@@briandemodulated I've found that your playlists aren't organized the exact same way or you can't sort tracks the same way by values like "date added". BPM and Key sorting however are good. Beyond that, not really.
just tried that before a small gig, and a lot of tracks were off-speed and some of the hotcues were off too...glad I tried it on desktop and fixed them before the live test on the controller...it's not 100% working
i mean there are a looot of great things to say about the prime 4+ but to find one that doesnt fit then its that inspecific on that controller we are faaaar away from the vinyl feel. then you should look for an Rane one, REV7 or a Denon SC6000M/5000M
@@chonando1019 It was the worst controller ive used. I have ddj 1000srt used hurculese. I have sc6000m lc6000's and the sclive 4 broke twice had to send back twice and the jog wheels were trash for scratching. and the fader was shit and broke. AVOID AVOID AVOID reviews say all of what ive said. Also the screen is so fucking small.
Pretty fair and good comparison. You just missed the SD reader and Ableton Link on the P4 unit and it is 10kg vs 13kg. As for the effects, they got a LOT better since 3.1 and you also have TouchFX now. When the next Prime unit gets 7-8“ jogs with better screens and a standard layout mixer, combined with a stronger CPU+RAM, it will be indisputable All-In-One king.
Never interested in p4 because of the mixer and fx layout. Was the deal breaker for me. Plus the buttons feels so much better with pioneer gears. But pioneer never update their sht. Its criminal
I love my prime 4. Engine Lighting/Sound Switch is so much fun. I agree they are both amazing units, I don't need to upgrade now. But in a few years I probably will upgrade.
Excellent review on both these units, but let’s just remember one thing, Denon made this 5 years ago, just goes to show how impressive the Prime 4 is, AlphaTheta have only just caught up at best, and for an extra £1000 !!! Can’t wait for Denon’s next release, maybe the Prime Pro 🙏
Great video and have to say that even after 4yrs the Denon is STILL right up there as a top piece of kit. So that makes me wonder why Pioneer/Alpha Theta have taken so long to get this to market....but also, what does Denon have up if sleave? It's been 4yrs now so could a Prime 5 be announced next year & what new tech will that have?
One point that not many people talk about though is do we really want new features, gimmicks and tech all the time? Or is something else more important to DJs?
@digitaldjtips Interesting you say this as I noted your comments about software & Rekordbox and how that has loads more features & functions over Engine. However, I've just had a nightmare with the latest Rekordbox update and almost wish there was a Lite version of the software to do away with 70% of the stuff I don't use and just simplify that! But real time stems in hardware, not a laptop, has got to be the next golden ticket and ibwould be excited for that, especially if on the players & not the mixer - Denon SC7000?
Aside from Stems, what other technology do we really need? Manufacturers need to focus on user need, and sort out thier janky software and overall UX and reliability. Rekordbox and Engine desktop will need a re-write soon. player software needs to do what it says it can do with no issues. V interested to see the next version of denon players.
@@bendybenbenderson Agree 100% about the latest Rekorbox update. I hate the way the screen is now clogged with a ton of crap I just don't need. It is taking up space that used to show my collection and playlists. Also don't like how things are so compressed now on the left and right sides. Very frustrating.
I’m a wedding dj and I’ve been using prime 4 since it came out and imo it’s an amazing piece of gear. Waiting to see what Denon is going to come out with next.
Prime4 for me, i moved to Denon 4yrs ago and unlikely to move back. The features are just better overall, and the Firmware updates and new features are very frequent.
Xdj az vs denon prime 4 plus 1. Screens: draw 2.pitch faders: draw 3. Master tempo: both have 4. Key sync: both have 5.Performance pads: i give it to the xdj az 6. Effects layout: i like more the xdj az 7. Fx: denon apparently has more fx the az has 14 and prime 4 plus 25 with software denon adds more 8.Sound colour fx: xdj az takes it it has 6 denon has 4 9. Jogwheels: maybe slighltly to the az but i can be fine with any of each 10. Streaming services: denon prime 4 plus takes it 11.channels: both have 4. But with 2 channels i can do great too i don't think would be my main reason to pick a unit. 12. Lightning: denon controls lighning xdj az doesn't 13. Connectivity: denon takes it i think you can plug hard drives more usbs to save your music if im not wrong 14. Software uptades: apparently denon has more software uptades but im not too sure now 15. Dj software: az has rekordbox and will be available for serato, denon has serato and dj engine 16. Stems: denon has stems i have heard if im not wrong and az doesn't have stems for now 17. Inputs and outputs: i just know both are pro im lazy to mention them all 😂 18 Analysis: i think both analyze the music in the unit itself if im not mistaken im not too sure about the az but the denon i know for sure it does. 19. Price: denon is cheaper.
@@CloudMak3r the prime 4 allows you to use Serato FX , has the controls at the top of each deck (which pioneer has completely taken off all their new controllers). The AZ has nothing advanced or better than the prime 4 for serato. For $1000 less, the prime 4 is the better choice for serato. The AZ only makes sense if you use usb sticks or rekordbox.
@@radientproductions9799 thank you! I'm getting ready to buy a controller and was planning to get a Rane Performer. Any thoughts on why I would not and buy a Prime 4 if I'm planning to use Serato?
Phil, I wished you had gone into the effects on the Prime 4+ a little better. The Denon has channel effects, sweep effects and touch effects. Additionally the Denon can have two different channel effects playing at the same time. You kind of went on about how they are laid out on Pro gear which I feel is an unfair nod to Pioneer.
Prime 4+ is ideal for closet DJ’s like myself, but who aspire one day to be out in public at clubs with their pro Pioneer gear. Which top pro DJ’s currently use Denon
There is no doubt Pioneer makes great products. They've always have. The problem for me with Pioneer is their greed. They have the industry standard but it appears that they're milking us and trying to be like Apple in making proprietary products. They want to tell you what you need. What made me get off the the Pioneer train was the ridiculous subscription for their software. I sold my XZ & Opus Quad. It takes them five years for the AZ? no thank you. There will always be pros and cons with hardware and software. The fact that Denon still has more pros than cons after 5 years with the Prime4 says a lot. I love my Sennheiser SD25's I don't need wireless. Yea right, I'm going to spend another $500 for their proprietary headphones. What's next? A $1000 pair of in-ear headphones? Great vid Phil!!
You say "industry standard" but just watching a video of tomorrow land and almost every DJ had a different setup, moving from from stage left to stage right. At that point any of them can ask for Denon. Went to Turkey recently, out of 14 clubs I visited, only 1 had Pioneer, the rest denon and the one club is only for visiting DJs the local DJ's use denon.
@@digitaldjtips Phil, I'm staying away for standalone for now. I have other controllers I'm working with at the moment. Waiting to see what Denon does. Pioneer could have easily done more features while staying true to familiarity. The limited streaming services kill me. And they try to get you to join their cloud. Pioneer products are beautiful and very tempting.
@@DjghostyMusic I know about the Subscription. I'm talking RB7. Many features require a sub. The fact that Pioneer tries and trick you to sub, rubs me the wrong way.
I absolutely love my prime 4 plus, was going to get the rx3 but I wanted 4 faders and to be able to stream music from tidal, in my opinion the prime 4 plus blows the xdj-az out of the water.
I'm so confused as I would imagine it's illegal to play out music from tidal on lets say a 200 people party (not that anyone would check), but as far as implementing these features.
Hey Phil, I loved the way you spliced the B-roll of the Prime 4+ in throughout. I think I know how you did it.... the end result was pretty slick, well done!
One big difference I never hear about is the feel of the faders and buttons. I think the Denon faders feel heavy and rubbery as opposed to Pioneer which feels smooth and snappy. Same with the buttons: Pioneer has a click to it, whereas Denon just doesn't.
