We got a first hands-on look at the Denon DJ SC5000 Prime here at the NAMM 2017 Media Preview Day. (Our X1800 Prime mixer talkthrough is here.) The SC5000 Prime is a forward-looking media player that in all honesty has to be seen to be properly understood, because the hi-res renders doing the rounds don’t do justice to the build quality.
Video talkthrough
Our first thoughts
Once you realise that this is basically like using a dual-layer deck on a very high-spec DJ controller, with an iPad-quality touchscreen, and without the need for a laptop, you begin to see why Denon DJ is clearly so excited about the SC5000.
Yes, the company is up against a runaway market leader, but the SC5000 truly feels like controller DJing (ie all the best bits of using controllers) – and due to the power of the processor inside it, it can deliver all of those features with naked music files straight from USB (ie absolutely no software or pre-analysis required).
It’ll be very interesting to see if DJs take a shine to this, because it certainly has enough going on to turn heads. Price will be $1,899 in the US, pitching this as slightly cheaper than a Pioneer CDJ-2000NXS2 – although the sales team were keen to point out that as you can play two tracks with one unit, “you only need one of these!” – a sentiment I can’t agree with, fellas (who wants to DJ on one platter?). 🙂
So what do you say? You think it’s gonna succeed? Likes/dislikes? Let us know your thoughts below.
Phil Morse
