Having been announced way back in January at NAMM, it’s finally here! Serato software now works natively with Denon DJ’s Prime hardware: The Prime 4 all-in-one unit, and the SC5000M Prime and SC5000 Prime media players. The latest Serato DJ Pro 2.31 version of the software makes full use of the units’ touchscreens and integrates closely with the hardware for full Serato control.
In short, it’s a complete implementation, adding a valuable second way to use the Prime 4: The performance pads on all units are mapped to work with Serato DJ Pro’s modes, the loop controls function as you’d expect, all the library select functions work, and on the Prime 4, you can beatgrid tunes directly from the hardware.
Let’s take a closer look at what’s there:
The screens
You get full touchscreen operation, and a choice of two modes – library plus two decks (not parallel, more “side by side” laid out a bit like the standard view in Traktor), and extended library plus mini decks.
You can access crates, tracklist and prepare windows, and you can sort by track, artist, BPM, key and time directly from the screen by tapping the relevant header.
On the Prime 4, the effects sections with their OLED displays mirror the effects in the software, meaning once you’re used to it, you shouldn’t need to really look at the laptop when using Serato’s FX.
DVS
Serato DVS works directly on the Prime 4 (you’ll need the DVS upgrade though), with either timecode vinyl or via the SC5000 or SC5000M. DVS is always routed through channels 3 and 4.
Note that all mixing and filtering is done in Serato DJ Pro, bypassing Prime 4’s digital mixer. This software routing also includes any other connected media devices, including Prime 4’s internal SSD.
Soundswitch
The new SoundSwitch Micro interface works with Serato DJ Pro as you’d expect when the Prime 4 is being used at the controller, but a nice touch is that it can be plugged into the rear USB port of the Prime 4; in other words, it doesn’t have to be plugged into the computer.
Deck control
With the SC5000 and SC5000M, you can use the layer buttons to use a single unit for controlling two decks in Serato, meaning you only need two units for full four-deck Serato control.
Difference between the implementations
The Prime 4 is a “full implementation” – it unlocks Serato, like a dongle. Users should note though that the SC5000 and SC5000M don’t unlock Serato by themselves; they are “accessory” controllers, meaning you’ll still need a Serato-licensed audio interface somewhere in your set-up to use these.
Nowadays though, most mixer contain just such an audio interface – although you’ll likely need the Club Kit Serato Expansion Pack to make this work.
First thoughts
Denon DJ has always stated its intention to make the Prime hardware as flexible as possible with other platforms, but delivering on the promise of Serato support is a big one, because it means that users of the Prime hardware have an alternative option for when they don’t want to use standalone for whatever reason.
If Denon’s ultimate aim for the SC5000 and SC5000M media players is club acceptance, then it is going to be essential that the company makes them work with as many platforms as possible – and again, having Serato up and running is a big one to have ticked off.
And the delay? Presumably it is because getting Serato to work nicely with the screens including touchscreen support was a little tricker to arrange than a simple controller mapping. On first glance, it appears Denon DJ and Serato have done a decent job of this – keep an eye on Digital DJ Tips for more info once we’ve had a closer look.
More videos
Serato’s talkthrough video
Denon DJ’s overview videos
What do you think? Are you looking forward to testing out Serato on your Prime 4 or SC hardware? Let us know your thoughts below.
Phil Morse