Thanks for the comparison Phil. I am a big Denon fan, but honestly tend to look at value for money.... For me, Denon takes it. Double the usb ports (usb sticks / lc players & even keyboard). SD Card slot. Ableton Link. Wireless song browse & load from network linked computers. Software support for not only Serato, but VDJ & Djay Pro too. Way more effects and effect parameter controls - including touch effects. Regular improvements & new feature updates. And then there's still the possibility of stems to come! Now if you actually compare each units price, rather than AZ vs P4+ plus this & that. AZ is $1000 more expensive, for the 'standard' layout & bigger jogs. There was a time when dj's could mix & rock the crowd on whatever gear was in the dj box. Almost like a minimum Dj requirement. Now people be crying when it's not 'club standard'. 🤣
Great one! I personally bought an XDJ-XZ this year so I don't find the XDJ-AZ to be a big enough upgrade to justify upgrading. But as much as I always cheer so loud for Denon and it's innovations, and as you said so well Phil, if you are technically serious about your career, you should stick with Pioneer gear so you aren't lost when you start gigs because eventually you will then end up upgrading to Pioneer gear most likely. Great video, awesome comparison. Thank you!
Plenty of DJs who are very serious play denon (mobile and event DJs). It’s also not difficult to bounce between brands…but - if I only played in clubs that had pioneer gear, I’d definitely have that at my house (although it would be a flx 10, not this..)
@@kaybecker I like to tell people "if you have and XZ, there is very little reason to upgrade", I still use the XZ and it is such a solid piece of gear.
I sold my XDJ XZ-N when the Prime4+ came out for the inbuilt SSD bay, Tidal streaming and 4 deck Standalone of the Prime 4+ . I've been waiting patiently for the XDJ-XZ2 to arrive so I could maybe switch back over, but now I'm at a crossroad here... I love the SSD bay and SD slot a lot on the Prime4+ and am slightly disappointed the XDJ-AZ left the SD Slot out really but damn, I may be able to let it slide as the XDJ-AZ is still very tempting as it's what I'm used to, (Pioneer DJ) and the Prime4+ still feels a little alien to me though it has everything I need. I had big issues with my music collection with Dropbox Professional & Rekordbox Cloud with the XDJ-XZ so I hope that things will be different with the XDJ-AZ as I really liked Rekordbox, especially the "Edit" feature within' the software..
I think that memory slot was left out because rekordbox can’t read music from a hard drive. Your music would still have to go thr ough rekordbox on a laptop and them put on a USB stick anyway. Whereas on Denon gear it can read and analyse your music without it going through any software first, engine is quiet good in this way and they’ve obviously utilised this by putting memory into their units.
My thing is Tidal barely has that much music, What I want to see one day is Spotify. There are so many tracks that Tidal doesn't have plus their customer service is hot garbage.
I love Denon, going all the way back to the DNS3500 and S3700, had them both and now I have SC5000M with the Rane 72. I've also had the Pioneer CDJ/DJM 2000, but with the all in one, the deal breaker for me since the first day they released the Prime 4 was the size of the jog wheel. If they had used the same jog wheel as the SC5000 that would have great.
@@digitaldjtips its strange how jogwheels size quality dictate my decision too, even though i only use to cue and nudge a beatmatch. With a faulty jogwheel on my sc6000 I have been using pitch bend buttons and they are great. Perhaps jogwheels should be replaced large bend pads instead, with dedicated HW for scratch DJS with decent platters :hmm:
If you don't know your music, access to every track in the world will only make you a bad DJ. I don't believe in streaming services at all for that reason, and the fact that it doesn't work everywhere. I've done hundreds of gigs on cruising ships and underground clubs with no internet access, which in itself disqualify that kind of service. Also you will have no control over what tracks will available over time. Join a couple of really good DJ Pools and download the music want to play. Prepare and get to know it well, and then you will be able to play the music in the right order and at the right time for the best effect. If you don't have at least 3 songs in your head for every song you play, you will end up just picking something anything, just because you don't know the music by heart that you should be playing. I understand if you're only in it as a hobby with no intentions to play for money, that streaming can be an attractive option, but a good DJ Pool will provide you with the best music options as a DJ, with every track prepared with intro, outro and acapellas/instrumentals, and often crafted collections for many type of events. If you store your music in a secure location, the music you get here is available to you forever.
@@bboymac84 But occasionally you can't stream (No internet or shitty speeds, remote locations, etc). While I do get the convenience and selection offered by streaming services, I feel having a strong, comprehensive library on a portable HD is absolutely essential. I'm sure TIDAL will soon be available on the XZ in the future, as it's available in their Rekorbox software.
I learned to DJ on the orginal Prime 4 and it's truly the all in one and can be done with no laptop. I still use the Prime 4 to this day, and have still to get myself a laptop...all my prep work is done using the Prime 4. It is that good. This is an excellent review and I can't agree more with the verdict in the end. They both are great units that cater to different DJ's, but in the end both will get the job done. I agree that Denon brings more to the table in terms in innovative features, and does still maintain an edge over Pioneer in that regard.
The Prime 4 works excelent with Virtual DJ, as well. And I believe the AZ will be supported soon. You said "officially supported". So is the VDJ support not "official"?
I’ve said for awhile, if Denon made something with the SIZE of the opus/this unit, like two SC6000s + a mixer combined, it would be hard to pass by. This new unit is intriguing, but I do wish they would have used the real estate on the upper corners for effects modules (like traktor units) vs dual mics & master level/eq. I’ll keep my Opus, but before it existed I often said “if the XZ were full 4ch standalone, I’d buy it” - nice work Pio/AT! Great review. I still think Denon has superior pad modes for creatively playing tracks (slicing / stabbing samples) but every time I jam on my Opus I fall in love a little more.
Excellent and unbiased review, Phil. As a DJ of some 35 years, I've regularly used both manufacturers. I've owned a Prime 4 and a FLX10 (my current weapon of choice) but I really dislike the fanboy hatred of Denon kit by the Pioneer drones. Just because the buttons are in a different place, they get all flustered!
If you think DJing is about playing the right music for the people in front of you right now, then you realise that these are all just tools and it's silly to get so het up about the tools when you could be spending your energy worrying about the music and the experience. That's our view anyway.
@@digitaldjtips THIS!!!! In my opinion it's like comparing automobiles. Honda and Merceds both make excellent and very reliable vehicles, however there are certainly some big differences in price, service, and features. But in the end both will get you to your destination reliably and in comfort. Would be interesting if the Honda had a tiny steering wheel.
How Denon is not industry standard by now I will never know. They constantly add new features and look after the consumer rather than drip feeding you features at a ridiculous price like pioneer. I love the way they dkim over the biggest feature which is the streaming services like tidal. It's no competition. DENON wins hands down for this reason alone
@@digitaldjtipsRespectfully, I don't think that's a great argument. It's a good thing we have company that innovate and offer more features or we'd be stuck with the same gear and feats from 30 years ago.
It’s not industry standard because InMusic have awful to no marketing where it matters. Clubs and bars buy Pioneer gear because they don’t know about Denon.
Phil,Prime 4+, it is undoubtedly much more than this release of Alpha theta, on top of that now with the latest update of Engine 4.1.0, the system was left with a great job. I like both brands But obviously I'm going for Denon prime 4+,For all it offers.AND ALSO THE PRICE, A POINT IN FAVOR FOR DENON
Nice video, and great to see genuinely decent competition. I'm Denon at the moment but if Pioneer get rid of their subscription model I would likely jump ship for the convenience of matching up to club setups.
