Choosing the perfect DJ equipment can be a really hard deal, even when we are granted with the upper end of the budget. The higher end of the spectrum usually fills the most basic needs of pro DJs, like 4 channels, large size joghweels, displays, etc., but most of the time there is still some sort of compromise when it comes to standalone functionality, connectivity, or software.
Now think about something you really need as a DJ, and the Denon DJ Prime 4 most likely has it, and it will still keep some nice surprises in terms of features!
While it is not the cheapest controller out there, it still costs half the price as a full X1850 plus 2x SC6000 Prime setup, and besides another display, you don’t lose too many other features.
Out of the box, there is no doubt that it has the same top notch build quality like other gear from the Prime series. Not only it has a very solid metal construction, everything feels very smooth, and the beautiful 10 inch display gives it a very professional look.
Speaking of the display, it is worth mentioning that it comes with fantastic multi-touch functionality, something that should have been implemented on every DJ gear with a display a long time ago. For instance, when it comes to choose between a Pioneer CDJ 3000 and an XDJ 1000 MK2 player, the biggest trade-off is the lack of physical buttons on the XDJ. Now when it comes to the Denon DJ Prime, we do have physical buttons for almost everything, but we just don’t feel like we need to use them… at all!
The multi-touch display is simply killer, and after more than a decade of using smartphones and tablets, it will feel very intuitive with its drop-down (quick access) menu, search function, etc. It is also very crisp, and you can easily read anything on it. To make it even more comfortable, the huge display can be used in various angles, from a laid position, to fully tilted upwards. Although we would have preferred some smooth motorized solution for this instead of manually fixing it, it is still a good thing to have.
The Prime 4 is fully standalone, but also unlocks Serato DJ PRO, so you get the best of both worlds. With its 4 channels you can load your tracks to any of the 4 decks. One of the main selling points of the Prime 4 is that you can insert an SSD drive into its 2.5” hard disk slot. This way you can literally store your whole library on your controller, and you won’t need to carry around your laptop anymore. When you are in a hurry and just want to copy your tracks on the SSD, without track analysis, you will still get the BEAT-GRID, BPM and KEY ANALYSIS, thanks to the on-board Engine DJ software. It is truly great news that you will only have to do this once, as all track data will be stored for the next time the track is loaded. This highly convenient feature makes the Prime 4 a true standalone powerhouse.
One thing we really love about the Prime 4 is the extensive connectivity. There are 3 USB inputs for various media sources (2 on top and 1 on the back), one SD card slot, one USB B input for connecting to your computer. The USB type A inputs can also be used to hook up a USB keyboard for more comfortable searching, although this is by no means necessary, as we can search very easily on the 10 inch display.
We get 4 RCA Line inputs, from which we can use input 1 and 4 for turntables if we switch to PHONO.
There are 2 MIC inputs, and they both have EQ (3 band on MIC 1, and 2 band on MIC2), Echo knobs, and Level controls. We can also dive into more extensive MIC settings from the display, such as Talkover Level, Attenuation, Filters, EQ crossovers or routing options.
There are 3 pairs of XLR outputs, which takes us to our favorite feature of the Prime 4. We have a pair for MASTER output, one for BOOTH output, and one very fascinating extra is the ZONE output.
The ZONE output allows us to route the MASTER signal to another PA System, as the name suggests, one which is installed in another zone. Most of the time this would be a chillout room, or some place where people go out for a bit of fresh air during a party, but we still want them to be able to listen to the music from the main room, or something more relaxing. Now this could sound confusing at first, as it can be easy to route the same signal to another room, but how can we play something totally different in another room?
You don’t have to be a multi-tasking champion for this. All you have to do is to load a playlist to Deck 4, put it on continuous play, and send it to the ZONE output, and that’s it, you are DJ-ing in 2 places at once!
It may not be an absolute must to have, but as a mobile DJ, it allows you to add more value to your portfolio of services, as it is a truly unique feature, and you cannot find something like this on most DJ players and mixers. Most of the time, you would have to use an output which is not really suitable for this, such as the RECORD output, or you would have to sacrifice the BOOTH output in order to control the levels for the secondary room.
