Denon DJ SC Live 4 (& SC Live 2) Standalone Controller Review
The Denon DJ SC Live 4 and 2 are well-equipped Standalone DJ systems that work with Serato DJ and Virtual DJ software. They feature built-in speakers, built-in WiFi for streaming services, and clever built-in control for both smart lights and professional lighting.
Both run on Engine DJ OS, the most powerful standalone DJ platform available - yet they are built more like club DJ devices, a first for Denon DJ. And since they are made of plastic instead of metal and some of the high-quality features of Denon DJ's Prime series have been removed, the company can offer both devices at the lowest price ever for Denon DJ standalone devices.
Find out how the two devices perform in practice here in the review.
First Impression and Setup
After unpacking, our first impression was: "It should have had Numark written on it." We tested the Denon DJ SC Live 4 and its abundance of plastic and relatively lightweight made us immediately think it could have been labeled as a four-channel version of the popular Numark Mixstream Pro.
Not a criticism, by the way - Numark devices are excellent for their price, but it was surprising to see Denon DJ devices in plastic. We also immediately noticed the built-in speakers - again, typical Numark, although here fortunately they are located at the top of the device and not underneath where hands are. It makes more sense, not least because they are better positioned for small home parties.
As for features, however, both devices are much more "Denon DJ".
However, the devices include all features like Track-Skip, Beat-Jump, Censor, automatic/manual looping, full-color pads and In-Jog displays, that one would expect from a well-equipped DJ system. The only hardware control we miss is the Beatgrid adjustment.
Club Layout Instead of Controller Layout
A club layout has been applied to the mixer, which is more akin to the Denon DJ X1850 (and of course all Pioneer DJ devices) than to the Prime 4 with its traditional "controller" layout. This means there's an effects strip to the right of the four channel strips. This is the first time such a layout has appeared on an Engine DJ all-in-one device.
Also, the colors have been refreshed: the lush green of the Prime 4 and Prime 2 has disappeared, replaced by colors now subtly glowing in white, blue, and orange.
Inputs and Outputs
On the left are 3.5mm and 6.35mm headphone jacks.
At the back, there's an XLR (Live 4) and a 6.35mm jack input for microphones, the mentioned RCA Aux input (Live 4), both RCA and balanced XLR main outputs, booth jack outputs (Live 4), a USB socket, and two USB and an SD card slot.
The good news is that these slots are protected from accidental bumps by the bottom of the fixed, tilted 7-inch touchscreen; the bad news is they are awkward to reach, although one can understand why they had to be moved here - to accommodate the two speakers.
Finally, at the back, there are the power input and the On/Off switch. It's disappointing that the device uses an external 12V power supply. At least there's a cable holder, but for DJ devices of this size, we would have preferred an IEC connector.
In Practice
The first power-up is fun!
We press the power button, flip the speaker switch, and are greeted by the operating system with some built-in tracks that already invite us to play. Rarely has an initial start-up been quicker and more straightforward than with the SC Live - except perhaps the Numark Mixstream Pro.
Built-in Speakers
This is one of the first DJ devices we've tested primarily through the built-in speakers, because they are honestly pretty good. No, they're not high-end speakers, but they're damn loud and deliver a surprising amount of bass.
The whole device vibrates when you turn up the volume, in a very satisfying way. It's a rather mid-range bass, and overall, the speakers can be described as "mid-range," almost hollow-sounding - but they're certainly usable and louder/better sounding than those of the Mixstream Pro, for example.
You can also connect external speakers, choosing whether to turn the built-in speakers on or off. To test sound quality, we did just that and routed the audio signals to a pair of monitors here in the studio. The sound is flawless and clean.
Streaming Services and Local Music
Once tired of the integrated tracks, naturally, you'll want to play your own music. One of the easiest ways to do this is to connect to Wi-Fi and then connect to one of the integrated streaming services.
Like many other DJ devices, this device has integrated TIDAL, SoundCloud Go+, Beatport Streaming, and Beatsource Streaming, but as the sole device, it also has Amazon Music Unlimited. Whichever service you connect to, you can access your playlists within your streaming services.
Denon had to alter the hardware here and integrate an additional chip compatible with Amazon's special security mechanisms. Therefore, this feature cannot simply be retrofitted via firmware update on older devices.