As a DDJ FLX4 user who wants to get into clubs and stuff. Should I spend more on the XDJ AZ or the Prime 4+? Added note that here in Thailand, the price difference is a way bigger deal than over in the US or the UK. I want a work horse unit that will last a while as well as be able to stream the odd request? Do you think the Pioneer layout is really that important in memorizing and being stuck in or do you think a prime 4+ would do me just fine???
a dj should not be lost when he shows in a venue and finds out its Denon or Pioneer, I mix on any gear as long as it's known brand. don't tell me that once ill find a denons I can't mix. enough from the club-standard thing and focus on being creative with what you've got or seen in a club. i own Opus Quad and denon 6000 and will get the AZ and I will use and play on all of them depending on my mode and venue I am in. easy as 123
DJ should be able to turn their hands to using any gear you’re right however it’s also true that very nearly every place I’ve ever seen that has installed DJ gear has Pioneer
Exactly, i bought a Prime 2 after using 1210s/CDJs/Controllers for years and my first time using it was at a gig, no issues at all.... this is what DJs should aim for, not pandering to some nonsense about club standards.
Phil - I'm visually impaired which is why I am currently using a laptop with a FLX-10. (Rekordox). I absolutely need a big screen with a large font. I was thrilled when I saw that the AZ has a 10 inch screen AND you also increase the font size on it. This is an absolute game changer for me. That being said, what is the screen size on the Prime, and can you change the font size in the software as you can on the AZ?
It is exactly as this gentleman says it. If you just want to learn to play music, i.e. make changes, add some effects and generally start playing, then Denon is the right choice for you. If on the other hand your goal is to practice at home or start playing in bar/clubs then the solution is to go to Pioneer because very simply all the clubs have machines like cdjs..your money your choice!
I guess you've got to sit down and look at what you actually want to use it for. Both units are great and from the basic point of playing music they both do the job well. I switch between a residency and mobile work. Both will do the job, however! The DJ market is pretty crowded right now so I'm always looking for something new to stand out (mainly in the mobile world). Denon have consistently innovated their technology other the last 5 years and added features that enable you to go further. An example is the zone output where I can play a completely different set list and push it to a different room whilst still playing the main floor. You have more connectivity options, the amount of times I have a sax player join me on sets where I can just plug them in, pull down their set list and go as pretty awesome. DMX lighting control is another factor for me that integrates seemlessly, great for weddings etc where you can control the lighting (and for me the dry ice). Again it comes down to what you want to do, where you are going with it and what you can afford. Keep rocking those dance floors folks!
Hi Phil, quick question. I have heard that the prime 4 plus effects on the mixer/hardware do not work with turntables. Well I think only the filter works. Is that correct? I would assume all the mixer/hardware effects work on the AZ as it’s basically an A9 mixer?
@@digitaldjtips Don’t get me wrong, I’m thoroughly impressed by Denon’s products. But it frustrates me when I just don’t see them anywhere. I guess, like you say in the video, it’s directed towards a different group…more like hobby oriented.
Question about Bluetooth. Do any of these units have the ability for example, someone asks you to play a Track you don't have but they have on there Phone, can/is it quick and easy to just have them Bluetooth to say channel 3 on you unit and then you have control over it Play/Pause to bring it in as if it was on your system/sticks ect? Or is/are we not there yet to be able to do this easily? Do the Omnis and Opus do this, i am sure i recall some unit can do this easily?
I was seriously considering the XDJ-AZ but after watching this I'm unsure. The Prime 4+ is 5 years older but there's barely anything to split them? Is Denon DJ likely to release a new model anytime soon?
I usually don't comment but I would like to point out two serious flaws with the Denon gear that I noticed when using it. I have three club residencies and the clubs have the Prime4+, Opus Quad, and XDJ-XZ (at least up until last weekend), so I have a bit of insight in working in a club environment with multiple guest DJs using each of these pieces of gear. The easiest flaw you can see come up when having multiple DJs that use Serato, VDJ, and other DJ software is the huge amount of silence when swapping from Standalone to Computer mode. Not even the mic or external inputs work when it is resetting, so doing back to backs using software is practically impossible without destroying your night. The second one, the one that has stopped me from ever considering Denon gear, is also software based. If you look at the VDJ or Serato audio settings on higher end Pioneer gear, you will notice that each channel is routed to its own channel, so each channel acts as its own soundcard. This allows for trim, EQ, effects, etc to all be hardware, which sound 1000x better than Serato or VDJ EQ and effects. On Denon, that isn't the case. The audio can only be routed as Master + Headphone. This means that the Prime becomes just a dumb MIDI controller and soundcard. So no hardware anything. With that being said, if you are a DJ that doesn't use DJ software and you aren't in a position to need to use it, then for the price Denon wins. But if work with software or in a situation where you have DJs that use software coming in, you are way better off with Pioneer gear.
If you run audio to a line input of the Prime mixer, it's possible to change modes without a "huge amount of silence". The mixer still works when changing modes.
I bought a Prime 4+ last November and the 2 main reasons why I went with Denon is I needed a 4 channel standalone and also needed to see all 4 waveforms at once, it makes such a huge difference to me personally when going double to double. Id much prefer to be on a Pioneer since Im a club DJ who uses Rekordbox and CDJs so swapping back and forth definitely has become a hassle. My question is have you heard anything about the AZ getting layout features where you can see all 4 waveforms like you can on the Prime 4+? Lastly I will add in less than a year my USB1 slot no longer works and quite often I have to turn the Prime off and on 3-4 times before the screen wants to respond so I also think Pioneer units will hold their value longer.
Almost certainly the XDJ-AZ would hold its value for longer. And no, we haven't heard any word of whether you'll get 4 waveform view. I suspect this will not happen.
Hi Phil and the team. Many thanks for the review. I’m seriously considering buying the Xdj-az however no send and return for my RMX. Any suggestions how best to connect this please?
Great video! As always Phil! I will say though calling Lighting control niche might not be as accurate these days, as controlling lighting for most DJs is a big deal. Yes there is a learning curve with SoundSwitch but most mobile DJs their lighting packages are some of the biggest sell points. And Pioneer/Alpha theta really doesn't have a great solution that on the AZ.
Initially bought the Prime 4+ as i wanted to give it a chance (Previously CDJMK3 player), and while i think the quality was up there especially with their Alloy top faceplate and some nice color features and touchscreen, there were some things i just couldnt live with and took it back and swapped for the XDJ-RX3 (Yes only 2 channels). Things i didnt like were 1. Their rotary effects selector (i want effects on tap, not have to scroll through a whole list one by one to get the one i want because time taken to find what i need now means that part of the song i wanted to effect has now finished) Perhaps you can fast assign them to the screen but then the rotary knob is pointless, 2. Their 4 color effects illumination buttons not bright enough or visual enough to know if that effect was on/off compared to the other buttons and 3, Probably the biggest was the lead in/out track time between two tracks showing either the time remaining OR time played both same. I couldnt find any way to switch so one shows time played and the other time remaining. Why isnt this adjustable somewhere, what an oversight for such an important feature. No disrespect to the Denon, but coming from Pio gear, the usability of Denon just seems a bit clunky. Same goes with my Denon AVR, but thats a whole other post.
Thank you for sharing this. It's good that you gave something a try, and it's also good that you were very clear about what you wanted the second time around. Glad you're sorted now.
I've used a lot of pioneer gear but always liked the underdog Denon. I got to try the original prime 4 at a DJ conference when it first came out and I was surprisingly disappointed. It's excellent on paper but it was shockingly small. It didn't feel like professional gear and it felt like a toy. The prime is very much geared towards mobile DJs and the AZ is more for club DJs. I personally wouldn't buy a prime 4, but in terms of features, if money is an issue, you get essentially the same thing from Denon for a fraction of the price, or you could go with their full sized players for about the same as the AZ. Honestly though, if I had the money to spend, as a mobile DJ, I'd probably still go with the AZ. I like how big it is and I think it's a lot cooler.