The 3 XLR outputs are not only convenient, but sound quality is astonishing on all outputs, no matter if we hook it up to a large PA system, or studio monitors.
Moving on to the mixer section, Serato users will instantly feel at home with the traditional 3,1,2,4 channel arrangement (from left to right). The mixer is spot-on with a 3 band EQ, GAIN knobs, SWEEP FX controls on each channel with 4 types of FX, secondary FX switches, BROWSEcontrols, CUE controls with SPLIT function, and of course Volume faders and a Crossfader.
FILTER, ECHO, WASH, NOISE are some effects that most DJs like and use, so they can be assigned to the SWEEP FX knob by pressing a button. We can also load various effects to each channel from the FX section above the decks. Although FX1 and FX2 cannot be mixed per channel, we can still combine them with the SWEEP FX. The FX are pretty much the same as on the X1850 mixer.
The Deck section brings us the most features we get from SC5000 players, like the big smooth pitch faders, jog wheels with display in the center - although a bit smaller than the ones on the SC5000, but very similar in design. There is also no tension adjustment.
Each deck can feed from two channels (left from 1 and 3, right from 2 and 4). You can select your input source with the assigned switches.
You can set up quick loops with the MANUAL LOOP MODE, using the LOOP IN / LOOP OUT buttons (just like you would with the round yellow buttons on the top left of CDJs).
The Beat Grid section is an absolute must,in order to make the on-board track analysis more accurate, as sometimes the downbeat markers (the first beat of the bar) are not placed automatically where they should be, and you end up with messed-up transitions. With the help of the Beat Grid, you can easily move the downbeat marker up or down.
The PADS can be used in 4 different modes:
- HOT CUE: Assign a Cue point to each pad, and instantly jump to that point by pressing the pad, while the track is playing
- LOOP (dual function): Press LOOP once to activate its primary function. By pressing a pad, you can set a start point for a loop, and by pressing it once again, you can set its end point, and the loop will be saved to the same pad button, so you can recall it by pressing it again. Press the LOOP function button once again and you can use its secondary function to divide or multiply loop lengths with the pad buttons (from 1/4 to 32 bars)
- ROLL: this mode enables both straight time and triplet base loop rolls to be triggered dynamically. Basically it rolls your track back from 1/8 to 2 beats by pressing one of the pad buttons, and instantly jumps back to the last position after releasing the pad. One cool feature is that while using this function, the waveform is split into two, and on top you see the actual track position where you entered ROLL mode, and below the roll position.
- SLICER (dual function): Pressing SLICER once activates an 8-beat loop which keeps moving on as the track progresses. The currently played slice is represented by the currently lit pad. The light will move through the pads as it progresses through the 8-slice phrase. You can press a pad to play that slice. When you release the pad, it will resume playback like you had never pressed it. Press SLICER again to activate Slicer Loop Mode, and this way you can lock your 8 beat loop.
We feel like Denon DJ is trying to fill the small, or sometimes huge gaps that Pioneer DJ or other rivals lack, especially the on-board track analysis, on-board storage and some connectivity, especially the ZONE output.
When it comes to standalone performance, the Prime 4 is an absolute winner. Although the Engine DJ software is still far behind Rekordbox or Traktor, it is still the only one that is capable of analyzing tracks on the go, and this should really be standard on all standalone DJ gear.
Even though Pioneer DJ has finally made massive improvements with the CDJ 3000 and the XDJ RX3 in terms of display size and quality, Denon DJ still feels one step ahead of the game, even though the Prime 4 is 2 years older than its rivals.
In terms of overall quality, it truly deserves to be in the same league with Pioneer DJ, as it is extremely stable, both in terms of software and hardware.
We highly recommend the Prime 4 for professional mobile DJs who are not committed to the Rekordbox or Traktor ecosystem, especially if they want to leave their laptops behind from time to time, as the Prime 4 is one piece of gear which can confidently get you through the party without a laptop, and it will never disappoint in terms of connectivity and overall stability.