind, having this sat nav feel of the screen) the 8 hot cue and loop buttons is a nice touch. The knobs feel cheap, so does the platter and the tension adjust is not very precise. The prime engine software is ok, basic, but does what you need it to. Also it has camelot key analyse system in ;) My history goes from useing cdj200, cdj800, cdj1000mk3, cdj2000 to xdj-rx. All units felt better quality. Oh and since everyone talks of LL, he wouldn't say but I belive he got paid by denon and got paid very well for the change.
Thnx Mojaxx for mentioning the Denon Conversion Utility. I totally agree with your conclusion, I won't swap my Denon rig back for a Pioneer.
[edit]
Try before you buy.
The Denon Conversion Utility now has a free trial version.
The trial is identical to the full release but limited to only 1 playlist and a maximum of 10 tracks.
www.dropbox.com/s/b1w5wup0cvrbaeg/Denon%20Conversion%20Utility%20Trial%201.37.zip?dl=1
Great job Mo!
I really hope Denon more affordable Gear and the stand alone mc 8000 Denon will take some benefit from the must have improvement of this profesional gear on the prime software. What do you think?.
Because prime software ...mm .. . well you have said it very clear.
Good info. Great review.
In 2022 just bought a set of 5000M and 1800 ...
Hey DJCity!!! Do you think that you could get Mojaxx to give us an update of the SC5000 from when he originally reviewed???
becoming very tempted to sell my cdj2000 NXS & djm900 NXS for this setup
Great review!
Great review. Can you make a 20mins or 30mins mix using the sc5000 and the mixer? Thanks
Im officially sold!
Good review dude, nice and clear!
Great review thanks..
just got my a pair of sc5000 , love the players , but engine prime is unusable on my laptop " Osx 10.14 " 🤔is very slow
thinking about adding one since they are down to 1000 bucks but is that engine software that bad or is it better to run it with serato?
@@djeswift using software with equipment like this is like dating a vic secret model but going out with your sister
Nice t shirt bro
excuse me, why when i export lists from rekordbox to engine or sc5000,it loses some hotcue &loop.
The denons sc5k are the real MVPs
how well would a pair of SC5000M perform as external decks, paired with the four, will the SC5000M fully function?
Great review, thank you!
Great review.
Excellent review, thanks. So, prime reads my iTunes library and I'm then able to create Prime playlists and drag onto a memory stick?
Martin Kearney Yep!
Thanks, Gonna grab one first. Dig your stuff.
Is there a limit to the amount of tracks you can have on Pioneer XDJ-1000MK2 Professional DJ Multi-Player media device
Anyone still using these players in 2022?
Are they better than pioneer top players yes or no
Kerbkrawler sighting at 10:04!
These players are about 1000 bucks right now...considering the price drop I have to ask - are they better choice than CDJ 2000 Nexus (one) ? I guess they didn't sell as good as Denon planned...
Best to stick with the Industry Standard Pioneer. You will find them in the clubs all over the globe.
Like your reviews though. All the best.
Industry standard doesn't mean Pioneer is better though.
If I were to buy a gear set for personal mixing at home, right now I'd choose Denon because they're offering more for less money.
But yes, it's a drag that, for the moment, you probably can't find Denon gear at clubs all over the world, which is a shame imo because I don't think monopolies are good for anyone...
I'm hearing these players have frequency response issues. Can you confirm this?
Great review MojaxxVDJ, wondering if Denons could get linked with CDJs via USB hub , reading files of the USB stick regardless of in which player the USB is placed?
DJorDJeDJ No, the players from the two brands won't talk to each other. As cool as that would be!
No mention of traktor integration, Is this expected and if so any idea of time frame?
Please advise - SC5000 setup or Prime 4 ? Any performance differences?
Sick review! i am getting mine in 1 week ! :D
Right this review is fine from a product description point view but in no way shows it in proper use. I ended up watching it because a fellow dj who is currently using a Serato TCV set up with his Technics SL's asked what CDj's I have(2x Denon SC2900) as now thinking wants to be able to play real records as well as Digi media as I do and what should he buy when I searched Denon CDJ's. But the reason for my comment is some of the comments below, from those that say they have purchased to a couple saying the usual best stick with Pioneer as industry standard blah blah(If you can and actually do DJ especially if you use Traktor/Serato brand of CDJ irrelevant), yet after clicking on several of the commenters not one of them had a video on their You Tube channel showing the kit or DJing? Click on me n you'll see kind of channel n content(vids of mix sets using my Denon DNX1700 and SC2900''s) I thought they'd have. Anyone out there wanna post vid of these being used as intended?
I have a pair along with the mixer. The biggest negative I've noticed so far is that you CANNOT organize a playlist in the players based off of BPM, date added, genre, key, artist, track title, etc like you can on the CDJs. The songs in playlists are in the order you sync them. And thats how they stay. Horrible and never thought they would miss on that.