It comes down to personal preference, but the truth is that the vast majority of DJ gear out there looks and feels like the XDJ-AZ, which doesn't make a blind bit of difference to some people, but to others it makes all the difference.
I have the Denon Prime 4+. An upgrade from my Denon DN-S3700's. I have never actually used Pioneer DJ equipment. It has always been Denon, Rane, QSC, Crown and EV or JBL. I'm not knocking the Pioneer stuff, I guess I was the rebel and went with Denon :)
Why, if the subscription includes something that’s an ongoing service like a cloud service for instance there’s no reason why you wouldn’t pay for it whatever you bought and whatever brand it’s from
@@digitaldjtips Not if you pay premium for let say CDJ 3000 and A9 / A10, then you have bought the whole software suite. I think demanding more money when you already paid an arm and a leg is absurd. It's ok to buy into this ecosystem if you have older gear, that is alright by me. Not if you have the latest gear. To me that feels cheap even by Pioneer Dj standards. Only a company like Alpha Theta would do a thing like that. Just my opinion
if the denon was more of a club standard layout i would be sold instantly. since i mostly perform at venues or parties that already have gear there, a default layout is important for me
Hello, is there anything on the Prime 4+ that Pioneer does where you can mark two tracks that go well together? I think it's called linked tracks or something.
The club standard seams to be the strongest "feature" in those comparisons videos. Because in most other areas the Prime 4 wins clearly. However your video talks most about the drawbacks of the AZ compared to other videos in which you could get the impression that just Pioneer fanboys are talking.
Question: if i use mixed in key to set up cue points and prepare tracks using usbs with the prime+ will the engine dj recognize it? Do i have to do it a certain way or are there multiple options?
I was gifted a Denon MCX8000. It's not in perfect working order, but as a beginner, its obviously more than enough. I also have a Hercules 500 and the numark touch2go, both are great for being mobile As tech geek, I lust afte the Prime 4+. Maybe I just like lights!
On the XDJ-XZ, can you choose different sources per channel like you can on the CDJ-3000? For example, when switching with a Serato DJ, can they use one channel while another channel is using the USB sticks without stopping music?
Yes, only on Pioneer gear. Denon requires you to completely reboot the machine when going from Computer Control to Standalone. No audio whatsoever will come out during this boot process, not even the mic
AZ Can't read a Engine USB...Prime 4 can do the other way around. It's also to use more FX on the Prime 4 (Happy to see a pioneer video of someone using more than one fx at once and taking them off again)
Aesthetically; Pioneer wins👍 However when it comes to value for "MONEY" & innovation: Denon 💪DJ takes it, (6 ways to Sunday) ! Not to mention also is the fact that (Engine DJ) software, is (Non-Subscription)👍as opposed to Rekordbox👎 Would love to someday be able to afford (Alph Theta) gear, in the meantime for me as a MOBILE DJ; "Denon" has the goods✌
There is one thing you didn't explain. Prime4+ cannot do those streaming services without a laptop as far as I have seen. AZ can do all those with a laptop as well.
⚡ TIMESTAMPS ⚡
00:00 Intro
01:38 Appearance
02:39 Screens
03:13 Inputs & outputs
05:42 Layout
08:43 Features
15:19 Which one is best?
If you use rekordbox to sync your music to USB, the denon prime 4+ can recognize your hot cues, playlists and cuepoints.
I don't even use Engine Prime to sync my music to my USB. I only use rekordbox so I'll be ready for clubs, or my private events.
Are there any disadvantages to prepping your music in Rekordbox instead of Engine DJ for a Denon device?
@@briandemodulated I've found that your playlists aren't organized the exact same way or you can't sort tracks the same way by values like "date added". BPM and Key sorting however are good. Beyond that, not really.
@@lesterfierro28 thank you very much!
just tried that before a small gig, and a lot of tracks were off-speed and some of the hotcues were off too...glad I tried it on desktop and fixed them before the live test on the controller...it's not 100% working
I LOVE my Prime 4+. If feels like the days of vinyl again; more focus on the music than the gear. That's the way it should be!
Good to hear this
i mean there are a looot of great things to say about the prime 4+ but to find one that doesnt fit then its that inspecific on that controller we are faaaar away from the vinyl feel. then you should look for an Rane one, REV7 or a Denon SC6000M/5000M
My buddy has a rev7. Looks pretty awesome
@jasonparker1454 except that he's clearly done both, and says it feels similar to him.
Your anecdotes don't apply.
Denon is amazing proud owner of an SC Live 4
How does it feel?
How long have you had it for?
What do you mainly use it for?
@@chonando1019 It was the worst controller ive used. I have ddj 1000srt used hurculese. I have sc6000m lc6000's and the sclive 4 broke twice had to send back twice and the jog wheels were trash for scratching. and the fader was shit and broke. AVOID AVOID AVOID reviews say all of what ive said. Also the screen is so fucking small.
@@DikDastardly so....save up for the FLX10? Lol
Pretty fair and good comparison. You just missed the SD reader and Ableton Link on the P4 unit and it is 10kg vs 13kg. As for the effects, they got a LOT better since 3.1 and you also have TouchFX now. When the next Prime unit gets 7-8“ jogs with better screens and a standard layout mixer, combined with a stronger CPU+RAM, it will be indisputable All-In-One king.
Thanks for adding this useful extra info
Never interested in p4 because of the mixer and fx layout. Was the deal breaker for me. Plus the buttons feels so much better with pioneer gears. But pioneer never update their sht. Its criminal
I love my prime 4. Engine Lighting/Sound Switch is so much fun. I agree they are both amazing units, I don't need to upgrade now. But in a few years I probably will upgrade.
Sounds like you are enjoying it to the full
Excellent review on both these units, but let’s just remember one thing, Denon made this 5 years ago, just goes to show how impressive the Prime 4 is, AlphaTheta have only just caught up at best, and for an extra £1000 !!!
Can’t wait for Denon’s next release, maybe the Prime Pro 🙏
Yes, it always has been very impressive.
They said they would add streaming to the opus and it isn't here yet.
Ouch
overpromise underdeliver is their motto
Never buy tech on the promise of future features.
They did indeed and they haven’t. You’re quite right.
if im not wrong since Opus release there was just 1 firmware update since. while Denon brings one every 2-3 month more or less.
Great video and have to say that even after 4yrs the Denon is STILL right up there as a top piece of kit. So that makes me wonder why Pioneer/Alpha Theta have taken so long to get this to market....but also, what does Denon have up if sleave? It's been 4yrs now so could a Prime 5 be announced next year & what new tech will that have?
Stems (apparently in public beta now) and big jogs like the AZ would make a denon unit super compelling- especially if at a better price.
One point that not many people talk about though is do we really want new features, gimmicks and tech all the time? Or is something else more important to DJs?
@digitaldjtips Interesting you say this as I noted your comments about software & Rekordbox and how that has loads more features & functions over Engine. However, I've just had a nightmare with the latest Rekordbox update and almost wish there was a Lite version of the software to do away with 70% of the stuff I don't use and just simplify that! But real time stems in hardware, not a laptop, has got to be the next golden ticket and ibwould be excited for that, especially if on the players & not the mixer - Denon SC7000?
Aside from Stems, what other technology do we really need? Manufacturers need to focus on user need, and sort out thier janky software and overall UX and reliability. Rekordbox and Engine desktop will need a re-write soon. player software needs to do what it says it can do with no issues. V interested to see the next version of denon players.
