Denon DJ has announced the MC6000 Mk2, an upgrade of its flagship DN-MC6000 four-channel DJ controller/standalone digital mixer. The headline feature is Serato DJ compatibility, meaning the controller now works with all major DJ software. In addition to playing nicely with Serato, the Denon DJ MC6000 Mk2 boasts a host of design improvements over the original, getting silver-coloured jogwheels (like the Traktor Mk2 controllers), better matrix switching, and a number of other tweaks including slip mode, loop roll and a censor button.
It retains the switchable video/audio crossfader, which of course now means full video mixing with Serato DJ and the Serato Video plugin (as well as with Virtual DJ’s video features, as before). Denon claims the audio circuitry has been improved quality-wise, and the unit has been designed so you can play two channels from the external inputs through software (if your software allows), in order to record a complete performance straight to hard disk, whether that performance is from software or analogue inputs or a mixture of the two.
The MC6000 Mk2 comes with Serato DJ Intro, the cut-down version of Serato DJ, so you’ll want to upgrade to the full version of the software for serious use (not least because Serato DJ Intro only supports two software channels). The MC6000 is natively compatible with Virtual DJ and Mixvibes Cross, and Denon DJ says it will supply Traktor mappings as well. Of course, the unit is also compatible with Serato DJ as well as the supplied Serato DJ Intro.
The MC6000 has always been a popular controller with working DJs, due to its steel chassis and overall high build quality, it’s standalone mixer capability, and its size: It is smaller than many similar controllers, making it more practical for those value portability. Yet despite its compact nature, it packs in two full mic channels, with three-band EQ and a mic echo function, as well as XLR & RCA master outs, TRS booth outs, stereo/mono master switching and full crossfader assignability/curve adjustment.
The unit will retail at $699/€649/£569, with street date to be confirmed. You can watch a video of it here.
Do you own the original? Have you had your eye on this controller? Is this upgrade enough to make you go for the MC6000? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
Phil Morse