DJing from streaming services is not as optimal for several reasons as using your own files, but the services work flawlessly. Streaming is undoubtedly the future, and the best version available on any Engine DJ-equipped device is here.
To add your own music, you simply export it from your laptop to USB or SD, then select the drive as a source and access your playlists, etc., as with all systems of this kind. It works quickly and well.
You can even create spontaneous playlists, although currently you can't save them in the main library. If you don't want to deal with SD or USB storage, you can also access your music via Dropbox.
It's worth noting that there's no SATA drive slot like in some of the Prime devices; however, nowadays so much fits on a large SD card that this isn't a particular drawback.
The Touchscreen
The screen displays library and playlist or waveforms.
You can switch between different types of waveform displays to suit your personal preferences. Since the device can control four decks (the "decks" have "layer" buttons allowing you to switch between decks 1 and 3 on the left deck and decks 2 and 4 on the right deck), it can get a bit tight.
Especially when accessing the settings menu and in certain places where track information is displayed, the font has simply become too small for our taste. We would have liked a larger screen.
Additionally, it's a touchscreen with multitouch capability, so smartphone users will also feel right at home. The engine systems have by far the best touchscreen implementation among current DJ devices, from all manufacturers.
The Deck Control
The rubberized performance pads are smaller than those of the Denon DJ Prime devices and are of the "click" variant (unlike those of the Prime devices), but they are great to use - they have a full RGB coloration and can be used to control cues, loops, rolls, and slices (no sampler on standalone devices).
The most important cue and play/pause buttons are made of plastic with a firm "click". The pitch sliders are long and precise, and the jogwheels are n icely weighted and feel larger than those of the "Pro" Prime 4. They aren't really larger - they're still 6 inches, they're just less inwardly inclined at the top.
They also have the useful integrated displays mentioned above for BPM, elapsed time, etc. (Only Live 4). However, a cover artwork display is missing.
The major innovation of the mixer is its club layout, which many people will prefer. Here there are four manually controllable "sweep effects" (filter, noise, echo, and wash - all sound good) and an additional BPM-bound single effect that can be assigned to one or all channels (though not the microphones) by choosing a beat cycle length, a time, or a parameter. This setup will certainly feel more familiar to those working with Pioneer DJ club equipment.
Differences between the SC Live 2 and 4
The built-in hardware inside the controllers is the same. There are also no differences in the operating system, display, or speakers. The exact differences between the two controllers are outlined in the following table:
SC Live 2 | SC Live 4 | |
Jog-Wheels | 6-inch jog wheels | 6-inch jog wheels with LCD display |
Performance-Pads | 4 pads per deck | 8 pads per deck |
Number of Channels | 2 channels | 4 channels |
Outputs | Master: 2x XLR and Cinch | Master: 2x XLR and Cinch Booth: 2x Jack |
Inputs | 6.35mm Mic-In | Mic-In Combo XLR/Jack AUX Cinch Input |
Price | 1319 € | 1559 € |
So, the SC Live 2 is particularly better equipped in terms of connections, offers twice as many performance pads, LCD displays on the jog wheels, and of course, 2 extra channels.
Whether the extra cost of just over 200 € is worth it, you'll have to decide for yourself. We recommend opting for the 4-channel variant if in doubt. This way, you'll definitely be prepared for all scenarios.
Conclusion
The Denon DJ SC Live 4 and SC Live 2 are interesting additions to the Denon DJ series. These devices target both hobbyist DJs and professional DJs alike and offer a price/performance ratio that is not typically expected from Denon DJ products.
The standalone operation works excellently and runs stably and reliably. The option to also run the controller with Serato DJ or VirtualDJ in software mode makes the controllers even more flexible.
Other outstanding advantages: The built-in speakers, which can be used for practice or monitoring, integration with Engine Lighting, and the world's first integration with Amazon Music Unlimited make these controllers currently something special.
Trade-offs must be made with the plastic housing. Additionally, the 7-inch touchscreen might be a bit small for some individuals.
For those who can live with these minor drawbacks, you get a well-equipped DJ controller at an attractive price that currently leaves nothing to be desired.