@@bendybenbenderson Agree 100% about the latest Rekorbox update. I hate the way the screen is now clogged with a ton of crap I just don't need. It is taking up space that used to show my collection and playlists. Also don't like how things are so compressed now on the left and right sides. Very frustrating.
I’m a wedding dj and I’ve been using prime 4 since it came out and imo it’s an amazing piece of gear.
Waiting to see what Denon is going to come out with next.
Denon 100%
Prime4 for me, i moved to Denon 4yrs ago and unlikely to move back. The features are just better overall, and the Firmware updates and new features are very frequent.
The frequency of firmware upgrades is definitely a big difference between the two
Engine Dj OS
It's the absolute top 🎧🤙🏼
good timing - I'm seriously about to buy something this afternoon, inclined to the denon right now.
Buy one second hand, they depreciate faster than Candyfloss in a waterfall.
Xdj az vs denon prime 4 plus
1. Screens: draw
2.pitch faders: draw
3. Master tempo: both have
4. Key sync: both have
5.Performance pads: i give it to the xdj az
6. Effects layout: i like more the xdj az
7. Fx: denon apparently has more fx the az has 14 and prime 4 plus 25 with software denon adds more
8.Sound colour fx: xdj az takes it it has 6 denon has 4
9. Jogwheels: maybe slighltly to the az but i can be fine with any of each
10. Streaming services: denon prime 4 plus takes it
11.channels: both have 4. But with 2 channels i can do great too i don't think would be my main reason to pick a unit.
12. Lightning: denon controls lighning xdj az doesn't
13. Connectivity: denon takes it i think you can plug hard drives more usbs to save your music if im not wrong
14. Software uptades: apparently denon has more software uptades but im not too sure now
15. Dj software: az has rekordbox and will be available for serato, denon has serato and dj engine
16. Stems: denon has stems i have heard if im not wrong and az doesn't have stems for now
17. Inputs and outputs: i just know both are pro im lazy to mention them all 😂
18 Analysis: i think both analyze the music in the unit itself if im not mistaken im not too sure about the az but the denon i know for sure it does.
19. Price: denon is cheaper.
Prime 4 + may not work with software rekordbox BUT does read rekordbox playlist so if you have a usb it will definitely read it
Careful with this. Have had numerous problems with people trying to play Rekordbox USBs in my SC6000s. They've been quite unreliable in that respect.
Reads playlists but doesn’t show tempos unless tracks are loaded? Careful with this, yes.
This is true
great comparison. For serato users, the prime 4 is by far more worth it.
Why? Honest question.
@@CloudMak3r the prime 4 allows you to use Serato FX , has the controls at the top of each deck (which pioneer has completely taken off all their new controllers). The AZ has nothing advanced or better than the prime 4 for serato. For $1000 less, the prime 4 is the better choice for serato. The AZ only makes sense if you use usb sticks or rekordbox.
@@radientproductions9799 if you only care about serato why not rane performer?
@@andreksjour Exactly my thoughts. Why buy a standalone unit if you're using DJ software?
@@radientproductions9799 thank you! I'm getting ready to buy a controller and was planning to get a Rane Performer. Any thoughts on why I would not and buy a Prime 4 if I'm planning to use Serato?
prime 4 no.1😀😀😀😀👍👍👍
Phil, I wished you had gone into the effects on the Prime 4+ a little better. The Denon has channel effects, sweep effects and touch effects. Additionally the Denon can have two different channel effects playing at the same time. You kind of went on about how they are laid out on Pro gear which I feel is an unfair nod to Pioneer.
💯👏👏👏👍
Yes, on back to back dj performance having effects per deck is a big thing!
Yes, fair enough. We kind of just go off what they sound like and honestly, I prefer the sound of the effects on Pio gear
Prime 4+ is ideal for closet DJ’s like myself, but who aspire one day to be out in public at clubs with their pro Pioneer gear.
Which top pro DJ’s currently use Denon
There is no doubt Pioneer makes great products. They've always have. The problem for me with Pioneer is their greed. They have the industry standard but it appears that they're milking us and trying to be like Apple in making proprietary products. They want to tell you what you need. What made me get off the the Pioneer train was the ridiculous subscription for their software. I sold my XZ & Opus Quad. It takes them five years for the AZ? no thank you. There will always be pros and cons with hardware and software. The fact that Denon still has more pros than cons after 5 years with the Prime4 says a lot. I love my Sennheiser SD25's I don't need wireless. Yea right, I'm going to spend another $500 for their proprietary headphones. What's next? A $1000 pair of in-ear headphones? Great vid Phil!!
Maybe! Glad you're happy with your choice.
There is only a suscription for their pro rekordbox. You don't need it if you don't care about the vocal features.
You say "industry standard" but just watching a video of tomorrow land and almost every DJ had a different setup, moving from from stage left to stage right. At that point any of them can ask for Denon. Went to Turkey recently, out of 14 clubs I visited, only 1 had Pioneer, the rest denon and the one club is only for visiting DJs the local DJ's use denon.
@@digitaldjtips Phil, I'm staying away for standalone for now. I have other controllers I'm working with at the moment. Waiting to see what Denon does. Pioneer could have easily done more features while staying true to familiarity. The limited streaming services kill me. And they try to get you to join their cloud. Pioneer products are beautiful and very tempting.
@@DjghostyMusic I know about the Subscription. I'm talking RB7. Many features require a sub. The fact that Pioneer tries and trick you to sub, rubs me the wrong way.
Amazing! Thanks Phil, always appreciate your content!
I appreciate that!
Thank you Phil, I was looking for this review. So hard to decide.
Glad to help
I absolutely love my prime 4 plus, was going to get the rx3 but I wanted 4 faders and to be able to stream music from tidal, in my opinion the prime 4 plus blows the xdj-az out of the water.
100%
I'm so confused as I would imagine it's illegal to play out music from tidal on lets say a 200 people party (not that anyone would check), but as far as implementing these features.
100%
Hey Phil, I loved the way you spliced the B-roll of the Prime 4+ in throughout. I think I know how you did it.... the end result was pretty slick, well done!
PRIME 4 + WORKS NOT ONLY WITH SERATO, BUT ALSO WITH VDJ AND DJAY PRO.
One big difference I never hear about is the feel of the faders and buttons. I think the Denon faders feel heavy and rubbery as opposed to Pioneer which feels smooth and snappy. Same with the buttons: Pioneer has a click to it, whereas Denon just doesn't.
This all comes down to personal preference of course, but for us, they will do the job
Fantastic in-depth review as always!
Glad to help you.
Denon Prime The Best
Thanks for the comparison Phil. I am a big Denon fan, but honestly tend to look at value for money.... For me, Denon takes it. Double the usb ports (usb sticks / lc players & even keyboard). SD Card slot. Ableton Link. Wireless song browse & load from network linked computers. Software support for not only Serato, but VDJ & Djay Pro too. Way more effects and effect parameter controls - including touch effects. Regular improvements & new feature updates. And then there's still the possibility of stems to come! Now if you actually compare each units price, rather than AZ vs P4+ plus this & that. AZ is $1000 more expensive, for the 'standard' layout & bigger jogs. There was a time when dj's could mix & rock the crowd on whatever gear was in the dj box. Almost like a minimum Dj requirement. Now people be crying when it's not 'club standard'. 🤣
Looks like you know which one's right for you, Arthur. Thank you for sharing.
Great one!
I personally bought an XDJ-XZ this year so I don't find the XDJ-AZ to be a big enough upgrade to justify upgrading.
But as much as I always cheer so loud for Denon and it's innovations, and as you said so well Phil, if you are technically serious about your career, you should stick with Pioneer gear so you aren't lost when you start gigs because eventually you will then end up upgrading to Pioneer gear most likely.
Great video, awesome comparison. Thank you!