2nd biggest problem is the Engine prime 1.1 software. Takes Hours to load just a few playlists and doesn't tell you if your adding doubles in the same playlist like rekordbox does.
If I use rekordbox to sync my tracks each track I load to play has to be analyzed to see the waveform and it takes 15sec each. That's not good when playing live. there should be a way to PRE-analyze all the files on a USB that were synced from rekordbox.
Whenever I sync with engine prime the tracks freeze, don't load correctly, and the players freeze.
So I am left in dust with these problems because Its messed up in every direction.
I really want to buy 2 of those... but when i read this negative comments.. they could fix this in a month... why arent they fixin it ? we should all start sending them mails an call on support.... wtf is wrong with them
Did they correct those issues ?
Fixed by now??
@@djdomiy how do you know they were not working on it cause u can do that guess u didn't know how
@@stevanb.2590 yes
I can't get mine to work :( , it does not find my computer what am I doing wrong ? install engine prime what am I missing ? I wanna use it as controller.
Any chance you can make a vid on exporting playlists? I followed all directions, at least I think I did, but my playlists don’t show up on the sc5000’s; however, my music does show up under individual artist folders.
hi, do I have a question, better rotating or fixed?
Denon might be the winner this year lol! where is vl12 prime! We need that DJ CITY!
Is there a way to transfer crates and track data (saved cue points, etc) from Serato DJ to Rekordbox?
Dakoolguy111 Rekord Buddy 2 goes in all directions. With Traktor too.
Thats how you review a product. Thanks bro. Its funny how pioneer never added pads.
So the scratching issue can be fixed with a software update in the future? Also eventually they will be compatible with Serato DJ?
DJ Whyte Nite On anything digital like this, scratching is keylock is all about software algorithms, so definitely has the potential to change and improve.
Serato DJ support is definitely on the way, that's a question of when, not if.
Have you tried it with the Serato control tone? I've noticed that it acts a little "wobbly" with the song going up and down (slightly, but noticeably to a dj) while playing. It could have been the vibration in the booth that I was playing in. Or it may be because the hardware automatically analyzes the control tone, but I wanted to know what you found. Also, there's not a way to "lock" a track in the software so that the software doesn't analyze it or change the information that it already has. Standalone mode is awesome, of course.
I understand that HID is on the way, but wanted to know what if you've tried with a control tone and what you thought.
Thanks for the video!
Nate C. The Chief I haven't actually tried that. I will, and get back to you.
IT(SERATO CONTROL TONE) WORKS FINE FOR ME AND YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR SETTING TO STOP ANALYZING FILES AUTOMATICALLY.
ANOTHER THING @MojaxxVDJ you can not use hot cue when the unit is busy analysing a file.
anyway i love the unit, it is awesome. nice video
Why does the description say flac and wav without mentioning Mp3??? Does it not play them?
It plays MP3's for sure. All my music is in 192 kbps MP3's and they play just fine on the SC5000.
15'00'' shows that a lot of cover art is missing in your library. In my practical experience EP software has problems with cover art for Flac files. Can you confirm this? I like your idea that it should default to DJ logo when no cover art is available.
Sheik Yerbouti I play mostly MP3 and AAC files, and I've had no issues with missing artwork. The files in that playlist are mostly older files I don't have artwork for - until a couple of years ago I didn't have artwork on any of my music.
Thx Mojaxx. I recently went through the hassle of flacing +800 CDs to have the best audio quality and all metadata in place. EP software doesnt show any artwork for my Flac files. However, It does so with my compressed files of these Flacs (MP3 320kbit). It appears EP software has an issue with Flac (Win10). Perhaps someone else can confirm. Which certainly would help speeding up a support case.
Curious what the current state of affairs are given they're giving away this gear for almost half off - is it a marketing ploy, or a sign of desperation? I already lived in a world where I was managing two different software for my mobile and club gigs and hated it - very happy now that I got a DDJ-1000 for my mobiles and am exclusive to Rekordbox. The price cut is definitely tempting though but the software has to be on point and as good as Pioneer or even at 1/2 off... it's a no-go for me.
Mojaxx
how do you activate the instant doubles feature?
Can you use this player with Traktor software?
How are people finding these having owned them a while ?
As a small club venue trying to decide whether to buy pioneer or denon for your booth . What your thoughts?
there will be both as an option i think! larger DJ booths 2 sets of 4 decks and mixers hmmmm one can drooool over this
Buy a duo/trio of NXS2s for now....add a single SC5000 in 6 months to a year for now. Eventually buy a second SC5000. I imagine in the next year or two (before Pioneer's next update) peeps will be requesting SC50000s in booths. Then you'll have both platforms covered.