Plenty of DJs who are very serious play denon (mobile and event DJs). It’s also not difficult to bounce between brands…but - if I only played in clubs that had pioneer gear, I’d definitely have that at my house (although it would be a flx 10, not this..)
You bought a 7 year old outdated unit
@@kaybecker I like to tell people "if you have and XZ, there is very little reason to upgrade", I still use the XZ and it is such a solid piece of gear.
Xz solid still I have one with cdj 3000 no need
@@xaviermiranda5529 Yup that 7 year comment is so stupid when I see in a lot of clubs still using CDJ-2000s
I sold my XDJ XZ-N when the Prime4+ came out for the inbuilt SSD bay, Tidal streaming and 4 deck Standalone of the Prime 4+ . I've been waiting patiently for the XDJ-XZ2 to arrive so I could maybe switch back over, but now I'm at a crossroad here... I love the SSD bay and SD slot a lot on the Prime4+ and am slightly disappointed the XDJ-AZ left the SD Slot out really but damn, I may be able to let it slide as the XDJ-AZ is still very tempting as it's what I'm used to, (Pioneer DJ) and the Prime4+ still feels a little alien to me though it has everything I need.
I had big issues with my music collection with Dropbox Professional & Rekordbox Cloud with the XDJ-XZ so I hope that things will be different with the XDJ-AZ as I really liked Rekordbox, especially the "Edit" feature within' the software..
I think that memory slot was left out because rekordbox can’t read music from a hard drive. Your music would still have to go thr ough rekordbox on a laptop and them put on a USB stick anyway.
Whereas on Denon gear it can read and analyse your music without it going through any software first, engine is quiet good in this way and they’ve obviously utilised this by putting memory into their units.
What issues did you have with cloud?
My thing is Tidal barely has that much music, What I want to see one day is Spotify. There are so many tracks that Tidal doesn't have plus their customer service is hot garbage.
I love Denon, going all the way back to the DNS3500 and S3700, had them both and now I have SC5000M with the Rane 72. I've also had the Pioneer CDJ/DJM 2000, but with the all in one, the deal breaker for me since the first day they released the Prime 4 was the size of the jog wheel. If they had used the same jog wheel as the SC5000 that would have great.
Yes, for some people this is an issue surprisingly for few though we’ve found
@@digitaldjtips its strange how jogwheels size quality dictate my decision too, even though i only use to cue and nudge a beatmatch. With a faulty jogwheel on my sc6000 I have been using pitch bend buttons and they are great. Perhaps jogwheels should be replaced large bend pads instead, with dedicated HW for scratch DJS with decent platters :hmm:
DJing is about having access to music to rock the crowd! Denon has access to way more music than pioneer will ever have currently
Well, in a way, yes, but at the end of the day you should take with you the music you need
If you don't know your music, access to every track in the world will only make you a bad DJ. I don't believe in streaming services at all for that reason, and the fact that it doesn't work everywhere. I've done hundreds of gigs on cruising ships and underground clubs with no internet access, which in itself disqualify that kind of service. Also you will have no control over what tracks will available over time. Join a couple of really good DJ Pools and download the music want to play. Prepare and get to know it well, and then you will be able to play the music in the right order and at the right time for the best effect. If you don't have at least 3 songs in your head for every song you play, you will end up just picking something anything, just because you don't know the music by heart that you should be playing. I understand if you're only in it as a hobby with no intentions to play for money, that streaming can be an attractive option, but a good DJ Pool will provide you with the best music options as a DJ, with every track prepared with intro, outro and acapellas/instrumentals, and often crafted collections for many type of events. If you store your music in a secure location, the music you get here is available to you forever.
@@digitaldjtips you never know what you will need that’s why streaming is important.
@@bboymac84 But occasionally you can't stream (No internet or shitty speeds, remote locations, etc). While I do get the convenience and selection offered by streaming services, I feel having a strong, comprehensive library on a portable HD is absolutely essential. I'm sure TIDAL will soon be available on the XZ in the future, as it's available in their Rekorbox software.
Hello, which equipment has better sound?Hello, which equipment has better sound?
I learned to DJ on the orginal Prime 4 and it's truly the all in one and can be done with no laptop. I still use the Prime 4 to this day, and have still to get myself a laptop...all my prep work is done using the Prime 4. It is that good. This is an excellent review and I can't agree more with the verdict in the end. They both are great units that cater to different DJ's, but in the end both will get the job done. I agree that Denon brings more to the table in terms in innovative features, and does still maintain an edge over Pioneer in that regard.
Are you only streaming your music, or are you buying music somehow without using a laptop? I'm interested to know.
I started streaming with Tidal and have since switched to BeatPort. Its pretty wild that ivw been able to-do this as an amateur DJ with no laptop.
The Prime 4 works excelent with Virtual DJ, as well. And I believe the AZ will be supported soon.
You said "officially supported". So is the VDJ support not "official"?
No, in the sense that this unit will unlock Serato and record box for free when you plug it in
I’ve said for awhile, if Denon made something with the SIZE of the opus/this unit, like two SC6000s + a mixer combined, it would be hard to pass by. This new unit is intriguing, but I do wish they would have used the real estate on the upper corners for effects modules (like traktor units) vs dual mics & master level/eq. I’ll keep my Opus, but before it existed I often said “if the XZ were full 4ch standalone, I’d buy it” - nice work Pio/AT! Great review. I still think Denon has superior pad modes for creatively playing tracks (slicing / stabbing samples) but every time I jam on my Opus I fall in love a little more.
For me, the Prime 4+ is the best
Excellent and unbiased review, Phil. As a DJ of some 35 years, I've regularly used both manufacturers. I've owned a Prime 4 and a FLX10 (my current weapon of choice) but I really dislike the fanboy hatred of Denon kit by the Pioneer drones. Just because the buttons are in a different place, they get all flustered!
If you think DJing is about playing the right music for the people in front of you right now, then you realise that these are all just tools and it's silly to get so het up about the tools when you could be spending your energy worrying about the music and the experience. That's our view anyway.
@@digitaldjtips THIS!!!! In my opinion it's like comparing automobiles. Honda and Merceds both make excellent and very reliable vehicles, however there are certainly some big differences in price, service, and features. But in the end both will get you to your destination reliably and in comfort. Would be interesting if the Honda had a tiny steering wheel.
Thanks Phil great vid
Glad you enjoyed it
you said it really elegantly and felt candid!
How Denon is not industry standard by now I will never know. They constantly add new features and look after the consumer rather than drip feeding you features at a ridiculous price like pioneer.
I love the way they dkim over the biggest feature which is the streaming services like tidal.
It's no competition. DENON wins hands down for this reason alone
How important do you feel endlessly features are to DJs?
@@digitaldjtipsRespectfully, I don't think that's a great argument. It's a good thing we have company that innovate and offer more features or we'd be stuck with the same gear and feats from 30 years ago.
You said it only works with serato. But it works with virtual dj.
I agree100 percent
It’s not industry standard because InMusic have awful to no marketing where it matters. Clubs and bars buy Pioneer gear because they don’t know about Denon.
Phil,Prime 4+, it is undoubtedly much more than this release of Alpha theta, on top of that now with the latest update of Engine 4.1.0, the system was left with a great job. I like both brands But obviously I'm going for Denon prime 4+,For all it offers.AND ALSO THE PRICE, A POINT IN FAVOR FOR DENON
Thanks for sharing your thought
100% agree
Nice video, and great to see genuinely decent competition. I'm Denon at the moment but if Pioneer get rid of their subscription model I would likely jump ship for the convenience of matching up to club setups.
As a DDJ FLX4 user who wants to get into clubs and stuff. Should I spend more on the XDJ AZ or the Prime 4+? Added note that here in Thailand, the price difference is a way bigger deal than over in the US or the UK. I want a work horse unit that will last a while as well as be able to stream the odd request? Do you think the Pioneer layout is really that important in memorizing and being stuck in or do you think a prime 4+ would do me just fine???
a dj should not be lost when he shows in a venue and finds out its Denon or Pioneer, I mix on any gear as long as it's known brand. don't tell me that once ill find a denons I can't mix. enough from the club-standard thing and focus on being creative with what you've got or seen in a club. i own Opus Quad and denon 6000 and will get the AZ and I will use and play on all of them depending on my mode and venue I am in. easy as 123
DJ should be able to turn their hands to using any gear you’re right however it’s also true that very nearly every place I’ve ever seen that has installed DJ gear has Pioneer
Exactly, i bought a Prime 2 after using 1210s/CDJs/Controllers for years and my first time using it was at a gig, no issues at all.... this is what DJs should aim for, not pandering to some nonsense about club standards.
Phil - I'm visually impaired which is why I am currently using a laptop with a FLX-10. (Rekordox). I absolutely need a big screen with a large font. I was thrilled when I saw that the AZ has a 10 inch screen AND you also increase the font size on it. This is an absolute game changer for me. That being said, what is the screen size on the Prime, and can you change the font size in the software as you can on the AZ?
Same size screen, and yes, you can make the font bigger. I would say the Prime 4 is clearer, but it does have tiny type on the little FX screens.
It is exactly as this gentleman says it. If you just want to learn to play music, i.e. make changes, add some effects and generally start playing, then Denon is the right choice for you. If on the other hand your goal is to practice at home or start playing in bar/clubs then the solution is to go to Pioneer because very simply all the clubs have machines like cdjs..your money your choice!
Indeed, it's great to have the choice.
How is sound output between the two? Are they both 32bit?
There are only a small handful of channels on RUclips that review and discuss DJ gear, and you guys are at the top of that mountain.
I guess you've got to sit down and look at what you actually want to use it for. Both units are great and from the basic point of playing music they both do the job well. I switch between a residency and mobile work. Both will do the job, however! The DJ market is pretty crowded right now so I'm always looking for something new to stand out (mainly in the mobile world). Denon have consistently innovated their technology other the last 5 years and added features that enable you to go further. An example is the zone output where I can play a completely different set list and push it to a different room whilst still playing the main floor. You have more connectivity options, the amount of times I have a sax player join me on sets where I can just plug them in, pull down their set list and go as pretty awesome. DMX lighting control is another factor for me that integrates seemlessly, great for weddings etc where you can control the lighting (and for me the dry ice). Again it comes down to what you want to do, where you are going with it and what you can afford. Keep rocking those dance floors folks!
Exactly - as with anything, you need to look at the feature set and decide which one is best for you. Thanks for your sensible comment.
Hi Phil, quick question. I have heard that the prime 4 plus effects on the mixer/hardware do not work with turntables. Well I think only the filter works. Is that correct? I would assume all the mixer/hardware effects work on the AZ as it’s basically an A9 mixer?
I would like to purchase a Denon product. But, The biggest issue with Denon where I live is their lack of service centers.
It’s a common problem with this brand and it’s one of the reasons why they’re not seriously challenging in the pro end of the market
DENON 👍👍👍
Best online review this. I want the AZ
Thanks!
Thank the universe for Phil!
Ah, thanks!
Have been waiting for this! :) Thanks, Phil!
My pleasure!
I’ve yet to see Denon equipment ANYWHERE in the world.
I’d like to try it out…but pioneer is definitely the industry standard
It is indeed
@@digitaldjtips Don’t get me wrong, I’m thoroughly impressed by Denon’s products.
But it frustrates me when I just don’t see them anywhere.
I guess, like you say in the video, it’s directed towards a different group…more like hobby oriented.
Is the DJSM-1000 compatible with the denon prime 4+? Can I use virtual DJ with both controllers? Thank you for your videos and hard work?
Yes to virtual DJ, not sure what your other question is
@@digitaldjtips I apologize, I meant to say the DJS-1000 pioneer sampler. Is it compatible with the denon prime 4+?
Question about Bluetooth. Do any of these units have the ability for example, someone asks you to play a Track you don't have but they have on there Phone, can/is it quick and easy to just have them Bluetooth to say channel 3 on you unit and then you have control over it Play/Pause to bring it in as if it was on your system/sticks ect?
Or is/are we not there yet to be able to do this easily?
Do the Omnis and Opus do this, i am sure i recall some unit can do this easily?
The Prime 4+ can stream from a Bluetooth source. It was added in the 3.4 firmware version.
I think you can do this on Omnis, but just do it on the device itself I'd say
even years has been gone ...nobody cant beat prime4.
Very good explanation!
Thanks
My best bet would be to rent both and test them out!
A very good idea
I was seriously considering the XDJ-AZ but after watching this I'm unsure. The Prime 4+ is 5 years older but there's barely anything to split them? Is Denon DJ likely to release a new model anytime soon?
We have no idea about that
This is great video
Thank you, I'm glad it helped you.
I usually don't comment but I would like to point out two serious flaws with the Denon gear that I noticed when using it. I have three club residencies and the clubs have the Prime4+, Opus Quad, and XDJ-XZ (at least up until last weekend), so I have a bit of insight in working in a club environment with multiple guest DJs using each of these pieces of gear.
The easiest flaw you can see come up when having multiple DJs that use Serato, VDJ, and other DJ software is the huge amount of silence when swapping from Standalone to Computer mode. Not even the mic or external inputs work when it is resetting, so doing back to backs using software is practically impossible without destroying your night.
The second one, the one that has stopped me from ever considering Denon gear, is also software based. If you look at the VDJ or Serato audio settings on higher end Pioneer gear, you will notice that each channel is routed to its own channel, so each channel acts as its own soundcard. This allows for trim, EQ, effects, etc to all be hardware, which sound 1000x better than Serato or VDJ EQ and effects. On Denon, that isn't the case. The audio can only be routed as Master + Headphone. This means that the Prime becomes just a dumb MIDI controller and soundcard. So no hardware anything.
With that being said, if you are a DJ that doesn't use DJ software and you aren't in a position to need to use it, then for the price Denon wins. But if work with software or in a situation where you have DJs that use software coming in, you are way better off with Pioneer gear.
These are some really good insights thank you for taking the time to share them
Yeah its an annoying flaw that i hope they fix on the next gen.
If you run audio to a line input of the Prime mixer, it's possible to change modes without a "huge amount of silence". The mixer still works when changing modes.
For some people the big price difference will be a factor...
Oh for sure
I bought a Prime 4+ last November and the 2 main reasons why I went with Denon is I needed a 4 channel standalone and also needed to see all 4 waveforms at once, it makes such a huge difference to me personally when going double to double. Id much prefer to be on a Pioneer since Im a club DJ who uses Rekordbox and CDJs so swapping back and forth definitely has become a hassle. My question is have you heard anything about the AZ getting layout features where you can see all 4 waveforms like you can on the Prime 4+?
Lastly I will add in less than a year my USB1 slot no longer works and quite often I have to turn the Prime off and on 3-4 times before the screen wants to respond so I also think Pioneer units will hold their value longer.
Almost certainly the XDJ-AZ would hold its value for longer. And no, we haven't heard any word of whether you'll get 4 waveform view. I suspect this will not happen.
How does the sound quality compare between the two?
Can they give us a knob for looping already.
Hi Phil and the team. Many thanks for the review. I’m seriously considering buying the Xdj-az however no send and return for my RMX. Any suggestions how best to connect this please?
No easy way other than over the master output then back into channel 3 or 4
Everybody saying how amazing Denon is. The effects of pioneer are way better. The sound of it and all the options you got.
Great video! As always Phil! I will say though calling Lighting control niche might not be as accurate these days, as controlling lighting for most DJs is a big deal. Yes there is a learning curve with SoundSwitch but most mobile DJs their lighting packages are some of the biggest sell points.
And Pioneer/Alpha theta really doesn't have a great solution that on the AZ.
Yes it’s a good point. I guess having it built into a DJ controller is the niche bit when usually it’s something that’s kept separate.
Initially bought the Prime 4+ as i wanted to give it a chance (Previously CDJMK3 player), and while i think the quality was up there especially with their Alloy top faceplate and some nice color features and touchscreen, there were some things i just couldnt live with and took it back and swapped for the XDJ-RX3 (Yes only 2 channels). Things i didnt like were 1. Their rotary effects selector (i want effects on tap, not have to scroll through a whole list one by one to get the one i want because time taken to find what i need now means that part of the song i wanted to effect has now finished) Perhaps you can fast assign them to the screen but then the rotary knob is pointless, 2. Their 4 color effects illumination buttons not bright enough or visual enough to know if that effect was on/off compared to the other buttons and 3, Probably the biggest was the lead in/out track time between two tracks showing either the time remaining OR time played both same. I couldnt find any way to switch so one shows time played and the other time remaining. Why isnt this adjustable somewhere, what an oversight for such an important feature. No disrespect to the Denon, but coming from Pio gear, the usability of Denon just seems a bit clunky. Same goes with my Denon AVR, but thats a whole other post.
Thank you for sharing this. It's good that you gave something a try, and it's also good that you were very clear about what you wanted the second time around. Glad you're sorted now.
AZ is a bigger copy of the Prime 4+ imo
XDJ-AZ any custom mapping for traktor ?
I've used a lot of pioneer gear but always liked the underdog Denon. I got to try the original prime 4 at a DJ conference when it first came out and I was surprisingly disappointed. It's excellent on paper but it was shockingly small. It didn't feel like professional gear and it felt like a toy. The prime is very much geared towards mobile DJs and the AZ is more for club DJs. I personally wouldn't buy a prime 4, but in terms of features, if money is an issue, you get essentially the same thing from Denon for a fraction of the price, or you could go with their full sized players for about the same as the AZ. Honestly though, if I had the money to spend, as a mobile DJ, I'd probably still go with the AZ. I like how big it is and I think it's a lot cooler.
It comes down to personal preference, but the truth is that the vast majority of DJ gear out there looks and feels like the XDJ-AZ, which doesn't make a blind bit of difference to some people, but to others it makes all the difference.
I would go with a mid tier controller and a ipad pro running djay any day that any of those units
To have real stems
But I respect your work
Comes down to personal preference
I have the Denon Prime 4+. An upgrade from my Denon DN-S3700's. I have never actually used Pioneer DJ equipment. It has always been Denon, Rane, QSC, Crown and EV or JBL. I'm not knocking the Pioneer stuff, I guess I was the rebel and went with Denon :)
That’s cool as long as it’s worked for you, that’s all very good gear
One more thing
People that buy any of Alpha Thetas premium line, should NEVER EVER have to worry about any type of subscription fees.
Why, if the subscription includes something that’s an ongoing service like a cloud service for instance there’s no reason why you wouldn’t pay for it whatever you bought and whatever brand it’s from
@@digitaldjtips Not if you pay premium for let say CDJ 3000 and A9 / A10, then you have bought the whole software suite.
I think demanding more money when you already paid an arm and a leg is absurd. It's ok to buy into this ecosystem if you have older gear, that is alright by me. Not if you have the latest gear. To me that feels cheap even by Pioneer Dj standards. Only a company like Alpha Theta would do a thing like that. Just my opinion
With all these great releases this month is denon going to drop a new prime?
We don't know - we'll have to wait and see.
if the denon was more of a club standard layout i would be sold instantly. since i mostly perform at venues or parties that already have gear there, a default layout is important for me
Yes, that's definitely a disadvantage if it's something that's important to you, as it is to a lot of DJs.
Hello, is there anything on the Prime 4+ that Pioneer does where you can mark two tracks that go well together? I think it's called linked tracks or something.
No, not exactly that
@digitaldjtips Sound quality is most important for me. XDJ-AZ has a 32-bit ESS D/A converter on board. But I can't find any specs on the Prime 4+ DAC
44.1/16 I think. Sounds absolutely fine.
The club standard seams to be the strongest "feature" in those comparisons videos. Because in most other areas the Prime 4 wins clearly. However your video talks most about the drawbacks of the AZ compared to other videos in which you could get the impression that just Pioneer fanboys are talking.
We try to be completely unbiased, we have no affiliation at all with either company.
Question: if i use mixed in key to set up cue points and prepare tracks using usbs with the prime+ will the engine dj recognize it? Do i have to do it a certain way or are there multiple options?
I was gifted a Denon MCX8000. It's not in perfect working order, but as a beginner, its obviously more than enough. I also have a Hercules 500 and the numark touch2go, both are great for being mobile
As tech geek, I lust afte the Prime 4+. Maybe I just like lights!
Ha, thanks for sharing!
The sc live is still great bit of kit
It is indeed.
Unrelated do you know an eta for streaming for the Omnis Duo that was promised at launch?
No, unfortunately we don't.
if denon just released a Prime 4 with proper sized jogs and a more "standard" mixer section i'd never flirt with AT/Pioneer ever again.
My thoughts exactly...
Recently switched to a Denon unit, I love the unit itself but the way the Engine Desktop Software works to manage the songs has been a nightmare.
It certainly isn't as advanced as Rekordbox, but it's pretty good. What exactly are you having problems with?
Is it just the hot cue layout that makes the Opus closest to CDJs? Anything else? Are you doing an Opus Az comparison? Thanks
We are indeed
On the XDJ-XZ, can you choose different sources per channel like you can on the CDJ-3000? For example, when switching with a Serato DJ, can they use one channel while another channel is using the USB sticks without stopping music?
Yes, only on Pioneer gear. Denon requires you to completely reboot the machine when going from Computer Control to Standalone. No audio whatsoever will come out during this boot process, not even the mic
Yes you can
Isn’t the fuzzy key mixing on Engine OS similar to the related key 3 settings in rekordbox?
Rekordbox software has the same, unfortunately not the hardware
AZ Can't read a Engine USB...Prime 4 can do the other way around.
It's also to use more FX on the Prime 4 (Happy to see a pioneer video of someone using more than one fx at once and taking them off again)
Frankly, I don't think Pioneer DJ cares that their gear won't read rivals' USBs.
@@digitaldjtips true but it’s another feature missing - it’s also easier to use more fx at once on the prime than it is on the pioneer
Aesthetically; Pioneer wins👍
However when it comes to value for "MONEY" & innovation: Denon 💪DJ takes it, (6 ways to Sunday) !
Not to mention also is the fact that (Engine DJ) software, is (Non-Subscription)👍as opposed to Rekordbox👎
Would love to someday be able to afford (Alph Theta) gear, in the meantime for me as a MOBILE DJ; "Denon" has the goods✌
3:20 XZ? No biggie, just might confuse a new buyer.
Question, why no "Engine DJ Easy" course? ;-)
Not have the demand for it yet. If we do, we will do it.
I am much hapier with the Denon then the Pioneer
I'm glad you found something that works for you.
There is one thing you didn't explain. Prime4+ cannot do those streaming services without a laptop as far as I have seen. AZ can do all those with a laptop as well.
It can.
Don't need a laptop to stream with the Prime.
DENON SOUNDS WAY MORE MUSICAL THAN PIONEER.